How much of a shitshow will Yellowstone be this summer? Alternatives?

**muted reborn** · 07-07-2021, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Jesus fuck, that looks miserable.

No, the kids will love the time spent in the car and remember it for the rest of their lives, suck it up and just do it for them....

**powdork** · 07-08-2021, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Jesus fuck, that looks miserable. Were those people in line for a couple of days? It looks like a video of a hurricane evacuation route.

And I'm pretty sure that red Tesla ran out of battery power before they made it to the entrance.

Depends. They can run a/c and what not for quite a long time and the main draw from the batteries is the thrust required to move. I would think there would be waaaay more gas powered engines with their owners getting nervous.

**zion zig zag** · 07-08-2021, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by powdork

Depends. They can run a/c and what not for quite a long time and the main draw from the batteries is the thrust required to move. I would think there would be waaaay more gas powered engines with their owners getting nervous.

Ha. Tesla owner couldn't stand the call out. Have to defend the brand!

**powdork** · 07-08-2021, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by zion zig zag

Ha. Tesla owner couldn't stand the call out. Have to defend the brand!

nope. Just a guy with a little bit of knowledge, much of which was gained in (and researching for) the RV thread below. This is my Tesla

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**zion zig zag** · 07-08-2021, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by powdork

nope. Just a guy with a little bit of knowledge, much of which was gained in (and researching for) the RV thread below. This is my Tesla

I like the idea of a gas guzzler shell for the Tesla, so people don't think you're a smug Tesla owner.

**powdork** · 07-08-2021, 10:57 AM

Funny you should mention that. Current topic of discussion in the RV thread (derision mostly).
Introducing the Prenis

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It's not even a joke.
https://jalopnik.com/50-000-will-buy...our-1703773020

**NBABUCKS1** · 07-08-2021, 11:18 AM

prius smokes as a single camper car. Backseat folds down flat and if you are 6 feet and under you can lay flat. Put some of the reflectix in the windows and you can dial in your temp (heat runs off engine heat, ac runs off batteries). Engine will turn on periodically all night to maintain temp. Hotel Prius.

also very good when you are hungover at the gorge and want to sleep past 7 am.

**Benny Profane** · 07-09-2021, 04:37 AM

How Crowded Are America’s National Parks? See for Yourself. https://nyti.ms/3htEpig

**new yabyum** · 07-09-2021, 10:39 AM

Even as crowded as they may appear, a 20 minute walk will lose 95% of the pink screaming geese.

**NBABUCKS1** · 07-09-2021, 11:27 AM

yeah but it takes 3 hours of traffic to get to that 20 minute walk

**Djongo Unchained** · 07-09-2021, 11:46 AM

The crack of dawn is the time to be in the Park.
For a variety of reasons, stated previously.
Short to no line at the gate, little traffic yet, animals are moving around before the heat sets in...

**altasnob** · 07-09-2021, 11:57 AM

I do the majority of my recreating at Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Park (both top 20 most visited parks). They are crowded, but no more so than non-national park mountains near any other major metro area such as the Wasatch, Front Range CO, or the Sierra. Get up early, go in the afternoon, go when the weather isn't 100% perfect, go places that aren't the number one draw. Lots of relatively uncrowded areas in national parks to explore if you are not a fat ass American stuck in your car.

**skaredshtles** · 07-09-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Djongo Unchained

The crack of dawn is the time to be in the Park.
For a variety of reasons, stated previously.
Short to no line at the gate, little traffic yet, animals are moving around before the heat sets in...

This. And avoid the roads between 10 and 3. Hunker down and do some fishing, or some tubing on the Firehole, or just bring a hammock and take a nap. A lot of frustration can be avoided by a well-timed siesta.

**Talisman** · 07-10-2021, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Djongo Unchained

The crack of dawn is the time to be in the Park.
For a variety of reasons, stated previously.
Short to no line at the gate, little traffic yet, animals are moving around before the heat sets in...

Good advice and yesterday I didn't follow it but the northern route out of Cody, Chief Joseph to Silvergate into the park had two cars ahead of me at the gate at 9:30 AM and the Dunraven Pass closure seems to be keeping the mayhem south. The Lamar Valley traffic was flowing freely with some of the bison viewing spots filled with cars most of the remaining pullouts were empty until Mammoth Hot Springs. A wonderful day enjoying Yellowstone and little traffic with abundant animal viewing. A neighbor told me about a 55 minute ordeal just to park at Grand Prismatic Spring two days ago made me glad I avoided the southern route.

**total_immortal** · 07-10-2021, 06:29 PM

Or just go in the offseason and not have any crowds?

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**powdork** · 07-10-2021, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by total_immortal

Or just go in the offseason and not have any crowds?

Yeah,but, where are your kids?

**new yabyum** · 07-15-2021, 05:17 PM

Just got back from a obscure portion of the YNP. there was one family and no one fishing. Got fish, that is all.

**Talisman** · 07-16-2021, 12:26 PM

Yellowstone in winter without people tracking out the view.

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**muted reborn** · 07-16-2021, 12:35 PM

We are all talking about when to do family travel to YNP and seeing the famous sights, not obscure spots or winter travel alone.

**new yabyum** · 07-16-2021, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by muted reborn

We are all talking about when to do family travel to YNP and seeing the famous sights, not obscure spots or winter travel alone.

Then gird your loins for the herds o' people.

**Talisman** · 07-16-2021, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by muted reborn

We are all talking about when to do family travel to YNP and seeing the famous sights, not obscure spots or winter travel alone.

I was providing a zen image for you to relax into when stuck behind a 45 foot RV towing a jeep creeping along a park road at 6 mph.

**jhyatt** · 07-17-2021, 07:02 AM

Just finished 4 days in the park. Advice here was spot on.
Go see old faithful or whatever early like 8. Around 10 it starts to get stupid busy. Go back to camp and chill until like 4. That's also a good time to move camp which I had to do almost daily since I just took last minute cancellations.
Evening was another great time to see stuff.
During the day at camp there was no one around. We went swimming and it was great to have no cell service with the kids.
We lucked into the timing of some big geysers which was amazing.
Old faithful is overrated.
We had a bison pass in front of the car within arms reach. Roll up the windows!
Dun raven closed so did not hike Washburn but did hike grand canyon and then back around to wapiti lake th.
It seemed like a ton of people visit for the day from west Yellowstone and drive that loop. It was a shit show when we left many of the places with traffic backed up to park, but we avoided it.
So thanks.
Burgers at big Judd in Ashton Idaho are the bomb