Canadian Rockies or Grand Teton/Yellowston/Glacier
Aug 7th, 2003, 09:54 AM
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Canadian Rockies or Grand Teton/Yellowston/Glacier
I'm planning a trip for next summer and am trying to decide between Jackson Hole-GrandTeton-Yellowston-Bozeman-Choteau (for a fossil dig)-Glacier or a trip to the Canadian Rockies with a stop and fossil dig in Calgary. I have two kids; the older one (13 yo) has gone on some digs before. We like the nature experience and don't want to spend all our time in a car (we plan to rent a car with a one-way drop-off). We also like to balance the nature with occasional bouts of cultural urban sightseeing. Any opinions or suggestions?
Aug 7th, 2003, 09:11 PM
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TravelinMom:
I have never been to the Canadian Rockies...I have grown up in Wyoming.
About 2 and a half hours away from Yellowstone is a town called Thermopolis. They have the world's largest hot springs pools, and a great dinosaur center with dig sites. You can also find some in the town of Glenrock, WY.
While the towns are not huge here, you will find many "urban" things at Jackson, WY. A beautiful ski town populated by the rich and famous of WY and even Hollywood (Harrison Ford has a ranch there as well as VP Dick Cheney).
I may be a little biased, but I think you would love WY.
I have never been to the Canadian Rockies...I have grown up in Wyoming.
About 2 and a half hours away from Yellowstone is a town called Thermopolis. They have the world's largest hot springs pools, and a great dinosaur center with dig sites. You can also find some in the town of Glenrock, WY.
While the towns are not huge here, you will find many "urban" things at Jackson, WY. A beautiful ski town populated by the rich and famous of WY and even Hollywood (Harrison Ford has a ranch there as well as VP Dick Cheney).
I may be a little biased, but I think you would love WY.
Aug 8th, 2003, 06:15 AM
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Here's a link to the Thermopolis Dinosaur Museum:
http://server1.wyodino.org/index_frames.htm
http://server1.wyodino.org/index_frames.htm
Aug 8th, 2003, 06:35 AM
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I have never been to Yellowstone but have been to the Canadian Rockies and Glacier NP. I found the beauty in the C.Rockies to be amazing and now I am ruined for scenery. Nothing compares, even Glacier. I can't wait to return.
Aug 8th, 2003, 07:53 AM
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Well, I did both this summer, although 4 days in Yellowstone flew by. It was not my first trip, so we went to see "old friends".
I am not familiar with dinosaur digs in Calgary. The ones I know about are handled through the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, with something usually going on at Dinosaur Provincial Park to the east of Drumheller.
The Choteau site is where John Horner has done so much with hadrosaurs. He has unuearthed nests of eggs and quite a few nearly complete skeletons.
His work is almost legendary in the field. He also directed the unearthing of a T Rex that was nearly complete, but that was not near Choteau.
I think you have two choices:
spread yourself thin and see a lot, or drop something off the schedule and see a smaller area in greater detail.
If I had the choice, I am not sure what I would do. You can drive from West Yellowstone to Calgary in one long day.
We did the run from Lethbridge to West Yellowstone in about 8 hours total time, which is not bad.
We took I 15 as far as a Montana route that saved a few miles cutting over to I 90 and then we headed south to Yellowstone to the west of Bozeman. It was a Sunday, and the highway was crowded. On a weekday, I think our time would have improved by at least 15 minutes, perhaps 30.
Having visited both the Museum of the Rockies and the Tyrrell Museum, I would pick the Tyrrell Museum for an emphasis on paleontology.
I cannot compare the actual educational experience of the dinosaur digs at the various places. There is a need, however, for skilled volunteer help to do the dirty work of getting a fossil out of the ground because it is a hot and tedious business that requires total dedication.
Let me throw out one more thought.
One trek you can take in Yoho National park is a visit to the Burgess Shale quarries. Some of the rarist fossils in the world from the Cambrian period have been unearthed there.
