Another Yellowstone Lodging question
Apr 29th, 2015, 08:40 AM
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Another Yellowstone Lodging question
I'm planning our (DH, myself and two sons, who will be 12 and 10) summer 2016 vacation to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons/Glacier NPs, and eagerly awaiting making my reservations on May 1 for Yellowstone. I've narrowed down our Yellowstone time to 2 nights at Old Faithful Inn, hopefully in the East wing rooms with a private bathroom, and then the next two nights at Roosevelt Lodge, hopefully in one of the cabins with our own bathroom. I plan on calling first thing when they open on Friday to make my reservations, but I have also read it can be a nightmare trying to get through and I still might not be lucky.
I am not fond of sharing bathrooms when they involve a walk out into nature, so a private bathroom at Roosevelt Lodge is a necessity in my book. And I read there were only 10-12 Roosevelt Lodge cabins with a private bathroom. I need a backup lodging suggestion, in case I don't get one of those treasured cabins for these two nights - I like the look of the Yellowstone Lake lodge/cabins, but I was hoping to stay further away from the OFI area since the whole point of switching locations is to minimize our driving when seeing other areas of the park. What are people's thoughts on the Canyon and Mammoth Hot Springs areas for lodging? Where else would you suggest saying for the other two nights if we can't get Roosevelt?
Also - I'm operating under the assumption that with so many rooms, at differing levels, available at OFI, that I don't need a backup for those 2 nights when I call on May 1 (other than possibly going down to a - gasp - shared bathroom), but is this a wrong assumption?
I've been working on this trip since Labor Day - when I found out it was too late to book lodging for Summer 2015
- and had so much time to plan, and now all of a sudden, May 1 is here, and I have so many other thoughts/questions. The pressure!!
I am not fond of sharing bathrooms when they involve a walk out into nature, so a private bathroom at Roosevelt Lodge is a necessity in my book. And I read there were only 10-12 Roosevelt Lodge cabins with a private bathroom. I need a backup lodging suggestion, in case I don't get one of those treasured cabins for these two nights - I like the look of the Yellowstone Lake lodge/cabins, but I was hoping to stay further away from the OFI area since the whole point of switching locations is to minimize our driving when seeing other areas of the park. What are people's thoughts on the Canyon and Mammoth Hot Springs areas for lodging? Where else would you suggest saying for the other two nights if we can't get Roosevelt?
Also - I'm operating under the assumption that with so many rooms, at differing levels, available at OFI, that I don't need a backup for those 2 nights when I call on May 1 (other than possibly going down to a - gasp - shared bathroom), but is this a wrong assumption?
I've been working on this trip since Labor Day - when I found out it was too late to book lodging for Summer 2015
- and had so much time to plan, and now all of a sudden, May 1 is here, and I have so many other thoughts/questions. The pressure!!
Apr 29th, 2015, 09:38 AM
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When I was there I stayed in the Old Faithful area and just visited the other locations - so this thought is based just on my impressions of the outside. I loved the lake area, very pretty and nice for some quiet hiking. Of the places you mentioned, it was my favorite place to imagine mainly relaxing.
Canyon area is also nice for hiking and I believe it's the farthest from the OFI area. I also recalled it seemed more like a family area with more campsites, plus you're closer to the Lamar Valley area if you have activities planned there. The hot springs area has more going on. You're nearer a big entrance to the park, and there is a lot to see if you just walk out. But it's also a busy area of the park (that could be a good or bad, but there's more activity) and some people find the scent from the pools offputting.
You really can't go wrong with nay part of Yellowstone, but it depends on your preferences.
Canyon area is also nice for hiking and I believe it's the farthest from the OFI area. I also recalled it seemed more like a family area with more campsites, plus you're closer to the Lamar Valley area if you have activities planned there. The hot springs area has more going on. You're nearer a big entrance to the park, and there is a lot to see if you just walk out. But it's also a busy area of the park (that could be a good or bad, but there's more activity) and some people find the scent from the pools offputting.
You really can't go wrong with nay part of Yellowstone, but it depends on your preferences.
Apr 30th, 2015, 11:18 AM
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Hi, Kitty: It sounds like you and I have the same itinerary in mind--especially the Roosevelt cabins! But we're going to need 4 of them, because our extended family is traveling together. The odds are pretty slim, I know. I hope we're not trying to book the same days! Bon chance tomorrow--At 8:00 am, along with thousands of our nearest and dearest, I'll have my finger on the "put the call through" button. Let us know what you get!
