A night under the stars

July 29, 2019 9:17 AM

A look at overnight stays at US National Parks: When should you pitch your tent? Or when is it better to opt for lodging? When should you visit to avoid the crowds? Let’s have a look! (Source)
posted by holmesian (6 comments total)

I just got back from a trip that included camping in Acadia National Park. I wish there were data points for mosquito density.
posted by a complicated history at 10:01 AM on July 29, 2019 [6 favorites]

Interesting data but some written analysis would be nice too. As it stands the data on their own don't tell an obvious story.
posted by crazy with stars at 10:22 AM on July 29, 2019 [2 favorites]

I like that this is framed very much around weather and seasonality. It tells an interesting macro picture about the geographies of the parks.

I am amused to note that Minnesota was grouped with Alaska while North Dakota was not, as anyone who's lived in those states would vehemently disagree with that one, but overall it's a nice way to visualize when various parks see peak visitors.
posted by librarylis at 11:29 AM on July 29, 2019

Grand Canyon is grouped with the desert parks, but even though the park is mostly desert, that's kind of a miscategorization. Both the north and south rims are in high forest, the north at 8,000 feet and the south at 7,000. This is where the absolute vast majority of people take the in the sights of the park. You're up in the cool pines, and it rarely nudges past the 80s in the summer, while it can be below zero in the winter. Now it's a different story at the bottom; while it may be pleasant and cool on the rim in July, it's so hot at the bottom that tents can actually be unusable. I'll take a decent February day at the bottom anytime.
posted by azpenguin at 2:32 PM on July 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

Oh, woe, damn graphic artists and their graphs as art!
They've also invaded Nat Geo.
I can't read these things.
posted by Mesaverdian at 9:21 AM on July 30, 2019 [1 favorite]

I wish there were data points for mosquito density.

At least you missed the black fly season.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:18 AM on July 30, 2019