Parked for a Day — Park your car for the day and do something great in the parks

Dylan Riley fishes the Lamar River in Yellowstone National Park in October 2010 while visiting from California. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate)
Ruffin Prevost / Yellowstone Gate

Dylan Riley fishes the Lamar River in Yellowstone National Park in October 2010 while visiting from California. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate)

Maybe you’ve heard the old dictum that “less than 2 percent of Yellowstone visitors venture farther than 100 yards from paved roads and boardwalks,” or something like that.

Who knows if it’s true? But it certainly sounds like it ought to be, and a few minutes in July at the Old Faithful parking lot is enough to convince most Yellowstone regulars that far too much of the park remains unseen and unknown to the masses.

That’s why Yellowstone Gate has started the Parked for a Day project. The idea is for locals and frequent visitors to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks to share their favorite activities that require parking the car and getting off the beaten path, just a little bit (or maybe even a lot). These are activities in the parks that almost all visitors can do in a single day, provided they’re willing to leave their cars parked while they venture out.

Who knows better about great little adventures away from the masses than park insiders and regulars? From easy day hikes to sweeping vistas, top fishing holes to quiet picnic places, wildlife hotspots to hidden histories, we want to hear your favorite one-day, vehicle-free activities in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We’re looking for anything that involves a short walk (or longer) away from a developed area.

So please give it some thought and then take a few minutes to fill out our easy online submission form to share with readers your favorite Parked for a Day activity. Include photos if you like, as well as any special inside information you think first-time visitors would want to know.

We’ll share the best entries in our Just For Fun section, where everyone can learn about what you think makes the parks special, and how you like to get Parked for a Day.

CLICK HERE to submit your Parked for a Day activity.

CLICK HERE to read a sample Parked for a Day entry about a day hike to Cascade Lake.

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