Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting, I have been reading all of the posts related to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National parks and I am quite confused. We (my boyfriend and I) have recently decided to plan a vacation to both of these national parks, we were planning on going this July. From reading the posts it seems like we are very late in planning this. Fron what I could tell all of the available lodging within the parks are completely booked. I did find some places outside of the park, mostly near the west entrance. Some of the posts seem to indicate that if you can not stay in the park it is really not worth going. Is this true? If I stay at a lodge that "claims" to be very close to the entrance will this still be too far? We were so excited about planning this trip and now I am not sure if it will be doable at this point. Any words of advice or wisdom would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks - Marie

Yellowstone is a relatively large park with lots to see and do. The key word is relatively. Sure it's better to stay in the park, but there isn't enough rooms in the park for everyone. If you stay in West Yellowstone and decide to travel to the east entrance, it's near 80 miles on slow roads. Suppose you can only average 30 MPH across the park. That means that it might take you 2 1/2 hours to cross. However, you aren't likely to cross the entire park every day. Most days will have much shorter drives and then you will want to stop (oh, look at that elk) and get out (wow, that sure is a pretty waterfall) and maybe take a short hike (hey, that geyser is starting to erupt). I think you can enjoy the park without a stay within its borders. Yes it is more convenient, but staying outside doesn't make the world end.

Since you are unable to stay in the parks, I would divide your stay between West Yellowstone and Gardiner or Chico Hot Spings, MT. That way you could cover different regions from two locations.
http://www.chicohotsprings.com/
If you want to be closer to Grand Teton, you could look into Moran, WY.

Make reservations outside the park and then keep checking for cancellations inside the park. Some people book extra days and then cancel the ones they don't need as plans are finalized.

Rich makes a good point to keep checking back. And I wonder, did you check Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton?

I've stayed inside the park and outside the park. Staying inside the park is HUGELY OVERATED. I'll flat out say that anybody that tells you that if you can't stay in the Park, don't bother to visit Yellowstone is UTTERLY INSANE. Even crazier is to pay those rates for paper thin walls and bad plumbing.

The best place I've stayed (from Gardiner, West Yellowstone, and Cooke City) is definitely Cooke City (summertime) and West Yellowstone. Very close to the Northeast entrance, the Alpine Hotel is clean, spacious rooms, great value, nice staff.

Couple of comments, if you can switch your travel to late May early June the better. By July the hot weather diminishes the chances of wildlife sightseeing. That said, a late May visit was when we saw the most wildlife, with early July 2004 the most bear sights.

Marie: please, please, please do NOT stop planning your trip to Yellowstone. It is one of the most spectacular places on Earth and one you will always yearn to go back to. I am going back yet again in early June and CAN'T WAIT!!

I stayed at the following with my family a few years back in Moran: http://www.hatchetresort.com/
We liked it and it was handy to the Grand Tetons. I'm not familiar with Cooke City, though it sounds great also. You'll have a great time wherever you stay.

Thank you all so much for your help!! You have definitely made me feel much better about going on this trip. I will definitely check out all of the places that were recommended! Unfortunately I can not change my time, I am a teacher and summer is the only time I can go. One of the things we were most excited about was seeing all of the wildlife. Will we be really limited in seeing various types of wildlife if we are going in July?

Thanks again - Marie

Definately check back every few weeks I am sure you will find cancellations in the park. It is truly a wonderful park. Not to be missed if you can't find rooms in the park. Staying in the park has it's advantages but staying outside is doable. We have done both. We stayed in West Yellowstone and it's a very pretty ride into the park from there.I think you will find there are many choices of accomodations there. It will probably take you about a half hour to get from West Yellowstone to the Canyon area and that is somewhat of a central part of the park. You didn't say how may days you are planning to stay but the park is very big and you would have to break it up in sections over several days to see it. One place you really want to be about an hour before dark is the Lamar Valley area it's great for animal sightings.

About wildlife, we saw a decent amount in late June. But more (including moose) in early Sept..

