I just spent a month going through the west on my motorcycle.
The BIG parks are packed. Some of the smaller ones are remarkably peaceful during the middle of the week.
I found the popular parks full of non-Americans. Could have been the timing. I wish I lived out there. The parks within a full days drive of each other is amazing.
I appreciate that lots of parks are busy, I think I was trying to make a general comment on how lazy MOST Americans are. You are right, of course.
I think there are multiple factors at work: A lot of the middle class is just beaten down, financially, so, week long or longer trips to go see multiple parks that are perhaps over 1000 miles away are less practical, for many. Computers are a distraction for many, for sure. Also, many people are not lazy, but find themselves working so much that, again, camping trips and the like become difficult to work in. And, somehow, life just seems to be increasingly complicated and “busy”. This is certainly true for me — our daughter is now old enough that my family can start going on more hikes and such (which would be very good for me physically, too), but the time to do such seems almost impossible to find, despite a National Forest with many great spots near us, as well as a plethora of State and local parks, refuges, and so on. I find it “lucky” to once in a while take off after work and fish a couple hours at a local pond...