I tried to edit the above post for easier reading, but it would not let me. Hope you can understand it the way it is.

I would add a meal at Lake Lodge in Yellowstone. Your list is a great print & go guide!!!!

Thanks, Aunt Annie!

Definitely add the wildlife museum in Jackson. (I forget its name.)

Thanks, Howard! I bet you recognized a lot of your advice on my list. You are a wonderful help! I am searching for the name now and will add the museum to the list.

OMG, Howard! BEAUTIFUL architecture!

National Museum of Wildlife Art
Open daily 9 - 5
2820 Rungius Road
Jackson Hole, WY 83002
ph. 800-313-9553
Adult Admission $10.00 per person.
Children 18 and under visit FREE when accompanied by an adult.

LOTS of great things going on there in addition to the museum itself. Thanks so much, Howard!

Wow! What a great list, BayouGal. That is most helpful!

Great list, BayouGal. I'll definitely print it. We'll be there just before you in Sept. Really looking forward to it. I'll be sure to go thru my notes and see if there's anything I have that's not on your list.

BayouGirl, you will love that area. September is great month to go there...the best month of the year for a visit....The foliage is beautiful, the weather is great, the crowds are gone, the animal sightings are everywhere.

Bayou Gal! Your itinerary is really useful 4 me. been checking it out from what I can over the internet. I was, as you may remember from my post, trying to squeeze too much into a 15 day trip. I am planning to get to the US 01-03 September and am now considering focusing on Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Think I can come along??

BayouGal,
Thank you, A most helpful post.
I have been reading this message board over the last several months and have become very familiar with all of the regular posters. Thanks to all of you who have unknowingly helped to plan our Sept trip to Yellowstone & Grand Teton.
BayouGal, you always asked my questions before I had a chance and got the answers. I think we are doing a similar trip & will be in the parks about the same time as you. Did you decide to spend the night in Cody?
I think you decided to stay at Signal
Mt. in GT. We will be in GT on Sept 21 for 3 nights and we are still undecided between Signal Mt and the condos at Teton Village. I'm just concerned about the driving back and forth. Any suggestions or recommends!!

thanks again to all of you!!

This is great...thank you. I am just starting to think about next summer's trip (always have to have at least one on the drawing board )and a road trip in that part of the west is one of the top possibilities I am considering right now.

Oh, how we loved Yellowstone. The best part, in retrospect, was having our transmission go out near Tower/Roosevelt Lodge and being forced to stay an extra week, slow down, and enjoy it. Being low in cash made the one ice cream cone each we allowed ourselves at Tower store such a treat.

We camped in Slough Creek, highly recommended, in late August, and saw young wolves gambolling near the junction of Slough Creek turnoff and the main road. Lamar Valley is beautiful and quiet in the evening.

I am so glad this thread is proving beneficial for so many! I enjoy helping with travel planning . . . can you tell? And I feel STRONGLY about repaying in kind for all the valuable help I have received from so many!

Sikki, how much do you weigh? Maybe you'll fit in my duffle bag! Please let me know how your planning is going. Where are you now? I think I read on the Europe forum that you are in Pakistan (?) . . . sounds like you are planning some great trips!

sharondi, when do to you get back from your trip? Please post any good ideas you've come up with so far. This board works much better if we all share our "secrets." LoL BTW, what's your itinerary, OR what is the title of the thread with your itinerary?

HowardR, any and all reassurance and encouragement from you (an expert who's always most helpful) means more than you know!

Yes, Link, we are overnighting one night in Cody. No reservations yet, however. BTW, got my 2 nights at OFI. SOOOOOO excited about that! What's the delimma between Signal Mt and the Condos?

I agree, fun4all4, and planning can be one of the best parts, huh?!

stokebailey, you sound like a really neat person . . . I love it when folks can turn lemons into lemonade. You make me really glad we're going to Yellowstone soon!

BayouGal,
I'm sure your compilation of info will be very helpful for others looking into this area.

We really loved walking through the Upper Geyser Basin late at night with a full moon and also very early in the morning. There was a very magical feeling being surrounded by the steam from large and minute thermal features.

