This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Many families use the annual Utah Education Association fall break from school as a chance to do everything from enjoying one last southern Utah camping excursion or a trip to Disneyland.

One reason to get outdoors is to get away from city traffic jams and hassles but, in many cases, national parks are becoming as bad or On a busy weekend like this one, concerns about crowding at national parks such as Arches and Zion will be amplified.

Arches and Canyonlands national parks,. for example, issued a press release advising visitors to expect heavy traffic, crowded trails and limited parking.

Last year, the UEA weekend saw visitation jump 15 percent over the preceding four-day weekend, resulting in overflowing parking lots and long waits at entrance stations.

The National Park Service reported that traffic at Arches can back up onto U.S. 191, creating a serious safety hazard. Visitors also experienced similar waits at the entrance lines at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands.

This weekend, officials recommend visitors enter the parks before 9 a.m. or after noon to avoid entry line wait times that may exceed one hour. They think traffic jams could be as bad or worse than on this past Memorial Day weekend.

Park officials are asking that vehicles keep pace with traffic in the line. Current pass holders and returning visitors should have passes and identification ready. Credit cards are preferred for buying new passes.

If parks reach capacity or entry lines into Arches begin to impact traffic on U.S. 191, vehicles may be restricted from entering until space becomes available.

For information and current details, log on to https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/traffic.htm.