With the countdown to the National Park Service’s centennial this August down to fewer than 180 days, anticipation is building, reservations are filling, and crowds are filing into the National Park System. Last year marked the second year in a row of record national park visitation, with more than 307 million visitors exploring the park system, this year almost certainly will stretch that run to three years.

While it’s great to see more and more people turning to the parks for enjoyment, relaxation, and recreation, not everyone enjoys milling crowds in the parks. With those folks in mind, we’ve put together some strategies, beginning on page 9 of the guide, you can turn to for avoiding, to a certain extent, crowding on your national park vacation. Lassen Volcanic National Park? Cape Lookout National Seashore? Kings Canyon National Park? Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area? All great choices. And there are many more options, too, to enjoy the parks this year without the crowds.

George Oxford Miller explains in his article that opens on page 3 of the guide why Cabrillo National Monument just outside San Diego, California, is a great stop for both history buffs and those seeking a reprieve from the city’s pavement and congestion for a heady dose of nature. If you tow your home behind your rig, Rene Agredano provides some insights to RVing in two California jewels of the National Park System: Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. Her story starts on page 23.

And in our ongoing series of suggestions for road trips in the parks, we look at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, a few Texas jewels, some Georgia destinations, and some great stops in and around the District of Columbia. Spring is a wonderful season in the National Park System, one rich in possibilities and spectacular destinations. Experience it. -- Kurt Repanshek

Traveler footnote: We'll be rolling these stories out on the Traveler through the months ahead, though you can also order a hard copy ($10.95) or digital version ($1.99) now and enjoy it at your leisure.

Essential Park Guide Spring 2016

By Kurt Repanshek in National Park Advocates, LLC

36 pages, published 2/29/2016

Find your place in the National Park System this spring. With the Essential Park Guide, you can find that place.