National Parks Turn into Human Zoos October 17, 2021 – Are Americans loving their National Parks to death? Tourism has hit a historic peak, wearing on our national treasures through crushing traffic, mounds of litter and damage to nature. “Of course, during COVID, parks are hugely popular because people can’t travel outside of the country,” said Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association. “Everyone is visiting these wonderful places.”