Yellowstone is one of my favorite places...even with summer crowds it is amazing! If you stay in West Yellowstone (adjacent to central area of the partk); Gardiner (just outside Mammoth area); or Cooke City (east entrance) you'll be close to the park entrance no matter where you stay...all very small towns. You might consider staying in each and traveling through the park each day if you want to see alot and don't mind driving...or pick a central spot and do day trips. Coming into Teton NP from Jackson Hole is also fun...There are a few private lodging locations between the two parks, I think, but may be pricey. Cooke City (east entrance) is certainly the less populated section of the park...good for wildlife watching, but quite a ways from the major sites inside the park. If you go to Cooke City, a side trip to the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody, Wy. may be worthwhile; great museum. I'd be happy to try to assist with any other questions if you want to e-mail me directly! [email protected] Have a great time!!

We've been there twice and stayed in West Yellowstone, Gardiner and Jackson. West Yellowstone and Gardiner are very small towns (with plenty of accommodations) -- anywhere you stay in either town is "close to the entrance". Although you are driving back and forth,some of our best animal sightings were on our way in the park in the morning and on the way back to our hotel in the evening. Animals are plentiful at dawn and dusk. Also, Jackson is right next to the entrance to the Tetons and you can easily do your activities in the Tetons with a base in Jackson. You will see animals.

Last time we went to Grand Teton and Yellowstone (July 2005), I was still calling every day to see if there were cancellations up until the day we arrived. And we got every hotel/lodge that we wanted in the end. The two weeks before you arrive are most likely to have cancellations. I love being in the park because the most wildlife sightings are at dawn and dusk, so getting out early on the trails is much easier when you are there. We've been three times, and we never found a room in the park the first time we called; don't give up!

I can't thank you enough for all of your replies, this is a wonderful web site - everyone is so helpful. Now you may be sorry about that as I think I am going to have ALOT of questions. Here are a few more: We have about 10 - 14 days and have not yet planned our time. I was thinking at least 5-6 days in Yellowstone, maybe 4 in Grand Teton and then maybe going to glacier national park for a few days. Does this seem reasonable? Now, please don't laugh, are those parks really different? In other words as we go from park to park will we feel like we are seeing the same things? Please excuse my ignorance.
Again thank you so much for your help!!!

Marie

The amount of time you spend in the parks depends on what you are going to do. Yes, they are all different and worth seeing. Glacier is fantastic also. I would spend at least 3-4 days there (assuming you will want to hike),and you will have about 8 hours of driving time (if I remember right) from Gardiner to Glacier. (if you drive that route)

All three parks are different and all have their special features. Since you have ten to fourteen days you should see Glacier and if you do go you should see it by jammer bus, they do the driving the top is open so you can take in all the spectacular views around you. I think I read that this summer in Yellowstone they are bringing back the old buses also. I didn't drive from Yellowstone to Glacier we did it on another trip so I don't know how long it will take but 8 hours may be right so I would suggest you figure on 3 nights there one to travel and 2 nights in park. You might want to cut down a night in each park to be able to include Glacier park. I think it would be a mistake to miss it since you may not get back to that area again.

West Yellowstone to Glacier is about 450 miles, so quite a drive, but well worth it. Each of the parks is completely different...Glacier more soaring peaks, glaciers (duh), spectacular scenery. Yellowstone has more wildlife, hot pools, waterfalls, geysers, etc. Teton NP is beautiful, but is really one spectacular mountain range...You really can drive through the park on your way to Yellowstone, for example, and "see" it. I'd spend my time in Yellowstone and Glacier. Are you driving or flying? How many days will you have once you arrive? This would be helpful in terms of planning how to divide your time.

From Chico Hot Springs, MT (north of Gardiner 35 mils), it's 424 miles to Glacier Ntl. Park. It says 7 hours and 40 minutes on Mapquest. See my earlier post with the Chico Hot Springs link. It's a great place to stay with a variety of lodging.

While for some National Parks staying inside the Park is an essential part of the experience, we did not find this to be the case for YNP. Lodging at West Yellowstone and Gardiner are literally less than a mile from entrance and we found both towns to be part of the experience - we went to a local rodeo in West Yellowstone, I spent some time chatting with "locals" in Gardiner - things we would have missed out on if we stayed inside the Park.

We also were able to pick up picnic supplies, a cheap cooler in local stores. Also, the scenery is incredible, even outside Park (as opposed to for example Grand Canyon where unless you stay near the Canyon, why bother)

Spoke with Gardiner locals who described buffalo roaming thru town in search of food in winter - so you also get to experience some of the atmosphere of what living in the rural West might be like.

PS - for Grand Teton stayed at Teton Village, also about a mile from entrance. Spent a day inside GTNP looking for a moose without success - found one eating landscaping back at the condo in the evening.