The biggest reason "Bison Jams" occur is NOT because the bison are crossing the road. It is because people think the middle of the road is where you take pictures and video and they just stop and block everyone. They will just stay parked until they get the perfect shot or until that particular bit of wildlife scampers off. Use pullouts folks, or at the very least, have whoever is driving maybe drive a little slower while you as a passenger take your photos/video. EVERYONE wants a chance to see what you are seeing.
Fancy idea, but you will not always get pictures that way. We just returned from Yellowstone (and other NPs) and the bison and elk were not accommodating by being visible near pullouts. You should try to be a bit more patient with people who want to take pictures. It is those pictures that hold the memories for people. If you tell people they cannot/should not stop for pics when the opportunity arises, they they might just stop supporting the National Parks because they cannot come home with those pictures. We certainly used your suggestion of "driver keep moving slowly while someone else takes the pics." That IS, of course, the considerate thing to do.
I have been in a bison jam and it was not caused by people taking pictures. It was because they were trying to get some where and walking in the middle of the road. They all got to their exit point and exited the road. Have you ever been in a bison jam?
@@mafuma5255 I just finished an entire summer WORKING in YNP. So YES I have been in MANY Bison jams. Many were caused by the Bison themselves crossing the road. Far more were caused by people that did what I mentioned above. Hence my suggestion that if you want pics/video and don't have a pullout nearby, at least be considerate and keep your vehicle moving while your passenger does so. With how narrow some of those roads are, people don't even have the option to pass you.
I went to Yellowstone this year in May. Spent 3 days there. Yes it was very cold, but there was hardly any one there. It was great. I’ll be back because there is so much more to see.
Was in Yellowstone last week of August. Wife, daughter & her husband. Son in law did the planning a year earlier. Stayed at Lake Lodge cabins 2 nights, Canyon Village 2 nights and Old Faithful Inn 1 night. Explored the park in segments staying close to our accommodations. In each segment. Had a great time. Some traffic but not what I was expecting. Key takeaway for me: plan it out, take it in small bites, pack plenty of patience and leave something to see for another trip.
YES! Great advice! We tent camp, but the convenience factor is the same when you plan to stay in the park. Not driving in from Jackson every day…or even from across the park…really simplifies the experience. I have had great experiences each time I’ve been to Yellowstone because we did exactly what you did. It’s the smart way to do these parks!
You are such a valuable voice on the internet. Mostly positive, always well-researched. A fantastic resource. Many thanks, And people, respect the land and your fellow beings.
My tip for Yellowstone is just to be patient. Feel free to pull over in the pullouts and picnic areas. You’re likely to see something unique and beautiful that you would have missed rushing from one thermal feature to another. My second tip is to take one of the excursions offered by the concessionaire. We took one several years ago that was photography themed. It was early in the morning (5:30 I think) but it was worth it. We saw wildlife that we otherwise might not have - a mother grizzly and her cubs - as well as several other animals. The guide’s knowledge of the area and most likely animal locations made all the difference. It was definitely worth the cost.
I don’t visit National Parks anymore BUT I went to a lot of the ones in the west in the 80’ and 90’s so been there done that. My first visit to Yellowstone I had planned to spend 3 days and was going all the way to Glacier National Park in a 2 week vacation. I was in such awe that I spent the full 2 weeks at Yellowstone. I lived and worked at Grand Canyon National Park for around 9 years and I would say that I would end up planning people’s travel several times a week. And having visited a lot of national parks was a big help. But I would have to say that a lot of people from Europe just didn’t grasp the sheer size of the west and didn’t realize the distances they would have to drive just to get to the different parks.
Absolutely! I have a friend in Romania and I explained to him that we drove 3800 miles to see Glacier, Yellowstone, Tetons and Bryce (we just got back from that trip a few days ago) and he was like, "how many KMs was that? When I said almost 5000 he was stunned. I then shared my screen with him and showed him a google street view of the highway between Ely and Eureka NV and I think he understood better. The US is huge and their experience is so very different.
@@ronrothrock7116it’s actually more like 6,000 km…but either way your European friend will not grasp that. I spend a lot of time answering posts in r/RoadTrip on Reddit and people from Europe have no concept whatsoever about what a reasonable drive in the US is. They will have 2-4 weeks in July and want to do NYC, Texas (I really do not understand why they all want to go to Texas), Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, and maybe they even decide they’re gonna spend time in Florida too, along with every city along the way-and I tell them to maybe fly from NYC to Denver or SF instead because the drive will be insanely long and eat up most of their trip-oh, and that they should save the desert for a fall or spring trip. It’s incredible how many people still don’t listen because they think it’s better to get all those sights on their Instagram feed because they’ll never come back. Thing is…if you find a way to come once and you really like it…you’ll find a way to do it again. Americans are even worse in this regard though…we get an infinitesimal amount of time off and we are lucky to get 2 weeks on the road…but there are still ways to do it more frequently if that’s what you want to do. So I love Rick Steves’ advice about Europe and apply it to _everything_ - “expect that you will be back.” It just takes the pressure off sooooo much. I almost ruined road trips for my wife because I didn’t do that the first time. If I hadn’t calmed myself down, we may never have taken another trip. Now she’s hooked and loves them just as much as me! And this is our 10th year taking 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 weeks on the road to explore the country from our humble affordable life in suburban Cleveland. We could live somewhere bigger and fancier, but we sacrifice so we can do stuff like travel. And it just gets easier and easier with experience.
This hits home right now. Just got out of Yellowstone 30 minutes ago (7pm) and plain and simple people are ignorant! So mid September we sat in traffic jams or nearly stand still for 3 hours and at one point didn’t move at all for 30 minutes. I have been in the park several times now in the last 2 weeks and it’s the same no matter what. Had several cars just stop in the middle of the road to watch a bison a 1/4 mile away. Then people stop in the road just to look at a map! Not joking, we were right behind them. Had a couple of bison walk along side of the car and pass us as we were stopped in a traffic jam. Then we would catch up and pass them and stopped again. The bison just looked through our window (as it passed us again) like we were stupid and then crossed in front of us. Parking is basically so limited for the attractions that you can’t see them. I don’t know if there is a fix 😢
We always try to camp inside the park whenever possible, stay at least a week, and we do head out from the RV very early. That has helped us in Yellowstone and other large parks. We chunk it so each day might be a drive to a different spot, then we are more relaxed about getting back. Not sure if that works for you/if you’re rving, etc.
I’ve been to Yellowstone maybe 3 times over the past 10 years…each time we did great because we followed each of Jason’s tips here-get out to see stuff early, stay out to see stuff late-we have dealt with almost zero crowds this way. There are also plenty of blogs and forums and our own experience to draw from-like the bison are everywhere in Hayden Valley in the afternoon, so don’t expect to get through there fast. Also, traffic is literally _the worst_ going towards Old Faithful in the midday, so avoid driving through the Upper Geyser Basin (or any of the SW Loop) unless you’re actually headed somewhere there, and expect traffic. That’s the busiest part of the park, expect traffic. And when I say get out early, I mean get going no later than sunrise. It’s incredible how many hours of blissful tranquility that gets you, and how much more wildlife we’ve seen at every park when we do this, especially in July. And by stay out late-you don’t have to stay out past 9pm in the dark-just be out seeing stuff at dinner time and after. This is where staying outside the park in Jackson or Cody or even Gardner really kills your trip! Most people trekking into the park from far-flung gateway communities leave at like 5pm to go get dinner and chill at their hotel for the rest of the evening. If you eat in the park you are stuck in way longer lines too…so either eat at 3-4pm instead (eat brunch instead of lunch, you’ll be hungry by 3pm) or pack a picnic lunch and you get HOURS at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone _to yourself!_ from about 5-6pm to sunset!!! It’s crazy how empty the place is late in the day because everyone thinks “Duh, I’m on vacation, so I’m sleeping in every day” and then wonders why the park is crowded at 10am…then they get sick of the crowds at dinnertime and leave to go get dinner when everyone else leaves too! Just do something _one day_ that isn’t in your nature and you will have an AWESOME time! I can’t even tell you how 100% spot on Jason is with his tips here! He’s got the experience, I’ve got the experience, and the entire experienced internet will tell you exactly the same thing-and if you listen and act accordingly, you will get so much better results-even if you only do it one time.
This excellent video says EXACTLY what I would tell people! I’m a planner by nature and definitely had a better experience my first time in national parks. But this is the voice of EXPERIENCE here, and Jason has reflected on what his experience taught him and his family. I think this is the best video I have ever seen on this and it’s one I’m going to share every time someone says they’re just going to wing it. That has been a lousy idea since we started traveling the country in 2015, and it got so much worse each year. Many of these places are basically in a whole other country-or almost like another planet-treat them that way and learn what you need to know so you can optimize your experience so much more!
