Yellowstone & GTNP..June or Sept??
 

Please tell me the pros & cons of going to Yellowstone in June vs September. Can't decide!
Thanks, Karen

It can be pretty cold and rainy in June. We've been in June and July, lots of times and July is always a lot warmer and drier. Can't speak for September.

Drier in September than June. We had to use an ice scraper a couple of mornings in early Sept. The chance af fires, ever increasing, is higher the later you go. If there are specific activities you want to do, make sure they are available when you plan to go. More baby animals in June, elk rut in September. Check the YS website. It's got lots of info. And don't miss Grand Teton NP while you're there. It is spectacular! Accommodations inside the park are tough to get this late, so check that, too.

Can't tell you about Sept. However, we had a great time Mid-June last year. Pros-lots of babies. Saw babies- fox, bear, bison, coyotee. Crowds weren't very bad. A lot of snow had part of the roads closed, however, they all opened the day before we arrived on June 14. Waterfalls are better in the spring/early summer. You will see more bears, as they haven't headed to the higher country yet. Only disappointments for us, was Beartooth Hwy wasn't open yet(it usually is open at the end of May), and we didn't get to get in the Firehole River or Boiling Springs area. The river was running to much. However, that made the waterfalls pretty spectacular.

June, the young animals are just wonderful and while you often get snow but it melts very fast and the roads open quickly.

June - Lots of baby animals (elk, deer, bear) at that time of year. June can be warmer than September even though any month of the year can bring snow for a day up in the mountains. September, the trees may start to change around the 2nd to 3rd week. The mornings can be cold in the 20's and warm up to the 70's during the day. September may bring more snow. Different activities and hotels close in September so be sure to check the websites. June sometime has snow still on the ground in Yellowstone in certain spots (not this year though). Fishing would be better in September as the rivers are lower.

They got 20" of snow today at 6500 feet! I know that's not a lot for the area, but it's a lot to me. The webcam at Mammoth this morning showed no snow at all. Dry this year.

Both are good times, but in September you have the added experience of viewing the foliage, which makes the area even more beautiful! The mornings can be chilly, but it warms up to comfortable levels.

I've been in both months several times and have experienced marvelous weather as well as pretty frigid conditions on different occasions. The bad weather doesn't usually last too long if you are there for a week or so unless you are really unlucky.

The first half of June is less crowded than the second half but the chance of cold weather is much greater. In September, it's also best to go in the early part.

Even better is the last week of August. This is a great time to visit because the kids are going back to school and the geezers (like me) haven't showed up yet and the weather can be outstanding.

One other reason though to visit in June is the length of day. You have several more hours each day to see the wonderful sights.

I've been both in early June and late September. I love both times for different reasons. June has lots of baby animals and is very green. The hiking in the higher elevations can be hit or miss due to snow and mud. If you want to hike a lot go in September.

I love late September for the aspens in grand teton national park. The park is not as crowded. The hiking is spectacular. Trails are dry and the weather is cool. The elk are also in rut.

Is early Sept (Labor Day weekend) would be too early for fall foliage?

Tahnks

Too early, I think

We were there one year from about September 3-10 and the aspen foliage was in its full fall yellow glow.

June = more crowded because kids are out of school
September = I'd go earlier in the month than later, for cold weather reasons

HowardR, I am very jealous. I still haven't hit the right time for golden aspens. One day...

Peak color for aspens in the Tetons is some time in the last two weeks of September, even first week of October. First week of September is rather unusual.

My daughter will be scooping ice cream or some such at Canyon this summer, so be patient with the food service staff!

Late August, if you can swing it, does seem to be best for combo of weather and avoiding crowds.

Hey stokebailey, I'll go by to say "hi" :-)

Thanks, starrs!

Shall I just enter the stores/restaurants at Canyon and start shouting "Stokes' daughter! Stokebailey's daughter! Anyone here know the daughter of Stokebailey?"

Heck. Why not. :-)

Seriously, I think it's great that she's spending the summer doing that. I had my application out to do it and my boyfriend (who became my husband) didn't want me to go away for the summer. Oh how my life could have been different! I'd love a do-over on THAT decision! ;)

If I could remake every dumb boyfriend based decision I ever made..... Ooops sorry artnkar. At least I'm retopping this for you.