ksbeem

Hi:

My family (two adults, three teen-age kids) is planning a trip to Yellowstone this summer. We'll be staying in West Yellowstone for five nights and spending time in the park each day.

What are your favorite ranger-led walks? We are not particular and like everything -- just suggest away!!!

Thanks in advance.

tomfuller

Are you sure that you can't get at least one night at either Old Faithful or Mammoth?
There are plenty of paved paths with boardwalks at the main geyser basins. Most people stick to the trails on self guided hikes.
If you see wildlife while driving, pull completely off the road before exiting the car to take a picture. Drivers do get tickets for stopping on the road blocking through traffic.

ksbeem

Nope, we're staying in West Yellowstone the entire time. We want to take at least one ranger-led walk to get a different perspective and learn different things. Can you suggest any?

starrs

Years ago I took a ranger led hike to standing petrified trees. I'm not sure if they still offer it but it was wonderful.

At the Grand Canyon North Rim I took a night hike wihout lights on trail to the rim. I've recently taken a night hike into a gorge = 1000 steps. If they offer a night hike I'd sign up.

I'd also like to take a morning wildlife hike.

sludick

If you haven't already visited the ranger-led program section on the park site, here it is: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/rangerprog.htm

I see there are some evening programs for stargazing and Yellowstone's unique wonders, that would be fun. Also, be sure to catch at least one about wildlife and another through some geysers. In West Yellowstone, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is also wonderful (although you will pay to enter and it is not actually part of the park, they do a wonderful job).

Myer

You specifically mentioned walks. I wonder if that tells us something.

Last summer I took my daughter and then 7 year old granddaughter to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. We're all (yes the little one has her own DSLR camera) photographers.

About a month after we booked the trip I was telling them about a hike I had done on my previous Yellowstone visit. I told them that I didn't expect to do that hike again.

About a month after that we were at a restaurant and the granddaughter kept telling her mother "tell him". I finally asked "tell him what?". My daughter told me that the granddaughter wanted to try that hike I had told them about.

Well she hiked to the top of Mt Washburn. In the week we were there the weather was absolutely perfect. Well, except for the last part of the hike up when it hailed on us and all the way down when it poured on us.

She didn't care about the weather. She made it to the top!!!

If you're looking for a challenge, I'd consider Mt Washburn. It's 3.5 miles up to a ranger station. The trail is a smooth, dirt road that's used to take supplies up to the ranger station.

The problem is that it starts at 8,800 ft and ends at over 10,300 ft of elevation. Not a ranger-led hike but you won't be alone.

Ozarksbill

Oh I do remember the ranger walks in Yellowstone and other national parks years ago. Our three kids followed closely. Thing is, we should always seek to know more about the environment, sometimes just down a forest path. The big picture is a mountain range and the little picture is some rare flower along the trail.