I am SO GLAD that we were able to experience Teton & Yellowstone National Parks during the 60's and early 70's, the "experience" today is nothing like what it was like back then. How about camping at Fishing Bridge Campground in our TENT trailer with NO bear problems because we used "COMMON SENSE"! Oh we heard them at night at times but never a problem. Oh, for the 'good old days'!!
The difference between 10am and 1pm is tremendous at any popular destination. At Yosemite, the tour buses from the coast get there around noon. 10am it was relaxed, 1pm you felt like you were shoulder to shoulder with people.
We found that if there is a tour in the park TAKE IT! It is nice that everyone gets to enjoy the views , and we don't have to find parking at the sites, they give us great information, no one has to drive and pay attention to the road and miss the sites, and it is stress free.
Thank you for this. Was a bit of a sanity check on our latest trip, last week. RMNP was awesome. But, I planned three trips in five days, where it took us anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to get where we were going. Lesson learned there. If I had to do it over again, we would stay closer to the park, so we can spend more time there. We stayed in Springdale when we went to Zion. That was perfect. So, my advice follows yours. Stay close or in the park. Very, very few parks can you see all you want to see in less than a day. There are some, but they are few. 2nd, go early. Like, really early. The kind of early where people look at you like you're crazy when they ask you what time your day started. Our trip to RMNP started at 1am. But, we were there early enough to catch the most amazing sunrise in Bear Lake district. GSMNP is the same way. If you want to walk a trail, start super early. Alum Cave trail at 5am, if you want to get a parking spot. Stay in Cherokee, so you don't have to start your trip at 1a 😂😂 Final tip, don't underestimate how cool it is in the mountains. In the summer. 85 degrees in Denver, is 60 degrees at 10k feet. Bring layers, and wear them. Super, super important.
The podcast you did about your trip to Yellowstone was one of the best for me. Bring a picnic and stay in the park for dinner…. After everyone has left and you will have the place to yourself. That is my goal when I am finally able to travel. And bring back year around schooling…. That way everyone with families aren’t trying to all get there during a 3 month window.
Yeah I see a lot of schoolteachers post to r/RoadTrip about a summer trip to Southern Utah and they can’t do it in September/October or April because they’re stuck too. Not that the parks are less crowded then…they just aren’t as hot!
As always, very good info Jason. Don't take this the wrong way: you're the Rick Steves of visiting U.S. National Parks. Can't recommend this video enough.
And Rick Steves always says “Expect that you’ll go back,” because it takes the pressure off…which is essentially Jason’s first tip. I think this is the most important tip because it affects your entire mindset in planning and taking your trips.
I didn't hear you say it specifically, and maybe I missed it (although your "don't rely on Siri" comment is certainly related), but ALWAYS bring a paper map as a backup (even if it's just the National Park's map) instead of relying only on your phone/GPS. And, along those lines, always have extra batteries AND don't rely solely on any one thing that runs on batteries or electricity...bring some redundancies (i.e. more than one flashlight, weather radio, travel alarm clock, etc.)
Your content is so amazingly appreciated! It's so cool that you always seem to be talking about what we want to hear! Thank you, we know you put some serious time into these videos! We've learned so much from your videos! Be well!
We were at Yellowstone after Labor Day. It was very crowded, especially at Old Faithfull. We booked our campsite at Fishing Bridge RV Park in January. There is so much driving! We watched We’re in the Rockies RUclips channel which gave tons of information. We also purchased their guide. Great stuff which gives tons of information.
We camp in a tent…which I’m sure is way less comfortable than a hard sided RV, but the principle still holds…the less you tow, the more flexible you are. If you have a huge RV then you have to camp where those fit, and that isn’t in most older national park campgrounds. If you’re smaller, then you can go more places and be much closer to what you want to see. I’m pushing 50 and hope I can keep tenting for many more years because it is soooo much easier. Maybe one day we’ll buy a minivan and sleep in if we need to…but I hope not…at least for a while anyway.
Went to Yosemite on a normal weekend, spontaneous trip. Ended up waiting 2 hours just to get in the entrance, another 45 minutes to get to Yosemite Village, 30 minutes trying to park and spent $50 on a mediocre meal. Hiked up the falls a bit with the other 1000 people walking it also. Never again will I go to Yosemite on a weekend.
It’s not much better on a weekday tbh…but it’s great if you stay in the park close to where you want to do stuff…and it’s much better in September than in July/August, and it’s much better very early or very late in the day. Staying in the Valley eliminates all the waiting at entrance gates, eliminates all the hassle with timed entry reservations, and the long drives once you’re in the park. Also, take advantage of going when people can’t get in en masse-we jumped on a week camping there one year when covid restrictions were still on-and it was a completely different experience! I sort of wish they’d limit visitation like that all the time just to keep crowds at more manageable levels. There were times where we had the _Mist Trail_ to ourselves! It was unreal!
@@LeeHawkinsPhoto Try getting a reservation now. If you are not on the computer at 7 am sharp the day they open the time you want a reservation for camping you will be out of luck 5 minutes later
@@jam5158 I have successfully scored reservations at Yosemite when I wanted them…it’s been a few years maybe, but it’s not easy, no. I had my wife sitting next to me on a Saturday morning and all we did was scour and refresh until we cobbled together what we wanted. We did get 6 straight nights at the same campsite though…so I was pretty happy with that.
Your advice is THE BEST. We're just finishing up The Southwest Grand Circle and have had a wonderful experience. We did everything you're suggesting and even in crowded Bryce Canyon we had no issues. The NP websites are truly your best friend. Plan, plan, plan and then have a blast. Thanks for another super informative video.
@@sueannhawkesit’s true that wildfires can cramp your plans…but I’ve still had trips go exactly as planned even in wildfire season…so you roll the dice on reservations…and then change them if you have to.
As a full time RVer for six years I totally agree with your comments .before visiting any Park go to their website they are up to date and years things do change.
In my 7 month summer trip from Santa Fe to Glacier and back I went by yellowstone twice and no I didn't visit. The reason is clearly explained in this video, There's nowhere to camp and it's too crowded. The National Park Service will restrict access rather than increase degradation in the lands that are charged to protect.
Last time I went we went in Sept. The park wasnt empty by a long shot. September is when a lot of tour buses go. But we had a great time. It wasnt over crowded. We stayed 5 days and saw the highlights of maybe half the park. I'd plan a week at least. We stayed in West Yellowstone. If I had it to do again I'd get reservations to stay in the park. It does take at least 45 minutes to drive from enterance to major sites.
I worked at Mesa Verde for the summer a few years ago.....................we all hated the 40 minute ride to work every day.............and that was with us staying right outside the park entrance
We did a road trip in May, June, July & August , in our suv and stayed at b & b’s along the way and some best westerns when good b & b weren’t around. We traveled from Florida to Grand Canyon, antelope canyon, Moab, the arches, Bryce Canyon, grand Tetons, and Yellowstone. In the national parks we stayed in cabins. We booked everything a year in advance since they were about the earliest time available. We never had any problem getting into the National Parks and driving around no problem. A couple bison stops but generally great. Oh yea we did have to make reservations to get into some National parks. Overall I’d say plan in advance and just go.
I’ve been a big fan of Yosemite since my first trip in 1963. It might have been earlier, but photographic evidence puts it in that era. My wife was a park ranger there for 13 years out of her 32 year career. Here is the thing. All of the promotional videos you ever see are of the beauty of the park. Half Dome, Old Faithful, Bumpass Hell, Bridalveil Falls, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon, etc. what they don’t show is the traffic, the tourons, and the line at the gate to get in on a holiday weekend. Edit for the Pro Tip. When approaching a Bear Jam, bring peanut butter.
I've been going to Yellowstone for literally decades now. We go about every other year and usually in summer. The way to beat the crowds is to get up early. The weather is cooler, which is important in the geyser areas. The crowds are still sleeping and the animals are more active. Also, go for a hike. While Old Faithful will be busy, almost any hiking trail will have next to nobody on it. Just ask a ranger for recommendations based on your fitness and interests. As for reservations, they're nothing new. I started going in the 90's and still had to make them then, usually months or a year in advance.
