✦ Crowds, Lodging & Activities
Coming out of the Covid lockdowns in 2020, the demand for wilderness travel and outdoor experiences returned with a vengeance. Confronting hordes of people all descending on the same places is dispiriting to say the least. But much of this can be avoided if you know when and where to go. First, most of the visitors to the national parks don’t actually venture very far into the wilderness and tend to stay on the overlooks or scenic drives. So even though some trails are heavily trafficked, once you get, say, 500 feet below the rim or up on the mountain, crowds usually won’t be an issue.
It also helps a great deal to hit the trails as early as possible. Invariably, the crowds start building mid to late morning, so getting to the trailhead at sunrise or a little after is a good bet. Consider renting a bike to avoid the crowded shuttles, but make sure to book your rentals well in advance.
This goes for hotels, too. Lodging options vary depending on the park, but some, such as Glacier, Yellowstone and Yosemite, tend to fill up very quickly. In most cases, the concessionaire’s reservation system opens a year in advance of the intended stay and sells out within an hour or less. For our Glacier trip in July 2024, I had to log on to the Xanterra (concessionaire) website at 2:00 am eastern time when it opened on July 1, 2023 at 12 midnight mountain time. I was lucky to score a room at our desired location, Many Glacier Hotel, just before they sold out. Most national park hotels usually require a one night deposit that is refundable up to seven days before arrival, with some exceptions.
Another crowd control strategy adopted in recent years by the most popular parks is timed vehicle entry. During peak seasons and times at these destinations, you’ll need to reserve a pass for your vehicle to enter the park. Most of these passes can be obtained at recreation.gov 3 or 4 months in advance for a few dollars each. Entry passes are usually not required if you present a valid lodging or tour confirmation in the park.
Finally, park rules and restrictions are constantly evolving and changing so, again, being forewarned is being forearmed!
✦ Murphy’s Law
As your trip approaches, make sure to check the Alerts and Conditions section of the website for the federal or state land you are visiting to get the latest adverse situations. These could involve any number of problems, such as: road closures, infrastructure breakdowns, fires, and more recently, disease outbreaks. (See the Resources section of this site for an index of links to all the western national parks and monuments). For all of our recent western wilderness trips, we confronted several challenges and followed the alerts and other news sources closely to determine whether our plans would be derailed or modified. I relate some of the conditions we have encountered to caution that executing a plan to perfection in a National Park is often an anomaly.
Wildfires – According to CBS News “since 2000, the West has experienced one of its driest 20-year periods in history due to a combination of a dry natural cycle and the changing climate.” One effect at the Grand Canyon is smoke from the recent historically massive fires in California, which drifts over the region, creating hazy conditions at times. But even more impactful are fires that arise nearby from lightning strikes during monsoon season and threaten the park.
Aside from Covid, the biggest threat to our visiting the Grand Canyon in 2020 was the presence of several big fires that burned for weeks near the north and south rim. One closed Route 67, the main artery to the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim, for a month until it was brought under control. In 2019, we encountered controlled burns set by the NPS on the south rim for forest management. Although these were prescribed events, the plumes of smoke were visible from our dinner table at the north rim, and made us wonder whether a change in plans would be in store when we arrived at the south rim two days later.
In 2021, we experienced much of the same when we visited Grand Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming. Fortunately, we discovered OpenSnow, an app that, among many other things, shows maps, forecasts and severity of wildfire smoke and locations of active fires. (The app was called OpenSummit until the end of 2023, but was merged into its sister product as of January 2024.) This app has been invaluable for showing us when the air will be clear enough for hiking and photography, and when it would be better and safer to stay indoors. It’s worth mentioning that the west’s atmospheric rivers in 2023 offered a significant respite in drought conditions to the point where, by later in the year, most of California was no longer at risk, Lake Powell reversed it’s ongoing decline in water level (gaining 70 feet), and the number and extent of wildfires in the west were at their lowest in years. Many more years like this will be needed to declare the mega-drought over, but it’s hopefully a start.
Weather & Climate – Following the forecast closely is an obvious requirement before any wilderness outing. However, in some places, such as the Desert Southwest, heavy rains can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as flash floods and debris flows, especially in canyons, and particularly in slot canyons. It’s possible that a monsoonal thunderstorm is producing a deluge 20 miles aways from your location, where it is sunny with no evidence of rain in the area. But if the region’s drainage ends up in the slot canyon where you are hiking, you could find yourself in suddenly rushing, rising water with no escape.
In May 2023, we hiked into Buckskin Gulch (Vermillion Cliffs NM, AZ), thought to be the longest slot canyon in the world, a few days after heavy rains had passed through. It was only possible to get about a half mile into the canyon due to deep, residual water, and we had to turn back. As we were leaving the area, we saw a team of officials that we later learned were from the county’s search and rescue unit. They were looking for the bodies of 2 experienced hikers who were believed drowned from a flash flood in the canyon. A 3rd hiker, their companion, had already been found dead. Here is the latest flash flood forecast for Southern Utah.
