Yellowstone/Grand Tetons Advice - Updated with Photos - Post 63

[CPT Tripss]

http://picasaweb.google.com/randy08053/FloatAndChapel

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

We are considering renting an RV instead of staying in hotels. Is that doable in the parks or are the roads built for cars? Are there gas stations in the parks? Are there campgrounds for RV's? Do you need to make reservations? How far in advance? We are considering doing this for summer '09.

TIA

 

[CowboyCO]

Anyone know how far this is from Yellowstone (Old Faithful Inn)? I've seen it on the Adventures By Disney website and am curious.

It's always tough to estimate the drive time. Brooks Lake is up near Togwotee Pass, which is about 30 miles east of Moran Junction. I would estimate 1-1/2 to drive it without stopping from Old Faithful, but it is Breathtaking the entire way. You pass several azure blue lakes, then by Jackson Lake with the Tetons dominating the view, then when you turn east up towards the Absarokas and to the Pinnacles (the sheer cliffs that tower above Brooks Lake) in is a different kind of spectacular. There is also a Forest service Campground on the shores of Brooks Lake.

For the poster that asked about RVs, you can generally go anywhere on the main roads of Yellowstone in RVs. They are primarily two-lane. Yellowstone is a major destination for RV'ers and all of the full-service campgrounds are RV friendly. There are gas stations throughout the park at major lodging areas. It is a BIG National Park, at over 3,200 square miles. Bigger than Rhode island and Delaware combined! Gas will be more expensive by about 30 cents a gallon than in the rest of Wyoming, but the Rockies usually have some of the cheapest gas in the country. I was up there today and saw regular unleaded for 3.33 today when it was 3.55 in Denver. There are some reservations available, plus they also keep a significant number of campsites that are first-come, first served. If you have a firm touring plan, make reservations. Most Ranger Stations can fill you in on availability at all campgrounds.

 

[CowboyCO]

One more thought on renting an RV. Most RV rentals charge for mileage, so you may consider flying into Denver or Salt Lake City and renting the RV from there. The drive from either city is very interesting and beautiful and with what you would save in mileage and gas, it would probably offset the cost of airfare and give you more days in the parks!

 

[rangermom]

We are going to YELL next weekend. The kids and I are going to see DH who is working in the Old Faithful district this summer. We are really excited about spending 2 weeks there. We also hoping to got to Devils Tower and of course will be driving through Grand Teton to get to YELL. I am just so excited I had to tell someone. We have never been.

 

[CPT Tripss]

We are going to YELL next weekend. The kids and I are going to see DH who is working in the Old Faithful district this summer. We are really excited about spending 2 weeks there. We also hoping to got to Devils Tower and of course will be driving through Grand Teton to get to YELL. I am just so excited I had to tell someone. We have never been.

I'm envious! Have a great time.

 

[Donald is #1]

We are going to YELL next weekend. The kids and I are going to see DH who is working in the Old Faithful district this summer. We are really excited about spending 2 weeks there. We also hoping to got to Devils Tower and of course will be driving through Grand Teton to get to YELL. I am just so excited I had to tell someone. We have never been.

Have a great time!

 

[rangermom]

Thanks! I don't know what I'm more excited about, seeing DH (he has been away since 12/29/07 minus 2 weeks he was home in April) or going to YELL. I am already starting to pack the car. Tommorrow I plan to pack our cool weather clothes. DH said it was snowing there the other day. Crazy! It is 100+ here. The day DH left in April, YELL was dealing with a major accident due to the snow and here in Big Bend we were dealing with a heat stroke victim. Two totally different environments.

 

[Donald is #1]

rangermom, I noticed that you were on-line today. So I assume that that means that you are back. How was your trip to Yellowstone?

 

[MrsPete]

MrsPete-We were at Signal Mtn Lodge for 2 nights. We stayed in a Lakefront Retreat because I had to have the view everyone raved about. Looking back I would not pay that price again. I would stay in a cabin and still get the view by taking a few steps out the door. Very convienient to Oxbow Bend.

The Lakefront Retreat is EXACTLY what I was planning to reserve when the dates "open up" next week. Could you give me more details on why you wouldn't do it again? What cabins would you choose? Something else at Signal Mountain?

I was thinking this was going to be one of our "splurge stays" on our cross-country driving trip, and you may be saving me from disappointment!

 

[MrsPete]

We are considering renting an RV instead of staying in hotels.

