Tips for Avoiding the Crowds at the Most Visited National Parks
Visiting national parks can be a breathtaking experience – until you’re shoulder to shoulder with a crowd. With a little planning and advice from our expert authors, it’s possible to enjoy the majesty of the most popular national parks while avoiding the busiest times and places.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The park sees record numbers of visitors year after year, especially during fall when the changing leaves bring visitors by the million. There are times that the most popular areas, and especially the most popular trails, can feel crowded. So what can you do?
Grab your warmest gear and plan to visit in winter, when it’ll seem you have the park to yourself. The waterfalls will be magnificent, and if you’re lucky, you’ll be hitting the trails when the forest is hushed with falling snow. You can also plan to be at trailheads early in the morning, or you can pick long trails, like Lynn Camp Prong, where most visitors will turn back less than a mile in, making it easy to hike your way out of the crowds. Pockets of the park—like Cades Cove—are popular in spring when bears and deer are out with their young, but if you camp there, you’ll have the loop road to yourself all day on Wednesday and early morning before they open the gates at dawn.
Here are some other less-crowded areas to consider:
Balsam Mountain Road: The road’s location off the Blue Ridge Parkway means people tend to forget this beautiful corner of the park. Head here in the fall to immerse yourself in foliage and escape the typical leaf-peeping traffic.
Mount Cammerer: This strenuous hike is avoided by many, but it rewards with an unparalleled view. The few folks on this trail are here to be surrounded by the Smokies—and to dodge the crowds.
Lynn Camp Prong: Start this trail near the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, where a short hike will lead you to some photogenic cascades and dreamy wildflowers. Continue on to Indian Flats Falls at mile 4, then turn back.
Big Creek: An almost-forgotten campground and some awesome hikes in a corner of the park most visitors overlook? That’s Big Creek. Camp here, backpack to Mount Sterling, or check out the suited-for-everyone Big Creek Trail.
Abrams Creek: This seasonal campground is rarely full; even if it is, several great hikes origi-nate here. Hit the Rabbit and Abrams Creeks Loop or hike the easy, wildflower-rich Little Bottoms Trail.
Grand Canyon National Park
Lose the crowds and get off on your own a bit while visiting the South Rim by spending some time at the less-visited Desert View Drive viewpoints and the park’s eastern Desert View section. While still busy during the high season and on weekends and holidays in spring and fall, Desert View is more spread out and far less crowded than Grand Canyon Village and the area around the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
Another way to find solitude on the South Rim even during the high season is to hike the Rim Trail east from the visitor center and west from the village.
To skip the long lines at the main South Rim entrance station during the high season, take the free shuttle bus from Tusayan (Tusayan Route/Purple Line) or ride your bike into the park along the Tusayan Greenway.
While relatively busy during the height of summer, the cool highlands of the North Rim draw much smaller crowds than those that inundate the South Rim. There are many places on the beautiful forested North Rim where you may find yourself far away from everything except the grand wilderness.
Take your own food and drinks in a cooler and have scenic picnics to avoid the packed restaurants and food courts at the South and North Rims.
Zion National Park
Are we loving southern Utah to death? It might feel that way on Zion’s shuttle circuit in July, or in Moab during spring break. Unless the Disneyworld vibes don’t bother you, consider crafting a trip that allows you to experience these lands more peacefully. You can also strike a balance by planning one day where you bear with the crowds to see those bucket list sights, followed by another day exploring a quieter area. While there are tips in most chapters on how to avoid crowds in specific regions, here are a few guidelines that apply throughout.
Avoid spring break and summer holiday weekends. These are some of the busiest times in southern Utah. Also check to see if there are any races or major events occurring in your specific destination, which would mean a spike in visitors.
Visit on weekdays. While there will still be crowds late spring-early fall, they won’t be quite as challenging to deal with on a Tuesday or Wednesday compared to Saturday. You could plan visits to nearby quieter areas during the weekend, then hit the popular national park on a weekday, for example.
Come in winter. November-early March, most of southern Utah grows quieter as snow falls on sandstone. Bryce is especially stunning in the winter months. A few upsides: If the sun is shining in January and the trails are dry, you’ll still be able to hike, bike on dirt or paved roads, and even climb. Rates also drop so your trip will be cheaper. The cons: Many businesses close in winter. And you could encounter difficult weather (snow, freezing rain) that interferes with adventure plans.
Be a night owl. Utah’s national parks are open 24-7, which means you can cruise up to Delicate Arch at midnight, if you’re so motivated. Whether you visit at dawn, dusk, or in the pitch dark for some stargazing, you’ll find peace, quiet, star-filled skies, and a better shot at seeing wildlife too.
Go on longer, more intensive adventures. Most tourists congregate on national park scenic drives, along the shortest trails, and at easily accessible scenic pullouts. Walk a couple of miles down most paths and the company thins. Even better, plan a longer back-packing excursion, multiday bike ride, or river trip (guided or self-guided).
Rocky Mountain National Park
If jam-packed shuttle buses and crowded visitor centers give you the heebie-jeebies, schedule your trip to Rocky sometime other than on a summer weekend. Here are some other suggestions for quiet time.
Take a bike ride on Old Fall River Road or Trail Ridge Road in the spring or fall. Both roads are usually open to bicycles in April and November, when automobiles are not allowed; before you arrive, double-check with the park about exact dates.
Explore the remote northwest end of the park. Hike to Little Yellowstone from La Poudre Pass Trail.
In August, drive up Trail Ridge Road after dark to view the annual Perseid meteor shower. Cozy up with a blanket on your tailgate or in a camp chair and watch meteors streak the sky.
Snowshoe to the old mining town (and now ghost town) of Lulu City. On a winter weekday, you might find yourself passing only Park Service vehicles on your drive through the Kawuneeche Valley to the Colorado River Trailhead.
Have a sunrise breakfast by a scenic lake, such as Dream Lake or Lily Lake. Pack a portable meal and a hot beverage and plan to be at the trailhead before dawn.
During the elk rut in autumn, visit the quieter west side of the park where elk are just as likely to be spotted.
On a clear morning, watch the sun rise at Rainbow Curve.
Yellowstone National Park
More than four million visitors enter Yellowstone annually, and Grand Teton sees only slightly fewer. Most come in summer, when huge parking lots fill to maximum capacity. Here are some tips to beat the crowds.
Avoid July, which has the heaviest visitation.
Visit in less-crowded months: June or September when kids are back in school, May to watch newborn bison (called “red dogs”) and elk calves, or October for fall colors and active bears in hyperphagia.
Go in winter. Enjoy the beauty of the icy landscape and prolific steam in the geyser basins.
Avoid popular spots midday (10am-4pm), when crowds swell and parking lots are congested. Hike a trail instead.
See popular sights in early morning. Visit Old Faithful at sunrise (5am-6:30am in summer) to score front-row seats in time for an eruption. Hit Midway, Lower Geyser Basin, or Jenny Lake before 9am.
Tour in the evening. After an early dinner, explore the geyser basins until sunset (8pm-9:30pm in summer). Walk the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful, Black Sands, and Biscuit) or Taggart Lake after 5pm.
Go wildlife-watching in the morning and evening. Though most visitors look for animals as they tour midday, wildlife is more active around dawn and dusk.
Park early. Parking lots at popular trailheads fill up well before 9am. Plan to be at your trail-head by 8am or earlier.
Stop at picnic areas for restroom breaks, as the geyser basin and canyon restrooms usually have lengthy lines.
Make advance reservations where possible: 12-18 months for lodges and dining, 6-12 months for campgrounds.
