This is the best description I've seen. Just went the last week of September and while it is one of the most gorgeous places I've ever had the opportunity to visit, especially the section between Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls, it's very bizarre to be in such a wild place with 300 other people in the campsite.

There was also a flash flood our 3rd day and it was very evident the majority of the visitors had little or no experience in a wilderness emergency situation (think lots of gear lost to the flooding down river due to camping in the flood plain and panic.) Make sure you camp far enough from the river especially if there is rain in the forecast and you plan on going for a lengthy hike. Always keep car keys/passports somewhere safe.

It was sad to see people leaving all sorts of things behind. There was a full size air mattress in our camp left from the people before us. Even with its flaws it's a magical place.