Yellowstone vs. Grand Canyon
 

My husband and I are trying to plan our vacation for the Spring/Summer of 2001. We definitely want to go white water rafting - real rafting where you actually paddle, none of this scenic viewing stuff - and we'd like to do some hiking, outdoorsy stuff. We don't want to camp and would like good restaurants to visit at night. Would you suggest Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon????

Depends. I'd look at making your decision based upon what type of terrain and weather you like. Yellowstone: deep forests, mountains, lots of wildlife, geothermal activity, very pleasant weather in summer (but more varied in the spring). Grand Canyon (in summer): hot, dusty, less green than Yellowstone. I find the hiking in Yellowstone to be more interesting because (to me) there's more to see there. In the Grand Canyon, you may take several different hikes, but it's all pretty much the same terrain. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the high desert. My favorite place to hike is Canyonlands and Arches in Utah. But I like hot, dusty, cactus-strewn areas. I like the redrock. A lot. But, it seems, more people prefer the green of the mountains. By the way, both have great white-water rafting.

Well, I guess the big white water event is to take a trip down the Colorado from Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch. But if you don't have a reservation now, I am not sure what your chances are. <BR>There is one minor problem with getting out at Phantom Ranch. It is a climb of 5,000 feet up to the South Rim of the GC. Hope you are in shape!! <BR>Yellowstone has little white water rafting that I have seen, although the Firehole River goes through some cataracts before it joins the Madison near Madison Junction. There is some decent hiking in Yellowstone. <BR>Given the constraints you put on it, you might not want to go to either. <BR>By the way, if you want reservations at either place in a motel type of room, start last month to make your reservation. <BR>

Bob's right. When I said there was white water rafting at Yellowstone, I meant to say there's white water rafting in the Yellowstone AREA. Namely, the Snake River. There are several outfitters, most of whom are located in Jackson (which is an added benefit to going to Yellowstone vs. Grand Canyon. You can pop into Jackson which is a great town.)

Bob's right. When I said there was white water rafting at Yellowstone, I meant to say there's white water rafting in the Yellowstone AREA. Namely, the Snake River. There are several outfitters, most of whom are located in Jackson (which is an added benefit to going to Yellowstone vs. Grand Canyon. You can pop into Jackson which is a great town.)

OK ... can't comment on Grand Canyon; never been there. But I have been to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and loved it. Did a lot of hiking, went horseback riding (and it wasn't nose-to-tail, but it was guided), and did some fun, exhilerating white water rafting on the Snake out of Jackson. I think it was a level III - IV when we went.

If you want to do white water paddling in spring/summer of 2001, your decision has already been made. River trips through the Grand Canyon sell out a year in advance, so the Canyon (unless you get REAL lucky) is out of the question in your time frame. Sorry to bear the bad news, but the sooner you are aware of this, the sooner you can make alternate plans.