Frontier Cabins vs. Pioneer Cabins in YNP
 

Looking for advice/reviews on staying at the Frontier cabins at Canyon Lodge area versus the Pioneer cabins at the Lake Lodge area. Would like to get some reviews of people who have stayed at one or both areas.
Thank you.

I have not seen either but my thinking is not to expect too much, however they are cheap as anything. Canyon is pretty centrally located and I believe has more facilities overall.

http://www.yellowstone.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4662
The moderator at this forum asked people to weigh in since so many ask about lodging options.Your question is answered-keep on reading.

Also, go to Tripadvisor.com, put in Yellowstone lodging, go to user reviews, and there are a bunch of them on lake lodge and canyon cabins . I'm also going in Aug and am reading up on them as well. When is your trip?

I looked at the website listed above and everybody talked about everything but the issue!

There are several grades of cabins in Yellowstone under the operation of Xanterra, the general lodging concessioner. (read that gouger)

The best cabins are referred to as "Western Cabins." These typically have two double beds, a bath, and not much else. Usually there is a carpet on the floor. The Western Cabins I have used had a tub, but the bathroom was very small.

The next lower grade is the "Frontier Cabin." These are lower in space and in the quality of the furnishings, although some of the Frontier cabins around Canyon have been refurbished. The bathroom has a shower and the ones I have seen are very cramped with a drippy style shower curtain.

The Pioneer Cabins are very plain with very little furniture. They are also very old, some of them were built 80 years ago. I stayed in one once and it had virtually nothing in it except a bed and a place to hang a few clothes. I think it had a chair or two but no table. These cabins usually have a private bath.

If there is one bed in the unit, it is usually a regulation double bed. The one I slept on was terrible - old, worn out springs, abused mattress.

The official description says that the Pioneer Cabins are simpler than the Frontier Cabins, if that is possible!!

The Rough Rider Cabins at Roosevelt are indeed the bottom of the heap. No private bath; heated with a Presto log in a stove.

I would take the Frontier level at Canyon in preference to the Pioneer level, if it is available. The ones at Canyon are touted as having been recently remodeled.

None of the cabins at any level have a TV, telephone, or kitchen type facilities.

I haven't stayed at either cabins, although we camped at Canyon and love the area/ facilities there. It's a great location in YNP.

My wife and I stayed in some kind of a dump at Mammoth. Must have been the pioneer type of cabin because it was awful.

If that thing existed in my town, it would be classed as a slum or worse.

I would take a tent, a good air mattress and a sleeping bag any day over that pitiful establishment.

A possible alternative would be to stay at Flag Ranch (in the parks corridor between Grand Teton and Yellowstone). When we stayed there about 8 years ago, the units were nearly new, and quite nice. Since it doesn't come up directly as Yellowstone or GT lodging, it's not quite so hard to book.