GTNP+ Yellowstone
 

With the help of this great forum, we have planned the following Sept 1 trip. We would like recommendations of what not to miss, resturants to miss or not., etc. We have traveled the US and International extensively...We are use to the National Park's Cabins, like driving, siteseeing and hiking. I have also included estimated travel times for any critique. We can hike all day and will start early every day. We are in Savannah and are looking forward to frost in the morning and temps below 90.

our trip:
Arrive JAC in the evening--Bucktail Lodge 2 nights. Get Supplies, dinner @Trapper Inn . Beer at the Wort
Leave early for Roosevelt(6hrs)-Cabins 2 nights, Cowboy BBQ, Lamar valley
Leave early for Red Lodge(7hrs)--Pollard 1 night dinner?
On to Cody(5hrs)---Irma hotel -- dinner?
On to Lake Y cabins(3hrs)-- 2 nights dinner there--hikes
On to Monmonth day trip end at OFI--cabins 2 nights--hikes
On to Signal Mt Lodge--cabins-2 nights, hikes, dinner at Jackson Lake lodge and Jenny Lake-Mural room? Plan to hike, do Inspiration Pt.
Question: we had planned on the float trip, but reading thru the threads, most of the wildlife are eagles, otter, osprey, moose--we did 20 years in VT an have seen many. ?
Finally back to JAC and Bucktail Lodge, Dinner at Snake River, Rtn home early AM

In Red Lodge - loved Carbon County Steakhouse. All of the meals were great but the mussels were the best I've had anywhere.

In Cody - we dined with some locals and they recommended the Proud Cut Saloon. There were 6 of us and the locals + 1 ordered the shrimp - and their meals were great. Our steaks were good, but not as good as the shrimp.

Jenny Lake- Mural room? - ?
Do you mean Jackson Lake Lodge? We had dinner at the Pioneer grill and it was good. My trout was VERY good.
We chose to eat in the Mural room for breakfast and I opted for the buffet. VERY glad I did. My breakfast was better than the others, especially the "chef's choice" that day on the buffet and the Belgian waffle with elk imprint. Lots of fresh fruit options for the waffle too.

I'd do the float trip. We had hoped to do one, but the Snake was running too fast when we were there.

If you are going to be in Jackson two days, considering the gourmet deli and foods from this market in town -
http://www.pearlstmeatandfish.com/
We walked to it from our hotel for water and fresh fruit.

Take a fleece sweater or jacket. I love the cool nights - a far cry from Savannah.

We are just back; the Mural Room was great for dinner--def. make a reservation--yummy food and a view that is spectacular.

We did Inspiration Point as part of the 8:30 ranger hike--I would highly recommend this, we learned so much from the ranger; in any case, go early because that is a very popular trail.

Our float trip was great, but it was mainly the bird watching trip; our guide did say that if you take the evening float, you get to see the beavers, but there hasn't been alot of wildlife all summer. Still it is beautiful and peaceful.

Dinner was also good at the Lake Yellowstone hotel and the lobby with the pianist playing is a fun atmosphere.

Hope this helps--you will have a wonderful trip.

Mary

It sounds like you like to hike so wanted to mention that the ranger can show you how to take an extended hike beyond Inspiration Point and make it a longer experience. Also, I should have mentioned that a friend last week saw a grizzly not far from the trail on the way up to Inspiration Point so stay heads up!

Also, in GTNP (not far from Jackson), the relatively new Laurence Rockefeller Preserve is worth a stop and a hike.

Mary

On the original drive you'll moist likely be on the outside road passing GTNP on the way north. You may not take this road again since you'll probably be on the inside roade on the way south.

I would make the following morning stops: Mormon Row to see the old barns, Schwambacher Landing (this requires going off the road and down a dirt road for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile). Great views of the Tetons with the reflection in the river. Best view of the mountains, and Oxbow Bend just before the inside and outside roads meet and turn north toward Colter Bay and YNP.

For the hike to Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point we made the mistake of going on a Sunday and it was packed. The only time we felt a bit crammed.

If you want hiking suggestions:
Just west of Tower is Hellroaring. Goes down quite a bit and you can end at the suspension bridge. Nice hike. Not long but about 800ft of elevation change. Down going and up returning.

Yellowstone Picnic Area. Just east of Tower. Goes up a bit steeply and very quickly becomes flat. Great views of the Canyon. After the first bit very little elevation change.

Mt Washburn. Between Tower and Canyon. From the southern trailhead it's about 3.2 miles each way and the elevation starts at 8,800ft and ends at about 10,300 ft. You're sucking for oxygen from the start but it's a very easy trail. Actually it's a dirt road that is used to transport ranger supplies. The road is pretty smooth and not drop-offs or steep parts. Just uphill all the way. Wide enough so you can go at your own pace and rest whenever you want. The station at the top is indoor so you can rest and warm up. Take with sweaters and rainwear just in case. People have seen proghorn on the trail. We saw them on the next mountain. A coyote jumped on the trail behind us.

In GTNP Taggart Lake was a great hike. Not too long and very scenic. The Tetons are closer to the south of the park and that's where Taggart Lake is. We saw two marmots sunning themselves. The Tetons as a backdrop to the lake was spectacular.

Lower Falls. Uncle Tom's Trail. Over 300 stairs down and a very closup view. In my opinion a bit too close and too much to the side.