We're planning a month-long cross-country driving trip next summer -- something we've talked about ever since our kids were toddlers -- we've always thought we'd do it when they reached their teens, and those years are upon us. We're very excited!

But I digress . . . when we started talking about this trip, we originally thought we'd rent an RV. When we got serious about planning this trip, however, and we looked at some prices, we realized quickly that it wasn't going to be a budget option. Few places in my area rent RVs, and they command some massive prices -- think almost $1000/week! Of course, you still have to pay $20-40 per night to park it in a campground! Then you have to consider the horrible gas mileage, and you have to think about either pulling a small tow vehicle OR driving the RV everywhere you want to go.

We originally thought at RV would be a budget choice. It isn't. Even before gas prices went sky-high, it wasn't. People who use RVs do so for reasons that have nothing to do with money -- it's more about freedom of staying in a campground, something that didn't really fit into the plans we were making for our trip.

Disclaimer: IF we wanted to buy an RV for later use, the math might've looked different, OR if we had friends from whom we could borrow/barter an RV, the math might've looked different. But for our family, it wasn't going to be a deal

 

[Simba's Mom]

We are going to YELL next weekend. The kids and I are going to see DH who is working in the Old Faithful district this summer. We are really excited about spending 2 weeks there. We also hoping to got to Devils Tower and of course will be driving through Grand Teton to get to YELL. I am just so excited I had to tell someone. We have never been.

Ah, gee, rangermom-I wish I'd noticed this before we went to Yellowstone again in early June-we would have looked for your DH at Old Faithful. Working there must be so great. I think DH is as addicted to YELL as I am to WDW. We're already booking our THIRD trip there for next June. Although next year we'll go a little later in the month as we've had snow the last 2 years.

And although I really wanted to do a scenic lake cruise, they weren't going for obvious reasons-

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

My family (me, DH, DD11 and DS8) are planning a trip to Yellowstone next summer. Probably early to mid-July 09, give or take. Normally I hate to travel in the summer, but we are going back on DCL in November 09.

We love the National Parks and are trying to hit a new one every year. I am just so overwhelmed by where to begin with Yellowstone! We've never been to that part of the country, and are very excited to go. We'll be driving up from Southern California. We'll probably have about 8 or 9 days total. We definitely want to go to Grand Tetons as well. We like rafting, hiking, fishing. We enjoy camping but I don't think we want to camp on this trip.

I need help! Can anyone suggest guide books, travel plans, or just places in general we need to see?

So far, Yosemite is our favorite National Park. Tuolumne Meadows is the bomb...if that helps! Great Smoky Mountains were way too crowded and touristy for our taste. yeah, I know Yellowstone will be crowded too! But it's so vast, I'm sure we can find hiking trails and lakes where we won't be surrounded by a zillion other people pushing past us.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Pixie
You will love Yellowstone . . . Yosemite is earthly beauty - Yellowstone is unearthly beauty.

In addition to the YNP - NPS website, wander around on this one. http://www.yellowstone.net/forums/index.php?sid=24767e38b1ff91c3c3a8d4fd19680a47 It's a pretty friendly, helpful group

Also, stay in at least 2 if not more locations in the park . . . it is vast. You probably know that if you get out of your car and onto an unpaved walk you will avoid 90% of the crowds.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My family (me, DH, DD11 and DS8) are planning a trip to Yellowstone next summer. Probably early to mid-July 09, give or take. Normally I hate to travel in the summer, but we are going back on DCL in November 09.

We love the National Parks and are trying to hit a new one every year. I am just so overwhelmed by where to begin with Yellowstone! We've never been to that part of the country, and are very excited to go. We'll be driving up from Southern California. We'll probably have about 8 or 9 days total. We definitely want to go to Grand Tetons as well. We like rafting, hiking, fishing. We enjoy camping but I don't think we want to camp on this trip.

I need help! Can anyone suggest guide books, travel plans, or just places in general we need to see?

So far, Yosemite is our favorite National Park. Tuolumne Meadows is the bomb...if that helps! Great Smoky Mountains were way too crowded and touristy for our taste. yeah, I know Yellowstone will be crowded too! But it's so vast, I'm sure we can find hiking trails and lakes where we won't be surrounded by a zillion other people pushing past us.

