I’m toying with the idea of a week-long spring photo trip to either the Eastern Sierra or Zion; then a week-long fall trip to the other. The plan is to go early enough (April/May) to avoid the crowds but to catch the spring wildflower bloom; then late enough in the fall (September/October) to miss most of the crowds, if possible, but to catch the autumn foliage.

I’ve never been to the Eastern Sierra and it’s been many years since I visited Zion, but my guess is that crowds there have increased significantly. Would spring in Zion and fall in the Sierras entail smaller crowds than spring in the Sierras and fall in Zion?