Any advice on smooth water kayaking in yellowstone?

I would recommend staying in West Yellowstone. It is the closest entrance and has some nice places - we have stayed at Yellowstone Wildlife Cabins, Three Bear Lodge and few others. You can do this as your "basecamp" for the whole park. Lodging is cheaper there than in park or Jackson. Everything is "daytripable" from there. LOTS more than just geyser and trees. Don't miss the Grizzly Wolf Discovery Center - it is great! Great kayaking on Hebgen Lake. Lots of fishing, mtn biking and hiking in and out of park on Rendevous Trails.
Staying in park - no TV, no wifi, small rooms - designed to be like was in history but for travelers used to amentities can be frustrating. Plus big $$$$. West has some good restaurants and shopping places; historic museum, too.

> Any advice on smooth water kayaking in yellowstone?

Go to pages 2 and 21 of this pdf:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisi...ating_regs.pdf

Is Gardiner and West Yellowstone close enough that we should just stay in one or the other, or would anyone recommend staying in Gardiner a few nights and then West Yellowstone a few nights? We'd like to split up the areas of the park in which we are located so that we can minimize driving times.

...or should we try to stay somewhere near the NorthEast entrance and then Gardiner or West Yellowstone.

Thanks for the advice!

You would probably really enjoy smooth water kayaking in the Tetons; however you are not going to have enough time! So many lakes in Grand Teton National Park are perfect for smooth water kayaking. The area begs for a return visit.

Consider this trip as an intro to yellowstone and grand teton national parks. Drive and stop at all the sites in yellowstone. Do a few of the classic hikes in each park (yellowstone: Mt. Washburn, tetons: hike up into cascade canyon as far as you have time for).

A float trip down the Snake River is nice and it is mild, no rapids.