Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Toppot35 t1_j43ip94 wrote

Yellowstone is only ranked 51. I'll take this list with a huge grain of salt.

104

doswell t1_j43k3mc wrote

It’s funny how different peoples views can be. I remember watching a video list where a guy put Mesa verde as one of the worst few parks. When I went the ruins really captivated and fascinated me and I didn’t even go on the up close tour. One man’s trash is another’s treasure

27

Toppot35 t1_j43koag wrote

Yeah, although I wouldn't think any national park would be remotely near trash. That said, Yellowstone can easily knock off a handful above it on this ranking. So is Denali.

12

[deleted] t1_j4500js wrote

[deleted]

20

dredbeast t1_j452q0u wrote

In Yellowstone, as long as it is not a seismically active area it’s not off limits and you can go there. Most people just stick to the roads and just miss out on what Yellowstone can be like.

15

HECK_YEA_ t1_j45wo81 wrote

That’s what makes Yellowstone so awesome, the accessibility for all. I can bring grandma and she can enjoy it roadside just as much as me and the GF do hiking and camping.

7

Genghis_John t1_j484h66 wrote

100%. Yellowstone is amazing, and it is very easy to get away from the crowds if you hike any distance at all away from the road.

Complaints like these tell me they stuck to the hotel and the boardwalks.

4

Toppot35 t1_j455apv wrote

There's some truth to what you said. But that doesn't explain why Denali is in the 40s. There's only one road in the whole park, and no private vehicles are allowed. You can get off the park bus and after it drives off you are completely by yourself in the wild. Not just any wilderness; it is majestic. The park is larger than Massachusetts.

8

ImAnIdeaMan t1_j47maae wrote

Yes it's very touristy, but it's that way for a reason - because it's amazing. The combination wildlife, variety, and geological features are just unmatched. It's not like it's impossible to get away from the crowds, either.

Also another fun fact about Yellowstone (kind of) - the valley through Idaho to the southwest of Yellowstone is there because of previous super-volcano eruptions, of which Yellowstone is simply the latest. As the continent is pushed further west, but the hotspot that formed yellowstone stays in place, there will be another super-volcano do the east of yellowstone.

One of the things I love most about nature is seeing the evidence of millions of years of Earth's history, and Yellowstone is chock-full of that. I don't know if there are better examples of plate tectonics in the entire world.

3

Tpaste t1_j47lkpc wrote

Growing up in the northwest this was 100% my opinion going through Yellowstone. The thing that makes Yellowstone cool is the animals, there are much better viewing experiences in other parks. But seeing herds of bison, or bears and wolves is incredible at Yellowstone. Grand Teton on the other hand felt undersold with its beautiful vistas and lack of traffic.

2

BarnabyWoods t1_j47e66f wrote

Indeed. This list is a typical bullshit survey intended to boost traffic to the website. Among the factors they use to rank parks is "proximity to big cities" and "entrance fees", as if either has any bearing on how good a park is.

3

Jdart88 t1_j47i2j8 wrote

Yea Yellowstones a little overrated IMO. I traveled there a lot when I was younger, and would prefer Olympic way over Yellowstone. Don’t get me wrong Yellowstone is still amazing and cool in its own ways, but give me Olympic any day.

1