maj

spirobulldog

Is the title of the book The Complete Guide to National Park Lodges? Author? I would like to get that book also. Thanks.

PHayden

Here is the web site for Signal Mountain which explains the rooms. You can call and ask them also.

http://foreverlodging.com/lodging.cfm?PropertyKey=69

Here is the one for Xanterra -- which is the only one for in park Yellowstone
http://www.xanterra.com/central-reservations-1666.html

You can also call them -- in fact I found it better to call for reservations with them because they have more than what is on the web site usually.

If you haven't used the nps.gov web site -- it is excellent for information on the parks and has a link to the accommodations for each.

spirobulldog

Here's the book

Insiders' Guide
The Complete Guide to National Park Lodges

by David L. Scott and Kay W. Scott
this book is a paperback that doesn't have any color pics. It gives very good descriptions and details of all the parks available places to stay. fifth edition is what I have, but it is about 4 years old I am guessing.

I also have a a Book entitled Great Lodges of National Parks. This one is pretty much only about the historic lodges. They have a Book II that I hope I get for Christmas. this book is by Chirstine Barnes and has lots of color pics and goes into more of the history aspect of it.

I have another really good book that is a cookbook entitled Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook by Kathleen Bryant. I have several of the items in the book and then of course try to make them at home as well. One of the coolest things I found out in the book was about the chef in Death Valley at Furnace Creek Inn. We had eaten there and really enjoyed it. She is the chef at Death Valley in the Winter and then in the summer she is at Crater Lake. It has a lot of recipes and also some historical aspects geared more towards the dining in each lodge.

spirobulldog

have eaten several of the items***

you'd think I would learn to proofread before clicking the send button

spirobulldog

There are some super books at both Yellowstone and Tetons in the Visitor Centers. Huge book sections. Very nice.

spirobulldog

Sorry to keep adding more. Another pretty cool thing to do there is to take a tour on. We did the Sunset Lake Butte tour. Saw an unusual sunset that formed just below an approaching thunderstorm. You could see the rain hitting the water about halfway across the lake and the other part was totally glass.

PHayden

After everyone's suggestions I have changed our itinerary to this:
Sun Sept 6th-fly to Jackson, rent car & drive to Canyon Lodge Yellowstone & stay 3 nights
Wed Sept 9th - go to Mammoth & stay 3 nights
Sat Sept 12 - go to Old Faithful Inn & stay 3 nights
Sept 15 - Tues - go to GT Signal Mountain & stay 3 nights
Sept 18 - Fri - go to Jackson & stay 1 night & fly home Saturday noon.
How does this sound? I added one additional night so we could see Jackson. The main reason for going to Mammoth is for the elk rutting & bugling. For those of you that have been to all these areas, does it make sense to divide it evenly with 3 nights per place or is there one place that would be better to spend 4 nights and one place better to only spend 2 nights? We really want to try to see as much of the park and wildlife as we can.

spirobulldog

I like the sound of this now. I think 3 nights at each place is good. I would probably only stay 2 nights @ Mammoth. It was our least impressive area. However, with the Elks in Rut, this may be the place to be.

This also gives you the option of checking at Roosevelt Lodge and trading it for Canyon Lodge for a couple of nights. Their last day is the 7th. I don't know if that means you can spend the night there on the 7th or not. You could sneak in a night or two there and then just stay one night at Canyon if something became available and you were willing to pack up and move an additional time. I would probably go ahead and make reservations soon, just to be safe. You can always cancel. I think you will be charged for only your first night.

I wonder if it would cost you anymore to fly into Billings and then out of Jackson. You would have to factor in the car dropoff. Sometimes they kill you on this, other times it is just a bit more. You could drive the Beartooth HWY. You could still easily take a day while at Canyon or Mammoth to drive it.

spirobulldog

One other thing, you didn't include Lake Hotel at all. You might want to at least stop there and have a meal. Its a pretty good area to spend a day at.

spirobulldog

Actually Make Reservations now. I noticed at Old Faithful and Mammoth the only thing left were rooms without a bath. So hurry before those are gone.