Another important consideration is the arid conditions in the southwest desert environment. Before long, the exceedingly dry climate will suck the moisture from your skin leaving it cracked and painful to the touch. I’ve returned to the east coast from several western trips and the login touch sensor on my computer didn’t recognize my fingerprint for a week. Be sure to bring plenty of high quality skin cream or lotion to provide protection and relief. And of course, as you will hear over and over again, drink plenty of water on a frequent basis to avoid the dangers of dehydration.
Backcountry Considerations – Identifying viable water sources is critical before going on long day hikes or backpacking trips in the wilderness. Before our 2019 North Kaibab Trail hike from the Grand Canyon North Rim, we learned that the pipe supplying water from Roaring Springs for the rims was undergoing a protracted repair effort. This affected the amount of water available from this critical spring and led to several of the usual sources of water on the Corridor Trails being dry. It’s essential before any hike to check the Critical Backcountry Updates, including water status, on any serious trail. But regardless of the infrastructure conditions, carry a water filter or other means of water purification, to ensure you can safely drink river or stream water if required.
Always check whether permits are required for the trail or national lands you plan to traverse. First, you don’t want to travel all the way to your long awaited event and be disappointed. Second, you really don’t want to risk running afoul of the rangers. Permits are used to protect certain areas from overcrowding, as well as maintain safe conditions on the trail. A case in point is Zion National Park’s Angels Landing, one of the most stunning and dangerous hikes in the US. Until 2022, no permits were required, and frequent overcrowding on the treacherous Chains Section caused people to climb around each other on the very narrow and highly exposed ledges. In 2023, we obtained a permit to hike at a certain date and time and, although there were many people, they all were able to make the trek comfortably.
When going below the rim, it’s also very important to become familiar with and observe Leave no Trace Principles. Make sure to leave the wilderness as you found it.
Rules and Rangers – Take the rules and regulations in national parks and lands seriously. It may seem that park rangers aren’t real law enforcement officers and can’t do that much to you, even if you violate the rules. In fact, they are, and they can. Here is just one example: flying drones being prohibited in national parks, which carries a maximum penalty of 6 months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
There also can be also rigorous enforcement of hiking in limited access areas without a valid permit. This is especially true for highly restricted places like The Wave in Coyote Buttes North, located in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. When I was there, my guide, who has a commercial permit and has hiked there over 60 times, told me several stories that drove this point home. For instance, just venturing a few feet inside the protected area’s unmarked boundary can, at the every least, elicit a tirade by a ranger if you are caught. It’s been my experience that rangers see their role as protectors and stewards of these lands, and take this very seriously. Mess with them at your own risk.
Backroads – Many of the Southwest’s natural treasures are only accessible by driving over very rough, rock-strewn terrain (known as “rock crawling”), or through deep sand. If you are tempted to try your luck driving to places like White Pocket in Vermillion Cliffs NM, or Toroweap Overlook on the remote North Rim of the Grand Canyon, get educated and read articles like this one. Not only do you usually need a high clearance, 4 wheel drive (not just all wheel drive) vehicle, like a Jeep Wrangler, you need to know how to use it. Also, keep in mind that when these backroads become mud pits from being soaked with rain, even the most capable vehicle won’t make it through.
Being from the East Coast, these cautionary considerations have stuck with us over the years. When we visit these remote locations, we usually hire a guide or tour service (e.g., Dreamland or Coral Cliffs in the Kanab region, Navtec in the Moab area) to keep us from getting stuck, as well as safe. I say usually, because there have been times we tempted fate and took our rented Jeep on the backroads, but on these occasions we believed we were taking an informed risk.
Getting stuck in deep sand is also possible just by being parked just 5 feet off a well-paved main road. As we were returning from visiting Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park near Kanab, UT, I asked Janet to pull over for a few minutes so I could snap a picture of a distant butte. When I got back in our 4×4 Jeep Wrangler, she tried to drive away and spun the wheels deep into the beautiful deep pink sand we discovered had been under us. Over the next couple hours, at least 5 helpful souls stopped to help us get out but to no avail. Finally, a guy in a big pickup with a tow rope, who knew what he was doing, pulled us back onto the road.
Road & Entrance Closures – Adjacent to many national parks and monuments are tribal lands administered by Native Americans. For instance, to the east of Grand Canyon National Park is Navajo Nation, and to the south and west are the Havasupai and Hualapai, respectively. There are times when the concerns of these Native American regions can impact the operations and accessibility of the park. One of those times was clearly during the Covid pandemic in 2020. During our August 2020 road trip, our final destination was GCNP. By following the alerts and closures over several months, and changing our plans to work around them, we knew that the Navajo tribe had closed the eastern entrance to the park and that we would have to approach from the south. This meant that we had to add 3 additional hours on our already 10 hour drive to the park from Southern Colorado. No complaints, but being aware set our expectations and allowed us to respond accordingly.
