Myer

I'm in the earliest of stages (just thinking) about my next sightseeing trip.

Last year I went to Bryce Canyon, Zion, GC and Sedona.

This year I went to Moab (Arches, Canyonlands), Capitol Reef, Escalante area, etc.

Thinking about Yellowstone, GT, etc.

Food is not a priority for me other than to provide nourishment. Neither are posh motels/hotels. Although clean and comfortable is a requirement (no camping).

Hobbies include photography and seeing amazing sights.

I'm a warm, dry weather person.

Looking for suggestions.

Thanks.

algalli

Last year we spent 2 weeks doing Jackson, GT Yellowstone and Glacier NP. My 4th time there and it was still wonderful. We stayed 4 or 5 nights in Jackson at Cowboy village which I can recommend. You want to stay near the center of town so that you can walk to everything. We toured the Tetons from there. Next we did 4 nights in Yellowstone, 2 at Yellowstone Lake and 2 at Monmouth Spring. If at all possible stay in the park. Rooms are plain and not cheap. The common spaces are wonderful and the restaurants are very good. We did 3 nights at Many Glacier hotel in Glacier NP. Had a lake view room with a balcony and it was worth every penny.
You will love the trip.

joebear

We have stayed at the Cowboy village too and it was a good experience. If I go again I would love to stay in the park. WE stayed in town since the kids were younger. Jackson Hole has a nice square and they did enjoy it.

mmouse52

You have been to many of the wondeful places in the west I have been to. You definately should now experience Yellowstone. It is wonderful and should try to stay in the park. You should make those park reservations a year in advance so you get what you want and not have to settle.
I would also stay a few nights in Jackson Hole to see the tetons. It is a long ride back and forth from Yellowstone. Cody is another option for a night the Bill Cody Museum is wonderful. Also from Cody you should drive the Chief Joseph Hwy and the Bearttoth Hwy. Some of the most beautiful scenery you'll see.

Dayle

Hi Myer,

I didn't realize you haven't visited Yellowstone and the Tetons yet! By all means go! Spectacular scenery, the total opposite of southern UT red rock country. I go almost every year and never get tired of it. Endless photo ops everywhere.

If you go during June, lots of wildflowers and new babies. July and August = warmest weather. Sept. crowds gone, leaves starting to turn, warm days, cold nights.

If you feel like you have done enough hiking in southern UT, then go on to my favorite northern areas definitely.

I was thinking about your request for suggestions for the next trip. I challenge you to do a major river rafting trip!

The only one I've done so far was Desolation Canyon (on the Green River north of the town of Green River, UT). 100 mi., oar-powered (guides do the rowing when necessary), Desolation Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon, very remote. An amazing experience and one of the greatest vacations I've had. The company I went with was Moki Mac Expeditions, a well established company run by 3 brothers (sons of a famous old river rat).

This trip has rapids of Class III, just big enough to be exciting, but not too scary. You can use the inflatable 2 man kayaks to paddle along when you want. Highly recommend.

Check out their web site.

Happy planning!

Myer

Dayle,

Thanks. Did a morning of river rafting on this past trip and although fun, that was enough.

I doubt if I'd want to spend several days doing that and be at the mercy of someone else's route and schedule with my camera locked in a dry bag.

I would do a half day again if the opportunity arose but that's it.

No, I haven't been to Yellowstone.

For me, the most important thing is to pick a time that has the best chance of being dry. If it gets cold in the evening that's fine. If it gets crowded at that time, fine.

When would give me the best chance of dry weather for Yellowstone?

Dayle

Myer,

Best weather in Yellowstone is July, Aug and Sept. You can always hit an afternoon thunderstorm, but they don't usually last very long.

There is so much to see and do in Yellowstone and Tetons. Many reasons why they are some of the most popular Natl Parks.

Dayle

PS -I've done the 1/2 day float trip out of Moab too. Believe me, it's nothing like a real, multiday rafting trip. I wouldn't do the Moab 1/2 day float again either, once was nice, but enough.

sharondi

Our '06 trip to YNP/Tetons was in early Sept and the weather was incredible. Mid 70's - low 80's during the day and cool evenings in the 50's. We did hit some nasty weather on our drive back to Salt Lake City but it was otherwise perfect.

We really enjoyed staying in the park - it made dawn and dusk wildlife viewing much easier. Sunrise walks through the geysers at Old Faithful is pretty special too!

I'd suggest spending a few nights in several locations throughout the park since it is so big and there is so much to see.

utahtea

You are going to love Yellowstone! We have visit in July several times and had beautiful warm sunny weather. One year we went on a whim while passing though the area and hit snow in mid July! Your chances are pretty good you will hit nice weather...but there is always a chance that you could hit some bad.

Utahtea

Myer

I'm starting to think about how this would work.

Maybe 2 night in Jackson to allow a morning of rafting and a day in Grand tetons.

Then between 3 & 5 nights in Yellowstone.

Weighing the convenience (no packing and moving) of one location in Yellowstone to the convenience of splitting between two locations (being close to 2 areas).

A quick look seems to show that Yellowstone is a monstrous park compared to most others.

How far apart are the areas of interest towards the south from those towards the north?

utahtea

Please try to fit in 5 nights in Yellowstone. I'd go for two locations. I like Old Faithful because then you can make plans to see some of the more spectaular geysers when they are scheduled to erupt. This can also be the place you stay for making the lower circle of Yellowstone. If you want the best location for staying on one location, then the Canyon area gives you the perfect place to make the upper and lower circles of the park.

