We’ve visited Yellowstone National Park quite a few times over the years. Normally, after Labor Day the crowds are no longer there except at the most popular spots like Old Faithful. Usually, even there, the crowds are not as large.
In 2007, it’s different. The crowd to watch Old Faithful was huge and it was difficult to find a place to park in the huge old Faithful parking lots. A steady stream of vehicles flows on the park roads. Most of the time, except when there’s a “critter” sighting, it’s not bumper to bumper, but there always seems to be a car or two in sight ahead of you and another one or two behind you on these winding mountain roads.
The lady at the our campground’s check-in desk told me that one of the hotels in town had called to see if they had any cabins available, because the hotel was full. She said that this was the first time it had happened this year.
A man and his daughter in one of the cabins told me a similar story. Having been to Yellowstone before in September, they didn’t expect to need reservations. Not a single room was available in West Yellowstone. They managed to get a cabin here, several miles from town.
My guess is that some folks, many of them retirees like us, postponed their trip because of the extreme heat at the beginning of summer and the wild fires of July and August in the western states — much as we did. As well, more people know how great Yellowstone is in September — so more people come. There was also a lot of foreign tourists, as well.
Never-the-less, we are enjoying our visit to Yellowstone. I’ve disconnected the water hose to the camper because it is supposed to freeze tonight, but tomorrow is supposed to be a cool, but sunny, day.