Construction Projects – More often than not, you are likely to encounter some sort of park project – road grading, new visitors center, drainage system, etc. – right in the middle of your carefully planned itinerary. In 2021, during our trip to Yellowstone National Park, we experienced just this kind a challenge. We were staying at Canyon Lodge on the park’s east side to enjoy the stunning canyon and waterfalls there. Our plan then called for traveling to the northeastern corner of the park to take in the wildlife at Lamar Valley. However, several miles of roadway were closed for repaving directly north of the canyon district blocking our direct path to Lamar. As a result, we were forced to depart 3 hours earlier than planned to travel all the way to the west side, and then head north so we could approach Lamar due east across the northern-most tier of the park. All of which is to say again, check the alerts and conditions on the park’s website well ahead of time.
The Covid-19 Pandemic and Black Swan Events – Although it’s understood that a global pandemic is an exceedingly rare event, I wanted to say a few words about it anyway. In our story, The Western Road Trip That Went South, I talk about the obstacles Covid introduced and how it changed our plans. As I mentioned, GCNP, as well as all the national parks, had to close and change the way they operated to keep their staff and visitors as safe as possible. Covid-19 has become endemic as of this writing in early 2024 and effective vaccines have been available for over two years.
But black swan events, in general, do not seem to be as infrequent as they once were and are now becoming “grey swans.” The effects of climate change (mega-droughts, monster wildfires), unforeseen problems at facilities like the Glen Canyon Dam – only 15 miles upstream from GCNP (such as its near failure from exceptional flooding in 1983), the needs of the Native American peoples that live around the parks (who can influence the park’s operations), the increasing scarcity of water in the Southwest, and the ever increasing numbers of people taxing the park’s facilities and ecosystems, can all induce breakdowns that require changed or cancelled plans and cause service disruptions. In a larger sense, these issues call for a fundamental rethinking of how we treat our parks and the earth. See the commentary in the Viewpoints section for more on these issues.
Air Travel Disruptions – Another challenge that really exploded during the pandemic is unreliable air travel. While conditions seemed to stabilize a bit in 2023 as chronic labor shortages were addressed, the ride ahead may get bumpier. Now, as of early 2024, the main issue seems to be the quality and production problems of Boeing’s 737 Max, the next generation workhorse of many airlines’ domestic US routes. The Airbus a320 Neo, a similar aircraft, may also encounter production constraints due to engine issues. This is likely to mean curtailed airline capacity, especially during peak travel periods, possibly for several years.
Knowing that air travel could throw a monkey wrench into our carefully developed plans we have recently taken several precautions. If we have booked a major tour, such as a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, where the departure is date-certain, we will arrange to arrive 2 days before – not the day before. Canceled flights and other snafus can mean “missing the boat” and then having to wrangle with travel insurance companies or airlines to get at least some money back. In any event, the anticipated trip of a lifetime lies in ruins. Another possible approach is to plan a few days before the big journey in an interesting place nearby. In 2019, we took this path by visiting Page, AZ prior to our Grand Canyon rafting trip.
Another strategy is to stay in your first location for a few days before moving on to the next place. If your checked bag is lost you have a better chance of having it show up before you decamp. We also keep Apple Air Tags in our bags to be able to track them in case the airline loses them. There are many stories of people finding their bag’s location even when the airline couldn’t. In a related vein, we try to pack whatever will get us through the first few days of activities in our carry on bags. Some items aren’t allowed as carry-on per the TSAs regulations, such as hiking poles, but most items will be.
There are many other considerations and related information on the Web, such as: how far in advance to book your flight, avoiding layovers if possible, what to do if your flight is canceled, and so on. One thing to keep in mind besides price when timing the flight booking, is the fact that cancellation vouchers can only be used within 1 year from the booking date, at least for American Airlines. For us, this has meant booking about 3 months before the travel date. This is so we will have a good seat selection, but also, if we have to cancel on a non-refundable ticket, to have up to 9 months to use the voucher.
Government Shutdowns – As we have seen over the past 15 or so years, there are people in Congress who think it’s a good idea to shut down the federal government and grind the country to a halt to get what they want. While it never ends well or accomplishes anything productive, this script plays out reliably every several years. As far as wilderness travel, this is a threat to carefully laid plans arranged many months in advance, especially when it comes to visiting the national parks. To see what this could mean, have a look at this notice from the U.S. Department of the Interior on Sept. 29, 2023 as the budget wrangling went down to the wire. It turns out that some states, such as Utah, have recently kept their national parks operating during federal shutdowns by using its state funds. For them, it’s a highly rational approach given the outsized impact these parks, and their visitors, have on their states’ economies. It’s a shame to have to think about this as a possibility, but you may want to choose dates for your big trip that don’t coincide with the aftermath of foreseeable federal budget events.
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