In general, when do schools start classes?

Georgia starts at the beginning of August. South Carolina around the middle. North Carolina at the end of August. So I would say that sometime in the month of August. lol

Thank you for all responses.
DH does understand the park will be somewhat crowded. He was like pulling my leg about wanting it to ourselves(I think). We were in a crowded CG last April and he said he was practicing for Yellowstone.
We have 10 days reserved in Madison. We will do a few days in Gros Vente CG before and after Yellowstone. Snow would be the icing on the cake.
Thanks again.

Sherry

It ranges from second week of August to sometime after Labor Day. Retired folks and foreign visitors know this schedule and start hitting the western national parks in great numbers, trying to squeeze in a visit before winter weather changes things.

After Labor Day is the best time to go, but don't expected the parks to be uncrowded.

18th of August. Just got home from Michigan, school started here today, won't start where I came from until second week of September. I flew into southern Kansas, they didn't start yet, maybe next week. My granddaughters in North Dakota started on the 17th.

Two years ago we went to Yellowstone in mid-September.
Still LOTS of people, probably more than half were not from North America.
Not all tour buses either, as several of the parking lots for tourist sites like the geyser fields were full.

Campgrounds were pretty full as well, so I'd say a reservation is a good idea. We did wake up to about an inch of snow on the ground one morning, but it soon melted.
Based on our experience with crowds in mid-September, we would now NEVER go to Yellowstone in June, July or August. Also, because this is the 100th Anniversary of the NPS, there may be more crowds this year than in other years.

And in Minnesota, schools start after Labor Day.

Mid-September is the best you can do to avoid crowds there. We went in mid-September 2011 and had a blast. Still had some crowds, but not overwhelming. As a matter of fact, the day after we pulled out of our camping site, they closed that campground for the winter.

Mid August to just after Labor Day accounts for most all schools.
Just get up EARLY. You'll have the place to yourself for 3-4 hours and see more wildlife. Plus if you hit the elk rut, the Bulls will be going crazy mid? Sept. Just check when archery season is in WY. That's during the rut.
If you fish, there's a couple lakes, trailhead just west of Canyon a few mile N side of road. Easy 2-3mi hike in. Great fishing. Forget the names but you'll See them on the fishing maps.
Some folks camping back in there said we just missed 3 wolves running a bull elk into the lake about an hour before we got there!
Supposedly a lot of bear in that area. Bring your bear spray. Pepper flavor or leaded preferably.

We camped in Yellowstone twice. Once in mid-September, once in late September, early October. School had started both times but still lots of people. Not anywhere as bad as earlier according to people we talked to.
When we went most places we went early in the day.
We were driven out a day early by an approaching fire.

In Western PA, each school district decides when it wants to go back. PA Law requires 180 days by mid-June. Most districts will re-start around the 3rd or 4th week of August. When we were in Florida over the summer, schools in the Orlando area were resuming classes about August 10th.

Just a friendly reminder that it is possible that you might have snow and/or below freezing temps. over night when you go to YNP in mid. to late September. Further, be especially careful of bulls of most species because the rut will be starting.

The county we live in started school last week. The county south of us started 2 weeks ago. Where we camp seasonally doesn't go back until after Labor Day.

By mid-September, pretty much everyone is back to school.

-Michael

By mid Sept, all schools, except those on a year around schedule, will have started up. Sept is a GREAT time to visit.