Yellowstone - Spring or Fall?

[wildbyon]

Planning a trip to YS and would like opinions on the best time to visit.

[RGar974417]

We went in May 2016. Weather was good. We stayed in Madison Campground.

[Allworth]

Another vote for Fall. (Although it was snowing in the high country last night.)

[maddog348]

Fall

[donkeydew]

i vote for spring. lots of newborns and everything is a lot greener plus fewer people

[Alan_Hepburn]

We were there about 2 months ago - we stayed at Yellowstone RV Park at Mack's Inn; about 25 miles south of West Yellowstone. We decided rather than dealing with figuring out what to see, when to see it, and where to park we went with a bus tour through Yellowstone Vacation Tours in West Yellowstone. The bus is a 24 passenger van, and our guide, Matt, was outstanding! We boarded the bus at 8:00 am and were back to their office about 4:00 pm. The tour we selected was the Lower Loop Tour, which includes 4 different hot springs areas, Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and lots of wildlife. We even got a special treat: we arrived at Old Faithful about 10 minutes before it's scheduled eruption, and got to witness the Beehive Guyser erupting - it on it's own schedule: about every 23 hours, give or take 10 hours!

[suprz]

Definitely fall!

[4runnerguy]

enblethen wrote:
I don't think you wuld save that much time staying at Fishing Bridge.
Best locale for saving time is Madison. No hookups!

Or stay at Grant. Won't need a/c so hook ups aren't as important.

As for when to go, it depends on how early you're talking about in the spring. Can still be lots of snow even into May, making trails to some of the areas a little mucky.

[enblethen]

I don't think you wuld save that much time staying at Fishing Bridge.
Best locale for saving time is Madison. No hookups!

[wildbyon]

Great input...thanks. We delayed our trip for last year due to the Fishing Bridge mods and shutdown. Looks like they may be closed in 2020 also. Figured FB would save us 1-4 hrs per day in drive times vs. staying outside the park.

[Crowe]

Been spring, summer and September. Depends on whether you want to see babies or racks. Loved September.

[memtb]

Fall! memtb

[Busskipper]

wildbyon wrote:
Planning a trip to YS and would like opinions on the best time to visit.

IMHO Both are GREAT times!

Do both and let us know what YOU think>-:)

Fact is in the dozen or so times I've been to Yellowstone - we NEVER had a Bad Time. It's an amazing place, just be sure to Include the Tetons.

Enjoy.

[ppine]

Babies in the spring and wildflowers. Rut and hyperphasia in the fall.
Both are the best.

[CloudDriver]

We have been in the Fall but prefer Spring for several reasons.

- Low chance of smoky air from forest fires, which makes for better photography.
- In our opinion snow capped mountains are much prettier than Fall's grey rocky peaks.
- Spring snow melt in the mountains makes for better stream flow for waterfalls.
- Lots of baby animals.
- Low crowds as families with school age kids are still at home.
- Lots of Spring flowers and the grasses are green vs. dried yellow in Fall.