Thanks, Clousie. You seem to offer me good advice no matter where we're going. I am looking forward to some "night viewing" . . . one of the best parts of staying in our great parks. Unfortunately, looks like they'll be NO moon while we're there, but we'll still try.

Oops . . . grammar/senile moment alert--that should be "there will" not they'll. Lordy!

Hi to all
Re; To stay at Signal Mt. or Teton Village Condos?
I like the idea of just waking up and being right in the middle of things, but after spending 6 night in Yellowstone, my husband will have gone through too much TV withdrawal. No TV's at Signal Mt. The condos sound so nice especially after the NP lodging. Just trying to decide if it is worth the daily drive up to the lakes for our activities. BayouGal, So happy that you finally got your nights at Old Faithful, I know you have been trying every day, Congratulations!!! It pays to be persistent! Thanks again for compiling that great list.

Link, your husband's dilemma is exactly the reason I decided to include the overnight in Cody. We'll be at Dunraven in the park for 2 nights, then go to Cody for 1 night, on to Mammoth, OFI, then the last nights at Signal Mt before we fly out of Jackson. If you have read my threads, then you know I really debated those lasts night, too. My DH goes right back to work that next day so I had a tough decision. He finally made it in the end and wants to try what we have. Besides, I figure if it's too rough at Signal Mt, then we'll cancel the last night and find a modern hotel in town for the last night. It's such a tough decision to make, isn't it? We thought we'd have this same problem in Yosemite, Alaska, Grand Canyon, etc., but those areas were just so lovely that not having the extra amenities didn't matter at all.

BayouGal,
We plan to return home on Sat, Sept 16 but still haven't booked airfare. The flights from Albany to Salt Lake and especially Jackson all suck! It's kinda messing up our itinerary a little.

If all goes as planned, we should fly into SLC & head toward West Yellowstone - stay somewhere. Then we have 2 nights each in OF, Mammoth, & Canyon. Then one night at Signal Mtn. We still have the last night open but we'll probably need to make an early flight out of SLC the next day. Not sure yet.
We just bought a bunch of maps & info from the Yellowstone Association - they have been really helpful. Also bought a few books to take along.

Sharondi, we bought our tickets around Feb. It's hard now after Katrina to find good flights out of N.O. without paying a bundle, but when I found a reasonable fare to Jackson, I jumped on it. No matter how much I travel, I still have trouble knowing just when to purchase airline tickets. We actually saved money by flying into Jackson and renting a car there. I hope you can get it all straightened out soon. If I can help in any way, please let me know!

BTW, we arrive on Sept 15 and drive from Jackson to Canyon.

Good luck!

BayouGal,

Don't think you'll find Signal Mt "too rough" especially if you love magnificent scenery. It's a great location away from the crowds.

There is also a quite good (for the area) restaurant on the property. One side is more like a family restaurant, but the one to the left when you enter the building is a very nice dining room with moe upscale choices.

Enjoy!

Thanks, Clousie. That's what I figured. Hey, the more remote in Alaska, the more we loved it so I think these digs will be kind of upscale to us after that. LoL

Link, I forgot to tell you that we are staying in a rustic cabin with a gas fireplace at Signal Mountain. Hope you have a great trip!

Thanks Bayougal!! What a helpful list. We are trying to figure out where to go next June, and this moves Yellowstone and the Tetons up the list.

Hi Fun4all4--I guess you are as sick as I am--just back from one trip and planning the next. Where else are you considering?

Almost forgot, one other strong recommendation is to get a copy of Frommer's handy guidebook, "Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks." It's a most useful book, and it's small enough to carry around in your pocket or camera bag. Highly recommended.

HI digbydog!
I don't want to hijack this thread, especially as it is being set up as a resource....feel free to email me and I'd be happy to hash through our different thoughts - in fact, I'd love to hear what you are considering and other places you've been with the guys.

Did I miss anything on the list, all you Wyoming and Montana experts??? Thanks~

John, on another thread, recommended seeing the Lone Star Geyser which is near Old Faithful.

Here's an interesting map of volcanic activity, location of quakes, boundaries of cauldera, etc. http://tinyurl.com/omztx

Soxgirl, now that you are back from your trip, what would you add to this list?

Thanks!

Great list, BG!

