Yellowstone

[wildstreak]

Planning a family trip to Yellowstone this summer. Never been before. Do you guys have any info on things to do, where to go, places to stay?

I would really like to rent a cabin but I am not sure where to start.

 

[Againstthewind]

We went there a couple of years ago. http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

We kindof made a loop in a week staying at a different campground everynight. We tented it, so I don't know much about the cabins. In the link above if you go to lodges it has a list of the cabins. Canyon Lodge I think is more centrally located, but Old Faithful is pretty historic and would be pretty cool. Its hard to see everything in a week. Yellowstone is probably worse for traffic and getting campground reservations than Glacier that was in another thread. Medtech I think wrote up a really good post on Glacier. There are a ton of campgrounds, but you need to get reservations pretty soon I would say.

We spent one day doing the hot springs and geyser deal. The petrified forest is pretty cool. I would say the Lamar Valley has some of the best wildlife viewing, but that is just what I thought. That was where we ended up seeing a wolf and a grizzly, plus bison and elk where ever you turn around it seemed like. One day doing the the waterfalls thing. I think a couple day hikes around Tower Junction and Grand Canyon areas and we pretty much burnt up the whole week. I thought the rangers did a good job with kids, so some of the guided trips and wildlife museums at the visitors centers were pretty fun.

 

[wildstreak]

We went there a couple of years ago. http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

We kindof made a loop in a week staying at a different campground everynight. We tented it, so I don't know much about the cabins. In the link above if you go to lodges it has a list of the cabins. Canyon Lodge I think is more centrally located, but Old Faithful is pretty historic and would be pretty cool. Its hard to see everything in a week. Yellowstone is probably worse for traffic and getting campground reservations than Glacier that was in another thread. Medtech I think wrote up a really good post on Glacier. There are a ton of campgrounds, but you need to get reservations pretty soon I would say.

We spent one day doing the hot springs and geyser deal. The petrified forest is pretty cool. I would say the Lamar Valley has some of the best wildlife viewing, but that is just what I thought. That was where we ended up seeing a wolf and a grizzly, plus bison and elk where ever you turn around it seemed like. One day doing the the waterfalls thing. I think a couple day hikes around Tower Junction and Grand Canyon areas and we pretty much burnt up the whole week. I thought the rangers did a good job with kids, so some of the guided trips and wildlife museums at the visitors centers were pretty fun.

we've got 2 weeks including drive time to/from Kentucky. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing.

 

[Againstthewind]

we've got 2 weeks including drive time to/from Kentucky. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing.

lol, those are the best trips!

 

[packmule]

We always stay a few days at Rustic Inn in Jackson, a cpl days in Gardiner, then a cpl days back in Jackson. Yellowstone is great, I think everyone should see it, but I'm easily annoyed by crowds so we quit spending as much time in the park when we go up that way.

 

[mtnmikem]

I live in Bozeman, MT. A little over an hour north of the park. We go there a lot in the summer. Haven't stayed in the cabins but camped and backpacked. Do some flyfishing there also. Go here http://www.usparklodging.com/yellowstone/ to rent a cabin and it will also give you a lot of info on the park. Let me know if I can help you out in any way.

 

[JeffyO_MN]

I was just there this past summer with my family and we stayed in West Yellowstone because I couldn't ever find an available room in Yellowstone. So my first suggestion would be to start trying to book your rooms now if you want to stay in Yellowstone. We only spent 2 days in the park so admittedly we rushed around a bit to try and see as much as possible. Did a south loop the first day and a north loop the second day and I think we saw a lot of awesome sights. Now my kids were 8 and 6 at the time so they got a bit tired of seeing what seemed to them to be the same geothermal features over and over again. If I had to do over again I would likely spend more time looking for and observing animals. That was for sure the kids' favorite parts. We just missed seeing grizzlies and wolves on an active bison carcass in the Lamar valley. Missed it by literally one day. There is a guy who posts reports on grizzlies and wolves if you're looking for that kind of thing. Here is the website. https://www.yellowstonereports.com/index.php There is also an app you can get on your phone that posts wildlife sightings. The Wolf and Grizzly center in West Yellowstone is also quite cool for kids. Be prepared to share the road with some bison (see picture shot by my wife out the passenger window). That was quite the experience. Yellowstone is a phenomenal destination and I would love to go back in a couple years and spend a full week there. Hope you have a great trip. There are lots of good resources online to help you plan Yellowstone trips.

 

[Hilltop]

If you can stand pulling your kids from school, the first week of September is the best time to see the park IMO. Crowds shrink considerably. Its a real zoo in the middle of the summer-nothing like a traffic jam in the middle of the forest.

 

[kiddwinner]

I live in Cody, the busiest gate into the park, theres a lot going on here, but Id make reservations to stay in a cabin now. I have a contact for that if you need it? Theres a shootout reenactment, a Smithsonian museum, a rodeo every single night plus usually a few festivals. heck, you will even drive through 4-5 different elk areas on your way!