PHayden

Wow, I can't believe how fast Yellowstone books up. I did get a Western cabin at Canyon, a room no bath at Mammoth, and a room no bath at Old Faithful Inn. I may try to call on Monday when they are open and see if there is any kind of waiting list to get a room with a bath. But atleast I got us rooms! Thanks Spirobulldog.

swisshiker

As far as I know, PHayden, there are NO waitlists. Just good ole perseverence, lol! Keep calling them. It might seem discouraging at times, but it can work, even real close to your departure.

PHayden

Thanks Swisshiker. I have no problem being persistent

RedRock

If you get in a bind as to where to stay and are unable to get what you want inside the Park you can always stay in one of the gateways towns. A night or so in Gardiner or Cooke City/Silver Gate for the activities in the northern part of the Park works well. We have never had a problem getting a place in Cooke City a day or two in advance of arrival.

http://www.colorado-west.com/cooke/

maj

We spent a couple of nights in Gardiner last year. It is only about 5 miles from Mammoth and we always saw elk and bighorn sheep on the ride in. It is a very, very small town but it was nice to have television and internet access in the middle of a long trip.

People make reservations in the park as soon as they open them up, but many either cancel or change them as it gets nearer to their trip. You may not see much availability for a while, but by next summer you will probably start seeing it change on almost a daily basis.

I think your itinerary sounds great. It is nice, especially for a first visit, to have a few days in different parts of the park. That way you have more flexibility in when you do things -- depending on weather, etc.

spirobulldog

I think you have a fantastic trip planned. I know the bath in the room is nice, but I think the Old original part is the way to go in Old Faithful Inn. The bath down the hall isn't that big of a deal. I still think you have a good shot upgrading your room in mammoth and even getting a different room in Old Faithful with a bath if you decide to go that route. I also think you can wind up with a room at Roosevelt for a night or two. I ended up with a room at Colter last year, by checking online every night before I went to bed. It is probably best that you call according to other posts I have read here. We had originally booked at tent cabin, but decided we wanted to get a regular cabin with a bath. I was able to secure it about 3 weeks before we left. I had made all our reservations originally a year in advance. I envy you being there in the fall and during the elk rut. I would like to see Yellowstone in different seasons, even winter. We were there in June and it was good then, because all the wildlife had babies. We saw a lot of bears. 15 or so. Two or three of them with cubs.

spirobulldog

Maj does have a good idea, if the bathroom isn't your thing you could easily stay at Gardiner. It is pretty much right there at Mammoth.

PHayden

The bathrooms won't be a big deal. It would just be nicer to have one. I would still rather stay in the park without a bath in room than stay out of the park.
Where do you find out about Snake River raft trips? Where do the start/end? I really want to do that while we are in the Tetons. We have done smooth & very light whitewater at the Grand Canyon. Do we need to make reservations or in Sept would we be ok waiting until we get there?
I think that is the only item left besides plane tickets and of course planning what we are going to do each day.

spirobulldog

I prefer staying in the park myself.

List of park tour operators:
http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/concessions.htm

We did ours thru GTLC. Some companies do Breakfast or dinner tours. There is a variety to pick from. I would make reservations a couple of months in advance. Also, do check out the Historic Yellow Bus Tour in Yellowstone. We liked it. Of course, you will want to take a boat across Jenny Lake to do the hike there. The float trip is nothing wild, pretty smooth. You will not get wet.

PHayden

I wanted to thank everyone for all the information you gave me about watching on line to see if the lodges in Yellowstone added some additional choices of rooms. I was able to switch our no bathroom room in Old Faithful Inn and at Mammoth Lodge & Cabins for rooms with baths. Yeah

spirobulldog

Now you won't have to "hold it" all night long. LOL. Sounds like your trip is coming together nicely. We want to go to YS sometime in the winter, that looks interesting as well.