Yellowstone Trip Report
Nov 20th, 2006 | 09:35 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 977
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Yellowstone Trip Report
This is a repost of the trip report sharondi (my bride) posted some time ago but not into the general listings where it got lost. Hopefully this will end up on the Wyoming page
Images from the tip can be seen here:
http://www.pbase.com/peterb/yellowstone_06
My husband and I spent an amazing 10 days in YNP/Tetons in early Sept just after Labor Day. We flew into SLC at noon, picked up our rental car (Dollar) in the airport - Dollar's service was fast and excellent.
Took the long route through Logan- Bear Lake- Alpine to Jackson. We had no reservations for the 1st night so we ended up at a tiny motel on a back street called Snow King Lodge - it was cheap for Jackson ($78/night) and clean. Had a late dinner at the restaurant at the Wort Hotel. Good but expensive food ($16 burger) and we were so tired we barely remember it.
Headed to Yellowstone thru Tetons. Stopped for some photos but the clouds were masking much of the scenery and we knew we were coming back so we were off to YNP.
We spent 2 nights each at Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Mammoth HS cabin, & Canyon cabin in that order. We loved staying in the park & enjoyed all of our lodging. OF Snow Lodge was great, okay food in the main dining room. Loved OF village and access to the extensive boardwalk thru the geysers! A walk at dawn was just amazing! Yellowstone is such a unique and incredible place. This was my first trip, and my husband hadn't been since he was a kid.
The thermal features appeal to all your senses - they are colorful, noisy, bubbly, smelly, steamy...wow! And the photo opportunities are endless.
After 2 nights at OF, we spent 2 more in a hottub cabin at Mammoth. Loved the room, the privacy and Mammoth village. The elk were everywhere, bugling & acting up. It was great! The food at the Mammoth dining room was really good. The hot springs closest to the village were mostly dry but still interesting and beautiful. The upper (or is it lower?) hot springs were stunning and we took hundreds of pictures.
We enjoyed perfect weather throughout the trip-warm days(70's), cool mornings(40's). Spent lots of time in the Lamar Valley, drove out the northeast entrance through Cooke City, took the Beartooth Hwy to the top (at the Divide) and back.
We spent the next 2 nights in a Pioneer cabin at Canyon. This was our least favorite area of the park although the location is great for getting almost anywhere in the park. Our cabin ($61/night) was fine. And we had a chorus of bugling elk and howling wolves (not coyotes) through our open window! I'll never forget it. The food in Canyon was not great - edible.
The abundance and variety of wildlife was remarkable! We photographed a grizzly on the shore of Lake Yellowstone on our first day. Saw a grizzly chowing down on a bison carcass in the Hayden Valley on our last night. Watched the Agate Creek wolf pack romp and play from afar. Saw numerous coyote, bison, eagles, osprey, pronghorn, elk, deer, bighorn sheep all over the place. Watched black bear mom and cubs quickly scale large pine trees to feast on pine nuts. A lazy sleepy cinnamon black bear.
After 6 nights in YNP, we still weren't ready to leave, but we took a last ride along Yellowstone Lake, had a great lunch at the Lake Hotel, and headed toward the Tetons. The weather was cooling way down and our cabin at Signal Mtn was perfect. Spent lots of time moose watching at Oxbow Bend, 2 bull moose within 20 ft of each other! Saw a mom & large baby moose near Jackson Lodge.
Dinner at the Peaks at Signal Mtn was fantastic. Our 1 room cabin had a gas fireplace which made for a warm after-dinner spot - had a bottle of wine and rain on the roof. Very cozy. We loved Signal Mtn and it's perfect spot on the lake.
We headed east out the Wind River and took the long way to SLC. The weather was turning cold and snow and heavy rain was forecast for the region. We drove the whole way back to Salt Lake City, often in pouring rain. Stayed somewhere near the airport, but had a late flight home the next day. So we walked around Temple Square and downtown, had a great sandwich at an italian deli, and made our way to the airport.
The great size and diversity of YNP make it easy to spend a week or more there. We did plenty of walking but no day hikes which was odd for us but we were so busy gawking at geysers and grizzlys, we ran out of time. Another trip, I guess. I'll post a separate link to pictures soon.
Images from the tip can be seen here:
http://www.pbase.com/peterb/yellowstone_06
My husband and I spent an amazing 10 days in YNP/Tetons in early Sept just after Labor Day. We flew into SLC at noon, picked up our rental car (Dollar) in the airport - Dollar's service was fast and excellent.