Great and timely video. I am a truck camper and have given up on camping along with going to National Parks. Better to have lodging and go off season. At both capitol reef (last week) and canyonlands (this week), all the features were crowded. Trailhead parking is packed, and the sun is harsh. The established campgrounds are a zoo, and disbursed camping is not predictable. Want to get to the park entrance early (7-8) to avoid the long line which means you have to pack up camp quick. If you get done for the day early, then you need a place to chill but you are faced with the campground dilemma. I love overlanding (car/truck camping) but I am doing lodging at the National Parks and do my camping trips separately from now on.
We love going into the park at about 2 o’clock grabbing lunch and look at all there is to see but be there for dusk when all the animals come out.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve been to Yellowstone in 2022 and 2023 middle of September for both. It is truly an amazing park. It has stolen my heart. So much to see just amazing. As for a National Park that allows dogs on trail. That would be Shenadoah National Park. There are a handful of trails that dogs aren’t allowed but there are always signs saying no dogs at the start. For those wondering YES no dogs on the Dark Hollow Falls trail. People seem to ignore that sign. Not sure why. I live within 20 miles of one entrance.
I am thinking to go off-season, go earlier in the day, and bring a cooler and/or our little insulated food warmer for our vehicle (truck stops sell them). Planning to remove as much stress from our adventure as we possibly can. 😊
I was a volunteer winter ranger at Crater Lake. Most of our visitors were wonderful, but the ones that had a less than stellar time usually didn’t plan well. They came on my snowshoe hike in Levi’s or didn’t have a car that was adequate for icy snowy roads. Call the park before you go to find out about special conditions. People come from all over the world to see our treasures; our national parks.
Thank you Jason for the helpful tips on the national parks on how to avoid the crowds. And book on line in order to secure a spot to camp or lodge. Great tips! Great information. Thank you again Jason.
Lots of good info in this video. One of the most important things is to have sufficient time. I work at a state park of less than 2000 acres, and I tell people 2 nights with a full day in the middle is a minimum time to truly enjoy the park. Even better is a 3 or 4 night stay to account for a bad weather day plus time to explore things outside the park. Too much rushing spoils the experience. Also, visiting with the staff early in the day before the crowds arrive may provide a more complete overview of available options.
We went to 9 NP this past summer & 15 additional National Monuments and weird roadside attractions! It was awesome! Still couldn’t get into Rocky Mtn because of their timed entry…maybe next year!
Rv'd YS last June, our first visit- 3 nights in Madison and 2 in Canyon. From central locations we traveled in toad all over. Spent months just checking Xanterra for cancellations, but worth it to be in park. To avoid crowds, we practiced the theme park visit theory of either early or late. We relaxed in the mornings, big breakfast, then adventure into evening. saw some crowds but not bad.
Planning a national park trip sounds exactly like planing a trip to a large theme park like Disney World or Universal Studios, that now includes issues of scarcity and cost increases. Now that I have some ideas of what to expect, 😏 I can put my planning skills to work ahead of a visit as well as curbing my expectations. ❤ Thanks
The reality is there are hundreds of millions more Americans now than when many of these parks were founded - not to mention all of the additional international tourists. And there is going to be even more in the future. The national park service has simply not kept up with demand - even prior to covid. Much more services, roads, trails, stops. lookout points, etc. are needed badly but there's simply no political will to do anything about it with one party even wanting to cut what limited services are left. Then you add in the housing crisis with so many people actually living at the campgrounds and rotating from place to place just makes it even that much worse.
Just bought my used class C 2 days ago. I knew I'd be a slower traveler, staying 3 weeks at a time. Especially since I bought a TT Adventure membership. Gonna use it heavily the first year or so to break even...I will definitely plan to visit national parks. Mahalo for the tips, I don't have a toad vehicle and I'm 25 feet so I plan on getting a cargo ebike and staying in the campground. Let the journey begin.
We go in April-May, and a few issues. A lot of places don’t open till May-midMay. Way less traffic. This year in Yellow Stone we saw about 16 grizzly bears, six pairs of wolves, a few moose we’ve been to Yellowstone three times. This last year was the best trip but it was early in the year very few people, 10,000 bison hehehe
Jason, good episode. Suggest a follow-up with a walk-thru a national park website with all the available info and the sometimes inconsistent locations of pertinent information. Yellowstone would be a good one to use. It takes me at least an hour and sometimes several to parse through the important information and links and resources. Thanks...
I got a book that is my national park trip planning bible-_Your Guide to the National Parks._ Got it at the public library, bought it…bought the latest edition too. I still like the first edition best because it has sample itineraries that help me gauge how long I should plan for the park. It has trail listings, campground recommendations, activity recommendations, what to expect with weather and what time of year to go…and all so concise and thorough at the same time. I recommend that book to everyone, it has never steered me wrong in my visits to over 40 national parks.
People don't want to get up early or stay up late to enjoy the parks. We recently filmed in Bryce and dealt with minimal people early in the morning late at night. The same gies for most national parks, they aren't too busy if you choose not to sleep in. 😁
We are staying at Echo Basin in Mancos right now, been here for 3 weeks and went to Mesa Verda yesterday. It was a great time to go not very busy was able to see everything we wanted. This is our third year in a row at this park, we love it here.
@@RVMiles We have not this time, but we will probably be back next year. Last time we were here we tried to buy a small house on about 10 acres but it did not work out. We are still looking in the area for something.
Adding to the "prepare" list is to prepare yourself. Be in adequate physical condition to take on what you want to do. One example is we were going on a wild cave tour, which included long stretches of crawling. We practiced by lining up our dining room chairs and crawled the length of them several times. The reward? You learn how sore you can get _before_ the trip. Oh, and you can see parts of Mammoth Cave that 99.99% of visitors don't see. The one that almost everyone should do is to get out and hike several times a week starting several weeks before your trip.
Truth. Been to all you spoke about over the years, and remember standing in the Old Faithful gift shop one day (during our 5 day in the park vacation and 3rd time at Yellowstone) and overheard so kids talking to there mom about wanting to see more of the park but she said that they only had two hours and then had to leave, that because they say Old Faithful they say the park 😢
You are so right about going in the shoulder or off seasons. We went to Yellowstone one winter. We were on a ski trip to Montana and decided to take a day and drive into the park. We saw far more wildlife than I've seen in previous visits and we were only in the park for a fee hours. Of course we saw plenty of bison but we also say other big game like deer, big horn sheep and elk. We saw coyote and fox. We saw bald eagles along the open parts of the rivers and other raptors. But the one thing that really set it off was that we saw wolves. They were feeding on an elk carcass. The best part was there was hardly anyone there. I think far too many people try to see too much or too many parks. The national parks in the west are big, really big. We found it was better to stay in the park if possible so you can see places before everyone shows up or after they're gone. It's a whole different experience. One trip we stayed at the Old Faithful Inn. In the evening the lodge was entirely different than mid-afternoon. Those are magical moments.
I’ve only been to Yellowstone three times this year. Down one from last year. We stay at the fishing bridge RV park and twice booked two weeks out. There are cancellations all the time. We live only an hour and half away so we are spoiled.
I find that Yellowstone is the easiest big national park to get last minute reservations. I think Xenterra actually does a pretty great job of running the campgrounds in that park, I kinda wish they did more of them like Yellowstone…but maybe it’s just that one park. I don’t think I ever planned more than a month in advance to go to Yellowstone, and it’s been easy getting a campsite in whatever campground I wanted. Yosemite by comparison…or Glacier even…is an ordeal. But even then…I’ve managed to cobble together campsites at the last minute because people cancel. I wish they didn’t allow booking specific sites in the Valley…I think it should be more like Yellowstone or Tuolumne, because then if you get 5 days of campsites, you wouldn’t have to move like you do now!
The last time I was camping in a national park was with 200 other kids in the 1970s. Bear cubs crawled over me in my sleeping bag. It was great, but I don't think I will be going back now. Boondocking is better for me.
More and more parks will be reduced to bus trips like Denali and Zion. You absolutely have to go off season - like the very edge of closure or opening. Try the smaller National Parks and some great State Parks.
A couple years ago I went to Yellowstone the day before the west gate closed, it was closing towards the end of that next day. It was a little before 7am (you’re right, go early) and I pulled into the Old Faithful parking lot and I had the only car in the lot. I went to the Old Faithful viewing area and it was me and about 5 other people that were staying at the lodge. The next day I went again, same thing. I went out the South Gate and went to the Grand Tetons and every major photo op area, it was me and maybe one or two other people. It was a great trip.
Great advice, Jason! Mid-March to Mid-May and October/early November are great times at Natl Parks. Also - will vouch for your eTrailer sponsor - they provide excellent customer service as well as great advice - and great products.