I enjoy ranger led hikes in the National Parks. One day when I found myself solo (boys were fishing, SIL was shopping) I went on one to STANDING petrified trees on a ridge. What a great day.

Last week I went on a night hike at the GC North Rim.

Check the ranger led options while you are there for great experiences.

BayouGal,

I'll return the favor for your help on the Alaska board, by telling you that when you do the hike to Inspiration Point, be sure to go on farther. Although Inspiration Point is beautiful, Cascade Falls (I think that's the name) is gorgeous! We hiked quite a bit farther on--not hard at all--and saw a huge moose standing in the water just chewing and watching us. Don't miss the scenery on beyond "the point."

Also, we stayed last summer at Signal Mountain Lodge and loved it. We stayed in one of the rooms--bedroom, living/dining area, kitchenette, and bath--overlooking the lake. What a breathtaking sunset! Not rough at all, and believe me, I do not like it rough.

We also did a whitewater trip down the Snake River with Mad River Runners. Great trip.

In Yellowstone we hiked down Uncle Tom's Trail and really liked it. Lots of steps but not too bad. In fact, there was a gentleman with one leg doing the trip with crutches.

We along with 12 year-old son also did the Old West Cookout from Mammoth and really enjoyed it. This was on July 8 and it was freezing. A huge rain storm blew in and thank goodness we had taken our ski jackets and jeans!!

One of our best memories of Yellowstone was reading and playing games in front of the huge rock fireplace in the lobby. So cozy.

Have a great trip! We still are talking about ours a year later.

Lynda

Thanks, Lyn. Realize you're returning a favor, but you are also helping us all out!

SpeedBuggy,

Just reread the posts and saw yours regarding Lone Star Geyser. We did this hike and, although we had to wait 2 hours for the eruption, it was well worth the wait. The walk is rather long, but cool and very flat. The wait for the eruption was rather hot since it is not as wooded as the trail, but, oh my, what a site. I have pictures of it blowing into the air with a rainbow behind it. Of course, it was our first geyser, but we would do it again in a heartbeat. If you have access to bikes, that would be the ideal way to go.

Just make sure you take a book or something in case there is a long wait; although, you can hike on into the countryside, but we didn't have any bug repellant and the bugs about drove us crazy. They weren't too bad as long as we stayed out in the open in the heat, but the slightest move to the trees, and on into the countryside, etc. and they were all over you. Make sure you have repellant with you.

By the way, the eruption will begin with starts and fits and you'll think, "Is that all there is?" But just wait it out and you will be well rewarded.

Link, I don't know if you've already done your trip, but Signal Mtn lodge has 2 TVs. One is in the bar, and the other in a lounge in the registration building. We just returned from our YNP/GTNP trip and had 2 nights at SML. Our 2-room cabin was fantastic. The front room, as well as our side porch, looked out over jackson Lake. I'd been trying to get a Lakeview room, couldn't, but we were thrilled with our cabin-not rustic by our standards, (although we'd just come from 2 terrific nights in the frontier cabins at Tower/Roosevelt.
Thanks to all of you and your postings, and your list, BayouGal, we did do the Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point walk. We were rewarded with 2 separate sightings of black bear and one bear cub up a tree, not 10 feet from the walking path. The guide books said the additional hike up Cascade Canyon, LynTom, was steep and strenuous, and long, so we opted out. Mistake? But, I was also told that there was a bull moose right in that Cascade Canyon. This was a couple of days ago. Caution: as the bison are in their rutting and mating season now, and were aggressive in YNP,and about one angry second away from our car, Sept is the rutting/mating season for moose. Be careful not to get close to bull moose then.
For another hike not mentioned; YNP, South Rim coupled with Ribbon Lake/Clear Lake. This 4-5 mile loop begins at Wapiti Lake Picnic Area (similar to Uncle Tom mentioned above). It climbs up and then along the South Rim, MUCH less crowded than the North Rim, goes to the other side of the Artist Point parking lot where you pick up Ribbon Lake trail, wends its way through a moonscape wasteland of bubbling mudpots, that you can get as close to as you care, around a lilypadded lake, then follow Clear Lake trail to a beautiful lake. When you come to a Y in the road, which has been knocked down constantly by wandering bison, go straight. You'll walk up and down through a beautiful, flower strewn meadow til you reach your car at Wapiti trailhead. The trip is a delight of contrasts, with surprises awaiting you at every turn.
Lost Lake, which starts behind the Tower/Roosevelt Lodge, is another climb up to a beautiful lilypad lake, great for picnicing if you bring your mosquito repellent.There are waterfalls back there too, and yellow bellied marmot.
I'll also throw in the hike at Mammoth, Hoodoo Trail. This climbs up the ridge of a mtn to a spot tht looks as though giants have been playing with gigantic boulders as though they were no more than pebbles to be tossed up in the air. The trail continues to another sight, or you can double back.
A word about the fires. My DH and i had been to YNP some 26 years ago before the fires. What happened is that otherwise tree-enclosed roads have now given way to exposed valleys and more dramatic vistas. And with the rich soil deposited by the burned trees, more vegetation has been able to thrive, and so the wildlife is more abundant. With the scorching temp of the fires, the lodgepole pine could release their seeds, hence the new growth also apparent in these 20 years.
Two more books to recommend, besides the Fommers are Yellowstone Day Hikes by Anderson and Exploring the Yellowstone Backcountry by Bach. Both have ideas of trails, length, difficulty, and in the case of Day Hikes, marvelous pictures.

