Avoid Popular National Parks

[redbaron]

Not worth it. Wait 2 months then visit ynp. Better weather, no crowds, rangers without an attitude (stress)....and the animals are more active. June and July are the worst months for YNP


July is the worst for GNP. As soon as G2S opens, we Will see similar issues. The ticket system may help. So far the ticket system feels like am exclusive vip all access pass. I am fortunate to have a ticket covering every day so far.

 

[Jim]

There is nothing that I want to see or do that justifies that kind of nonsense.

 

[Brian H.]

In 1990, I took a long driving trip with three friends to see a variety of places in the West. One of them was YNP. Even back then, the tales of the horrendous lines at YNP were the stuff of (bad) legend. We intentionally targeted getting into YNP in the wee hours of the morning, and arrived at the Old Faithful visitor's center around 7 a.m. The drive in was easy, and the parking lot was nearly empty. We got to hike around with minimal people around and it was a great experience. By late morning when we were ready to move on, the parking lot was an absolute mad house.

In 2018, I took my family to YNP. We couldn't avoid arriving at a bad time, and by the time we arrived at the same parking lot, it was extremely difficult to find a parking spot. It was a mad house again.

YNP has always been a mad house in June - August. It will always be so. Plan accordingly

 

[redbaron]

and as @Brian H. said, arrive early, and you avoid all the crowds. The Avalanche Trail is another very popular trail @ GNP. Even with ticketed Entry, this fills up quickly. We plan on being thru the gate before 6am, and parking before 7, and have no troubles parking. Once the G2S opens, the parking at major trail heads is impossible to plan on unless you arrive *before* 6am. Arriving early lets you have the pick of sites, and then you can be at your favorite restaurant before 6p, when all the park moves out and fills the restaurants.