The shoulder season isn't as good as it used to be. Retires and people that home school are more and more using the shoulder season to avoid the crowds are actually creating crowd conditions. I understand why places have timed reservations, like RMNP. I live 3 hours from RMNP and it's typically difficult to do a spontaneous trip to the park because of all of the people. Of course I've also done it in winter when it is far less crowded and there are no problems then.
My main issue with National Parks is probably not a very common one, but I travel alone with a dog. I can't leave my dog alone in my truck or camper, depending a lot on the weather. So it's a me problem, but I'd still like to see some of the sites, but can't because of the trail restrictions with dogs.
On this week of September the plan was to visit yellowstone. I did not want to drive much in one day so I opted to stay in the park. Researched online. The majority of the campgrounds were closed. The ones that were open were booked. Attempting to visit during the slow season to avoid contributing to the high season crowds came to no avail. Maybe water must be shut-off at the campgrounds. No big deal. Disclose it to the public. But leave the campground open. Instead I chose to visit lesser known beautiful areas.
We arrived at Arches National Park and did not have a timed entry permit. The attendant handed us the instruction sheet and we turned around and got back in line because by time we applied for a permit we only had a 19 minute delay. By time we got back to the gate 20 miles minutes had passed.
I don't go to national parks DURING HIGH SEASON anymore. They're too crowded. I leave summertime for people who are stuck vacationing then: parents of school kids, teachers, etc.
Good thoughts, always enjoy your editorial remarks. I wonder how many acres of the >1 million acres were developed for the public in Yellowstone and the surrounding forests? I read about it years ago and a number like 10,000 acres remains in my mind - if that's remotely correct I think they can double or triple it. The amount of land for public use in yellowstone hasn't changed since the population of the US was much lower and also before bus loads of people from out of state were able to make it in. I'm just winging this comment so forgive me if I'm woefully ignorant of the facts but I remember one of the charters of the national parks idea was to ensure the parks are accessible to everyone. Thinking back to how I grew up, if we would have afforded the trip out we wouldn't have afforded admission or a hotdog at old faithful and my father certainly wouldn't have tollerated the BS that goes on with getting a camping spot. He was x-army, vietnam era vet, and would have just pitched a tent where he found level ground, lol!
I wish sometimes we still had that generation around…they really didn’t put up with stuff people have grown numb to these days. Hopefully some of these kids will one day vocally say no to stuff happening now…without it getting too much uglier.
@@LeeHawkinsPhoto It's that "uglier" part that's concerning. But yes, we're living in what I was taught as a kid was the evil in the world we went off to war to fight against.
@@PaulSafford the evil will always be there. The only thing we can do is say no when it matters most. It’s a shame more people won’t say no, or at least feel like they can’t. Collective bargaining helps with saying no…but that gets corrupted all too easily as well. What we really need is a deity to intervene instead of a human.
Your attitude is probably the best tip. If you focus on the negative, you’re going to have a bad experience. If you focus on the positive, you’re going to have a good experience.
We just finished hiking around the Indiana Dunes National Park and the Sleeping Bear National park with my dog. Rangers Told me where we could go and we hike with poop bags. Since my dog was kind enough to poop at the campsite, I took one of the poop bags we always carry and started picking up the tissues and candy wrappers along the trail. Not much there, but I feel good doing it, and then people think I'm also picking up after my dog since I'm carrying a partially filled poop bag (of trash)
Well here's the deal. Planning something now for August does really suck. What I'm talking about has to have 25% down. Not refundable. Oh they was giving extra 10% off, that might not still be good offer. This is over $500 down. That will buy something. Most want 10 %. Expedia wants you pay all in advance now it seems. So your out money for nothing. CD's pay about 5%. You have to buy insurance just incase. Add about $200 more. Yeah best to not do business with them. I got uncle 99 he's not making 100. Went into hospices care. That ole can't make 100 thing is real. So long range planning sucks. Of course my last trip was planned 8 months in advance. I want go on 2 week trip in few days. Not made reservations for anything. School is in. That stops a lot of people. Yellowstone probably not. It's like pro sporting event. Always a crowd
Good video,i have been to yellow stone 4 times starting in the early 70s ,much simpler in the earlier years.The crack of dawn is best time an off season is great, if i return it will be a winter snow cat an stay ,yes costly but worked my whole life an a few thousand dollars is no big deal. Unfortunately you will encounter people that think there entitled to do as they please .just ignore them,another note ,if your in a hurry don’t even go.. Also be advised that foreign visitors may not speak English ,do your best to help them if asked. ARCHES, i was not impressed ,canyon lands is much better. Fyi
Good video. Tough to plan a vacation or trip a year or so in the future. Parks may need to lesson the length of stay from 14 to 7 days so more people can enjoy our national parks.
I think parks should use more carrot and stick with reservations, because people definitely abuse the system. The carrot should be to reward cancellation as much as possible, because people don’t get their money back if they cancel even a few days in advance. A lot of über-wealthy people in wealthy metros like on the West Coast will book 6 campsites and choose where they want to go at the last minute. They don’t get their fees back anyway, so they have no incentive to cancel, and they don’t care if they get their fees back because they have too much money anyway. This is where the stick helps too-if someone books a site and they don’t use it, they get banned from booking for a year, and it’s by address/phone number so they can’t wiggle out of it so easy. These are public resources and NOT businesses-we should maximize public utility instead of just optimizing costs. Booz Allen Hamilton just pockets most of the cancellation and reservation fees anyway, and it costs them literally nothing! So change the contract, NPS, and make them refund more money to incentivize cancellations to open up more sites, ban people from making multiple reservations on the same nights on Recreation.gov (California already did this with their state park reservations), ban people for a long time if they book and don’t show up, and above all, enforce the existing rules to cancel no show reservations if they don’t call or show up on the first night. New York automatically rents out sites _that night_ if you don’t arrive or call by a certain time. I don’t think any of these things are unreasonable to prevent the abuse people are committing with reservations for our previous public lands.
The bottom line for all this is that there are too many people trying to visit too few places. So you either put in a lot of work to go "relax" or you don't go. If you stay home it lightens the load on the park for everyone else. Some of us don't have the option of going in a shoulder season (still working, on a teacher schedule). I don't want to boondock in the middle of nowhere because I perceive it to be unsafe, nor do I want to be crowded by thousands of people trying to get selfies with bison; there is a happy medium.
I work in Yellowstone and have learned that people try to do too much in too short a period of time. Each loop is over 100 miles. Yes you will spend a lot of time driving at low speeds. Great information thanks.
Having to know months in advance what day you're going to be there is total BS. 😠. In some parks you need a reservation just to drive on the road in the park! It didn't used to be like this. I no longer go to those parks, for that reason.
I never go to national parks during the busy season (i.e. summers and holidays). Spring and fall visits only. Go to national forests or BLM land instead. The undeveloped, wilderness feel of those places is just as appealing as the epic grandeur of national parks.
The problem is people reserve campsites in National Parks, but then don't show up. Cancel your campsite people! I was just at Lassen, online the campgrounds were full. In reality on the ground, the campgrounds were only 25% filled.
The gentleman in question was not mansplaining. Outside the fact that that term no longer has any actual meaning because it has been misused so much, as in this instance, it doesn't even begin to come close to the original meaning of it. He was expressing his opinion, not making factual statements about empirical issues.
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The biggest reason "Bison Jams" occur is NOT because the bison are crossing the road. It is because people think the middle of the road is where you take pictures and video and they just stop and block everyone. They will just stay parked until they get the perfect shot or until that particular bit of wildlife scampers off. Use pullouts folks, or at the very least, have whoever is driving maybe drive a little slower while you as a passenger take your photos/video. EVERYONE wants a chance to see what you are seeing.
Fancy idea, but you will not always get pictures that way. We just returned from Yellowstone (and other NPs) and the bison and elk were not accommodating by being visible near pullouts. You should try to be a bit more patient with people who want to take pictures. It is those pictures that hold the memories for people. If you tell people they cannot/should not stop for pics when the opportunity arises, they they might just stop supporting the National Parks because they cannot come home with those pictures. We certainly used your suggestion of "driver keep moving slowly while someone else takes the pics." That IS, of course, the considerate thing to do.
I have been in a bison jam and it was not caused by people taking pictures. It was because they were trying to get some where and walking in the middle of the road. They all got to their exit point and exited the road. Have you ever been in a bison jam?
@@mafuma5255 I just finished an entire summer WORKING in YNP. So YES I have been in MANY Bison jams. Many were caused by the Bison themselves crossing the road. Far more were caused by people that did what I mentioned above. Hence my suggestion that if you want pics/video and don't have a pullout nearby, at least be considerate and keep your vehicle moving while your passenger does so. With how narrow some of those roads are, people don't even have the option to pass you.
