Bad idea to go to Yellowstone on Get Outdoors fee-free day?
 

Hi all, I am planning a trip to the western US in June, which includes a planned stop at Yellowstone/Grand Tetons on Friday June 8th and Saturday June 9th. I just realized that June 9th is the fee-free Get Outdoors day. Is this a bad day to go to Yellowstone -- will it going to be insanely busy? Would it be a good idea to rearrange the trip if possible to avoid this day?

I can't believe that it will be that much busier than on normal weekends--it's not as if there is a big population center nearby ready to take advantage of a free day.

Are you onnly planning part of 2 days for these parks.

These are the equivalent to several regular national parks.

Anytime is a good time-go

crowds are lighter early in the season, so the free days probably wouldn't be that big of an impact. You could spend the entire 2 days in just the Tetons. I kinda divide Yellowstone up into 5 or 6 sections. You could easily spend a full day in each section.

If you have only 2 days, I would do a day around Old Faithful and Geyser Basin there. Then another day around Canyon area.

I'm curious as to why there might be any more visitors on a free day.

Are there that many locals who flock to the parks on those days or do people fly and then drive all the way to Yellowstone just on those particular days to save the $20 vehicle admission fee?!

It's for all the National Parks.

If your trip will take you to/near other national parks/forests/monuments in addition to Yellowstone/Tetons, buy a pass -- car full of people, all the parks you can handle for a year, only $80:
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/entrance-fees.htm

No, it is not a bad day to visit the Park. Any of them. There will be traffic no matter what day you go. When you are in Yellowstone if you get off of the figure 8 road you will see a huge drop off in traffic numbers. With only 2 days budgeted for Yellowstone and the Tetons you will only be getting a little taste of them. We were there for a week last year and it seemed like we hardly saw anything.

z,

The free weekend for the national parks should have very little impact on Yellowstone. As mentioned above, there are no major urban populations nearby. Plus, the people who do live nearby probably have annual passes and go frequently, so have no real need to take advantage of a freebie. Besides, the locals have all the rest of the wilderness, State and National forest campgrounds, lakes, rivers, etc. to enjoy....that's why they live there!