Planning a National Park vacation? Over the last 10 years, the number of visitors to our most popular parks has increased by more than 40%. So with this in mind, here are five things you’ll want to do today to get a jump on this summer’s big family adventure.
National Parks are perfect for family RV adventures
- Decide where you want to go, but be flexible. The demand for A-list parks, like Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, continues to grow, so if your heart is set on one of these parks, start investigating campsites and hotel rooms now. Have back-up choices in mind too. For example, some parks and monuments, like Canyonlands in Utah, may be more amenable to bookings closer to your travel dates.
- Book your campsite or lodging. Once you decide on the park to explore, reserve your campground or lodging in order to lock in your most desired dates. Reservations are essential. Many in-park lodges and campgrounds open up reservations 5-6 months ahead of the month you plan to visit, and many can book up solid that same day. Some campsites offer first-come, first-served sites, but those can book up well before 10 am each day and it’s better to have confirmed sites, especially when traveling with kids. Explore the website of the park(s) you plan to visit for details on how to reserve lodging and campsites.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
- Reserve activities and transportation. Just as campsites and hotel rooms can book up quickly, so do RV rentals, as well as activities, like horseback riding and rafting. Given an RV is one of the most popular ways to navigate our National Parks, plan to book the right size RV for your family as soon as possible. Most RVs can be picked up near major airports like Las Vegas and Denver that are within easy driving distance of national parks. A reputable outfitter, like Tracks & Trails, can book your RV and your campsites, taking some of the stress out of the planning process.
- Consider off-peak dates. When you plan well in advance, you can often have your pick of campsites and hotels within our national parks. However, there’s a lot to be said for traveling during an off-peak time, like May or September, before the big summer crowds descend on our national parks. First, with fewer crowds, you won’t find yourself hiking the most popular trails with several hundred others. And you also won’t need to jockey quite as much for shots of Old Faithful at Yellowstone or General Sherman at Sequoia National Park.
Roosevelt Prairie Dogs, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
- Plan now to wake up early. Vacation is all about sleeping in, right? Not so much in our national parks. Early morning is the best time to get up and get into our parks to avoid the crowds and get to the most popular areas before everybody else. It’s also a great time for spotting wildlife. So wrap your mind around early wake-up calls now. Morning is also a great time for capturing beautiful photos, including spectacular sunrises. Pack a tripod in your daypack for steady, better focused photos, even if you’re taking photos with a phone.
Dan Wulfman is the founder of Tracks & Trails, a trip planning company that sets up family RV vacations in US National Parks.