[vjvjvjvjghv]

With most parks the crowds quickly disappear once you are 2 miles in. That's the case pretty much all over the world. I remember in Iceland there were these huge crowds at a water fall close to the bus stop. I hiked 3 miles in to another similar waterfall. There we had less than 10 people.

[japhyr]

> With most parks the crowds quickly disappear once you are 2 miles in.

And those crowds just aren't present in the early morning. Nobody gets up early enough to be out at sunrise. I'm not worried about saying this out loud and spoiling it either, because most people just don't like to get up that early.

I've been to gorgeous places all over the US that are absolutely packed by 10am or noon. Those same places are completely empty, and even more beautiful at sunrise. I live near one of the best mountain biking places in the southeast US, and regularly do 20-30 mile rides starting at sunrise, and only occasionally see a runner or another cyclist. There's just nobody out in the early mornings.

[avgDev]

Also, when the weather isn't perfect. I love taking a hike when it is chily, rainy, or even cold and snowing.

All it takes is proper gear.

[sharno]

Power law:

The number of people decrease as a power of the distance you travel away from popular spots

[PaulDavisThe1st]

The NPS has an even more specific version of this: the overwhelming majority of Americans visiting a park will not walk more than 1/4 mile from their vehicle. So everything is designed to reinforce this behavior as much as possible, which (a) means that the majority of people get a richer, more dramatic and/or more informative/eye-opening visit (b) the backcountry is left alone, both for the other animals that live there and for the rare humans who will head out there.

[tstrimple]

It doesn't help that basically all the hikes in Zion are popular hikes. There was definitely waiting involved in the Angels Landing hike and that was well beyond 1/4 mile from the parking lot up a significant incline before you even reach the chains to begin climbing up. Lots of passing and waiting once you hit the chains. Tons of people. The very top was quite crowded but we went before the permitting system was in place.

[tristor]

Very much true. I heard so many complaints both of the times I lived in Colorado about how everything was crowded and that was really only true in the parking lot/road in at the trailheads. Once you got a couple miles in, the only people you'd see were those on their return trip passing you by going in the opposite direction, and for the parking situation if you go early enough that you're starting your hike in earnest just after first light, you'll be the one passing people on your return trip.

[cpfohl]

Yep! In my experience it's about 3 miles; people turn around in between 2 and 3. By 3 miles you're guaranteed solo.

[magiclaw]

> There we had less than 10 people

In Iceland, 10 people is a huge crowd.

[vjvjvjvjghv]

Not at the tourist sites. They are quite crowded once the busses come in .