Wow! Great information! Thanks soxgirl and Lynda - we all really appreciate your helpful posts!

Really appreciate all the great information for my upcoming trip. Thanks so much!

Great info!

Bookmarking for later...

Soxgirl:

The first part of the hike from Inspiration Point to Cascade Canyon (thank for the name) was fairly steep and narrow, but we are not hikers--especially the 12 year-old--and had no trouble whatsoever. The steep part is short and the scenery is well worth the trip. We did see a bull moose in the canyon. I wish that we had had the time to do the whole hike.

There were many people on the hike to Cascade Canyon that were either much older than we-we're in our 50s--or really little.

Thanks Soxgirl for remembering me and the TV dilemma, I actually just booked the Jackson Lake Lodge, found a great special on Travelzoo for $99 a night plus a $20 resort credit. Still no TV, hopefully he will just be too tired. We city folk are just not used to so much outdoors!

Sounds like you had a great trip, thanks for the report!

We almost had to cancel the entire trip due to DH job, but we ironed everything out, so now I can start reading the boards again.

Hi BayouGal, can you believe Sept is almost here. What dates will you be in the parks?

Link, Jackson Lake Lodge,which we visited, had some great perks; murals in dining room, stellar views, and-take the picnic hill trail heading up behind the main building. It was so named for Rockerfeller, who had picnics up there. Then, keep walking as it continues up a dirt path. This path has spokes heading out over the ridge above the Willow Flats. From there, we saw many bull moose! Hope you have a good zoom, or binoculars-you're a bit above them. Lyntom-thanks for the tip for others about Cascade Canyon. Next time for me

BayouGal
I just finished printing this 12 page list of things to do and am delighted.
Thanks all for your suggestions.
Especially the warning about the mosquitoes. I hadn't even given a thought to those little creatures. I have added "OFF" to our store list
We arrive at Old Faithful Lodge on September 11th for 2 days, then it's off to Cody ,via Beartooth highway,
for 2 more days.
Back to Yellowstone Lake for 3 days. then down to GTNP for a final 2 days in the Parks. Three more days in Salt Lake City then fly home.
Thanks to the many suggestions we will be busy every day.

Link, would you please share what deal you go through Travel Zoo? Where can it be found on their site? Thanks!

Hi SpeedBuggy,
I found the special for The Jackson Lake Lodge on the July 26 posting of Travelzoo. Although, it now says sold out I called the hotel directly and they still honored it. I was thrilled, because I didn't jump on it right away and thought I would miss out on a great deal(I hope). We will be there the nights of 9/21&22. Also, there is a two night min. and it is $99 per night plus a $20 activites credit.

Thanks soxgirl for all your great tips and your great reporting. We are really looking forward to our first trip to Yellowstone and all that surrounds it.

lyntom, sounds like you enjoyed the Lone Star Geyser, I'm just starting to gather this type of info for our trip, (any idea if it will still be buggy mid Sept?. I will be printing out these pages very soon!
I have not been on the Alaska board, but we were there 3 years ago for 3 weeks. If I can help I will try to get over there.

