The first number is 146: the cars ahead of us when we reach the entrance. The second is 12: minutes spent wondering whether there is another gate. The third is 0: spaces available at the viewpoint when we finally get there.

These numbers do not measure the whole crowding problem. They do show what a popular park feels like from inside a car on a busy morning. Everyone has traveled a long way to be somewhere remarkable. For a while, everyone remains in traffic.

We turn away from the full lot and stop at a less famous trailhead. There are two open spaces. The trail leads through trees to a small overlook with no interpretive sign and no line for photographs. We stay longer than we planned.

Crowding can strain roads, staff, wildlife, and the experience visitors came to find. It takes thoughtful management, and the right approach differs from park to park. As visitors, we can check current guidance, use shuttles where offered, visit at quieter times when possible, and keep a second destination in mind.

On the way out, we pass the viewpoint again. The lot is still full. Our final count is one excellent walk, found after giving up on the photograph we expected to take. That number will not fit neatly into a traffic report, but it is the one we remember.