We pay taxes and the promise that came with those taxes is that we would have recreational opportunity within those “Public” National Parks.
There are already many fees associated with park users. That is in addition to the “taxes” we pay to support the National Park System.
Limiting access to areas is not reasonable if people are willing to venture off the beaten path. The Park is “Public”. There should be no reasonable explanation for limiting access to remote areas if the primary area is congested.
Obviously you have not stayed at a Park Campsite or you would know there are considerable user fees associated with the noisy, congested campsites. The reason for camping is to get away and get involved in nature. Not bring the rat race with you.
Truth is, I have stayed at a public campsite within a public park. I agree, the site was too crowded from my point of view. How about this for a solution. You have tiered pricing in the park. Zero price gets you into the crowded, but free, part of the park. If that's not what you like, pay a higher fee and you get into a less crowded part of the park. By having several tiers, you can let the consumer decide how much privacy they are willing to have. Tiered pricing is done all the time (e.g., music concerts), so why not let the consumer decide how much peace and quiet they want? The way it is now, you don't have a choice. The current system of one price buys whatever the status quo is for the park on that day. And most of the time, that isn't what you'd choose to have.