Thank you, Link! Maybe we'll see you there!

Lynda, if this is your first trip to Alaska, then rest assured that you will love it! Have fun!

bayouGal,

love the list. I will be there Sept. 22nd - 30th. Sounds like I plan like you do. Got my pages with each section printed out with what I want to do.

I have not done as much yet with the Tetons (I will be there two days). I noticed the tours you put down. I was curious where you found informatin about them. I am sure I will call, but thought I would see if I could read/see what you saw.

Thanks for sharing.

Such good suggestions everyone has given here. Thanks BG for putting this all together for us!

On the road from Jackson to Yellowstone in one of the turnouts, down a short washboard rickety road, we found a great area where we watched the beavers make their dams - and I'm talking huge dams. We were so taken with them that we'd go there each morning, set up our chairs, and watch them at work. Each visit, we noticed this tree slowly got eaten away each night, and then one morning it was down, leaves stripped.

Last time we were there was Fall of '04, and the trees were drop-dead gorgeous! The aspens were so golden and even some orange. People were stopped all over the roads just going ga-ga over all the beautiful colors.

In Yellowstone, the area around the Fishing Bridge seeemed to be pretty consistent for grizzly viewing. Saw a momma and her little cubs one day. Soooo cute! You know when they're around because the cars are all along the side of the roads in the area.

In JH, we usually stay in the Timber Ridge condos. They're huge, lots of rooms to spread out, plus the sunset view over the valley is - well, an a-ha moment!

Enjoy your trips, y'all. It's such a beautiful place to visit!

bgsnmky, that list takes tips mainly from right here on this forum, some are from other forums devoted solely to Yellowstone, and some of it is from the Nat'l Park site itself. Have a wonderful trip!

Thank you, Kopp! We are 10 days and counting! Getting so excited, and it's so nice to have this wonderful trip to look foward to!

bookmarking

Awesome list, definitely printing this one. Does anyone have any similar thoughts on what lies outside of Cody? We are planning (in July '07) on going through SLC to Jackson, then Yellowstone for several days. Then off towards Mt. Rushmore through Cody. Should we go north through Billings, MT or straight through to Sheridan, WY for a night before heading into South Dakota? Can't figure out the pros and cons except seeing the Battlefield of Little Big Horn. Is one road better the another? Thanks.

Depart Yellowstone thru the NE Entrance. Drive the Beartooth Highway (US212). You will not regret it. Billings and then on to the Little Bighorne and the Black Hills.

I am reading this for a trip in the future on a date/year not yet decided. My question is, how far in advance can/must one book a room at Old Faithful Inn? Or at any of the better hotels in the park?

I also am bookmarking for future use. Thanks for all the great information.

For Old Faithful during the summer? - start a year ahead. You may get lucky and get a room that has been cancelled - but the more lead time you have, the better.

One of my best birthdays ever? A room at Old Faithful with the geyser just FEET from my window. It woke me up in the middle of the night - but it was OLD FAITHFUL!!! What a delight!

Thanks Stars, we're looking for a September reservation, but not this year. So I'll keep in mind the year in advance booking. Both my husband and I really want to go but as we're moving this summer (hopefully) we're looking at next year.

September should be fine - more availablity. I booked my room for October as soon as possible - and got perhaps the best room in the house. The location re the geyser was just incredible.

topping per request

keep this

topping...

To find the current locations for the best YNP animal viewing, go to some of the Yellowstone forums on the internet. There are a few that keep up with animal movement and sightings.

Great information
booking

This is a great thread! Bookmarking as I begin plans for next year.

I love the lists. Thanks much. Wifey & I are doing Sept in YNP & made 2 missteps. First, did not plan on GTNP & second, flying into Jackson at 6pm but driving to Mammoth. We have 4 nights in YNP. Should we take a day for GTNP? And should we drive thru YNP to get to Mammoth or drive into the W entrance to get to Mammoth (which looks farther). Thanks much.

That will put you there very late that night. Are you sure you don't want to try to get a reservation closer to the airport? Are you renting a car? We rented off airport (unknown to us at the time) but going back into Jackson and then to Mammouth will eat up a lot of your time.

