Yellowstone

[JaxDad]

Thank all of you so much for the information and recommendations! You have been very helpful.

I have not yet pulled the trigger on this trip. I have four different weeks to play with, and I have been looking primarily at airfares. It looks like $650-750 for each of us round-trip to Jackson. I have been so spoiled by car vacations, these are daunting numbers! I would also need a car rental and lodging, even the worst of which is more than $200 per night. However, I know it could be a once in a lifetime trip (definitely for me). If I get the nerve to commit to our flights, I will then bombard the Park website and phone lines to hopefully nab a cancellation for lodging at either end of the trip for 2-3 nights. I would also make a reservation for the whole trip in Jackson with a cancellation option to use as necessary to fill the other 2-3 nights of the trip. The other option is to wait until next year, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to commit to dates until at least March again, so it will be the same problem...

If and when I do pull the trigger, I will probably get back to you all for actual itinerary suggestions. Again, thank you!

 

[sukhakuli]

It's 2.5 hours from Cody to the Norris Geyser Basin. And that's without traffic. If there is wildlife on the road, then it will take much much longer. Honestly, staying in Gardiner or West Yellowstone is really your best bet, and probably fly in to Bozeman. They have a decent sized airport and it's about 2-3 hours to the Park.

I don't think you understand the expanse of the area, and how little population there is. Have you been out west before?

The Tetons are nothing to write home about. Their mountains. And they are a long way off from the Park.

 

[JaxDad]

It's 2.5 hours from Cody to the Norris Geyser Basin. And that's without traffic. If there is wildlife on the road, then it will take much much longer. Honestly, staying in Gardiner or West Yellowstone is really your best bet, and probably fly in to Bozeman. They have a decent sized airport and it's about 2-3 hours to the Park.

I don't think you understand the expanse of the area, and how little population there is. Have you been out west before?

The Tetons are nothing to write home about. Their mountains. And they are a long way off from the Park.

Hi! I'm not sure if you were specifically addressing me or another poster? I have lived out west and traveled there a few times. I definitely understand the expanse of the area. This thread has further helped me understand the real potential for traffic as well.

I will continue to look at Bozeman too. I started looking at Jackson, because so many people were talking up Grand Teton. I will have to consider that idea more. Thank you!

 

[PlutoPony]

The Tetons are nothing to write home about. Their mountains. And they are a long way off from the Park.

They are BEAUTIFUL mountains, and imho have some great short hikes that give breathtaking scenery. Much more so than Yellowstone. We've stayed in 2 different properties within Grand Teton Park with mountain view rooms, looking across the lake at the Tetons. Slept with the drapes open (2nd floor room so nothing but moose and bison to look at us - and yes moose were right outside our room) - and the mountains were the last thing we saw at night and the first thing we saw in the morning! Maybe it's because I've lived in the flat East all my life but that's a view I would love to wake up to every day. Have had really good luck seeing animals in GT as well, in our experience it's more hit or miss in Yellowstone (even if you stalk the discussion boards that people use to report current sightings and animal activity). Good float trip as well on the Snake River, again a lot of wildlife and HUGE beavers and beaver dams lol. In Yellowstone, the best float trips are in the Gardiner area most years (depending on water runoff from winter snow).

One thing to remember if you have kids - there are essentially no TV's in the rooms within the parks. It looks like they've added internet service since we were there last but I can't comment on cost or speed/quality. And cell service is spotty in a lot of areas. No a/c in rooms within parks, but most do have fans. We were in Yellowstone once during a heat wave - highs in 90's and it didn't cool down a lot - and I'll have to admit it was uncomfortable at times. Staying outside the parks will get you normal amenities of TV, A/C, internet etc.

 

[sukhakuli]

Yes, I was addressing you. Mostly because you didn't want to drive very far to get to the Park, but then want to stay in Cody. It's a LONG way!

I guess I'm jaded. The Tetons are pretty, but they're not that amazing. If you want to see mountains, go to Glacier. The Tetons have always been a drive by for us. Oh look, mountains. Yay. If you stay in Gardiner you are pretty much guaranteed to see elk. They wander all over the town. If you do happen to go during a heat wave, you'll see fewer animals since they go to a higher elevation.

Another amazing vista is in Death Valley. You can stand in the lowest point in the continental US and see the highest. Very cool. But don't go in the summer, lol.

 

[frndshpcptn]

They are BEAUTIFUL mountains, and imho have some great short hikes that give breathtaking scenery. Much more so than Yellowstone. We've stayed in 2 different properties within Grand Teton Park with mountain view rooms, looking across the lake at the Tetons. Slept with the drapes open (2nd floor room so nothing but moose and bison to look at us - and yes moose were right outside our room) - and the mountains were the last thing we saw at night and the first thing we saw in the morning! Maybe it's because I've lived in the flat East all my life but that's a view I would love to wake up to every day. Have had really good luck seeing animals in GT as well, in our experience it's more hit or miss in Yellowstone (even if you stalk the discussion boards that people use to report current sightings and animal activity). Good float trip as well on the Snake River, again a lot of wildlife and HUGE beavers and beaver dams lol. In Yellowstone, the best float trips are in the Gardiner area most years (depending on water runoff from winter snow).

