In honor of the National Park Service’s centennial, our family (two adults, two kids and a dog) took a two-week road trip from Chattanooga to Yellowstone National Park. While I wanted to see Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring, I didn’t want to feel like a tourist, missing the backcountry. Here are a few tricks to make the most of your trip.
How to Avoid Crowded Campsites
The easiest way to get away from the crowds is to stay at a first-come, first-served campground. These tend to be away from the crowds and tour buses. In order to get one of these, plan to arrive as soon as the park opens. You will be given a map at the park entrance, and before you do anything else, plan a route to possible campsites. Ask the park ranger at the gate which campsites still have availability. The campsites with full amenities near the entrances fill up first, so if it’s later in the day, don’t even bother driving to those. Remember, these sites fill up by early morning, so if you want a site, arrive early in the day and make getting a campsite your first priority.
After you get to your campground, you may have to stand in line to pay for your campsite. Head to the front office and join the queue. If you see a long line, you may want to keep driving to the next campground. Your best chance at finding a spot will be at a campground with pit toilets (called vault toilets on the Yellowstone website) and no showers. I recommend entering the park from the west or north entrance and finding a spot at Pebble Creek or Slough Creek campgrounds. These usually fill last in the day and are away from the crowds.
How to Get a Hot Shower