Not only do you get to see a rare fossil trove, but the scenery you view while struggling up the mountains side is fantastic.
By the way, how much is your rental car drop fee?
ALSO, are you going from Canada to the US or the other way? Either way, have something in writing from someone at the rental desk statisng that you may take the car out of the country! For some reason botht the US and the Canadian border officials are checking on this aspect of border crossings more stringently.
This past time, I had got the 3rd degree at the US crossing because I was an American driving a Canadian car.
I handed the fellow my passport and the rental contract, but he still was not satisfied. First he asked me where I got the car and where I was returning it, and where I lived, and why was an American driving a Canadian car? Then he told me my insurance was not any good, which was as crock of you know what. (I had reviewed my coverage with the top claims people in the souteast regional claims office of my insurance company. I know the senior claims guy personally and called him directly. He asked his automobile insurance specialist before answering just to make sure.)
So the border guy felt he knew more about car insurance than the senior claims agent for an insurance company.
At any rate, have your papers in order and don't argue. The more you talk the more the border person asks questions. And the longer you sit there answering dumb questions like "Where do you live?" and "Whose car is this?" After the 3rd time I answered the where do you live question I decided they guy either had a short memory or he did not understand English very well.
Above all, don't get cute or smart with them. I was almost tempted to day, "I think my passport tells you that." But the conversation was getting testy and he had a pistol.
My advice is say as little as possible, but answer the questions. Yes and No are the best. Don't elaborate! It just seems to lead to more questions.
The Canadians asked me a few questions also when I went back to Calgary, but they were not as bad. The main question dealt with permission to take the car into the US.
Given the prevelance and the persistency of the question, I think it easier to be prepared. However, in the US case, don't be surprised if you get asked, "Where did you get the letter?"
I am not familiar with dinosaur digs in Calgary. The ones I know about are handled through the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, with something usually going on at Dinosaur Provincial Park to the east of Drumheller.
The Choteau site is where John Horner has done so much with hadrosaurs. He has unuearthed nests of eggs and quite a few nearly complete skeletons.
His work is almost legendary in the field. He also directed the unearthing of a T Rex that was nearly complete, but that was not near Choteau.
I think you have two choices:
spread yourself thin and see a lot, or drop something off the schedule and see a smaller area in greater detail.
If I had the choice, I am not sure what I would do. You can drive from West Yellowstone to Calgary in one long day.
We did the run from Lethbridge to West Yellowstone in about 8 hours total time, which is not bad.
We took I 15 as far as a Montana route that saved a few miles cutting over to I 90 and then we headed south to Yellowstone to the west of Bozeman. It was a Sunday, and the highway was crowded. On a weekday, I think our time would have improved by at least 15 minutes, perhaps 30.
Having visited both the Museum of the Rockies and the Tyrrell Museum, I would pick the Tyrrell Museum for an emphasis on paleontology.
I cannot compare the actual educational experience of the dinosaur digs at the various places. There is a need, however, for skilled volunteer help to do the dirty work of getting a fossil out of the ground because it is a hot and tedious business that requires total dedication.
Let me throw out one more thought.
One trek you can take in Yoho National park is a visit to the Burgess Shale quarries. Some of the rarist fossils in the world from the Cambrian period have been unearthed there.
Not only do you get to see a rare fossil trove, but the scenery you view while struggling up the mountains side is fantastic.
By the way, how much is your rental car drop fee?
ALSO, are you going from Canada to the US or the other way? Either way, have something in writing from someone at the rental desk statisng that you may take the car out of the country! For some reason botht the US and the Canadian border officials are checking on this aspect of border crossings more stringently.
This past time, I had got the 3rd degree at the US crossing because I was an American driving a Canadian car.
I handed the fellow my passport and the rental contract, but he still was not satisfied. First he asked me where I got the car and where I was returning it, and where I lived, and why was an American driving a Canadian car? Then he told me my insurance was not any good, which was as crock of you know what. (I had reviewed my coverage with the top claims people in the souteast regional claims office of my insurance company. I know the senior claims guy personally and called him directly. He asked his automobile insurance specialist before answering just to make sure.)
