Thanks for the reply Gretchen. And, no, there aren't mountains like Wyoming's where I come from, which is the Boston area. We can boast the ocean, the Red Sox, and the Berkshires. And, I did see a black bear when in those Berkshires just 2 weeks ago! But, your advice is sound, and so we'll probably just take that 5:00 raft trip, and then I can tell you, Donna M, just what the whole experience was like. Two days now, and we're off.

Soxgirl, I can't wait to hear about your trip! I am packing this week for Duck, NC, which is why I've been MIA. I am so interested to hear everyone's opinions on this issue. Since we are going late July-early August, we are going to do the WW, assuming it will be calm enough for the 8yo. One brochure I've seen already gave a minimum age of 6. Unless we can do a dawn or dusk float trip, I think we'll skip it. Something to look forward to next time!!

Did both when my son was nine. White water a blast. Float was boring. Wild life viewing all depends on luck.

Donna, we're back from our 8 night trip ynp and gtnp, and as promised, I'm repporting backto you. Since this post is about float trips vs whitewater, I'll jump right to that, as well as tell you about Signal Mountain Lodge.
We went on the float trip, from SML, with our 2 20something daughters. We all loved the trip. It was our entrance into GTNP, having spent 6 glorious days at YNP. What I think about float trips vs ww is; if you want thrills and a fun time, go ww. We did that in Durango CO and loved the experience. The float trip, just shy of 4 hours start to finish, is the experience of relaxing to see the spectacular Teton range, enjoy the serenity of the Snake River, hear from the knowlegeable, veteran rafter, and see wildlife. None of us felt it boring, nor did the other 2 families with us. They both had children about 8 and 11, younger being girls, and older both being boys. We saw moose, beaver, osprey, and eagles. On the drive back from the Snake River site, we saw bison and elk. The rafter also gave us ideas of places to visit while in Tetons. We did the 5:00 PM trip, and it became cold during the last 40 minutes or so. So, I recommend the float trip if you are into looking for wildlife and appreciating a placid river scene, and ww if you wnt the fun and speed. Depends on your goals and personalities.
SML was great. Our 2 room cabin had a porch with an unexpected view of the lake and mountains both from it and the front room. We had a side facing wing of a 3-cabin structure, and never heard the other 2 cabin occupants. We also didn't encounter any rodents, as had been reported somewhere on a board. I should have been smart enough to explore behind our cabin to look for elk and moose, but just didn't. While in Tetons, we saw close up; black bears 6 different times, including a cub up a tree, moose, both bulll and cows, mule dear, and grouse. We saw all the other animals I mentioned, but not from the 10 feet away as we did the moose, dear, and bear. These seen from hikes or by driving on the roads.
Our entire trip was perfect. The crowds during this popular first week of Aug. time, were not apparent except in the Jackson airport. The lodging folk know how to handle the masses, so that rarely did we feel overwhelmed by them. Once on a hike and out of the car, we encountered few hikers. Those we did meet were friendly, also on vacation, and always anxious to share wildlife sitings. You'll have a brilliant time in these parks, just as every poster has promised.