Lower Falls. Red Rock Point. This hike 20 minutes down from Lookout Point is the best view of the Falls. Better than Artist Pt. Artist point show more of the canyon but the falls are quite far. From here we saw a rainbow form in front of the falls about 9:30AM. Made for amazing photos.

Starrs:

--really happy you saw this post. Our trip is 90% planned from your post many months ago. We will not miss your resturant recommendations(especially outside YNP) and for sure will stock up at the Pearl St Deli. We always do the bkft buffets, and have lunch on the hike.

marymara:

--you too, thanks for the information from your multiple trip reports. Love the added info for hiking at Inspiration Pt. Float trip----Your answer has helped me decide to do another hike somewhere. Beavers--yikes--I had to trap and remove them from my pond in Vt for 20 years. Otters--even worse. They ate not only all my rainbow trout and bass-they cleaned out over 200 beautiful mature Coi. And we have otters in our backyard on the tidal river. Birds, we live(Savannah) where we call our back yard an avairy--hawks, eagles, red, white and blue birds, heron, sea birds, storks,hummingbirds,,,,,,,
And my wife has no use for boats. We will hike. Thanks

Myer:

Thanks for taking so much time to give us details for hiking, this will be the focus for our trip. Especially the morning stops going to YNP. Not sure of how to schedule all the options in the Tower area but we have one full day planned for hiking and then we can add one or two more days when we are staying at Lake Y. and OFI. Will do Tagart Lake on our way to Signal Mt. Will definately do Hellroaring. We have a hike(much of it crawling) in Vt on Madona that is called Hellsbrook(basically about a 20^ incline up a brook over large boulders). After we completed that hike 20 yrs ago, we felt we can do any hike. We will plan to do all of your recommendations. And axing the float trip will give us more time.

All:

thoughts on the amount of time we have planned for each leg of the trip--travel, site-seeing, hikes?

I like your itinerary.

I feel constrained to mention that our meal in the Mural Room was a huge disappointment. We were waited on by an obnoxious guy from California who served us bizarrely small appetizers and, me, a huge serving of trout that had been cooked long before the dining room doors opened for dinner.

We enjoyed much more the pub grub at the Signal Mountain bar.

Also, GTNP was mercifully free of the huge Yellowstone crowds except for the hike to Inspiration Point.

PS You don't mention that you will drive the Beartooth Highway (212 between Yellowstone and Red Lodge), but I hope you will. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the country.

happytrailstoyou:

Thanks to many on this forum, for the great info, I think we have a good plan. Still interested in thoughts about the times we have budgeted:?

Do you have any experience at Yellowstone Lake for dinner--the reviews are all over the place.?

BEARTOOTH HIGHWAY is a definate and CHIEF JOSEPH as well.(Canyon to Red Lodge to Cody).

Have also seen many recommendations for food, dinner, at the bar and bkft at Signal Mt.(where we are staying). Have seen many mixed reviews at the Mural Room. I also wore a coat and tie for 37 years and have not had a tie on since. Heard coat is recommended--I will not bring one. Maybe we will see the mural room via a bkft? So--one meal at Signal Mt and one at Pioneer Grill?

We chose Sept to escape the crowds. And chose more than half the trip outside YNP for the same.

George--the herons in Connecticut ate all my mother's koi so I get your drift!

I will defend the Mural Room--we had really good food there and lovely service; no one was dressed up--okay, my husband put on clean khakis. The Pioneer Grill is a diner--fun,because it is a long continuous counter but super casual. We also had good food at Signal Mountain. We also had a really nice dinner at Lake Yellowstone--great atmosphere, again, no one was dressed up. I had delicious salmon. Do make a reservation at Lake Yellowstone, but you can definitely get one.

george,

I've read in several places that if you do one hike while in Yellowstone it should be Mt Washburn. It's famous!!! I would probably pick that one as number one.

While hiking up we could actually see the Tetons off in the distance. And you have a good chance of seeing Pronghorn or bighorn sheep and/or coyote.

I don't know how you would fit Taggard Lake on the way to Signal Mountain. It's off the inside road and farther south than Jenny Lake. We hiked it after Jenny Lake. This is a very scenic hike and not too long.

The individual parts of the Jenny Lake hike were very nice. It's was the overall crowd that was just too much. After I realized that Sunday may not have been a very good choice. Also, we didn't go early as that time was used for early morning photos and looking for wildlife.

marrymara;

Thanks for spelling KOI correctly--I thought about it's spelling after posting.
The Boss (wife)read thru all the posts and told me we would be having dinner at the Mural room. She knows salmon and will simply send it back if overcooked and we always warn the waiter.
And yes, we know to make reservations when we check in.

Myer:

Understand. Googled both suggestions. If I got it right, will try the following plan:

Will do Mt Washburn when we return from Cody and or one of the two days we are at Lake Yellowstone. No time early in the trip from JAC to Roosevelt. Will plan a half day there--morning or afternoon??

Will do Taggart Lake on our trip south from Signal Mt returning to JAC. Looks like 2-3 hrs is sufficient?

Thanks again for reorienting us.

Good. That's enough time for Taggart Lake.

Most people start the Mt Washburn hike in the morning for several reasons.

First, since it's very popular the parking lots fill up. I saw some people parking at the closest scenic pullout a quarter of a mile south and walk to the trailhead.

Second, this hike will take 3-5 hours depending upon how fast you are and how much time you spend at the top. As it gets quite cold up there you may want to be there when it's least cold.