{"id":20312,"date":"2017-09-15T11:56:32","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T18:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=20312"},"modified":"2023-11-20T19:44:05","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T03:44:05","slug":"5-tips-for-a-crowd-free-road-trip-in-the-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/5-tips-for-a-crowd-free-road-trip-in-the-west","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for a Crowd-Free Hiker’s Road Trip in the West"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grab your map, pack and favorite playlist. It’s time to hit the open road.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Whether bagging the 14ers of Colorado, bouncing between Utah\u2019s national parks, or gawking at the disparate scenery throughout California, few regions are more inviting for a late-summer, early-fall road trip than the American West. <\/span><\/p>\n

But with bucket list national parks like the Grand Canyon annually attracting nearly 6 million a pop, you’re guaranteed not to be the only one with the travel bug. Many of the most popular natural attractions remain overcrowded and well-loved long after Labor Day. So I pored over digital resources and talked to an expert on how to avoid the mayhem.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, five have tips on where to go, what to do and how to beat the crowds to your favorite views.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit at Sunrise and Sunset<\/b><\/h2>\n

Show up on Saturday afternoon, and you\u2019ll fight for space in the parking lot and along the trail.\u00a0<\/span>But you\u2019ll miss the biggest crowds if you roll into your favorite park early or late in the day. \u201cSunrise and sunset are some of the best times to visit,\u201d says Emily Moench, public relations manager with Visit Utah, the state\u2019s official destination marketing organization. <\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the lighter crowds, she says those times offer optimal light for natural photography. And of course, if your dates are flexible, Moench recommends midweek visits and bypassing holidays, if possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Watchman Peak in Crater Lake National Park | Photo: Brian Holsclaw, Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Planning a late-summer stop at Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon? Catch sunrise at the\u00a0summit of Mount Scott and follow it up with\u00a0<\/span>a sunset hike to Watchman Peak<\/span>. You\u2019ll gain less than 350 feet over a half-mile, and the views of Wizard Island, surrounding Cascade peaks and Crater Lake\u2019s miles-wide caldera are some of the best in the park.\u00a0<\/strong>[Ed. Note: At publication, the Spruce Lake Fire forced closures in several sections of the park. Read current closure info here<\/a>.]<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Replace National Parks with State Ones<\/b><\/h2>\n

I get that you\u2019re enamored with national parks, and for good reason: they host some of the country\u2019s most stunning scenery. But you\u2019re missing out if you bypass state parks, many of which offer less-crowded campsites, hikes and other activities just miles from their national park brethren. In Utah, for instance, you can:<\/p>\n