 

[CoHiCntry]

We did this trip a few years ago. If you haven't figure it out already... rent your rooms NOW! I'm planning a Glacier trip and there was already slim picking for both July & August. I luckily found what I was looking for and booked them last night.

We did Yellowstone in a loop and I thought that was the best route to take. This way you get to see most of the park. We stayed at old faithful in the "rough rider" cabins for a night or two. Nothing fancy, and really small but it's a bed and a shower. From there we headed up to Mammoth for a night or two. Mammoth was my favorite part of the park. Much less congested. We stayed in a room/ cabin right in town. I woke the first morning to the sounds of bugling elk that kept getting closer and closer. So close that I finally reached over and opened the curtains to see a herd of elk coming down the hill right outside our room! It was really neat. From there we head over to Yellowstone lake and stayed in a cabin right across the street from the lake. This area was even less congested yet. We took it easy on this leg of the trip and spent some time in the evening just sitting on the porch of the lodge looking out over the lake as the sun went down.

At every place we stayed for a couple day's we took in whatever was in the area. Geysers, hiking, wildlife viewing etc. This way your not driving all over the place trying to see things. Thats the bad thing about picking one place to stay the entire trip is it makes it hard to see other parts of the park without tons of driving. If I did it again I'd do a loop type stay again. It's a beautiful place with lots to see and do! Have fun!

 

[Matthoek21]

I took my wife and kids on a summer vacation two years ago to Yellowstone. We left GA and drove to St. Louis and did the arch. After that we headed over to St Joseph, MO and stayed in a hotel with an indoor waterside. Kids loved it. Day 3 we headed to Sioux Falls, S.D. And saw the falls and stayed in another hotel with a waterside inside. Next morning headed over towards Rapid City but first stopped and saw the Prarie dogs then the Badlands, then Wall Drug, then off to ride the bob sled looking track in MT Rushmore and finished the night with MT. Rushmore presentation. Next morning we went through Custer State Park which was cool and spent some more time around MT. Rushmore. After that we headed over to Custer's Battlefield in MT. Walked around there and then headed off to Buffalo, WY. While in Buffalo we found out about the Occidental Hotel which we thought was really cool. The next day we drove to Cody to hang out there for a day and take in the gunfight and the rodeo. The rodeo was the best I've seen. I've been to 3 PBR Bull Riding Shows and I thought the Cody rodeo was better than that. Kids got to go down and chase a calf to try and pull a string off his tale. Pretty cool stuff. My son wanted to be in the rodeo after that night. Next morning we went to Yellowstone. On the way in we say 3 huge Bighorn rams. We did the north loop first and stayed in Cooke city, MT. Saw a grizzly the first day in the Hayden Valley. Next day we did south loop and tried seeing the wolves. We saw Old Faithful and every other site in the park. That night after waiting on the wolves up in the Lamar Valley we drove to West Fork Cabins out 287 in Cameron, MT. I love these cabins along the Madison river. We got up the next morning and fished with my old boss Arrick Swanson from Arrick's Fly Shop and one of his guides Matt Morrell that I sold my drift boat to when I left West Yellowstone. We had a great time and the kids all caught some nice fish.next morning we drove back to the park and went out towards Jackson, WY on our way back. We drove through the Tetons and Jackson and then stayed in RockSprings, WY. that night. Next day we had tickets to see the Colorado MLS team play the LA Galaxy. My middle son is a big La Galaxy fan. So we spent that night in Denver. After Denver we drove back to St. Louis and stayed with some friends. Next day we made it home. Literally like 11 states in 11 days or something like that with exactly 5,000 miles driven. Best trip ever and recommend everyone to do it at least once in their lifetime. We ended up seeing every animal the kids wanted to see except mountain lion and mountain goat.

 

[xtreme]

Never been there in the summer. We use to meet friends every winter and snowmobile from West Yellowstone. Once the Greenies took it over we never went back. It is well worth seeing, I did see a wolf, and of course Bison and elk were in the snow covered roads. My snowmobile never scared a bison and the air was clean. I had been told the air was filled with two stroke smoke, even the rangers used two stroke sleds.

 

[Matthoek21]

I also went snowmobiling out of West Yellowstone back in 97. That was awesome. No guide needed to do the park back then. We to ran into bison. They acted not scared. Was one of the coolest thing I had ever done.

 

[wildstreak]