So the border guy felt he knew more about car insurance than the senior claims agent for an insurance company.
At any rate, have your papers in order and don't argue. The more you talk the more the border person asks questions. And the longer you sit there answering dumb questions like "Where do you live?" and "Whose car is this?" After the 3rd time I answered the where do you live question I decided they guy either had a short memory or he did not understand English very well.
Above all, don't get cute or smart with them. I was almost tempted to day, "I think my passport tells you that." But the conversation was getting testy and he had a pistol.
My advice is say as little as possible, but answer the questions. Yes and No are the best. Don't elaborate! It just seems to lead to more questions.
The Canadians asked me a few questions also when I went back to Calgary, but they were not as bad. The main question dealt with permission to take the car into the US.
Given the prevelance and the persistency of the question, I think it easier to be prepared. However, in the US case, don't be surprised if you get asked, "Where did you get the letter?"
Aug 8th, 2003, 06:43 PM
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Thanks for the ideas. Bob, I guess I wasn't clear with my question. I'm not planning to do all on my trip. One alternative is Canadian Rockies (thanks for the tip about fossils in Yoho; that park was on my list, but I only knew about the Royal Tyrrell museum). If we do this, I'll probably pick up the car in Calgary and drop it off there. If I do the Wyoming/Montana trip, I'll pick up the car at the Jackson airport and drop it off at Kalispell. The drop off fee is only $100 -- well worth it to me since we save a day and probably a tank of gas. (And I don't like to spend more than 4 hours at a stretch unless I break it up with at least a half day of activity.) I checked out a drop off at Calgary from Jackson Hole, but the price more than doubled (from about $560 to about $1175). As for driving a US car in Canada, the only border crossing I was thinking of was to go to Waterton Lakes Park, but if I can't, I think I'll still have plenty to do on the US side.
Sep 26th, 2003, 12:49 PM
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TravelinMom,
I've been to the Canadian Rockies twice and Yellowstone many times. Both are excellent choices for vacation so you will have a good time no matter which one you choose.
Since you have young kids I would lean towards a trip with Yellowstone in it because it is unique, diverse, scenic and educational. Our two boys loved going there at all ages.
If you choose the Canadian Rockies then it is a good place to get up close and personal with a glacier! The Icefield Highway is my favorite mountain destination.
I'm no help with fossil digs.
Utahtea
I've been to the Canadian Rockies twice and Yellowstone many times. Both are excellent choices for vacation so you will have a good time no matter which one you choose.
Since you have young kids I would lean towards a trip with Yellowstone in it because it is unique, diverse, scenic and educational. Our two boys loved going there at all ages.
If you choose the Canadian Rockies then it is a good place to get up close and personal with a glacier! The Icefield Highway is my favorite mountain destination.
I'm no help with fossil digs.
Utahtea
Sep 26th, 2003, 01:12 PM
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The Fort Peck Lake area is a great place for fossil digging. A local friend who is seriously into fossil digs (he's been to several sites internationally) goes to Fort Peck several times a year to dig.
Sep 27th, 2003, 08:49 PM
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Both choices are great.
However, if time is less than a week then Canadian rockies is a better choice. You need atleast a week to do justice to tetons, yellowstone and glacier national parks.
Scenery is great on both trips. However with yellowstone you have interesting geology(educational for the kids) along with greater chances for wildlife "encounters".
If you more than a week i would recommend glacier-tetons-yellowstone.
However, if time is less than a week then Canadian rockies is a better choice. You need atleast a week to do justice to tetons, yellowstone and glacier national parks.
Scenery is great on both trips. However with yellowstone you have interesting geology(educational for the kids) along with greater chances for wildlife "encounters".
If you more than a week i would recommend glacier-tetons-yellowstone.
