My family spent 6 nights in the Tetons and 6 nights in Yellowstone in the second half of May this year and I think it's only fair to temper your opinion based o

My family spent 6 nights in the Tetons and 6 nights in Yellowstone in the second half of May this year and I think it's only fair to temper your opinion based on when you visited. Except in July & August, neither park is remotely full, and because the in-park lodging is limited, it never really gets too awful. It just seems bad because there are so many bus tours these days, so when 80 people descend on a site all at once, it makes a big impact. That's rough on all the roadside boardwalk areas, but these bus tours almost never do any real hiking, so the vast majority of the park is still clear. My personal opinion is that the mudpots/fumaroles/geysers you see from the boardwalks are just novelties -- the beauty of the park lies in the wilderness (we, in particular, love the Lamar Valley in the northwestern corner. Wolves are commonly viewed, the hiking is astoundingly good and varied, and you can go hours without seeing another soul.).