I went to Yellowstone this year in May. Spent 3 days there. Yes it was very cold, but there was hardly any one there. It was great. I’ll be back because there is so much more to see.
Christmas at Yellowstone sounds good :-)
Was in Yellowstone last week of August. Wife, daughter & her husband. Son in law did the planning a year earlier. Stayed at Lake Lodge cabins 2 nights, Canyon Village 2 nights and Old Faithful Inn 1 night. Explored the park in segments staying close to our accommodations. In each segment. Had a great time. Some traffic but not what I was expecting.
Key takeaway for me: plan it out, take it in small bites, pack plenty of patience and leave something to see for another trip.
YES! Great advice! We tent camp, but the convenience factor is the same when you plan to stay in the park. Not driving in from Jackson every day…or even from across the park…really simplifies the experience. I have had great experiences each time I’ve been to Yellowstone because we did exactly what you did. It’s the smart way to do these parks!
You are such a valuable voice on the internet. Mostly positive, always well-researched. A fantastic resource. Many thanks, And people, respect the land and your fellow beings.
So nice of you! Thank you!
My tip for Yellowstone is just to be patient. Feel free to pull over in the pullouts and picnic areas. You’re likely to see something unique and beautiful that you would have missed rushing from one thermal feature to another. My second tip is to take one of the excursions offered by the concessionaire. We took one several years ago that was photography themed. It was early in the morning (5:30 I think) but it was worth it. We saw wildlife that we otherwise might not have - a mother grizzly and her cubs - as well as several other animals. The guide’s knowledge of the area and most likely animal locations made all the difference. It was definitely worth the cost.
I don’t visit National Parks anymore BUT I went to a lot of the ones in the west in the 80’ and 90’s so been there done that. My first visit to Yellowstone I had planned to spend 3 days and was going all the way to Glacier National Park in a 2 week vacation. I was in such awe that I spent the full 2 weeks at Yellowstone.
I lived and worked at Grand Canyon National Park for around 9 years and I would say that I would end up planning people’s travel several times a week. And having visited a lot of national parks was a big help. But I would have to say that a lot of people from Europe just didn’t grasp the sheer size of the west and didn’t realize the distances they would have to drive just to get to the different parks.
Absolutely! I have a friend in Romania and I explained to him that we drove 3800 miles to see Glacier, Yellowstone, Tetons and Bryce (we just got back from that trip a few days ago) and he was like, "how many KMs was that? When I said almost 5000 he was stunned. I then shared my screen with him and showed him a google street view of the highway between Ely and Eureka NV and I think he understood better. The US is huge and their experience is so very different.
@@ronrothrock7116it’s actually more like 6,000 km…but either way your European friend will not grasp that. I spend a lot of time answering posts in r/RoadTrip on Reddit and people from Europe have no concept whatsoever about what a reasonable drive in the US is. They will have 2-4 weeks in July and want to do NYC, Texas (I really do not understand why they all want to go to Texas), Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, and maybe they even decide they’re gonna spend time in Florida too, along with every city along the way-and I tell them to maybe fly from NYC to Denver or SF instead because the drive will be insanely long and eat up most of their trip-oh, and that they should save the desert for a fall or spring trip. It’s incredible how many people still don’t listen because they think it’s better to get all those sights on their Instagram feed because they’ll never come back.
Thing is…if you find a way to come once and you really like it…you’ll find a way to do it again. Americans are even worse in this regard though…we get an infinitesimal amount of time off and we are lucky to get 2 weeks on the road…but there are still ways to do it more frequently if that’s what you want to do. So I love Rick Steves’ advice about Europe and apply it to _everything_ - “expect that you will be back.” It just takes the pressure off sooooo much. I almost ruined road trips for my wife because I didn’t do that the first time. If I hadn’t calmed myself down, we may never have taken another trip. Now she’s hooked and loves them just as much as me! And this is our 10th year taking 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 weeks on the road to explore the country from our humble affordable life in suburban Cleveland. We could live somewhere bigger and fancier, but we sacrifice so we can do stuff like travel. And it just gets easier and easier with experience.
This hits home right now. Just got out of Yellowstone 30 minutes ago (7pm) and plain and simple people are ignorant! So mid September we sat in traffic jams or nearly stand still for 3 hours and at one point didn’t move at all for 30 minutes.
I have been in the park several times now in the last 2 weeks and it’s the same no matter what.
Had several cars just stop in the middle of the road to watch a bison a 1/4 mile away. Then people stop in the road just to look at a map! Not joking, we were right behind them.
Had a couple of bison walk along side of the car and pass us as we were stopped in a traffic jam. Then we would catch up and pass them and stopped again. The bison just looked through our window (as it passed us again) like we were stupid and then crossed in front of us.
Parking is basically so limited for the attractions that you can’t see them.
I don’t know if there is a fix 😢
We always try to camp inside the park whenever possible, stay at least a week, and we do head out from the RV very early. That has helped us in Yellowstone and other large parks. We chunk it so each day might be a drive to a different spot, then we are more relaxed about getting back. Not sure if that works for you/if you’re rving, etc.
I’ve been to Yellowstone maybe 3 times over the past 10 years…each time we did great because we followed each of Jason’s tips here-get out to see stuff early, stay out to see stuff late-we have dealt with almost zero crowds this way. There are also plenty of blogs and forums and our own experience to draw from-like the bison are everywhere in Hayden Valley in the afternoon, so don’t expect to get through there fast. Also, traffic is literally _the worst_ going towards Old Faithful in the midday, so avoid driving through the Upper Geyser Basin (or any of the SW Loop) unless you’re actually headed somewhere there, and expect traffic. That’s the busiest part of the park, expect traffic.
And when I say get out early, I mean get going no later than sunrise. It’s incredible how many hours of blissful tranquility that gets you, and how much more wildlife we’ve seen at every park when we do this, especially in July. And by stay out late-you don’t have to stay out past 9pm in the dark-just be out seeing stuff at dinner time and after. This is where staying outside the park in Jackson or Cody or even Gardner really kills your trip! Most people trekking into the park from far-flung gateway communities leave at like 5pm to go get dinner and chill at their hotel for the rest of the evening. If you eat in the park you are stuck in way longer lines too…so either eat at 3-4pm instead (eat brunch instead of lunch, you’ll be hungry by 3pm) or pack a picnic lunch and you get HOURS at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone _to yourself!_ from about 5-6pm to sunset!!! It’s crazy how empty the place is late in the day because everyone thinks “Duh, I’m on vacation, so I’m sleeping in every day” and then wonders why the park is crowded at 10am…then they get sick of the crowds at dinnertime and leave to go get dinner when everyone else leaves too! Just do something _one day_ that isn’t in your nature and you will have an AWESOME time! I can’t even tell you how 100% spot on Jason is with his tips here! He’s got the experience, I’ve got the experience, and the entire experienced internet will tell you exactly the same thing-and if you listen and act accordingly, you will get so much better results-even if you only do it one time.
This excellent video says EXACTLY what I would tell people! I’m a planner by nature and definitely had a better experience my first time in national parks. But this is the voice of EXPERIENCE here, and Jason has reflected on what his experience taught him and his family. I think this is the best video I have ever seen on this and it’s one I’m going to share every time someone says they’re just going to wing it. That has been a lousy idea since we started traveling the country in 2015, and it got so much worse each year. Many of these places are basically in a whole other country-or almost like another planet-treat them that way and learn what you need to know so you can optimize your experience so much more!
Second the idea of shoulder season. We've visited Yellowstone, Teton, Badlands, and TR in late May. Volume of people quite manageable.
I am SO GLAD that we were able to experience Teton & Yellowstone National Parks during the 60's and early 70's, the "experience" today is nothing like what it was like back then. How about camping at Fishing Bridge Campground in our TENT trailer with NO bear problems because we used "COMMON SENSE"! Oh we heard them at night at times but never a problem. Oh, for the 'good old days'!!
The difference between 10am and 1pm is tremendous at any popular destination. At Yosemite, the tour buses from the coast get there around noon. 10am it was relaxed, 1pm you felt like you were shoulder to shoulder with people.
We found that if there is a tour in the park TAKE IT! It is nice that everyone gets to enjoy the views , and we don't have to find parking at the sites, they give us great information, no one has to drive and pay attention to the road and miss the sites, and it is stress free.
Thank you for this. Was a bit of a sanity check on our latest trip, last week. RMNP was awesome. But, I planned three trips in five days, where it took us anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to get where we were going. Lesson learned there. If I had to do it over again, we would stay closer to the park, so we can spend more time there. We stayed in Springdale when we went to Zion. That was perfect. So, my advice follows yours. Stay close or in the park. Very, very few parks can you see all you want to see in less than a day. There are some, but they are few.
