Yellowstone

[JudyJB]

I will post some photos later tonight or early tomorrow, but I wanted to vent on my experience today. As you know, I have driving a 32' Class C without a toad. Today, after it being closed all week, the Middle Geyser Basin opened.

Visualize a road into the Middle Geyser Basin that goes slightly downhill and curves through trees for about 800' to get to a loop parking lot. NPS puts logs along one side of the road to prevent people parking there because it was supposed to be one lane in and one out. I got into the lot easily because they had just opened it. However, by the time I tried to leave, people had illegally parked all along the logs lining the entrance/exit road. Cars were lined up to get in to the full parking lot, but no one could get out because it was now only one lane wide! One car (maybe a rental?) scraped underneath driving over some rocks, but I turned off my engine and tried to get help stopping people coming in so a long line of us could get out. I was not about to damage my vehicle driving over the big rocks meant to keep you on the road.

No rangers in sight because of cutbacks, and no cell service to call 911. (Half the people trying to get in could not speak English. I know this because I went down the line trying to get help to stop traffic coming in so a bunch of us could get out.) I finally got one man to stand in the roadway and a lady to use her vehicle to block the entrance!! Half an hour later, I got out after a few cars in line managed to squeeze into the parking lot, and then I drove to the ranger station and told them they had a major problem and visitors should not have to direct traffic!

What is really frustrating is that people are parking in lots every which way, and no one is ticketing anyone. Add that to the people who stop in the middle of the road whenever they see an animal, and this place is a mess. It just isn't being patrolled, and you have places where there are 50-100 cars parked and no ranger in sight. I am glad so many Europeans and Asians have come to visit, but they need to be able to read road signs and follow rules.

Frankly, and especially without cell service and no rangers with radios to call for help, this is a disaster in the making. What happens if someone passed out or had a heart attack? Not only could no emergency crew be called, but no one could get out to drive for help. There is cell service only in about 30% of the park. There are big fights about how cell towers damage the wilderness look of the place and how we should not need our electronics in the wilderness, anyway. A new one has finally been approved for Fishing Bridge, but will not go in until next spring. That will mean that maybe 40% will have cell service.

Anyway, a 70 year old woman, an older man, and a younger woman should not have to be traffic cops at a major tourist area parking lot!! I know there are serious cutbacks in national parks, but couldn't they make some money fining people and writing tickets?

[BarbaraRose]

Wow, what a mess! So frustrating that must have been! I hope you gave the rangers a good piece of your mind! I sure would have! That is a real danger for lots of reasons.

Did you enjoy the scenery and animals tho?

[JudyJB]

Here is a photo taken when I got back in my vehicle after getting help to stop traffic. Only two cars, the red one and the white one behind it, needed to move at this point. All the cars you see parked are parked illegally. And yes, I gave the poor ranger a large piece of my mind. I am also going to fill out a comment card when I can get someone who actually knows where they are stored!!

And I really should not blame just the foreign visitors. A lot of obviously Americans were illegally parking also.

I may even contact the national park headquarters in DC. This is ridiculous.

[BirdbyBird]

Not "like"....

I have to admit there where several places /stops around the loop road that I did not try to see last August because of the potential for problem with too many cars and rigs and not enough room. ...but my advantage was we drove through on the way back from Alaska....and the perspective of Yellowstone is different after driving through all that Canadian and Alaskan wilderness.....so I didn't feel too cheated....

[AlmostThere]

I find that really sad as Yellowstone, as I remember it in 1980 & 97, is so majestic and one of our national treasures.
It has the feeling of "the old west" and your mind wanders. The thermals are so fascinating.
I'm sorry that the thoughtlessness of some ruined it for you and so many others.

[chalet05]

I have never seen anything like this in the many times I have been to Yellowstone other than RVs that couldn't figure out how to park at Old Faithful taking up more than their share of spaces. Guess you just got lucky, Judy, but I hope you still enjoy the wildlife and beauty of one of my favorite parks.

[Redwahine]

So sorry you had such a frustrating time. I have tried 3 times to make it to Yellowstone, to no avail. Each time canceled for necessary evils like DH's back went out and,more recently, our visit to Red Bay for warranty work on RED. After your experience and because we are both retired I will definitely try to plan trip for the less busy times.

[IrishIroamed]

My goodness what a mess! Sorry you had to go thru that. Makes me afraid to go there when I finally get to buy my MH. Yellowstone is one of my always wanted to see. I agree - maybe better right before the weather changes (and kids are back in school?) would be a better time to visit.

[JudyJB]

I think an ideal time to see Yellowstone would be late May or early June, and then in September. I was here 30+ years ago in September and the only people here were old folks and us. (My kids had weird schedules in elementary school because they were in year-round school, so we did a lot of off-season travel.)

Luckily, I allowed enough time to be here. It is really a huge place and takes a lot of time driving around. You just can't see it in a day or two.

Just slightly off-season would mean the international visitors would be fewer and kids would be in school so there would be fewer families traveling. I ended up coming here now because I wanted to get to Glacier before they closed the shuttles in early September that go over the main glacier highway where you cannot take big RVs. They said the crowds really are less just before Labor Day.

I rode my bike to the entrance station today and asked for a comment card. After I told her what had happened, the lady went in and got her boss. I told her that someone should be manning the major geyser areas to at least direct traffic and be available for emergencies. She agreed. I need to fill out the form and take it back to the visitor center, she said. Wished I had taken more photos, but in those situations I just don't always think of those things.

[JoanE]

Thanks for the tip on when to go or I should say "not" to go. Still on my bucket list.

[JanetA]

yay for the folks in Washington! thanks to them,,, ...

well,,,lemme just say,,, im 65 and have been going to Y'stone for 40+ yrs and this never was a problem before,, ALTHOUGH,,, summer is notorious for having CROWDS in the park,, always has had. The best time to go to Y'stone is before June or AFTER Labor Day. Just saying..... ive done it all and those are the times I've found that you could have the park more to yourself w/ minimal crowds. Course around Old Faithful,, there;s almost always a crowd unless its really cold. but the majority of the rug rats are gone back to school by then so it's foreigners and oldsters like ourselves ... much more to MY liking,, just MY thoughts.....

sorry you had trouble. I will probably avoid it til end of sept...when we are on our way BACK from Montana.

[bluepinecones]

What a mess, Judy. Do send the card in.
Hope you get opportunity to return in an off season.
The only time I was there was in the 60s in June. Lots of people but no maddening crowds or traffic jams.