When is yellowstone least crowded

Consider this: The park's 2. Want to avoid the hordes of tourists? Here are 10 ways to explore the under-the-radar areas of Yellowstone National Park. Photo Caption: A view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, which was designated a national park in and is one of the oldest parks in the system. Visit Shoshone Geyser Basin. You can drive to Old Faithful and watch geysers erupt with a crowd, or you can hike a few miles and watch geysers erupt all by your lonesome.

The park's largest off-road geyser basin with some features, Shoshone Geyser Basin is a good destination for a long day hike about 17 miles round-trip. Better yet, strap on a backpack and take a multi-day hike to the basin and around Shoshone Lake, the largest backcountry lake in the lower More Info: Shoshone Geyser Basin www.

Head to West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. The boardwalks of West Thumb crisscross the lakeside and offer views of some of the park's most photogenic and unique thermal features. There's Fishing Cone , where fishermen once cooked their newly hooked catch -- until the discovery of trace amounts of arsenic in the water ended the practice.

You'll also find the seemingly bottomless Abyss Pool. More Info: www. Check out Artist Paint Pots. Kids and adults will be hypnotized by the otherworldly collection of multi-hued geothermal features at Artist Paint Pots , which include near-pastel springs, steaming fumaroles, and the slowly belching mud pots.

Located south of Norris Junction and just a half-mile long, the boardwalk winding amidst this odd cast of anomalies provides an ideal break from the road, especially in peak tourist season. Watch wildlife in Lamar Valley. This month is a great time to visit Yellowstone, but the days can be cold and wet.

Many of the hiking trails are still snowed in. Visitation increases when the weather warms up. July and August are the busiest months, great for hiking and camping, though animals may be hard to find on hot days. These months also provide great opportunities to see bison; it is their rutting or mating season.

The last week of August is a good option to visit the park, as kids are already heading back to school. Fall weather is unpredictable; roads may be closed temporarily by snow or other weather conditions. Still, September is usually a good compromise between the weather and the crowds. Avoid coming during public holidays, Thanksgiving week and Christmas week are pretty popular, as well as the Labour day weekend and - especially - the 4th of July.

By car : there are 5 entrances to the Yellowstone park. Check here for details and directions. Report an error. A winter in Yellowstone is simply magic. Steam from thermal vents and springs turn to frost on nearby trees, elk post-hole through thick snow, and geysers burst boiling hot water scattering into droplets that freeze in the air.

The season begins late in December and lasts sometimes through March, open for cross-country skiing, ice-climbing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and exploring the ski and snow vehicle trails that cut through snowy basins like Black Sand, and frozen waterfalls that shimmer like frosted chandeliers. Order our free stunning Yellowstone Trip Planner filled with an inspiring itinerary, gorgeous photographs and everything you need to plan your dream vacation.

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