One thing to remember if you have kids - there are essentially no TV's in the rooms within the parks. It looks like they've added internet service since we were there last but I can't comment on cost or speed/quality. And cell service is spotty in a lot of areas. No a/c in rooms within parks, but most do have fans. We were in Yellowstone once during a heat wave - highs in 90's and it didn't cool down a lot - and I'll have to admit it was uncomfortable at times. Staying outside the parks will get you normal amenities of TV, A/C, internet etc.

I agree with this (am also from the East Coast). We saw a TON of Bison wandering the streets in Jackson area. We woke up early and watched the sun rise over the mountain - gorgeous. Just the vast expanse of sky was something incredible to see. There was also really good dining in the Tenon Village area and I'll second a trip down the Snake River as fun.

I don't remember the drive into Yellowstone as cumbersome and I think we were there in June? We saw Old Faithful (ate lunch at the restaurant there), the clay pits and rainbow pools, Jenny lake Lodge, saw bears wandering the park and moose for sure.

 

[bcla]

Another amazing vista is in Death Valley. You can stand in the lowest point in the continental US and see the highest. Very cool. But don't go in the summer, lol.

Interesting but not drop dead gorgeous. In any case the highest point in the continent is Denali, which is a little bit hard to spot from Badwater. Fun place to visit for sure, but not really that great for the scenery.

 

[JaxDad]

Yes, I was addressing you. Mostly because you didn't want to drive very far to get to the Park, but then want to stay in Cody. It's a LONG way

I never wrote I planned to stay in Cody. I've only considered staying in the park, West Yellowstone, or between Jackson and the park. Another poster was talking about Cody...

 

[bcla]

Another thing to think about is the elevation.

You mention wanting to hike, and the hikes are incredible, but the elevation is 8000 feet. It takes a lot longer and a ton of energy if you are not use to hiking at that elevation.

Have a fantastic time. We are in the process of having our retirement home built in the area.

It's not necessarily that high. All of the major areas are under 8000 ft, and a few are under 6300 ft. There are some flat hikes too. Certainly the major geyser basins are relatively flat. It's certainly high elevation, but taking it easy and consuming plenty of water helps. At least the summer temps are reasonable. I did a big trip from Yellowstone to the Southwest. The heat was worse for me than altitude, although in the SW at here's both.

 

[sukhakuli]

The elevation can be a killer if you are used to Sea Level. But as long as you bring plenty of water and take your time you'll be OK.

Almost all of my trips to Yellowstone it has been cold. We used to joke that our trip wasn't complete until we were standing outside of the Dairy Queen in West Yellowstone getting an ice cream during a summer snowstorm.

There are fewer bison outside the park now because they kill them when they leave the park boundary. The ranchers are afraid the bison will transmit a disease to cattle, even though there has never been a single documented case of it. It's just my opinion, but they just want to preserve grazing land for their cattle.

Interesting but not drop dead gorgeous. In any case the highest point in the continent is Denali, which is a little bit hard to spot from Badwater. Fun place to visit for sure, but not really that great for the scenery.

That's why I said Continental US, not North America.

 

[bcla]

Almost all of my trips to Yellowstone it has been cold. We used to joke that our trip wasn't complete until we were standing outside of the Dairy Queen in West Yellowstone getting an ice cream during a summer snowstorm..

I was there around early June. Shorts weather most of the time - solidly highs in the 70s F at most of the major areas. However, I was talking to some of the workers there, and it had snowed the week before we got there. I went hiking and found snow at higher elevations and turned around rather than try to fight through the snow. It wasn't much, but I couldn't figure out where the trail was, although off-trail was legal.

That's why I said Continental US, not North America.

North America is a continent. The highest point in the Continental United States is Denali - formerly known as Mt McKinley. Perhaps you're thinking of the contiguous 48 states.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It's not necessarily that high. All of the major areas are under 8000 ft, and a few are under 6300 ft. There are some flat hikes too. Certainly the major geyser basins are relatively flat. It's certainly high elevation, but taking it easy and consuming plenty of water helps. At least the summer temps are reasonable. I did a big trip from Yellowstone to the Southwest. The heat was worse for me than altitude, although in the SW at here's both.

The hike I took was low & flat, which is a real plus for this flatlander. I've hiked as high as 13,500 before and I can tell you that me & elevation don't get along well AT ALL. I typically vomit somewhere over 12,000, lower if it's strenuous LOL. But, I did fine in Yellowstone

 

[ksjayhawks]

We were there the middle to end of July and were tent camping. It got down to 26 two nights. We were comfy in our sleeping bags with blankets on them--slept on double high air mattresses. Worse was if you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night! We didn't have winter coats or sweats--thank goodness for the discount store where we got sweatshirts and sweatpants!

