The National Park Service (NPS) has shared a video of Rangers from Zion National Park reading one-star reviews from Google, with some visitors seemingly expecting it to be a garden, and others thinking it would be like a zoo.
Online reviews can be helpful if you're trying to decide which National Park to visit, but some are more helpful than others. One reviewer (hopefully joking) complained about the absence of monkeys at Zion, while another lamented that "the trees smelled weird". A visitor from Canada commented that the park was too flat even compared to their home city of Manitoba.
The NPS video (which you can see below) was shared by Instagram account TouronsOfNationalParks, which usually calls out bad behavior at sites of natural beauty, such as people tearing off their shirts to chase bears, poking moose, and dipping their hands in thermal springs. The most recent video from the account showed a group of people wading into a lake to bathe with elk during the rut.
Of course, you can help counter these unhelpful reviews by leaving your own after your next visit. Adding photos will make it even more helpful, and give people a better idea of what to expect so they don't head to Gateway Arch expecting hiking trails, or go to Congaree without bug spray.
You can also help people prepare for the smells they're likely to encounter, whether it's stinky tree sap or the sulfurous fumes of the hot springs at Yellowstone, which apparently take some visitors by surprise.
If you're planning a vacation later this year, our guide to the 10 best National Parks to visit in winter will help you avoid the crowds and enjoy the beauty of the season.
- Best hiking boots: our top-rated footwear for expeditions all year round