Also, the official website for lodging, activities, etc. is www.travelyellowstone.com
If you're thinking of staying in the park (which I highly recommend) think about making your travel reservations soon. I just booked reservations for next June today. Certain types of rooms are already booked for some dates. Last year we booked in September '07 for June '08 and what we want was booked, so we changed dates since we really had our hearts set on staying at a particular place. Besides making reservations, this website is terrific for general info.

 

[rangermom]

rangermom, I noticed that you were on-line today. So I assume that that means that you are back. How was your trip to Yellowstone?

The trip was great! A little cold though(29-32 degrees on some occasions). It snowed, sleeted, or rained everyday for the 12 days I was there. DH called the day we left said that it was going to get to the upper 60's/ lower 70's that same day. All the rangers joked that we broght the snow with us (from where ), so I guess we took it back with us.

This was so weird to us. It has been in the 100's for the last month where I live. The kids loved it. A couple of days they shoveled the sidewalk to the Rangers' apartments. They thought it was fun and the rangers love it!

We saw plenty of bison and elk, one black bear, and one (well, the butt of one) grizzly bear. We went to Tower/Roosevelt to try to see some wolves, but as soon as a got to the Tower Junction it really began to snow hard, so we headed back to Old Faithful.

The kids loved the geysers. My daughter keep calling them "Juicy Geyser" from one of Dora the Explorer episodes. Even though the weather was pretty cold for our blood, we really got to see alot of the park. DS (9) wants to move there. All I could think was if this is summer, what the heck is winter like!

The Tetons were gorgeous and we also stopped at Rocky Mountain NP along the way.

 

[rangermom]

Ah, gee, rangermom-I wish I'd noticed this before we went to Yellowstone again in early June-we would have looked for your DH at Old Faithful. Working there must be so great. I think DH is as addicted to YELL as I am to WDW. We're already booking our THIRD trip there for next June. Although next year we'll go a little later in the month as we've had snow the last 2 years.

Yeah, DH really likes it. If he does not get a permanent job by then, he may be back next summer. You may have seen him. He walks on teh boardwalks a lot adn likes to patroll the geyser basins. If you look at my blog below it has a few pics from YELL. There is also a pic of DH adn DS near the apartments. Hope you enjoyed your trip even with out the cruise.

 

[caralyn817]

I'm planning a trip to Yellowstone for the family next summer. What are some things and places in Yellowstone that we must do? We've also talked about staying at a different hotel each night. Which do you recommend?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm planning a trip to Yellowstone for the family next summer. What are some things and places in Yellowstone that we must do? We've also talked about staying at a different hotel each night. Which do you recommend?

If you like staying in cabins (we do), I highly recommend Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins.

And this buffalo was on the hillside in back of the cabins (actually you can see the hillside in the backround in the first picture)-

Last year we stayed at a different location every night, but this year we stayed at the same place almost every day. We thought Lake Yellowstone area was central enough for us. For "must-dos", I'd say you've got to do the little walk at Tower Falls and go to Artist Point (not the resturant). The scenery is beautiful.

Although we haven't done the scenic Lake Cruise, it's been recommended, and I hope to do it next year.

If you want to see wolves, go to Slough Creek.

 

[Donald is #1]

The trip was great! A little cold though(29-32 degrees on some occasions). It snowed, sleeted, or rained everyday for the 12 days I was there. DH called the day we left said that it was going to get to the upper 60's/ lower 70's that same day. All the rangers joked that we broght the snow with us (from where ), so I guess we took it back with us.

This was so weird to us. It has been in the 100's for the last month where I live. The kids loved it. A couple of days they shoveled the sidewalk to the Rangers' apartments. They thought it was fun and the rangers love it!

We saw plenty of bison and elk, one black bear, and one (well, the butt of one) grizzly bear. We went to Tower/Roosevelt to try to see some wolves, but as soon as a got to the Tower Junction it really began to snow hard, so we headed back to Old Faithful.

The kids loved the geysers. My daughter keep calling them "Juicy Geyser" from one of Dora the Explorer episodes. Even though the weather was pretty cold for our blood, we really got to see alot of the park. DS (9) wants to move there. All I could think was if this is summer, what the heck is winter like!

The Tetons were gorgeous and we also stopped at Rocky Mountain NP along the way.

29-32 degrees!

That's awesome that you had a great time despite the weather! But gee, snow in June??? From my trip last year, I can see how easy it is for people to just decide to stay there because it is just so beautiful. Have your kids seen snow before or was this their first experience?