Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - In a quandry-Jackson Hole and Yellowstone

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My favorite geyser is at the Norris Geyser Basin and is the Echinus Geyser. If you catch it at the right time, I think it is so fascinating. Old Faithful inn is beautiful, bathroom in room or not.

I was so happy that you got into Signal Mountain Lodge! I disagree with Bob that there is nothing to do there. This was our itinerary when we went with our children to the Tetons. Don't miss: Actually driving over to the Signal Mountain and going to the top-fabulous panoramic view and you will feel like the early settlers did as you have a 360 view! Renting a boat on the lake for the afternoon as a family and just having fun together on the water. Drive back a half mile to the damn and walk around and possibly fish with everyone else. Go down to Jenny Lake,take boat across and hike up the other side. Really great views and trails! Drive a few miles south to Teton Village to see ski village without snow,have dinner at the Hungry Moose? The drive takes a side road(all well marked) that we saw several moose and smaller wildlife eating-great pics! We went up to Roosevelt Lodge one morning for breakfast at their lodge(glad we did not stay there as it is too convention/business center type place.) However,they have a really lovely hike around the lake there that you would enjoy. Jackson-yes,its touristy but you will love it even for a day or so. Be sure and go to the square around 6pm as they have "the shootout" everynight and my kids loved it-very western!There are some wonderful restaurants,great people watching,shopping etc. within the town. Do stop at the welcome center as you come into town and see the Elk Refuge information center there-kids would enjoy.Elk stay there during the winter and its massive. In the town of Jackson,there is a place called Snow King(?)that is a ski place in winter, that had a great mini golf place and you can actually go down on plastic sleds on simulated ski runs too. We chose to do our raft trip using a Jackson company and it was wonderful.There are some raft trips out of Signal Mountain and a float trip which alot of people enjoyed as it is less stressful-but I think that your kids would love the trip on the Snake River out of Jackson.I have heard some people not happy with the rafting out of Gardiner so check around. Have a wonderful trip-I hope that you will enjoy America as much as we all enjoy your country!

More messages - marvelous. Loved all the detailed suggestions and I know the children would love a shootout in Jackson. I'm also going to give them a 'throwaway' camera each so they can record their own favourite geysers, etc. and I'll try to arrange a ranger trip (I now accept that I can't let the chidlren go off on their own on this holiday). I know we're going to have a fantastic time and because we're from Britain we'll find most things interesting because although they may be ordinary to you, they will be novel to us (for example, most sane British people would run a mile if they saw Morris Dancers outside a pub - but overseas visitors enjoy them!). By the way, any hint about the problems with the Gardiner white water rafting in May/June? Thanks again. Really. So helpful.

Paeony - I think you'll find that Jackson and Cody seem quite Wild West and cowboy-like to you, though they are both touristy. Jackson does have the touristy shootout, but the kids do like it, and it's a more prosperous community than Cody. But in both, you'll certainly run across a fair number of people who ranch for a living, and who wear cowboy boots and hats as their usual attire - I'm sure you will feel like you're in cowboy country! Jackson also has a small rodeo on Saturdays during the summer. When we went, in June, it seemed like there were mostly (all?) locals there, and we all had a great time. If it's being held while you're there, try to go. Don't hold your hopes up for seeing bears or wolves - they tend to stay away from people. Our first night in Yellowstone, we were lucky enough to see a mother & her two cubs (from the road) far away on a hillside (about as close as I want to be to a bear). But on the other hand, there are lots of coyotes, and you can hardly think of a more Western animal than a coyote - in fact we saw one wandering through the Old Faithful area. And so many buffalo and elk that you will become blase about seeing them - can you imagine!

Don't know about Gardiner white water rafting, but have done it twice out of Jackson Hole. Loved it, but my arms about dropped off first time I did it. Thought I really had to paddle to save the raft.:>) Second time one of our party got thrown out, but got back in. Then we picked up someone from another raft that was thrown out. First time was in Jun,second time in Jul. What a great experience. But they also have slow drift trips, to see wildlife.. Think the one that got washed out of our raft was about 10. I was well over 50...

My sister does the Snake River float trip at dusk every time she is there. Early morning and dusk are the best time to spot wildlife. It's a slow float with a guide that has a lot of info. to share about everything you see. I don't think you even have to paddle. I think you just sit back and take it all in. She meets them at Moose just north of Jackson. Sorry, I don't know the names of the companies doing it but I'm sure any brochures or internet sites from Jackson would include them.

If you go rafting in May/June, be prepared for some cold. The water is very icy because of the runoff from the Mountains. I don't know anything about rafting in Montana, but float companies in Jackson include Mad River (mainly whitewater, the subject of a visa commercial a few years ago), Snake River Float Trips, and Triangle X.

This might be too late, but yes, 8 days in Yellowstone is too much. We preferred the Tetons as did one of the other posts. We stayed at the big lodge in the Tetons (can't remember the name). Big beautiful building looking out onto the lake (not the more expensive one). Anyway, there are "motel" like accommodations next to the main lodge which were very nice. We did a early horseride/breakfast. Our boys were about the same age...our younger one just met the size requirements. He was the horse enthusiast. They rest of us gave in...it was one of the best times we've ever had! We also did the "smooth" float trip. Awesome. Also took a great hike. We stayed at the yellow hotel in Yellowstone. Loved it and also Old Faithful Lodge (and then stayed at the replica in WDW when it opened). That gave us accommodations on different sides of the park. Did go to Jackson Hole..only for a day. Most people only stay in the Tetons for the length of time it takes to drive to Yellowstone. They're missing out...BIG TIME!

Tsuther: I think you are refering to Jackson Lake Lodge. I am surprised not to have seen in mentioned in the posts above. I may be a bit biased since I worked and lived there for 2 summers while I was in college. It is truly a blessed place. Here is a website: http://www.gtlc.com/lodgeJac.htm Lisa