Utahtea

sharondi

Definitely do 5 nights in YNP. And split your time in two locations - Old Faithful, for sure and, depending on when you go, either Roosevelt cabins (they close by 9/1 but are closest to Lamar Valley) or Mammoth.

Canyon area is well situated in the center of the park but we found it to be the least interesting area and by far the most crowded. Also had the worst accomodations and food, although that wasn't a big deal to us. That being said, the chorus of howling wolves and bugling elk that we heard thru the night from our cabin in Canyon was incredible.

letsgo39

If you have not seen Yellowstone and The Tetons by all means go.We love Glacier N.P.and although it is remote I think it is the most beautiful of all the National Parks.It is well worth the drive and would not be impossible from Yellowstone.If you are able to get to Glacier get a lake view room at The Many Glacier Hotel.Not luxury as old NP lodges are old but very historic and the location will take your breadth away.

Dayle

Myer,

I agree that even 5 nights in Yellowstone in 2 locations would barely be enough. The park is HUGE with much to see and do.

Besides all the wildlife and gorgeous scenery, I especially like watching the geysers. It takes some time and patience, but it's worth it to see some of the less frequent ones go off. Check in at the Old Faithful visitor's center for eruption predictions and try to see some of the less known geysers. Very worth it!

spirobulldog

Hey Meyer,

We are going to Yellowstone this next Thursday for our first time. I think you enjoyed Hwy 12 in Utah, so you might want to check out the Beartooth Hwy as well, since you will be that close to it. We are staying at 3 different places in Yellowstone (OF Inn, Lake Hotel, Roosevelt Cabin), then 1 night in Colter Village tent cabins ($43 per night). I know exactly what you mean about packing every day. My wife always wants to kill me when I do trips like this, but to me it saves me backtracking, especially in such a big park with animal jams. This way, I will also get to stay in 3 of the lodges. I can't be gone for more than 5 days, so that is always an issue on our trips. We normally try to fly two places each year. Time is more of an issue than paying for flying twice. I'll let you know in a couple of weeks what I thought of the Beartooth. Charles Karault says it is the best hwy in the US.
We are flying into Billings, MT. Then departing from Jackson. Didn't cost me much more to do it this way.

We are doing a 4 hour evening Snake River Float. The major thing I am worried about is hiking with bears.

Yellowstone Expedition Guide Book is a diffent kind of guide book, that I have enjoyed reading and looking at. Biggest difference in it compared to a Moon book (or something of that nature) is that it has a ton of pictures. It came with an audio cd and cd rom. Day 1 and 2- Beartooth, Upper Geyser/Old Faithful area. Day 2/3 around Mammoth and Tower, Day 3/4 around Canyon and Lake.
Day 4 and 5 Grand Tetons. Jenny Lake and hike is the main attraction to me for GT.


I think June is probably a wet month to go, but should be less crowded and should see lots of baby animals. I just wanted to avoid July and August, because it sounded really crowded. I think September would be interesting in the fall.

I do agree with Dayle- an overnight river trip is pretty hard to beat. Sleeping on the banks under the stars is something hard to describe.

Dayle

Spirobulldog,

If you are heading to Yellowstone next week, be sure to take rain gear and warm layers. We (Utah) and they (WY & MT) are having a very wet and cooler than normal spring/early summer.

PS - my favorite hike at GTNP is the Swan Lake loop out of Coulter Bay. Not long, easy, but oh so beautiful! You'll see the wild swans nesting, moose, and maybe great blue herons and other wildlife.

Jenny Lake boat ride/hike needs tickets in advance and is very pretty, but very crowded. You can hike / boat one way and vice versa. EVERYBODY does it.

Another fun thing is to rent canoes or kayaks out of Coulter Bay and paddle around. Very peaceful.

Have fun!

spirobulldog

Yes, I already have my clothes laid out. I decided that taking any shorts is out. I am taking a long sleeve shirt for every day. Also decided to go ahead and pack winter coat, gloves, and hat. We went to Mesa Verde last week and were not prepared for the snow that we got. We normally don't take trips this close together, it just worked out that way. I am assuming without looking at my map that Colter Village is very near Colter Bay? Thanks for the Swan Loop Hike. I might just try that one, if we have time. I really hadn't thought about getting tickets in advance to the Jenny Lake Boat either. We do have reservations for the rest of our activities.

Can I expect it to be crowded or not for this time of year? I found Mesa Verde this memorial day and Arches last year on Memorial Day weekend to be not crowded at all. I was hoping for smaller crowds this time of year. That was my main purpose of going in June not July.

I am hoping that the rain is a hit and miss thing. Like it rains for an hour then stops for a couple of hours. I can handle that. It is the all day soakers that I don't like.

utahtea

spirobulldog, Two years ago when we spent the first 2 weeks of June in Yellowstone, there were hardly any people the first week of June, but by the second week the crowds were beginning to come. Have a great trip!

Utahtea

Dayle

Spriobulldog,

Can you explain your screen name by the way? Curious is that your dog's name?

Mid-June to mid-August is the crowded time around Yellowstone. Once the kids are out of school and once everyone is back home getting ready for back to school. End of August is actually an uncrowded time. Labor Day w/e is very busy with more local people getting in last long weekend trip.

Sept is mostly the retired and Europeans.

We are supposed to have warming starting today, then another temp plunge Wednesday on the next storm. After that, it's summer temps for the long range forecast. Still - when I go, I always take a parka, hat and gloves, windbreaker too. Bad weather isn't so bad if you are prepared!

I would still take some short sleeved shirts and shorts too!

Have fun!