Help planning for National Parks

[glen]

We are planning on leaving early August-

Dont know how many days to plan at each
Here is the list - We need to book lodging soon

Yellowstone
Glacier
Yosemite
Sequoia

And an overnighter at Carlsbad maybe on way back towards Texas

Any ideas or suggestions all considered. No time frame. Will fish some and day hike but not taking packs or camping gear. If anything maybe hammocks and bags and a coffee pot and jet boil at most.

Lets hear it

[BuckSmasher]

We are planning on leaving early August-



Dont know how many days to plan at each

Here is the list - We need to book lodging soon



Yellowstone

Glacier

Yosemite

Sequoia



And an overnighter at Carlsbad maybe on way back towards Texas



Any ideas or suggestions all considered. No time frame. Will fish some and day hike but not taking packs or camping gear. If anything maybe hammocks and bags and a coffee pot and jet boil at most.



Lets hear it

Sounds like an EPIC trip!

If you are going to Carlsbad might as well go to Guadalupe as well.

Yellowstone of course is amazing. Please dont be that person that reports back that it is overcrowded and commercial. If you are willing to get a mile ot two off the road it is simply phenomenal the amount of wildlife there is. Best place to eat in West Yellowstone is Buffalo Bar or Wild West Pizzeria.

Bring bear spray and a pistol. Eat huckleberry pie with ice cream in Hungry Horse just outside glacier.

Drive into Yellowstone from the south so you can pass the Tetons, the most beautiful mountains in N America.

Bozeman is a neat town if you go through there. Vibrant downtown with lots of good food. Lots of ourdoir industries have their hq in Bozeman.

Sounds like a fun trip! I'm envious!





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[glen]

Buck- How many days for Yellowstone area? Thats what we are trying to plan now

[Hardware]

To really see the whole park it takes more than a few days and don't forget Cody Wyoming.

https://centerofthewest.org/category/cody-firearms-museum/

Pretty interesting to see all the firearms at above.

[simek]

I recently visited both Carlsbad Caverns NP and Guadalupe Mountains NP. The draw of CCNP is obviously the CC, but they also have hiking. The cavern can be done in 3-4 hours. The draw of GMNP is GP, which is a fairly strenuous hike that will take 6-8 hours, but is truly a bucket list item. There are less strenuous hikes, but you'd probably kick yourself if you went to GMNP and did not climb it. If you do climb it, take a day pack, with snacks and water. You would also be well served to take trekking poles.

[diamond10x]

Buck- How many days for Yellowstone area? Thats what we are trying to plan now

At least 4 is my rec depending on what all you plan on doing and seeing. The park is huge and there can be lots of traffic around and near the bigger attractions and the inevitable buffalo traffic jam.

[AGMTB07]

Yosemite is a beautiful park during the spring. My wife and I went in 2011 in early May; we were able to catch white water rafting on the Merced river day one of the season. That is the one item we planned in advance for. You will need to get permits for hiking half dome. Check out the Mariposa groves and see the Grizzly giant.

About 98% of visitors will be found in Yosemite Valley; hiking north of the valley in the back country will be significantly less crowded. Hetch Hetchy valley is to the north of Yosemite valley; there is good hiking out there as well.

Food-wise, the Yosemite Valley Lodge, located on the west entrance of the park, has a good restaurant and beautiful views of the Merced River. The Ahwahnee hotel, located in the valley, is a must-see; they also have a nice restaurant within the facilities as well.

[HOOKNBULLET2]

We spent 4 days in Yellowstone our first trip and will do 7 days next time.

[TX03RUBI]

If time isn’t an issue I’d like to spend 5 days at each for a trip like that. We did a similar trip a few years ago, and only got 3 full days at Glacier and Yellowstone. We hit a few other parks though, which limited our time. If I could do it again I’d spend more time at GNP and Yellowstone/Tetons. Minimum 5 days, but ideally 7-8 and skip the rest for the next trip.

[wytex]

If you can time your trip for Yellowstone being last and maybe late in August the elk may be starting to rut and be very visible and bugling in the park.

[glen]

Well i guess we will make plans to go a week at each location and make it work. Wish we could just go and worry about where and how long to stay once we got there but lots of folks traveling US now

[Buckshot-73]

Glen, all I can suggest, check into an annual Park Pass. Since you are technically still a LEO, there maybe a bigger discount for ya.


Safe travels for you and your lovely and talented wife.

And thank you for putting on that Ten Pound Badge as long as you did.

[MLAH]

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[Biggs]

Sequoia is amazing.
Yellowstone is alright.
Glacier is really nice.
Banff Canada is better than all.

A week at each would be enough. One day I will have the time to do such a thing. My trips have all be 2-3 day visits and that’s just not enough to get in deep.

[Jscott1112]

Spent a lot of time at each of these. Good info on Yosemite has already been given. Now I have not been in August but the key with Yellowstone is spending the early morning on the roads and then hiking, fishing, and relaxing the rest of the day when the roads are busier. It's really the best plan to seeing the most wildlife and avoiding the biggest crowds.