2nd, go early. Like, really early. The kind of early where people look at you like you're crazy when they ask you what time your day started. Our trip to RMNP started at 1am. But, we were there early enough to catch the most amazing sunrise in Bear Lake district. GSMNP is the same way. If you want to walk a trail, start super early. Alum Cave trail at 5am, if you want to get a parking spot. Stay in Cherokee, so you don't have to start your trip at 1a 😂😂
Final tip, don't underestimate how cool it is in the mountains. In the summer. 85 degrees in Denver, is 60 degrees at 10k feet. Bring layers, and wear them. Super, super important.
The podcast you did about your trip to Yellowstone was one of the best for me. Bring a picnic and stay in the park for dinner…. After everyone has left and you will have the place to yourself. That is my goal when I am finally able to travel. And bring back year around schooling…. That way everyone with families aren’t trying to all get there during a 3 month window.
Yeah I see a lot of schoolteachers post to r/RoadTrip about a summer trip to Southern Utah and they can’t do it in September/October or April because they’re stuck too. Not that the parks are less crowded then…they just aren’t as hot!
As always, very good info Jason. Don't take this the wrong way: you're the Rick Steves of visiting U.S. National Parks. Can't recommend this video enough.
And Rick Steves always says “Expect that you’ll go back,” because it takes the pressure off…which is essentially Jason’s first tip. I think this is the most important tip because it affects your entire mindset in planning and taking your trips.
Big Rick Steves fans here, appreciate the comment!
I didn't hear you say it specifically, and maybe I missed it (although your "don't rely on Siri" comment is certainly related), but ALWAYS bring a paper map as a backup (even if it's just the National Park's map) instead of relying only on your phone/GPS. And, along those lines, always have extra batteries AND don't rely solely on any one thing that runs on batteries or electricity...bring some redundancies (i.e. more than one flashlight, weather radio, travel alarm clock, etc.)
Your content is so amazingly appreciated! It's so cool that you always seem to be talking about what we want to hear! Thank you, we know you put some serious time into these videos! We've learned so much from your videos! Be well!
I appreciate that! Thanks for watching and for the support. -J
We were at Yellowstone after Labor Day. It was very crowded, especially at Old Faithfull. We booked our campsite at Fishing Bridge RV Park in January. There is so much driving! We watched We’re in the Rockies RUclips channel which gave tons of information. We also purchased their guide. Great stuff which gives tons of information.
We camp in a tent…which I’m sure is way less comfortable than a hard sided RV, but the principle still holds…the less you tow, the more flexible you are. If you have a huge RV then you have to camp where those fit, and that isn’t in most older national park campgrounds. If you’re smaller, then you can go more places and be much closer to what you want to see. I’m pushing 50 and hope I can keep tenting for many more years because it is soooo much easier. Maybe one day we’ll buy a minivan and sleep in if we need to…but I hope not…at least for a while anyway.
Went to Yosemite on a normal weekend, spontaneous trip. Ended up waiting 2 hours just to get in the entrance, another 45 minutes to get to Yosemite Village, 30 minutes trying to park and spent $50 on a mediocre meal. Hiked up the falls a bit with the other 1000 people walking it also. Never again will I go to Yosemite on a weekend.
It’s not much better on a weekday tbh…but it’s great if you stay in the park close to where you want to do stuff…and it’s much better in September than in July/August, and it’s much better very early or very late in the day. Staying in the Valley eliminates all the waiting at entrance gates, eliminates all the hassle with timed entry reservations, and the long drives once you’re in the park. Also, take advantage of going when people can’t get in en masse-we jumped on a week camping there one year when covid restrictions were still on-and it was a completely different experience! I sort of wish they’d limit visitation like that all the time just to keep crowds at more manageable levels. There were times where we had the _Mist Trail_ to ourselves! It was unreal!
@@LeeHawkinsPhoto Try getting a reservation now. If you are not on the computer at 7 am sharp the day they open the time you want a reservation for camping you will be out of luck 5 minutes later
@@jam5158 I have successfully scored reservations at Yosemite when I wanted them…it’s been a few years maybe, but it’s not easy, no. I had my wife sitting next to me on a Saturday morning and all we did was scour and refresh until we cobbled together what we wanted. We did get 6 straight nights at the same campsite though…so I was pretty happy with that.
Your advice is THE BEST. We're just finishing up The Southwest Grand Circle and have had a wonderful experience. We did everything you're suggesting and even in crowded Bryce Canyon we had no issues. The NP websites are truly your best friend. Plan, plan, plan and then have a blast. Thanks for another super informative video.
Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for watching!
Can not plan exact days way ahead of time (in western National Parks) because of wildfires or terrible smokey air. Better have a plan B...
@@sueannhawkesit’s true that wildfires can cramp your plans…but I’ve still had trips go exactly as planned even in wildfire season…so you roll the dice on reservations…and then change them if you have to.
As a full time RVer for six years I totally agree with your comments .before visiting any Park go to their website they are up to date and years things do change.
"And you can't just ask Siri for help" ha ha I just laughed out loud!
In my 7 month summer trip from Santa Fe to Glacier and back I went by yellowstone twice and no I didn't visit.
The reason is clearly explained in this video, There's nowhere to camp and it's too crowded.
The National Park Service will restrict access rather than increase degradation in the lands that are charged to protect.
Last time I went we went in Sept. The park wasnt empty by a long shot. September is when a lot of tour buses go. But we had a great time. It wasnt over crowded. We stayed 5 days and saw the highlights of maybe half the park. I'd plan a week at least. We stayed in West Yellowstone. If I had it to do again I'd get reservations to stay in the park. It does take at least 45 minutes to drive from enterance to major sites.
Thanks Jason. Great tips!
I worked at Mesa Verde for the summer a few years ago.....................we all hated the 40 minute ride to work every day.............and that was with us staying right outside the park entrance
We did a road trip in May, June, July & August , in our suv and stayed at b & b’s along the way and some best westerns when good b & b weren’t around. We traveled from Florida to Grand Canyon, antelope canyon, Moab, the arches, Bryce Canyon, grand Tetons, and Yellowstone. In the national parks we stayed in cabins. We booked everything a year in advance since they were about the earliest time available. We never had any problem getting into the National Parks and driving around no problem. A couple bison stops but generally great. Oh yea we did have to make reservations to get into some National parks. Overall I’d say plan in advance and just go.
I’ve been a big fan of Yosemite since my first trip in 1963. It might have been earlier, but photographic evidence puts it in that era. My wife was a park ranger there for 13 years out of her 32 year career.
Here is the thing. All of the promotional videos you ever see are of the beauty of the park. Half Dome, Old Faithful, Bumpass Hell, Bridalveil Falls, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon, etc.
what they don’t show is the traffic, the tourons, and the line at the gate to get in on a holiday weekend. Edit for the Pro Tip. When approaching a Bear Jam, bring peanut butter.
I've been going to Yellowstone for literally decades now. We go about every other year and usually in summer. The way to beat the crowds is to get up early. The weather is cooler, which is important in the geyser areas. The crowds are still sleeping and the animals are more active. Also, go for a hike. While Old Faithful will be busy, almost any hiking trail will have next to nobody on it. Just ask a ranger for recommendations based on your fitness and interests.
As for reservations, they're nothing new. I started going in the 90's and still had to make them then, usually months or a year in advance.
Great and timely video. I am a truck camper and have given up on camping along with going to National Parks. Better to have lodging and go off season. At both capitol reef (last week) and canyonlands (this week), all the features were crowded. Trailhead parking is packed, and the sun is harsh. The established campgrounds are a zoo, and disbursed camping is not predictable. Want to get to the park entrance early (7-8) to avoid the long line which means you have to pack up camp quick. If you get done for the day early, then you need a place to chill but you are faced with the campground dilemma. I love overlanding (car/truck camping) but I am doing lodging at the National Parks and do my camping trips separately from now on.
We love going into the park at about 2 o’clock grabbing lunch and look at all there is to see but be there for dusk when all the animals come out.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve been to Yellowstone in 2022 and 2023 middle of September for both. It is truly an amazing park. It has stolen my heart. So much to see just amazing.
As for a National Park that allows dogs on trail. That would be Shenadoah National Park. There are a handful of trails that dogs aren’t allowed but there are always signs saying no dogs at the start.
For those wondering YES no dogs on the Dark Hollow Falls trail. People seem to ignore that sign. Not sure why.