Thank you for your roadmap.

Hi BG

It's so good to see this thread come back to life. Wonderful info!

We're heading back that way this fall. I look forward to re-reading everything, especially swimming in the geyser-heated Firehole River. Never done that before. Sounds great!

Kopp, you've got to do the firehole! We forgot our water shoes at home and picked up some tennis at the WalMart in Cody when were there. Don't forget to pack yours!

Monitor that Yellowstone forum about animal sightings prior to your trip. It really helped us a lot. We even saw the white wolf (alpha male), not far from the road. It was about dusk and he was just north of Fishing Bridge. We seemed to be the only car on the road. It was cold and rainy, but he was a sight to behold!

Oops, we didn't do the Firehole. We went to Boiling River. The water level was too high at the Firehole.

Topping for future. Thanks for the great info!

We are in the very beginning stages of planning a Yellowstone and GTNP trip for the summer of 2009. I'm a planner! I teach elementary school and we have two girls that will be 10 and 6 in '09. Due to my profession our vacations are always during the high season. We love the National Parks but want to try to avoid the heaviest crowds. Is June a good time to visit both of these parks? I'm thinking around father's day weekend or the following week. My hope is that it will be late enough in June for some warmer weather but before the crowds of July and August. Thanks for your help. I'm enjoying reading all the postings on both parks.

This is a great thread..if we can't get our act together for 2008 (I already did a thread about this) then we may be looking at 2009 too!!

DH and I have done YNP twice. We much prefer June to July. We saw more variety of animals in June than July as well as more baby animals. Just be prepared for any kind of weather. As a kid, I remember watching Old Faithful through snowflakes on June 21.

smmccurry,
We've been snowed on quite a few times in YNP in June. The snow is often still banked pretty high in early June, and on our last June visit it snowed 7 out of 10 days. Travel with layered clothing and you'll be fine. Lots of babies to see in June. Watch out for moose, they don't take kindly to humans near their calves, even if it happens to be outside your cabin.

bookmarking

As it looks like this still has some interest going, I thought I would jump in. I can definitely recommend LoneStar Geyser. It doesn't get a ton of high traffic and it has a great eruption. I was able to witness it many times as I built the footbridge there. (MANY years ago) Also, once you have hiked out the FLAT track (part of it is an old road) go a bit beyond the geyser. Not many people do, and they are missing out. There are several hot pots just sitting in the trees, etc. Very nice area and so quiet.
Another great place to go that is not on many tourist stops is Huckleberry Hot Springs. I don't remember exactly where it was, but I know it was on our map. Hot waterfalls (not Niagara mind you, but the water comes over the edge hot-like a shower...very nice after working for a week building a foot bridge.)
For those of you that really want a HIKING experience, I would reccommend Heart Lake (We packed in on the fourth of July weekend and we were alone!) Beautiful lake and surrounding areas. Another hike in, and this is a ways, is HooDoo peak. It is into the interior of the park.
I haven't been to Yellowstone in a few years...young kids at the moment, but soon I'll be back!! Hope someone finds this helpful.

One suggestion for the Lone Star Geyser hike--bring bug spray! We hiked it in early July last year, and the mosquitos made the walk miserable. Luckily, the geyser went off just as we arrived, and we could hightail it back.

topping for Lorraine

BayouGal, little did you know you were topping for me too! ...and to think you posted this 2 years ago!

Many thanks! This will help for our upcoming trip end of August.

Maria (another Bayou Gal )

Topping for my trip...in 5 days wahoo!!!

Topping for SLWR and those making a fall trip.

IMPORTANT NOTE: the road between Norris and Madison is closed for the rest of the 2009 season.

Thanks BayouGal! It took me a little while but I got through all of this and unfortunately will have to re-read most of it and take some notes the second time through! Too much good info to remember.

I'll do my best to give a full trip report when we get back.

3 more days and we'll be pulling into Old Faithful Inn!!!

You may wat to add this one to your Yellowstone list if it isn't already mentioned.
We went in June 2009 and while in Cody, we picked up supplies for barabque, and the day we went to the Canyon area we picknicked at Cascade Lake where there are nice fire grates.
It was cool to be grilling in YNP while looking at the surrounding beauty.