Yellowstone - places to stay
 

First time to Yellowstone and in our 60's. Can you recommend any reasonable places to stay this August?

All lodging within the park is booked by Xanterra.
http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/
Of you can't get lodging within the park on your dates,
you may have to stay in West Yellowstone or in Gardiner.

>>Can you recommend any reasonable places to stay this August?<<

What do you consider 'reasonable'? What s your actual budget? Plus August is very popular -- a lot of places are already booked up.

If you want to stay in West Yellowstone, I recommend the Three Bear Lodge. It has 2 sections - one in the lodge itself and the other attached and somewhat motel like in looks. Don't let the motel look fool you. Those rooms are very large and particularly nice and probably the best price around. Includes breakfast to in the Lodge restaurant which is great for other meals too. I do not recommend the Moose Inn in W. Yellowstone because the rooms are tiny - very tiny.

W. Yellowstone is under a 5 minute drive to a park entrance.

Gardiner and w. Yellowstone are very close to the park entrances, and offer a variety of motel/hotel/condo lodging. The park road is basically a figure 8, so it's not inconvenient (and often cheaper) to stay outside the park proper.

If nothing is available at the Xanterra link, start calling their number daily. Often rooms will open up when tour groups don't need all the rooms they reserve in a block.

Lee Ann

Rooms in park are ideal location wise, but more costly generally. Staying just outside the park can be cheaper but requires longer drives in and earlier start times - perhaps add an hour each way. This is largely for wildlife viewing as well as avoidance after dark.

I haven't seen actual rooms at Three Bear, but have eaten in the restaurant and am familiar with the external. The huckleberry pancakes are delicious. It is an older property but well maintained in a premier town location. If you must stay out of park, this would be an excellent choice.

Gardiner is convenient to the north entrance, but not ideal to the stay overall. But you can find lower rates out of park, so this might work for 1 night.

Suggest you book lodging outside that is cancellable and then keep calling in to secure a couple of nights at least in park. August will be prime time, but keep calling as people cancel and inventory changes moment to moment.

Absolutely start calling right away to try to get in park lodging. Unfortunately, it may be booked for this August. Fortunately, cancellations occur all the time and with some perseverance you can usually snag an opening. Staying outside the park may be marginally cheaper but you will make up for that staying in the park with much, much shorter drive times each day. Additionally - and the most important reason to stay in the parks - is that you will be able to be at places like Old Faithful or the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before and after the day trippers are there. Crowds will be an issue in August but being able to experience the park before they get there or after they leave is a wonderful experience. It is not advised to drive in the parks in the dark and staying in the park allows you to be at the main attractions at the best time of day (best light for photographs, less crowds, etc). You didn't mention how many days you have for Yellowstone but I would try to get a split in lodging of at least two locations - Old Faithful and Canyon would be ideal. I would take anything in the park I could get though and continue calling for cancellations to secure more desirable locations if they come available.

Are you going to the Tetons as well?

If you stay in West Yellowstone, Hibernation Station is also nice. Each room is a small log cabin and the one I stayed in for several days was quite comfortable.

dwooddon, that's the place with the bronze statues out front, correct? It sure looks cute, we have wondered how it would be to stay. Great location as well.

I don't remember any statues but it could be. I'm getting old and they say memory is the second thing to go. I'll be damned if I can remember what the first one was.

Thank you so much for all the great advice.