I live within 20 miles of one entrance.
I am thinking to go off-season, go earlier in the day, and bring a cooler and/or our little insulated food warmer for our vehicle (truck stops sell them). Planning to remove as much stress from our adventure as we possibly can. 😊
I was a volunteer winter ranger at Crater Lake. Most of our visitors were wonderful, but the ones that had a less than stellar time usually didn’t plan well. They came on my snowshoe hike in Levi’s or didn’t have a car that was adequate for icy snowy roads. Call the park before you go to find out about special conditions. People come from all over the world to see our treasures; our national parks.
Thank you Jason for the helpful tips on the national parks on how to avoid the crowds. And book on line in order to secure a spot to camp or lodge. Great tips! Great information. Thank you again Jason.
You're very welcome!
Lots of good info in this video. One of the most important things is to have sufficient time. I work at a state park of less than 2000 acres, and I tell people 2 nights with a full day in the middle is a minimum time to truly enjoy the park. Even better is a 3 or 4 night stay to account for a bad weather day plus time to explore things outside the park. Too much rushing spoils the experience. Also, visiting with the staff early in the day before the crowds arrive may provide a more complete overview of available options.
We went to 9 NP this past summer & 15 additional National Monuments and weird roadside attractions! It was awesome! Still couldn’t get into Rocky Mtn because of their timed entry…maybe next year!
Rv'd YS last June, our first visit- 3 nights in Madison and 2 in Canyon. From central locations we traveled in toad all over. Spent months just checking Xanterra for cancellations, but worth it to be in park. To avoid crowds, we practiced the theme park visit theory of either early or late. We relaxed in the mornings, big breakfast, then adventure into evening. saw some crowds but not bad.
Planning a national park trip sounds exactly like planing a trip to a large theme park like Disney World or Universal Studios, that now includes issues of scarcity and cost increases. Now that I have some ideas of what to expect, 😏 I can put my planning skills to work ahead of a visit as well as curbing my expectations. ❤ Thanks
The reality is there are hundreds of millions more Americans now than when many of these parks were founded - not to mention all of the additional international tourists. And there is going to be even more in the future.
The national park service has simply not kept up with demand - even prior to covid. Much more services, roads, trails, stops. lookout points, etc. are needed badly but there's simply no political will to do anything about it with one party even wanting to cut what limited services are left.
Then you add in the housing crisis with so many people actually living at the campgrounds and rotating from place to place just makes it even that much worse.
Just bought my used class C 2 days ago. I knew I'd be a slower traveler, staying 3 weeks at a time. Especially since I bought a TT Adventure membership. Gonna use it heavily the first year or so to break even...I will definitely plan to visit national parks. Mahalo for the tips, I don't have a toad vehicle and I'm 25 feet so I plan on getting a cargo ebike and staying in the campground. Let the journey begin.
Be sure to bring an open and upbeat attitude. Plus, share your smile with those around you, and you’re going to have an awesome time. Peace - John
Great advice!
We go in April-May, and a few issues. A lot of places don’t open till May-midMay. Way less traffic. This year in Yellow Stone we saw about 16 grizzly bears, six pairs of wolves, a few moose we’ve been to Yellowstone three times. This last year was the best trip but it was early in the year very few people, 10,000 bison hehehe
Jason, good episode. Suggest a follow-up with a walk-thru a national park website with all the available info and the sometimes inconsistent locations of pertinent information. Yellowstone would be a good one to use. It takes me at least an hour and sometimes several to parse through the important information and links and resources. Thanks...
I got a book that is my national park trip planning bible-_Your Guide to the National Parks._ Got it at the public library, bought it…bought the latest edition too. I still like the first edition best because it has sample itineraries that help me gauge how long I should plan for the park. It has trail listings, campground recommendations, activity recommendations, what to expect with weather and what time of year to go…and all so concise and thorough at the same time. I recommend that book to everyone, it has never steered me wrong in my visits to over 40 national parks.
Some parks (like Death Valley) are huge. My joke is everything is 100 miles apart.
Walking back to the parking lot from The General Sherman Tree was one heck of a walk.
Great Advice Sir
Thanks 👍
thank you, this really gave me insight for our first big RV trip. and your voice is suited for this, very pleasing to my ear.
Glad it was helpful!
Been to three NPs in the past two months, little trouble getting reservations. (Small RV). The biggest annoyance is generators are allowed.
People don't want to get up early or stay up late to enjoy the parks. We recently filmed in Bryce and dealt with minimal people early in the morning late at night. The same gies for most national parks, they aren't too busy if you choose not to sleep in. 😁
Went to Yellowstone in 2004 tent camping and needed a campsite reservation even back then.
We are staying at Echo Basin in Mancos right now, been here for 3 weeks and went to Mesa Verda yesterday. It was a great time to go not very busy was able to see everything we wanted. This is our third year in a row at this park, we love it here.
We really love it there too. Have you driven up the road into the national forest to some of the overlooks?
@@RVMiles We have not this time, but we will probably be back next year. Last time we were here we tried to buy a small house on about 10 acres but it did not work out. We are still looking in the area for something.
Great ideas. Thanks.
Namasté & Ho’Oponopono everything 🕊️❤️
That is one thing I like to do is stay awhile at each campground
Adding to the "prepare" list is to prepare yourself. Be in adequate physical condition to take on what you want to do. One example is we were going on a wild cave tour, which included long stretches of crawling. We practiced by lining up our dining room chairs and crawled the length of them several times. The reward? You learn how sore you can get _before_ the trip. Oh, and you can see parts of Mammoth Cave that 99.99% of visitors don't see.
The one that almost everyone should do is to get out and hike several times a week starting several weeks before your trip.
Truth. Been to all you spoke about over the years, and remember standing in the Old Faithful gift shop one day (during our 5 day in the park vacation and 3rd time at Yellowstone) and overheard so kids talking to there mom about wanting to see more of the park but she said that they only had two hours and then had to leave, that because they say Old Faithful they say the park 😢
You are so right about going in the shoulder or off seasons. We went to Yellowstone one winter. We were on a ski trip to Montana and decided to take a day and drive into the park. We saw far more wildlife than I've seen in previous visits and we were only in the park for a fee hours. Of course we saw plenty of bison but we also say other big game like deer, big horn sheep and elk. We saw coyote and fox.
We saw bald eagles along the open parts of the rivers and other raptors. But the one thing that really set it off was that we saw wolves. They were feeding on an elk carcass. The best part was there was hardly anyone there.
I think far too many people try to see too much or too many parks. The national parks in the west are big, really big. We found it was better to stay in the park if possible so you can see places before everyone shows up or after they're gone. It's a whole different experience. One trip we stayed at the Old Faithful Inn. In the evening the lodge was entirely different than mid-afternoon. Those are magical moments.
I’ve only been to Yellowstone three times this year. Down one from last year. We stay at the fishing bridge RV park and twice booked two weeks out. There are cancellations all the time. We live only an hour and half away so we are spoiled.
I find that Yellowstone is the easiest big national park to get last minute reservations. I think Xenterra actually does a pretty great job of running the campgrounds in that park, I kinda wish they did more of them like Yellowstone…but maybe it’s just that one park. I don’t think I ever planned more than a month in advance to go to Yellowstone, and it’s been easy getting a campsite in whatever campground I wanted. Yosemite by comparison…or Glacier even…is an ordeal. But even then…I’ve managed to cobble together campsites at the last minute because people cancel. I wish they didn’t allow booking specific sites in the Valley…I think it should be more like Yellowstone or Tuolumne, because then if you get 5 days of campsites, you wouldn’t have to move like you do now!
@@LeeHawkinsPhoto they really do. They have gotten better every year.
Good info and advice. Thanks
The last time I was camping in a national park was with 200 other kids in the 1970s. Bear cubs crawled over me in my sleeping bag. It was great, but I don't think I will be going back now. Boondocking is better for me.
More and more parks will be reduced to bus trips like Denali and Zion. You absolutely have to go off season - like the very edge of closure or opening. Try the smaller National Parks and some great State Parks.
Your right people this need to know what they want to do there and give them enough time to see the park
A couple years ago I went to Yellowstone the day before the west gate closed, it was closing towards the end of that next day. It was a little before 7am (you’re right, go early) and I pulled into the Old Faithful parking lot and I had the only car in the lot. I went to the Old Faithful viewing area and it was me and about 5 other people that were staying at the lodge. The next day I went again, same thing. I went out the South Gate and went to the Grand Tetons and every major photo op area, it was me and maybe one or two other people. It was a great trip.