I took my wife and kids on a summer vacation two years ago to Yellowstone. We left GA and drove to St. Louis and did the arch. After that we headed over to St Joseph, MO and stayed in a hotel with an indoor waterside. Kids loved it. Day 3 we headed to Sioux Falls, S.D. And saw the falls and stayed in another hotel with a waterside inside. Next morning headed over towards Rapid City but first stopped and saw the Prarie dogs then the Badlands, then Wall Drug, then off to ride the bob sled looking track in MT Rushmore and finished the night with MT. Rushmore presentation. Next morning we went through Custer State Park which was cool and spent some more time around MT. Rushmore. After that we headed over to Custer's Battlefield in MT. Walked around there and then headed off to Buffalo, WY. While in Buffalo we found out about the Occidental Hotel which we thought was really cool. The next day we drove to Cody to hang out there for a day and take in the gunfight and the rodeo. The rodeo was the best I've seen. I've been to 3 PBR Bull Riding Shows and I thought the Cody rodeo was better than that. Kids got to go down and chase a calf to try and pull a string off his tale. Pretty cool stuff. My son wanted to be in the rodeo after that night. Next morning we went to Yellowstone. On the way in we say 3 huge Bighorn rams. We did the north loop first and stayed in Cooke city, MT. Saw a grizzly the first day in the Hayden Valley. Next day we did south loop and tried seeing the wolves. We saw Old Faithful and every other site in the park. That night after waiting on the wolves up in the Lamar Valley we drove to West Fork Cabins out 287 in Cameron, MT. I love these cabins along the Madison river. We got up the next morning and fished with my old boss Arrick Swanson from Arrick's Fly Shop and one of his guides Matt Morrell that I sold my drift boat to when I left West Yellowstone. We had a great time and the kids all caught some nice fish.next morning we drove back to the park and went out towards Jackson, WY on our way back. We drove through the Tetons and Jackson and then stayed in RockSprings, WY. that night. Next day we had tickets to see the Colorado MLS team play the LA Galaxy. My middle son is a big La Galaxy fan. So we spent that night in Denver. After Denver we drove back to St. Louis and stayed with some friends. Next day we made it home. Literally like 11 states in 11 days or something like that with exactly 5,000 miles driven. Best trip ever and recommend everyone to do it at least once in their lifetime. We ended up seeing every animal the kids wanted to see except mountain lion and mountain goat.

Thanks.

Were heading towards Yellowstone first, with an overnight stop in Sidney. One night in Cody, then to the south gate to stay a couple nights in Headwater cabins, then over to west yellowstone for 3 nights, then up to Gardiner for a couple of nights. From there we are coming back through South Dakota to check out Mt. rushmore and Custer.

 

[RICMIC]

When you're making the loop, you will likely stop by Artist's Point to take some pictures of Yellowstone Falls. There is a cool stairway built into the cliff that goes halfway down the canyon. My grand-daughters were even impressed, but it is a real grind coming back up.
Good training for your next hunt.

 

[hoshour]

If you're driving from KY you'll likely be going through SD. My wife and I mildly enjoyed the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore (my wife was more impressed than I was) and Custer State Park on the way to Yellowstone.

Google may send you up through MT but it's better to go through Sheridan, WY from western South Dakota and head straight west through the Big Horn Mts to Cody. The Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody is pretty cool.

I have seen a lot of the national parks. Yellowstone is the first and the best. It doesn't take very long to see it, just a couple days if you only hit the main sites but of course you might want to stay a few days for hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, exploring, ranger programs, etc. We saw grizzlies, black bears and bighorn sheep right on the road, all kinds of elk and deer, lots of buffalo and antelope galore on the way there.

Like a lot of folks, we stayed in West Yellowstone for the lower prices. Its an easy drive into the Park. It is getting really late to book inside the park and it is expensive. Most park events and even stuff in Cody start June 1 and end Aug 31. We went the last week of May and some things were not up and running.

If you've got the time, I would drive back by going south out of the park through the magnificent Tetons, then through Rawlins and down through Saratoga and Walden, CO back through Denver and take 70 East. It definitely takes more time but it's awfully nice.

Otherwise, the drive from NW Wyoming angling SE through Wyoming is really dull and eastern Colorado or western Nebraska are sure not much to see either. If you don't take the longer way back through Colorado I would just go back the way you came through South Dakota.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

If you travel through Cody, WY (eastern side of Yellowstone) my wife and I loved the Cowboy Village Cabins and stayed there a few times. They were built in 2006 and were very nice, and had a great quality bed too. The Proud Cut in Cody had a great steak too.

http://www.thecodycowboyvillage.com

Also the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum and the Cody Firearms Museum are worth seeing:

http://centerofthewest.org/#_=_

http://centerofthewest.org/explore/firearms/

 

[hoshour]

I'll second you on those reccs. I also stayed at the Cowboy Cabins and liked it, and I always go to the Proud Cut when I'm in town. The museum's firearms collection is way more interesting than I thought it might be. Definitely worth some time.

 

[Matthoek21]

Thanks.

Were heading towards Yellowstone first, with an overnight stop in Sidney. One night in Cody, then to the south gate to stay a couple nights in Headwater cabins, then over to west yellowstone for 3 nights, then up to Gardiner for a couple of nights. From there we are coming back through South Dakota to check out Mt. rushmore and Custer.

I recommend stopping by the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, WY if you like cowboys and old western stuff. The firearm museum in Cody was also cool but the rodeo was the kids favorite. If you have kids. West Yellowstone is my 'ol stomping grounds. Stop by Arricks Fly Shop and tell him Arrick I sent ya. Although I should warn ya he's not a talker. If you've got time, float and fly fish the Madison River. It is by far my favorite. P.M. Me if you got any specifics you need help with. I may can make a few recommendations.