134: Q&A - Recreation.gov Loophole, Hidden Gems, Alaska Parks, and Utah's Mighty Five

Exploring the National Parks

Dirt In My Shoes

Science, Society & Culture:places & Travel, Nature, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.8 • 653 Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Wondering when to visit the Mighty 5 or which parks are best for kids? Trying to figure out if staying inside the park is really worth the price? This episode of Exploring the National Parks is packed with tips and personal stories to help you plan smarter for 2026! In this episode, we cover: When it's definitely worth camping inside the park versus staying in a gateway town How to outsmart (or at least survive) Recreation.gov reservations and what NOT to do What to expect in Glacier in June vs. July Our favorite hidden gems in Yellowstone and Grand Teton When to road trip the Mighty 5, how we travel with kids, and more! Your task for today: We want to know whether or not you think Exploring the National Parks should be a video podcast! Head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know your thoughts! Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/qa-recreation-gov-loophole-hidden-gems-alaska-parks-and-utahs-mighty-five/ Planning your own 2026 adventure? Dirt In My Shoes Itineraries: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-park-trip-itineraries/ Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/ National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Transcript

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0:00.0	What if I told you that in some national parks, staying outside the park is actually the smarter move,
0:06.6	and in others, it'll ruin your trip?
0:09.2	And how early is too early to grab that campsite reservation?
0:12.8	Can you really outsmart the recreation.gov system?
0:16.4	I have thoughts. Lots of thoughts.
0:19.9	We'll cover which parks are best for kids, the ideal timing for Utah's Mighty Five,
0:25.1	a few of our favorite hidden gems in Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and how to plan the perfect Alaska trip.
0:31.5	Today we're tackling your trip planning questions that'll save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration in 2026.
0:39.4	This is the Exploring the National Parks podcast with Dirt in My Shoes.
0:44.4	My name is Ash and I'm a former park ranger and the founder of Dirt in My Shoes.
0:48.6	I think that the parks are best seen from the trail and I'm here to make National Park
0:53.3	trip planning easy. And I'm
0:55.2	John. I carry the kids on the trails, tell stories, and notice all the things that Ash doesn't care
1:00.1	about much like trees. Join us as we show you around America's spectacular national parks.
1:07.5	We're sharing our favorite places, fun facts, adventures, and misadventures.
1:11.6	And we'll even throw in a little trip planning.
1:14.6	Let's start exploring.
1:15.6	I mentioned in the Halloween episode that we did that I have been watching the X-Files with the kids. Correct? Correct. Okay.
1:30.8	The funniest thing happened the other day. Oldest son said to me, now that we've been watching
1:36.4	like the X-Files and stuff, I don't really think I like the government as much. And I thought to myself, oh, shoot, I may have accidentally created a conspiracy theorist or
1:52.4	something like, it's a lot of fun.
1:55.4	He has a lot of questions.
	...

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