First come first served state and national parks

@rexlion and @enblethen- we are definitely looking forward to seeing the sights, even from the road. :)

Thank you @2gypsies, that's exactly what we're doing, but we are leaving in March. So south, west, around the interior side of CA and then back across NV and ID. Yellowstone was a plan for mid to end of April. We'll at least get a drive up there, if nothing else.

If you're leaving from Ohio in April for a two-month trip, why not head south first then over to the Arizona/Utah area and by the time you get to Yellowstone you'll be into May, which will be a much better time.

The drive through Grand Teton NP should be gorgeous at that time of year, with snow gleaming on the mountain peaks. Might not be much else to do besides enjoying the view, but the view should be a good one.

I would not miss going north through Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Grand Teton and Jackson is can be done in a day or two. Yellowstone should be three or four days, and it is sort of on your way home.

I hear all of your warnings and appreciate them. I will look at our itinerary and maybe shift things around. I had looked at all info on the NP site and planned for late April already, and we are doing Sequoia first, as @enblethen suggested. Our trip is so full with parks in the south US and desert west, It will be OK if we do not end up getting to Yellowstone, but I hope we can at least take some snowshoes in and experience it a bit. Thanks for the advice!

Even if the roads are open, that doesn't mean access to the view points or trails. There's a whole lot of experienced people here advising you that April is too early and let me add my vote to that. My mother worked for years at the gift shop in the geyser basin, arriving in early to mid May. Often the drifts were 6' to 8' high. YNP is on a high plateau. Here in CO, some of the best skiing is in April. If you feel you must go then, might I suggest taking or renting snowshoes or x-country skis.

n7bsn wrote:

enblethen wrote:
here is listing for Yellowstone.
I would switch directions. Go to Sequoia first then Yellowstone.
Yellowstone dates

What he said

I lived in the Yellowstone area for many years. Early April?, well, I've seen 3 ft of NEW snow fall in one night in early April.
You need to understand that in early April it's NOT spring, it's late winter.

That being said I have (once) seen all roads open in late April.

That may be how they used to handle the road openings and closing, but now the roads open and close on the schedule. The only exceptions would be if they closed a road due to some unforeseen circumstance and sometimes they open Dunraven Pass a bit early, weather permitting. The rest of the roads do not open before the scheduled opening dates and never stay open past the posted closing dates. It is my understanding the park management just got tired of people (tourists, workers, businesses etc.) nagging them to open roads early. So now, you can just look at the schedule and know when the road will open.

enblethen wrote:
here is listing for Yellowstone.
I would switch directions. Go to Sequoia first then Yellowstone.
Yellowstone dates

What he said

I lived in the Yellowstone area for many years. Early April?, well, I've seen 3 ft of NEW snow fall in one night in early April.
You need to understand that in early April it's NOT spring, it's late winter.

That being said I have (once) seen all roads open in late April.

enblethen wrote:
I would be getting there late mornings. Many are packing up to leave by 10:00 at both places.
Plan B for Yellowstone would be Indian Creek.

will not be open in early April, most years.

here is listing for Yellowstone.
I would switch directions. Go to Sequoia first then Yellowstone.
Yellowstone dates