ST. GEORGE —  The beauty of Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park has earned them high rankings among the most “picturesque” national parks in America. But park officials and local conservation leaders are reminding visitors that with recognition comes responsibility.

Peter Densmore, Bryce Canyon National Park spokesperson, told St. George News that national parks have experienced a significant increase due to social media engagement during the last decade. He said it provides an opportunity to reach new audiences and connect with a vibrant community of park supporters.

“Social media can have a powerful influence on how we enjoy these shared places, and we encourage everyone who loves their national parks to help us promote good stewardship both in person and online,” he said.

The travel information site Places To Travel recently conducted a study examining Instagram hashtag data and the size of each U.S. national park to find the one with the highest hashtags per acre, according to a news release.

Bryce Canyon National Park came in second place with the ninth-highest number of Instagram hashtags at 728,221. The park is famous for the canyon’s steep red cliffs and offers many hiking opportunities. It sits on 35,835.08 acres of land, gaining the second-highest number of hashtags per acre at 20.32.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in social media engagement during the last decade and have been excited by the opportunity to reach new audiences and connect with a vibrant community of park supporters,” Densmore said. “We know that park visitors engage with social media posts before, during and after their visits, and we want to help them prepare for each visit and to feel connected to the park from home.”

Environmental impacts from visitors have gained increased attention among land managers, biologists and others who frequented scenic landscapes during the pandemic. Zachary J. Valois, Public Lands Program Manager for Conserve Southwest Utah, told St. George News that the role of social media in exacerbating the situation is questionable.

“The responsibility to manage localized visitor hotspots does not rest solely on park and public land managers,” Valois said. “It is a shared responsibility that should involve everyone. Recent studies on the role of social media have highlighted the potential of elevating conservation through informed narratives and messaging strategies.”

Valois requests visitors learn about the regions they travel by visiting museums and interpretive centers.  They can also learn to visit areas responsibly via their social media messaging.

Valois said there is growing body of peer-reviewed work about the relationship between recreation impacts and social media.

“Social media can allow travelers to connect with local conservation groups and initiatives which may help the user identify sensitive elements of local ecosystems and discover interesting natural history facts that also inform one of how to best interact with a given landscape,” Valois said.

Additionally, Valois recommends land managers and organizations encourage ecotourism and other interpretive experiences for visitors to scenic areas.

“The challenge lies not solely in taking action, but in driving social change. As human populations continue to impose stress on the natural world, we ultimately face the task of integrating conservation into our cultures,” Valois said. “Engaging in sustainable and pro-conservation practices should become a natural part of our lives, academically, socially, and politically.”

Coming in at fourth place in the study, Zion National Park has 147,237 acres and 1,428,038 hashtags on Instagram, with 9.69 hashtags per acre overall. In an email to St. George News, Jonathan Shafer, the park’s spokesman, spoke about the potential influence social media posts can have on others.

“Whether in person or online, our actions never happen in a bubble. When you choose to post online, your behavior will almost certainly be seen and imitated by other visitors, which can create a profound and reverberating impact for better or worse,” Shafer said. “You can support the mission of the National Park Service by posting or sharing content that shows responsible recreation.”

The study examined the number of hashtags relative to each national park’s area to see which is the most Instagrammable. Researchers found that Gateway Arch National Park is the most Instagrammable national park in the US. The park has 90.9 acres and has 11,221 hashtags on Instagram, making it top of the list with 123.44 hashtags per acre.

Acadia National Park in Maine comes in third with 11.80 hashtags per acre. This park is known for its rocky beaches and granite peaks. This national park is set on 49,075 acres of land and had 579,344 hashtagged Instagram posts.

Another Utah gem, Arches National Park, placed fifth with 8.72 hashtags per acre. The national park spans 76,678 acres and has 669,062 hashtags on Instagram.

Shafer said the parks are for everyone, and the National Park Service desires to help people everywhere enjoy them. 

“Social media can be a helpful tool for visitors to see how visitors have recently enjoyed the park and get authoritative updates about conditions as you plan a visit,” Shafer said. “After you leave, take advantage of social media to stay engaged and plan for your next visit.”

The Executive Director at Garfield County’s Office of Tourism Falyn Owens, told St. George News in an email their area, which includes Bryce Canyon National Park, is known for amazing Instagrammable locations.

However, Owens said the extra attention could be a challenge for Garfield County, where Bryce Canyon is located but offers opportunities to educate the public. 

“Social media has positives and negatives in beautiful landscapes, but this can allow for discussion and opportunities to disperse visitation and educate visitors,” Owens said. “Instagram shines a new light on areas people didn’t know existed and everyone needs that iconic Instagram photo.”

Owens said social media has been a great way for people to connect with communities, especially finding those hole-in-the-wall, mom and pop restaurants and shops. 

The study placed Hot Springs National Park and Haleakalā National Park rank sixth and seventh, respectively. Hot Springs National Park has 8.61 hashtags per acre as a result of 5,548 acres and 47,815 total hashtags, whilst Haleakalā National Park spans across 33,264 acres and has a total of 261,253 hashtags, resulting in 7.85 hashtags per acre, according to the release.

In eighth place is the American Samoa National Park, based across four islands in the territory of American Samoa. It is situated across 8,256 acres with 59,542 total hashtags on Instagram, resulting in 7.21 hashtags per acre.

Rounding out the top 10 in the nation is Indiana Dunes National Park in ninth with 6.12 hashtags per acre and Yosemite National Park in tenth with 4.46 hashtags per acre.

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