 

[JaxDad]

I was playing around with the reservation site last night and was able to book 4 of the 5 nights I wanted at Canyon Lodge. It seems like a fairly central location in the park. I will keep looking and hopefully add a night or (I think ideally) add a second location in another part of the park. Another option is to add a night closer to wherever I would be flying out. I still haven't committed to airline tickets, so this may all be moot. :-D

 

[Amy]

Glad you were able to find lodging inside the park! Keep trying, and you might get all your nights inside the park. You're wise to spend the night closer to the airport before you fly home, esp. if you have an early morning flight.

Happy planning; you're going to love Yellowstone!

 

[PlutoPony]

We stayed in Canyon maybe 5 years ago. At the time rooms were in good shape with decent space. The location is OK, a little out of the way and very quiet in the evenings. Think there's only 1 restaurant type option there so make sure you know their hours, especially if you want to catch dinner later in the evening.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is binoculars or spotting scopes. If you want to spend time looking for animals, bring the best binoculars you can lay your hands on / afford. And a couple pairs if you can swing it so you aren't constantly switching 1 between 3-4 people. Most wildlife will be quite a distance away and your naked eye won't be enough o get a good look if that's something you're interested in.

 

[bcla]

I was playing around with the reservation site last night and was able to book 4 of the 5 nights I wanted at Canyon Lodge. It seems like a fairly central location in the park. I will keep looking and hopefully add a night or (I think ideally) add a second location in another part of the park. Another option is to add a night closer to wherever I would be flying out. I still haven't committed to airline tickets, so this may all be moot. :-D

We stayed at Canyon in the budget cabins. Looks like they're no longer available, and perhaps removed. They were basic 4-plex side by side cabins and looked like they were 40 years old (which they were). I sort of imagine they looked like something a loner would build out in the middle of nowhere, although they were surrounded by dozens of similar cabins. Nothing fancy, but OK especially at about $72/night back in 2006. The only cabins they show now for Canyon are the Western Cabins at $204/night.

Most current accommodations (at least the pictures) look more like hotel-style rooms. There are rooms for under $100/night throughout the park, but at this point it's going to be hard to find any availability.

If you're on a budget, then maybe Salt Lake City would be your best option for flying and renting a car. Flying into Bozeman or Jackson Hole might require a connecting flight and the car rental will likely be expensive. (West) Yellowstone Airport basically only has Delta from SLC anyways.

Have fun. While I wouldn't say the scenery at Yellowstone is the main attraction, the variety of geological features is the greatest anywhere in the world. There isn't anywhere else with that variety of geysers, mud pots, acid pools, hot springs, travertine pools, etc. I remember seeing Roaring Mountain twice (before and after it rained). It was venting off lots of steam the day after it rained. Also, watch the kids. While it is relatively safe, there's a lot of danger out there.

If you're lucky maybe you'll see Excelsior erupt.

 

[Amy]

We stayed at Canyon in the budget cabins. Looks like they're no longer available, and perhaps removed. They were basic 4-plex side by side cabins and looked like they were 40 years old (which they were). I sort of imagine they looked like something a loner would build out in the middle of nowhere, although they were surrounded by dozens of similar cabins. Nothing fancy, but OK especially at about $72/night back in 2006. The only cabins they show now for Canyon are the Western Cabins at $204/night.

You're right - they are removing those cabins and replacing them with lodges. When we were there in 2014, they were just beginning to build the first of the new lodges; I think (not quite sure) that all of the new lodges are supposed to be done this summer and those old budget cabins will be gone.

 

[bcla]

You're right - they are removing those cabins and replacing them with lodges. When we were there in 2014, they were just beginning to build the first of the new lodges; I think (not quite sure) that all of the new lodges are supposed to be done this summer and those old budget cabins will be gone.

They've torn down lodges and accommodations before. The current Canyon Lodge was built in the late 50s. The previous lodge was almost on the edge of the canyon. I suppose that didn't really hurt as much since they did build affordable lodging in its place.

Yeah - I don't like how this is working. It seems like the National Park Service is approving reconstruction in order to maximize profits rather than serve the public. I understand that sometimes lower-priced accommodations are converted to employee housing, but taking them out completely doesn't sit right with me.

I remember when cheap cabins made it affordable to stay in many national parks. There used to be plenty in Yosemite until they were removed over the years. Giant Forest Village at Sequoia NP had very affordable cabins until they were removed. The rationale of removal was that the traffic was affecting the health of the trees, but the replacement structure was a higher-end lodge with prices starting at about $200/night, and upwards of $400. The quad-cabins I stayed in at Maswik (Grand Canyon NP) are no longer available. I guess there's still camping, but even then it can be hard to get a reservation and often there are no shower facilities available.

 

[JaxDad]

I just realized I could also fly to Boise on Southwest, then drive from there. It costs less than Salt Lake City and saves me around $450-600 (plus checked baggage fees) over current choice of Bozeman. It doesn't look like Boise is TOO far--about 6.5 hours. I would have time to drive most of the way to the Park on the arrival day (or all the way if I am willing to arrive at the lodge around midnight), so I would have one less night staying IN the Park, but not really less touring time. The BIG downside is all the driving. There will already be a LOT of driving, without adding 9 more hours (difference between Bozeman and Boise)...