We are trying to decide between Yellowstone and North Cascades the 2nd week of July

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Planning on going July 7 - 13 this year.
6 people total - kids ages 20/18/15/11

Have been looking at flying in to Bozeman for Yellowstone and staying in West Yellowstone or flying to Seattle and staying around Mazama for Cascades.

Looking for advice.

So far we have been to Everglades/Teton and Zion National Parks. Tetons are the furthest north we have ever been!

Looking for suggestions

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Despite North Cascades being perfectly breathtaking, Yellowstone just has vastly more to do (and I would argue is equally or more breathtaking).

The primary variable here, IMO, is crowds. Yellowstone is and will be crowded as shite. To the point where I would maybe see about trying to stay in the actual hotel at Old Faithful (which presumably sells out years in advance) so you are quasi-centrally located and not having to make long treks in and out of the park.

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Mazama

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I would personally prefer to stay on the west side of the park. It's likely to be cooler and you can also go see some of the more coastal attractions on that side.

TL;DR - 2 great locations with a lean to Yellowstone, but crowds are a problem.

I'd go north cascades. July is the best month of the year to visit WA- great weather, sunny skies, and no fires/smoke yet. Highway 20 is awesome to roll through. Likely to be less crowds than Yellowstone

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The primary variable here, IMO, is crowds. Yellowstone is and will be crowded as shite.

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Does this apply to the whole park or will there be areas that will be less crowded to just get out and do some light exploring/sightseeing?

Looking at the map...is it best to break park into areas/loops and plan a day for each?

Would we likely be able to drive a little and then stop and explore...drive a little and stop and explore?

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Looking at the map...is it best to break park into areas/loops and plan a day for each?

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Yes.

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Would we likely be able to drive a little and then stop and explore...drive a little and stop and explore?

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Yes, for sure, that's how you would be doing it. The problem is if you don't stay at that Old Faithful hotel, you basically have to leave the park.

Mid July, I would choose North Cascades over the crowds at Yellowstone.

Just to piggyback on what everyone else is saying- for the trip being this close I would choose Cascades. I've never been there but I have been to Yellowstone.

We spent a week in the Yellowstone/Teton/Jackson area a few years ago. We went as soon as the kids got out of school in May. That year it was actually the week before Memorial Day so we were fortunate that it wasn't too crowded. Even then, there were several spots we would arrive at only to circle the parking lot for 10 minutes waiting for a spot. I would not want to do this in peak summer crowds.

The best advice I can give you for Yellowstone is to stay inside the park and move around every night or 2. We spent 4 nights in the park at 4 different hotels. This allows you to get up early and start your day before the droves of people begin entering the park. I think having to drive into the park every day would severely impact your enjoyment. Traffic in the park is a nightmare, as well as parking at the popular sights/trails. Just because Google maps says a destination in the park is 45 mins away, in reality it could be double that. The figure 8 loop moves slow and there are always animal crossings that will slow you down

There are some decent hikes in Yellowstone, but the main attraction is the wildlife. The Tetons are more suited for hiking/scenery.

We thoroughly enjoyed Yellowstone, and I think every American should see it. But being that your trip is 2 months away, I would punt until next year so you have time to properly plan and get lodging. This way you will be able to maximize your trip, and not leave the park feeling like you were rushed. We came in from the south and our lodgings were- Old Faithful Inn, Canyon Lodge, Mammoth Lodge, and back to Canyon.

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Are there basic trails in cascades are most more advanced?

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The best hikes in the Cascades aren't easy but not overly hard either. I guess you could rate them as medium - but plan on 5 or 6 hours of hiking and over 1000 feet of elevation gain. It helps to be in shape. That being said there are also some spots to visit where you can drive up, stroll around and see some great scenery - Diablo Lake Overlook, Washington Pass and, my favorite, Artist Point/Mt. Baker. Bellingham is worth a visit and you can do whale watching there or cruise to the San Juan Islands.

Don't overlook Mt. Ranier either. That's the "prettiest" spot in the state in my opinion and easy to get to from Seattle.

All of that said, it is probably still tough to pass on Yellowstone just because it is a must-see destination for everyone. Yeah, the crowds are bad and the logistics are rough but that's because it's Yellowstone.

The north end of Lake Chelan is about as close to Alaska scenery as you'll see in the lower 48. Looks like a fjord.

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Does this apply to the whole park or will there be areas that will be less crowded to just get out and do some light exploring/sightseeing?

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The advice here on Yellowstone is dead on. It's amazing and a bucket list experience everybody should do.

Booking this late for July is gonna be tough, but you might as well look and see what is out there. In park lodging makes things much easier.

Crowds will absolutely be heavy in July too. I went in September, 2022 and at that time of year, it was pretty tolerable, but still occasionally irritating

If you go to Yellowstone at some point, which you should because it's a must see, I would recommend getting on trails and away from the tourist spots. It's beautiful wilderness and as soon as you get a mile from the road, the crowds vanish. The worst crowds are at the set up tourist areas.

This is probably much easier for you to do Cascades this year, then set Yellowstone up for another trip when you have more pre-planning time and can look more at offseason (if you can).