May 1st, 2015, 01:59 PM
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Wanted to update my original post, and report in on my booking success. At about ten minutes before the anointed hour this morning, I was able to book the Roosevelt Lodge cabin online. Once 8am mtn time hit, the website stopped responding for about 15 minutes, and the phones at the 1-866 number did nothing, and at the direct line on the site, just went to busy signal. After about 15 minutes, the website let me book rooms for Old Faithful Inn. My OH, who was manning the phones with redial all this time, never did get through before the website worked.
The fact that the website worked better than the phones seemed to go against the yellowstone booking lore, so maybe xanterra wised up and bought some extra cloud space for a few days. Anyways - in future years - I'd recommend the website as the preferred booking method.
And yay for me - I got my rooms I wanted! No one else in RL seems to understand how momentous this is for me, but I knew I could count on my fodorites to appreciate it.
I hope others were equally lucky.
The fact that the website worked better than the phones seemed to go against the yellowstone booking lore, so maybe xanterra wised up and bought some extra cloud space for a few days. Anyways - in future years - I'd recommend the website as the preferred booking method.
And yay for me - I got my rooms I wanted! No one else in RL seems to understand how momentous this is for me, but I knew I could count on my fodorites to appreciate it.
I hope others were equally lucky.
May 4th, 2015, 01:17 PM
#11
I've been to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons twice. Several years ago I went with a friend and last summer I took my daughter and then 7 year old granddaughter.
We are all (yes even the granddaughter) photographers.
For both trips we stayed in OF area, Canyon and Signal Mtn Lodge in GTNP.
During the month leading up to the second trip my granddaughter told me she wanted to try that hike I had told them about that I didn't expect to do again.
She wanted to try Mt Washburn. That's 3 1/2 miles up to a ranger station ate the top of the mountain. The trail is pretty wide and smooth. So no problem. The problem is that it starts at 8,800 feet and goes up to almost 10,400 ft. Not much oxygen.
The day of the hike was cloudy (the only cloudy day of the trip). About half way up the clouds really rolled in and it hailed on us for a while. Then it started to pour just as we got to the ranger station. It was cold and damp inside but dry.
After an hour it stop raining so we took a photo a the sign and started down. Within a couple of minutes it started to rain again. Our rain gear helped but only so much. It poured the entire 1 1/2 hours down (it took 3 1/2 hour to go up).
But she made it to the top and is proud of that.
If you're looking for a good hike I highly recommend it.
It's between Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon.
We are all (yes even the granddaughter) photographers.
For both trips we stayed in OF area, Canyon and Signal Mtn Lodge in GTNP.
During the month leading up to the second trip my granddaughter told me she wanted to try that hike I had told them about that I didn't expect to do again.
She wanted to try Mt Washburn. That's 3 1/2 miles up to a ranger station ate the top of the mountain. The trail is pretty wide and smooth. So no problem. The problem is that it starts at 8,800 feet and goes up to almost 10,400 ft. Not much oxygen.
The day of the hike was cloudy (the only cloudy day of the trip). About half way up the clouds really rolled in and it hailed on us for a while. Then it started to pour just as we got to the ranger station. It was cold and damp inside but dry.
After an hour it stop raining so we took a photo a the sign and started down. Within a couple of minutes it started to rain again. Our rain gear helped but only so much. It poured the entire 1 1/2 hours down (it took 3 1/2 hour to go up).
But she made it to the top and is proud of that.
If you're looking for a good hike I highly recommend it.
It's between Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon.
May 31st, 2015, 04:28 PM
#12
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Loved your post! I'm glad you had success with the web-site. We're one year ahead of you - I had the exact same experience last year. We wanted to go summer of 2014, but everything was booked when I figured it out. So, we booked last May 1st for this summer. We're doing Yellowstone and Grand Teton (and Badlands and a few other stops on the way out) - and I hope to write a trip report (I loved reading everyone's trip reports during my long wait).
Our kids are 11, 11 & 12.
Our kids are 11, 11 & 12.
Jun 9th, 2015, 10:51 AM
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There should still be rooms available in Yellowstone for summer 2016, as long as you are flexible with dates and location. I wouldn't give up this early...May 1 was just the start of booking for next year I think.
