15 years ago you may remember driving through Zion, parking your car and walking around in nature in silence. You'd become one with mother earth. With not many people around, it'd be just you alone with your thoughts.

Ahhhhh the good old days. (Getty Images)

Heads Up: Those days of short lines are long gone, and they're not coming back.

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Empty trails and quiet moments was the norm, until social media completely changed the game. With BILLIONS of photos of the park all over sites like Facebook and Instagram, word got around the world fast about just how beautiful Zion is.

For example, Instagram has you expecting This:

nps facebook

When in reality it's more like this:

nps.gov

With the proliferation of social media posts and bloggers showing off the natural splendor of Zion National Park, it's no wonder why so many people have put visiting Zion on their "Bucket list".

This heightened notoriety paired with a 3-day weekend like Labor Day or Memorial Day makes Zion a popular destination for people not only around the nation, but the world.

Parking lots fill up fast. You will most likely need to park in Springdale and take the shuttles to the park entrance.

The fact that park admission is FREE on many federal holidays just makes it all the more busy.

The line for the shuttles can stretch past the entrance and take more than an hour. (photo: National Park Service)

Line for shuttles stretching to the parking lot (photo: National Park Service)

Most people who visit Zion National Park are interested in 2 places in particular.

The Narrows

(Karan Chawla, Unsplash)

Angel's Landing

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Because of such high demand for Angel's Landing in particular, the park has recently implemented a permit reservation system. Check out the details HERE.

Line of hikers at Angel's Landing in Zion (National Park Service)

Line to take photos at Angel's Landing (photo: National Park Service)

If you're reading this looking for a "less busy" section of the park on Labor Day weekend, you won't find it. The place is straight-up busy AF on holidays and there are not many ways around it.

Shuttles run frequently, but you may have to wait for several shuttles before there is room for you to board. Standing room only is common. (National Park Service)

Long lines at every bus stop in Zion. Kind of like Disneyland, but without the Millennium Falcon at the end. (nps.gov)

According to nps.gov, the LEAST BUSY times to visit Zion is either in January, or weekdays when schools are in session. But even then, be prepared for crowds regardless.

For every girl doing yoga on a cliff, there's a crowd of people behind her waiting to have a turn. (photo: National Park Service)

Now there may be a good chance that many people don't mind the crowds, and to those people I truly am in awe of you. If you don't mind the crowds, and you don't mind the waiting and the busy trails, then I take back that whole "Nightmare" talk. Go. Enjoy. Have fun.

As for me, I'll see you on the trails in January.

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RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.