Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

[VacationLover]

funny I was there (either the week you were there or the week before) and I thought it was pretty crowded, especially in the main tourist spots like mammoth hot springs, old faithful and the upper geyser basin, grand canyon, grand prismatic springs etc. Although I was never there before to compare.

I was there Aug 10-13. Did you have car traffic?

[lakewood34]

I was there Aug 10-13. Did you have car traffic?

i know that multiple park rangers said that it was just as busy as any other year
i was there the week before you. I did not have car traffic but i did run into parking issues at a lot of the more popular areas
If you were there at peak times (meaning not early morning or late afternoon )you had to wait awhile to get a spot

[ari3]

I was there Aug 10-13. Did you have car traffic?

Was there Aug 4-5. We had some traffic at grand canyon, in Hayden valley (due to a large herd of bison hanging out around the road), and at prismatic springs. We had parking issues at mammoth hot springs and grand canyon.
Nothing terrible but seemed pretty crowded in the main parts.

[VacationLover]

https://county10.com/fire-at-yellowstone-national-park-forces-temporary-closures/

[TravelPhyl]

Do you know which parts are closed?

[Ezriel]

Seeing the cheap tickets today, is this a good idea to go to Yellowstone mid March, or it's still to cold, etc.?

[whYME]

Seeing the cheap tickets today, is this a good idea to go to Yellowstone mid March, or it's still to cold, etc.?

Most of the park is still closed for the winter.

[Ezriel]

Most of the park is still closed for the winter.

Never been there.
is that mean that there is no point going there now?

[whYME]

Never been there.
is that mean that there is no point going there now?

yeah, pretty much.

(I'm sure it's absolutely amazing now if you have a snowmobile, but I'm not sure exactly the logistics of that. IIRC it's quite difficult/expensive. I think @Something Fishy looked into it a while back.)

[tov hashem]

what about in end of may?

[Something Fishy]

Pretty much closed March other than the north road. You can take some winter tours if you like but they're not cheap.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm

[Something Fishy]

what about in end of may?

Mostly open but subject to closure. Earliest in the season I was ever there was early June and there were still periodic snow closures.

[Something Fishy]

This was June 12:

[whYME]

what about in end of may?

Mostly open but subject to closure. Earliest in the season I was ever there was early June and there were still periodic snow closures.

My first time there was last days of May / First days of June (I don't remember exactly) IIRC there some closures (the beartooth highway was definitely closed) but I did make it to all the major attractions. And the place was completely empty.

[yos9694]

Oh it's definitely worth going in May even if there's risk of snow. Baby bison!

[Ezriel]

Thank you.
Changed to May 2nd. hopefully it won't be too bad.

[Esther]

I’m planning on going to Yellowstone/Grand Teton mid May. Thanks everyone who posted their trip reports - it was extremely helpful. I mapped out a tentative itinerary - was wondering if anyone who’s been there can chime in. I don’t mind packing it in on a vacation but what I have seems too aggressive. Additionally, I’m having trouble where to stay each night as majority of the park hotels are closed the dates I will be there.

Sunday
Arrive 1:30pm
Stop by Walmart to get some food
Mammoth Springs, Minerva Terrace
Can stay in Gardiner, MT for the night

Monday
Artist Paintpots
Norris Geyser Basin
Canyon junction (probably just the Upper Falls as I don’t think I want a strenuous like like Uncle Tom’s Trail)
Hayden Valley
Mud Volcano

Tuesday
Yellowstone Lake
Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring
I’m stuck here. I would head to Grand Teton - should I do Lewis Falls, Jackson Lake, Oxbow Bend, Jenny lake, Hedrik Pond, Antelope Flats, or Teton Crest Trail? Or a combination of them?
Would stay in Jackson for the night

Wednesday
sunrise at Schwabacher landing
Gross ventre wilderness?
Idaho Falls
Idaho potato museum
Is it crazy to do Shoshone Falls and Craters of the Moon too?
Thinking of driving more and staying in Big Sky or Bozeman for the night

Thursday
Gallitan River/Canyon
2:40pm flight

Thank you!

[gubevo18]

Do campgrounds ever get cancellations? Im looking to go in early May but there is only one campground open (Mammoth) at that point, and it is fully booked for the date I was looking at. Any chance it will open up as we get closer? did anyone ever have any success showing up and hoping for a cancellation? thanks

[gubevo18]

Do campgrounds ever get cancellations? Im looking to go in early May but there is only one campground open (Mammoth) at that point, and it is fully booked for the date I was looking at. Any chance it will open up as we get closer? did anyone ever have any success showing up and hoping for a cancellation? thanks

Answer: Yes they do.

[teaneckyo]

I am trying to rent a car in Bozeman and return it in Jackson, but the rental car companies are not letting me do a different drop off location a week later.  Any thoughts?