Great advice, Jason! Mid-March to Mid-May and October/early November are great times at Natl Parks. Also - will vouch for your eTrailer sponsor - they provide excellent customer service as well as great advice - and great products.
Made mistakes 👊 bump. Not gonna stop going. National parks rock! Quality over quantity for sure!
The shoulder season isn't as good as it used to be. Retires and people that home school are more and more using the shoulder season to avoid the crowds are actually creating crowd conditions.
I understand why places have timed reservations, like RMNP. I live 3 hours from RMNP and it's typically difficult to do a spontaneous trip to the park because of all of the people. Of course I've also done it in winter when it is far less crowded and there are no problems then.
etrailer has everything
My main issue with National Parks is probably not a very common one, but I travel alone with a dog. I can't leave my dog alone in my truck or camper, depending a lot on the weather. So it's a me problem, but I'd still like to see some of the sites, but can't because of the trail restrictions with dogs.
Wow Great video and points
On this week of September the plan was to visit yellowstone. I did not want to drive much in one day so I opted to stay in the park. Researched online. The majority of the campgrounds were closed. The ones that were open were booked. Attempting to visit during the slow season to avoid contributing to the high season crowds came to no avail. Maybe water must be shut-off at the campgrounds. No big deal. Disclose it to the public. But leave the campground open.
Instead I chose to visit lesser known beautiful areas.
I remember trying to find a campground in Idaho, that was a zoo. We must have driven through 7 or 8 roadside campgrounds before finding a spot.
Good video with great suggestions for trip planning and scheduling!❤🙏
Glad it was helpful!
We arrived at Arches National Park and did not have a timed entry permit. The attendant handed us the instruction sheet and we turned around and got back in line because by time we applied for a permit we only had a 19 minute delay. By time we got back to the gate 20 miles minutes had passed.
I use to go to yellowstone once a year every year and I went before Memorial day weekend or after labor day weekend
Good job.
I don't go to national parks DURING HIGH SEASON anymore. They're too crowded. I leave summertime for people who are stuck vacationing then: parents of school kids, teachers, etc.
Good thoughts, always enjoy your editorial remarks. I wonder how many acres of the >1 million acres were developed for the public in Yellowstone and the surrounding forests? I read about it years ago and a number like 10,000 acres remains in my mind - if that's remotely correct I think they can double or triple it. The amount of land for public use in yellowstone hasn't changed since the population of the US was much lower and also before bus loads of people from out of state were able to make it in. I'm just winging this comment so forgive me if I'm woefully ignorant of the facts but I remember one of the charters of the national parks idea was to ensure the parks are accessible to everyone. Thinking back to how I grew up, if we would have afforded the trip out we wouldn't have afforded admission or a hotdog at old faithful and my father certainly wouldn't have tollerated the BS that goes on with getting a camping spot. He was x-army, vietnam era vet, and would have just pitched a tent where he found level ground, lol!
I wish sometimes we still had that generation around…they really didn’t put up with stuff people have grown numb to these days. Hopefully some of these kids will one day vocally say no to stuff happening now…without it getting too much uglier.
@@LeeHawkinsPhoto It's that "uglier" part that's concerning. But yes, we're living in what I was taught as a kid was the evil in the world we went off to war to fight against.
@@PaulSafford the evil will always be there. The only thing we can do is say no when it matters most. It’s a shame more people won’t say no, or at least feel like they can’t. Collective bargaining helps with saying no…but that gets corrupted all too easily as well. What we really need is a deity to intervene instead of a human.
Your attitude is probably the best tip. If you focus on the negative, you’re going to have a bad experience. If you focus on the positive, you’re going to have a good experience.
We just finished hiking around the Indiana Dunes National Park and the Sleeping Bear National park with my dog. Rangers Told me where we could go and we hike with poop bags. Since my dog was kind enough to poop at the campsite, I took one of the poop bags we always carry and started picking up the tissues and candy wrappers along the trail. Not much there, but I feel good doing it, and then people think I'm also picking up after my dog since I'm carrying a partially filled poop bag (of trash)
Well here's the deal. Planning something now for August does really suck. What I'm talking about has to have 25% down. Not refundable. Oh they was giving extra 10% off, that might not still be good offer. This is over $500 down. That will buy something. Most want 10 %. Expedia wants you pay all in advance now it seems. So your out money for nothing. CD's pay about 5%. You have to buy insurance just incase. Add about $200 more. Yeah best to not do business with them. I got uncle 99 he's not making 100. Went into hospices care. That ole can't make 100 thing is real. So long range planning sucks. Of course my last trip was planned 8 months in advance. I want go on 2 week trip in few days. Not made reservations for anything. School is in. That stops a lot of people. Yellowstone probably not. It's like pro sporting event. Always a crowd
Good video,i have been to yellow stone 4 times starting in the early 70s ,much simpler in the earlier years.The crack of dawn is best time an off season is great, if i return it will be a winter snow cat an stay ,yes costly but worked my whole life an a few thousand dollars is no big deal. Unfortunately you will encounter people that think there entitled to do as they please .just ignore them,another note ,if your in a hurry don’t even go.. Also be advised that foreign visitors may not speak English ,do your best to help them if asked. ARCHES, i was not impressed ,canyon lands is much better. Fyi
Good video.
Tough to plan a vacation or trip a year or so in the future. Parks may need to lesson the length of stay from 14 to 7 days so more people can enjoy our national parks.
I think parks should use more carrot and stick with reservations, because people definitely abuse the system. The carrot should be to reward cancellation as much as possible, because people don’t get their money back if they cancel even a few days in advance. A lot of über-wealthy people in wealthy metros like on the West Coast will book 6 campsites and choose where they want to go at the last minute. They don’t get their fees back anyway, so they have no incentive to cancel, and they don’t care if they get their fees back because they have too much money anyway. This is where the stick helps too-if someone books a site and they don’t use it, they get banned from booking for a year, and it’s by address/phone number so they can’t wiggle out of it so easy. These are public resources and NOT businesses-we should maximize public utility instead of just optimizing costs. Booz Allen Hamilton just pockets most of the cancellation and reservation fees anyway, and it costs them literally nothing! So change the contract, NPS, and make them refund more money to incentivize cancellations to open up more sites, ban people from making multiple reservations on the same nights on Recreation.gov (California already did this with their state park reservations), ban people for a long time if they book and don’t show up, and above all, enforce the existing rules to cancel no show reservations if they don’t call or show up on the first night. New York automatically rents out sites _that night_ if you don’t arrive or call by a certain time. I don’t think any of these things are unreasonable to prevent the abuse people are committing with reservations for our previous public lands.
Excellent
A great presentation.
Thanks for watching!
The bottom line for all this is that there are too many people trying to visit too few places. So you either put in a lot of work to go "relax" or you don't go. If you stay home it lightens the load on the park for everyone else. Some of us don't have the option of going in a shoulder season (still working, on a teacher schedule). I don't want to boondock in the middle of nowhere because I perceive it to be unsafe, nor do I want to be crowded by thousands of people trying to get selfies with bison; there is a happy medium.
My brother went to Yellowstone, did the figure 8 and left. 😂😂😂
I work in Yellowstone and have learned that people try to do too much in too short a period of time. Each loop is over 100 miles. Yes you will spend a lot of time driving at low speeds. Great information thanks.
Appreciate the comment and insight!
Dang. You are good.
👍 gracias bueno trabajo
Peak season = peak traffic. Off season for the best experience
Having to know months in advance what day you're going to be there is total BS. 😠. In some parks you need a reservation just to drive on the road in the park! It didn't used to be like this. I no longer go to those parks, for that reason.
And I do half of the park one day and half the park the next day and stay in west yellowstone and the 2 day drive down to Jackson
I never go to national parks during the busy season (i.e. summers and holidays). Spring and fall visits only. Go to national forests or BLM land instead. The undeveloped, wilderness feel of those places is just as appealing as the epic grandeur of national parks.
The problem is people reserve campsites in National Parks, but then don't show up. Cancel your campsite people! I was just at Lassen, online the campgrounds were full. In reality on the ground, the campgrounds were only 25% filled.
Most don't wake up early enough 😴
Especially when you come in from the Eastern US, you gotta use that time change to your advantage to get up earlier!
Lafayette Ramp
And I still never seen all of yellowstone going from 1986 to 2006
I don't want to travel not knowing if I will have a site. Wish all sites were reserved with a material penalty for canceling.
The gentleman in question was not mansplaining. Outside the fact that that term no longer has any actual meaning because it has been misused so much, as in this instance, it doesn't even begin to come close to the original meaning of it. He was expressing his opinion, not making factual statements about empirical issues.
I think your timestamps are wrong