Took the long route through Logan- Bear Lake- Alpine to Jackson. We had no reservations for the 1st night so we ended up at a tiny motel on a back street called Snow King Lodge - it was cheap for Jackson ($78/night) and clean. Had a late dinner at the restaurant at the Wort Hotel. Good but expensive food ($16 burger) and we were so tired we barely remember it.
Headed to Yellowstone thru Tetons. Stopped for some photos but the clouds were masking much of the scenery and we knew we were coming back so we were off to YNP.
We spent 2 nights each at Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Mammoth HS cabin, & Canyon cabin in that order. We loved staying in the park & enjoyed all of our lodging. OF Snow Lodge was great, okay food in the main dining room. Loved OF village and access to the extensive boardwalk thru the geysers! A walk at dawn was just amazing! Yellowstone is such a unique and incredible place. This was my first trip, and my husband hadn't been since he was a kid.
The thermal features appeal to all your senses - they are colorful, noisy, bubbly, smelly, steamy...wow! And the photo opportunities are endless.
After 2 nights at OF, we spent 2 more in a hottub cabin at Mammoth. Loved the room, the privacy and Mammoth village. The elk were everywhere, bugling & acting up. It was great! The food at the Mammoth dining room was really good. The hot springs closest to the village were mostly dry but still interesting and beautiful. The upper (or is it lower?) hot springs were stunning and we took hundreds of pictures.
We enjoyed perfect weather throughout the trip-warm days(70's), cool mornings(40's). Spent lots of time in the Lamar Valley, drove out the northeast entrance through Cooke City, took the Beartooth Hwy to the top (at the Divide) and back.
We spent the next 2 nights in a Pioneer cabin at Canyon. This was our least favorite area of the park although the location is great for getting almost anywhere in the park. Our cabin ($61/night) was fine. And we had a chorus of bugling elk and howling wolves (not coyotes) through our open window! I'll never forget it. The food in Canyon was not great - edible.
The abundance and variety of wildlife was remarkable! We photographed a grizzly on the shore of Lake Yellowstone on our first day. Saw a grizzly chowing down on a bison carcass in the Hayden Valley on our last night. Watched the Agate Creek wolf pack romp and play from afar. Saw numerous coyote, bison, eagles, osprey, pronghorn, elk, deer, bighorn sheep all over the place. Watched black bear mom and cubs quickly scale large pine trees to feast on pine nuts. A lazy sleepy cinnamon black bear.
After 6 nights in YNP, we still weren't ready to leave, but we took a last ride along Yellowstone Lake, had a great lunch at the Lake Hotel, and headed toward the Tetons. The weather was cooling way down and our cabin at Signal Mtn was perfect. Spent lots of time moose watching at Oxbow Bend, 2 bull moose within 20 ft of each other! Saw a mom & large baby moose near Jackson Lodge.
Dinner at the Peaks at Signal Mtn was fantastic. Our 1 room cabin had a gas fireplace which made for a warm after-dinner spot - had a bottle of wine and rain on the roof. Very cozy. We loved Signal Mtn and it's perfect spot on the lake.
We headed east out the Wind River and took the long way to SLC. The weather was turning cold and snow and heavy rain was forecast for the region. We drove the whole way back to Salt Lake City, often in pouring rain. Stayed somewhere near the airport, but had a late flight home the next day. So we walked around Temple Square and downtown, had a great sandwich at an italian deli, and made our way to the airport.
The great size and diversity of YNP make it easy to spend a week or more there. We did plenty of walking but no day hikes which was odd for us but we were so busy gawking at geysers and grizzlys, we ran out of time. Another trip, I guess. I'll post a separate link to pictures soon.
Nov 21st, 2006 | 05:12 AM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 977
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Probably the closest we came to the bear on the beach was 50' as it ran past us. Had I not been shooting from the window of the car, I would've been WAY too close for my comfort level.
I'd suggest that anyone with a trip to Yellowstone planned visit these forums.
Lots of "hardcore" Yellowstoners there and lots of great thoughts and images.
http://www.yellowstone.net/forums/
I'd suggest that anyone with a trip to Yellowstone planned visit these forums.
Lots of "hardcore" Yellowstoners there and lots of great thoughts and images.
http://www.yellowstone.net/forums/
