Planning Your Trip to the National Parks with Alex Schnee – Episode 10

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Planning Your Trip to the National Parks: Summary

In this episode of Bon Voyage Besties, Rachel and Rosa chat with Alex, founder of Alex on the Map, about ethical tourism in national parks. They cover how visitors can explore responsibly, follow Leave No Trace principles, and navigate challenges like overcrowding and staffing shortages. With tips for beginners and ways to support conservation, this episode highlights the importance of sustainable travel to protect our parks.

Key Takeaways

• Ethical tourism is crucial for preserving national parks.
• Leave No Trace principles help minimize human impact on nature.
• Wildlife encounters should be approached with caution and respect.
• Planning ahead is essential due to staffing shortages in parks.
• Community support can help advocate for national parks.
• Exploring lesser-known parks can provide unique experiences.
• Sustainable practices on the trail benefit the environment.
• Being considerate of other visitors enhances the outdoor experience.
• Advocating for national parks can involve writing to representatives.
• Purchasing a parks pass directly supports the park visited.

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Deep Dive: Planning Your National Parks Visit

There’s never been a more important summer to be intentional about visiting America’s national parks. Between record-breaking visitation numbers and the recent mass firings of park rangers and staff, what the outdoor community has grimly dubbed the “Valentine’s Day Massacre,” our beloved parks are heading into peak season more understaffed and underfunded than ever.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. It means you should go smarter. Alex, the Montana-raised outdoor content creator behind Alex on the Map, joined us on Bon Voyage Besties to break down exactly what planning your national park visit should look like this summer, and how each of us can show up as better stewards of these incredible places.

What’s Actually Going on in Our National Parks Right Now

Before we get into the planning details, a little context. Thousands of National Park Service employees were let go earlier this year, leaving parks that were already stretched thin in an even more precarious position. A federal judge ordered reinstatement, but as Alex explained, whether that actually happens through the Department of the Interior remains uncertain.

What that means practically: expect fewer park rangers on trails, reduced shuttle services, less frequent bathroom maintenance, and some closures of specific areas, like the Fiery Furnace trail at Arches National Park.

“You’re going to have a different experience than you might have had a few years ago,” Alex told us. Going in with that awareness will save you a lot of frustration and help you plan accordingly.

Start Your Planning with Entry Requirements

The very first step in planning your national park visit? Check whether the park you’re heading to requires timed entry. This isn’t new. Nooooot even close.

Glacier has had it for nearly four years, and Rocky Mountain has had it even longer but more parks are adopting reservation systems as visitation hits all-time highs.

Book your timed entry before you book your flights or rental car. There is nothing more deflating than showing up to a park and being turned away because you didn’t grab your entry window in advance. A quick check on the park’s official website will tell you everything you need to know.

From there, research whether the specific trails and attractions you want to see will be open. With reduced staffing, certain areas may be closed this season. Building flexibility into your itinerary (and having a backup option or two ready) will make for a much smoother trip.

Embrace Shoulder Seasons and Lesser-Known Parks

If your schedule allows even a small amount of flexibility, planning your national park visit outside of peak summer weeks is one of the best things you can do — for your own experience and for the parks themselves.

Alex’s personal favorite time to visit Glacier? September. “You’re not going to have quite as many services,” she said, “but you’re not going to have the crowds for sure, and it’s going to be gorgeous.” Yellowstone is another great example: it’s open year-round and, according to Alex, equally magical in winter, with better wildlife sightings and a fraction of the summer crowds.

If your schedule is locked in, teachers, parents with school-age kids, anyone without the luxury of off-season flexibility, consider exploring a lesser-known alternative park instead. Lassen Volcanic in California offers similar geological features to Yellowstone without the crowds. Great Basin in Nevada rivals Teton for scenery with a fraction of the foot traffic. The National Park Service has even spotlighted this idea on their own social channels, with “if you love this park, try this one” style recommendations.

The good news: with 63 national parks to choose from, there’s always somewhere incredible that isn’t completely overrun.

What to Pack and How to Prepare

Being prepared is a Leave No Trace principle that’s especially critical this year, when there may not be staff available to help if something goes wrong. Many national parks already have spotty or nonexistent cell service, so don’t count on being able to call for help from the trail.

Alex recommends investing in a satellite communication device, or at minimum, using the free satellite messaging feature now built into iPhones. before heading into the backcountry or anywhere remote. If you’re camping in bear country, a bear canister is a must. Know what wildlife inhabits the area you’re visiting and research how to respond to an encounter. Do your research on trail conditions and elevation gain before you start walking, not after.

All Trails is a helpful starting point for trail research, though Alex will be the first to admit it’s not always accurate. “It lies. Total lies,” she laughed. Supplement it with travel blogs written by people who’ve recently hiked the specific trail, YouTube videos, and if you really want to dig in, backcountry route-planning apps that show elevation profiles and distance data.

Leave No Trace: The Rules That Actually Matter

Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles designed to minimize human impact on natural spaces.

When planning your national park visit this summer, these aren’t optional guidelines. They’re more essential than ever.

The most common violations Alex sees on the trail? People leaving trash (even accidentally), going off-trail into ecologically sensitive areas, and picking flowers or pocketing rocks. “If everyone picks a flower, eventually it adds up when you have millions of visitors every year,” she pointed out. The principle is simple: leave things exactly as you found them.

Beyond the physical environment, being considerate of fellow hikers matters too. That means no Bluetooth speakers on the trail, knowing the etiquette for passing other hikers, and extending patience to people moving more slowly than you. These parks belong to everyone.

How to Give Back Right Now

If you feel passionate about the parks and want to do something beyond your visit, Alex has concrete recommendations. Buying your America the Beautiful annual parks pass directly at a park gate, rather than online, means that money goes straight back into that specific park. If you visit three or more national parks in a year, the pass more than pays for itself.

For financial donations, Alex recommends the National Park Foundation, the National Park Conservation Association, and individual park conservancies like the Grand Canyon Conservancy or Glacier National Park Conservancy. Always verify that any organization you donate to is legitimate before giving.

And if you can spare five minutes? Write to your congressional representative. The Outdoor Alliance (OutdoorAlliance.org) even has a ready-made template. Sign petitions. Share posts on social media. “You don’t have to have a huge following at all,” Alex said. “Just letting people know this is how you’re feeling is one way you can do it.”

A Final Word Before You Hit the Trail

Planning your national park visit this summer is still absolutely worth doing. These places are extraordinary, and showing up thoughtfully: prepared, considerate, and ready to leave things better than you found them.

That is the best tribute you can pay to the rangers and staff who have dedicated their careers to protecting them.

As Alex put it: “Maybe we can be a little bit more considerate for them and for our beautiful parks when we get out there.”

Book that timed entry. Pack your bear canister. Pick up the trash that isn’t yours. And go fall in love with America’s best idea all over again.

Listen on APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

Find Alex at @alexonthemap on Instagram and TikTok and at alexonthemap.com. She also offers custom national park trip planning services: highly recommended if you want an expertly crafted itinerary and help navigating reservations. Listen to the full episode of Bon Voyage Besties on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.