Hi, y'all. Mason here to start a new series of blog posts where I share my opinions about the National Parks we're seeing on our grand nomad adventure. I want to kick this off with a controversial one, because there's a seeming lack of honesty out there about these places. Considering Yellowstone is the most popular National Park and a key destination for most nomads, it just feels important to prioritize.
The Good
Yellowstone is definitely a beautiful place with a lot of diversity in its environments. From the boiling geyser fields overflowing with color to the cascading falls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to the mountain rimmed lake in the center, it is breathtaking in a way few places are. Awe inspiring vistas overlook majestic natural wonders such as the Grand Prismatic Spring and allow visitors a glimpse of the magic the park holds. Herds of wild Bison and Elk roam the landscape, unafraid of people observing them in wonder.
You could spend days just driving the length of the park and walking the roadside paths that wind through the most prominent attractions. We spent an entire day wandering through some of the geyser fields and didn't even see all of them. This is not to mention the miles and miles of trails that wind deeper into the park and allow those ready to hike a more intimate encounter with nature. Some of these, like the descending trails into the canyon, are twice as rewarding as they are challenging, placing you at the bottom of hundred foot waterfalls where you can feel the reverberations of crashing water in your chest.
Nowhere along our trip did we so closely encounter more exotic beasts, either. We had a front row seat as a huge herd of Bison migrated across the road we were travelling. Having these gentle giants wander past with their calves in tow was something I'll never forget. Dozens of Elk would regularly wander into Mammoth Springs and rest in the grassy lawns around the lodge. We even had the experience of finding a Black Bear across a creek from the road we travelled and enjoyed an impromptu lesson from a Park Ranger about the animal as he seemingly put on a show for onlookers.
The Bad
However, these wonderful experiences were constantly overshadowed by a simple fact: we were surrounded by other people. That isn't an exaggeration, either. At the tail end of the Summer season, there were thousands and thousands of people. Traffic was insane and finding parking was an absolute nightmare at any major attractions. Pathways were flooded with crowds that would rival a theme park.
Nothing can characterize this better than our day at the geyser fields. We made a point of going to see the legendary Old Faithful first thing in the morning and even as the sun was still rising above the treetops, the entire area was filled to the brim with tourists. Lines wrapped around the visitor center to gain entrance with the Covid capacity limitations. We had multiple cars lined up to take our parking spot when we left to see the Grand Prismatic Spring.
At that next destination, we had to hike to the overlook amidst so many people that my wife and I got separated more than once. The overlook itself was almost shoulder to shoulder with people jostling for a view. This was nothing compared to the actual walkway around the Spring which was overloaded to the point that I felt like cattle being herded into a pen. Parking was the worst of all here and we sat for thirty minutes in line to finally get a spot.
It was an absolute nightmare to navigate stores, souvenirs were largely picked over, and rubbernecking was a serious hazard on the roads. More than once, we had to slam our brakes as the person in front of us decided to stop to take pictures of wildlife. A disturbingly high number of people would whip into u turns in the middle of the road or simply pull out in front of cars from turn outs without consideration for the flow of traffic. Worst of all were the sheer number of people blatantly and unsafely speeding through precarious sections of road, meandering across the center dividing line, and endangering oncoming cars.
The Ugly
None of this, however, holds a candle to my biggest issue with Yellowstone and one that every visitor needs to know.
The roads in Yellowstone are absolutely awful.
Now, this may not seem that big of a deal. If you've ever driven on I-35, you know how to handle bad roads, right? Wrong.
For a park its size with a budget its size, Yellowstone roads are tight - maybe 20 feet across in total - with no shoulder on either side. Turn outs are mostly far too small to accomodate a moderately sized camper or RV. Potholes, cracks, uneven terrain, banked sections, and more are serious obstacles. Cliff faces and roadside boulders are perilously close to the edge and threaten to damage passing trailers. Heavily graded switchbacks are a serious hazard to brakes and are downright dangerous to a truck or RV without an exhaust brake.
You combine these elements with the terrible drivers I mentioned before and the prospect of driving across the park becomes dreadful. After pulling our camper through the park (from Grand Teton to Gardiner), I was almost ready not to go back in. That was probably the single worst experience I've had pulling our camper on this trip and I'm not entirely certain the steering wheel will ever recover from how tightly I gripped it. A man could have nightmares about those roads.
Additional Thoughts and Gripes
Yellowstone was also the only park we went to that had a major attraction shut down. At the time of our visit, the Tower Fall road was closed and we were only able to see the lower portion of the Canyon. This was heartbreaking to my wife who had really looked forward to seeing it. Additionally, pictures really don't do justice to what the geyser basins are like and we were pretty surprised to find their surrounding areas dead. They're absolutely barren from the sulfur choking all the plant life and parts of the area can be downright ugly.
Oh, and if you weren't aware, sulfur stinks. Old Faithful? Grand Prismatic Spring? Unbelievably beautiful. The smell will cling to your clothes for days afterward. Make sure you don't wear anything you can't wash easily.
Camp sites and RV spots are also real scarce during peak season and I spoke to more than a few people who said they book theirs up to a year in advance to ensure they can get one. We were lucky to find one in Gardiner and I'm glad we did. I wouldn't stay in Yellowstone if you paid me due to the sheer amount of people. Gardiner was a wonderful little town and we loved staying there instead.
Most of all, my wife and I both found the park underwhelming. While we're glad we got to experience it, Grand Teton (which borders the park to the south) was much more enjoyable. We agreed that any return to the park would be day trips from what we deemed a superior sibling. It's actually really strange to both of us that Teton is so much less popular given that every single aspect of the park is noticeably better than Yellowstone.
Judgment
All in all, Yellowstone is worth it to visit. It's an extremely important part of our nation's history and there's a reason Teddy Roosevelt felt it necessary to protect. I genuinely think everyone should see it at least once, but I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be. Maybe it wouldn't be as frustrating in the off season, but I know for sure I wouldn't go during peak ever again.
5/10, and that is heavily weighted by its natural beauty. If you're not into hiking, biking, or boating in the lake, I don't imagine you'll enjoy it even as much as I did.
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