Oklacat

My wife and I are planning a trip to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone in mid-August. We are both in are early 60's. After reading trip reports on here we have made the following plans. These are somewhat flexible as far as sites and routes. As now planned we will arrive in Salt Lake City on a Saturday afternoon. We will pickup our rental car and check in at our motel in northern SLC. If flights arrive on schedule we should be checked in by 5 pm,
We will be picking up a few supplies during the evening. On Sunday morning we are going to Temple Square and the Mormon program. Afterward we will head north. Is Antelope Island worth a stop? We want to see the Great Salt Lake, but will a view from the marina or the highway provide just as good a view. I also considered going to AI the evening we arrive just to catch a sunset over the lake. I like taking photos of landscape.
On Sunday night we will be staying at Montpelier, ID. The clerk there said it was about a four hour drive from SLC so we are planning to leave SLC area by 3 pm. I don't like trying to find my lodging after dark. On Monday we will leave for Jackson and spend Monday night and Tuesday night in Jackson. We both are able to do limited hikes; four to five mile round trips. Any suggested hikes in addition to the one at Jenny Lake (Hidden Falls). On Wednesday we will be going to Yellowstone via the south entrance. Our Wednesday night lodging will be in West Yellowstone, Thursday night will be Old Faithful Inn, Friday night Mammoth, and Saturday night back in West Yellowstone. Sunday will be an all day drive back to SLC and a flight out the following morning. I expect we will spend most of Thursday in the geyser area. I have been trying to figure out a route with the least amount of backtracking that will catch most of the sites for a first time visit. Would it be better to go to the lake area on the way in on Wednesday or should we go the OF area on Wednesday on the way to West Yellowstone or go the lake route? Any suggestions for 'must see' sites based upon our timeline is appreciated. Wildlife isn't high on our list of things to see. I have to listen to coyotes every night where I live. There is a game reserve with elk about 20 miles south of were we live. We can see bison in the western part of the state. I would still enjoy seeing them but probably wouldn't want to sit for a while waiting for them to show up.

MassDave

I wouldn't miss the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone if I were you

Myer

I would skip Mammoth and go to Canyon.

In my opinion Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Lower falls as seen from Redrock Point is a much better view than The Grand Canyon.

If you're looking for a short, unusual and very rewarding end hike do the following. Drive a couple of miles up from Old Faithful to Grand Prismatic Spring. The colors are amazing. However, the view is far from optimal on the boardwalks.

Look to the far side over GPS and there's a hill going up. Unfortunately you "can't get there from here".

There is a solution that I have found. Drive about a mile back towards Old Faith to the Fairy Falls trailhead parking lot. Hike the first mile of the Fairy Falls hike. Basically, it's a level, dirt road.

You'll come to that hill. There are no signs as this is an unofficial trail. If you look carefully you'll see the pathway leading up the hill. When I went there were about 8-10 people there. Always a few leaving and a few coming up.

You can see my photos at:
www.travelwalks.com

You can see the views from both locations.

Oklacat

MassDave, that area is definitely a part of our plan. I have seen that Inspiration Point is closed. Will that affect the view of the falls?

Thanks, Myer. I have seen comments about an unofficial trail and was wondering how to find it.

When I made the reservations there was no lodging available in the Canyon area. The person that took the reservation told me that the cancellation charge would be a night's lodging. Just reading the webpage it looks like I either didn't understand him or he was wrong. If I were able to get a room at Canyon, would the cancellation charge for Mammoth be credited to my reservation to Canyon? When you say skip Mammoth, do you mean the lodging or that area of the park? I have seen that the springs may be dry in that part of the park.

BTW, your posts have helped me quite a bit in planning the trip. I have been cutting a pasting portions of various trip reports and comments into a word file I can take with me.

StantonHyde

Antelope Island in August will be HOT. I would skip it. You can see the lake just fine from the highway (I-15). Montpelier is a nice place--very small. There is a unique Oregon trail museum near there. Are you going by Bear Lake? That is a fantastic, gorgeous lake.

On the way from West Yellowstone to SLC, stop in Idaho Falls at the Eastern Idaho Museum. They often have great traveling exhibits and its a fun museum. (its the half way point)

Myer

I have never heard of cancellation charges in Yellowstone. I think Signal Mtn Lodge in Grand Tetons charges a $15. admin fee for cancellations.

I'm trying to put a trip together for next year to Yellowstone and I've already made changes without charges.

I wasn't planning on going to Mammoth but we had time for a drive thru. We stopped at Undine Falls but nothing else was worth the effort. All dry. Maybe somebody else can comment if things have gotten better.

I would skip it totally. Tower Fall (not Falls) is also a big disappointment. Growth blocks the falls and the trail to the bottom is permanently closed.

There are several excellent viewpoint on the north and south side of the Canyon for the very impressive Lower Falls.

Also, Canyon is very close the Hayden Valley and the bison.

And if you are in shape (I did this at about 64) you can try the Mt Washburn hike. It's 3.5 miles each way on a very smooth and not steep dirt road. The road is used to take supplies up to the ranger station at the top.

The problem is that it starts at 8,800 ft and ends around 10,350 ft. Sucking for oxygen from the start. But worth the effort as you can stop to rest and drink water as often as you'd like. Great scenery. You can even see the Tetons. We saw some pronghorn but unfortunately they were on the next mountain.

If you find my original trip report I stopped at quite a few waterfalls. Some right beside the road with nobody else around.

Keep calling for Canyon as there will be cancellations.

Oklacat

Thanks, StandonHyde. I think AI is out. If we get around in time the evening we arrive, I will see if I can get a good view of the lake from another area. If not, we will just look at it from the highway as we head north. I was originally planning on going through Idaho Falls on the way up, but read a couple of reports on here and decided to take the Highway 89 route to Jackson. If it isn't too late on us before we leave SLC I am going to get by Bear Lake.

Meyer,
The person I made the reservation made a point of talking about the cancellation charges in detail. I think missed the part about them applying only if the cancellation was within 48 hours of arrival.

We will try the Mt. Washburn hike. About four years ago while in Lake Tahoe we took a lift part way up Heavenly, then walked from 9500' to 11000'. It was about two and a half miles (one way) and we didn't have an oxygen problem. My wife's knee did give her some trouble. I told her if it started bothering her, we could always turn back. The guide book I have shows two hike routes for Mt. Washburn.

I have been calling the reservation center about changing to Canyon lodging. Some calls nothing is available, on other calls they other properties available but not Canyon for the date I want. I expect that a lot of people wait until closer to their dates to cancel, so I think I should be able to change to Canyon by mid August.