YNP June 2007
 

My friend and I will be able to spend 2 nights in the park and I realise that we may already be restricted by availability but what lodgings would you recommend? We will be entering the park via either the East or North East entrance and leaving by the South. Can you recommend a route?

Wildlife, Geysers and Scenery (in that order) would be our priorities but we're not big hikers, don't mind the easy stuff but my back complains if I do too much!

Hpe you can help - I need to spend time reading through the existing posts but time never seems to allow.

See if you can get a room at Old Faithful Inn, Lodge or Snow Lodge. They had rooms available recently. Many Geysers in the area. You should see elk and bison while driving there and maybe while your there. For a two day trip, I wouldn't hike. There's a lot to see by driving. If you only have two nights in the park, you need to get there pretty early to get a full (nearly so) first day.

From the East Entrance, come into Lake and Hayden Valley and head North. From the North East, come in through Lamar Valley to Roosevelt and head to Canyon. Just thoughts.

If you pictures and trip reports from last July's trip will help, check www.AlandSueJohnson.com. The pictures might help plan what you want to see. You should have no trouble seeing what you want to see in the time you have. The problem will be that you'll think you have to go back.

Get your reservation now and worry about it later. You can make it work OK from any of the locations. Many are full.

I would recommend the North East entrance to the Park. This way you will drive some of the most beautiful country in the world, the Beartooth Highway (US-212) or the Chief Joseph Highway (WY-296) and the Dead Indian Pass. Once in the Park the Lamar Valley will await you.

http://www.ylwstone.com/lamar.html

http://www.yellowstonetreasures.com/index.html

http://www.yellowstone.net/

Beartooth Pass, a few miles out of Red Lodge.

http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/image...oth_182_lg.jpg

Two days is not nearly enough but you can still see and do a lot. For an out of the way place to stay Cooke City is a good choice. We have stayed there many times (Hoosier Motel) and have camped in the National Forest Campgrounds just out of town as well as the CG's in the Lamar Valley.

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

I've heard lots of good thought on taking the Beartooth Highway, but you didn't mention when in June you are thinking. The Beartooth highway won't open until the crews are able to get the snow off the highway, which may not happen until mid-June or later depending on the snow depth. I missed my opportunity a few years back because of the snow.

Gosh I hadn't totally appreciated there might be those sort of weather conditions. I was expecting cold but....!

I am now rather pleased to have booked a 4WD vehicle.

Our break is from 2nd June to 18th and the YNP dates are likely to be 7th/8th or 8th/9th - still working on the detailed itinerary but we arrive on the ranch on the Seminoe Alcova Scenic Backay late on the 10th.

Not sure whether to plan a night in between somewhere or make it a driving day on the 10th. Any suggestions?

My vote would be to try to stay at Old Faithful Inn. I think it's a great hotel. We were there early June and it can be cool in the mornings and evening and light jacket weather during the day. This is really a good time to go because baby animals are born in the spring so you should see a lot.

The Beartooth Highway is normally open by the first of June or sometimes the last part of May. We have crossed over many times, as early as Memorial Day and as late as the end of Sept with no problems. In May you could have a wall of snow on both sides of the road for a good part of the way as you cross over the top. Still it is a wonderful trip you will remember for a lifetime.

One word of caution and warning, don't let a 4WD vehicle lull you into a false sense of security. That has gotten a lot of people in trouble. Especially if you do not know the area you are going to be in and the conditions you may encounter.

Check these two sites or ask locally any time you are in doubt.

http://www.wyoroad.info/

Check Closures and Advisories.

http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/reports/alerts.shtml

Wise words RedRock! I am used to driving a 4WD but we don't get to practice using it in bad conditions very often over here. The most common problem we encounter with any regularity is mud. The Beartooth Highway is now very much on my priority list so let's hope it's open.

I've made plans to be in the park 6-25-07 through 6-29-07. I made my reservations back in July and was told then that the Old Faithful Inn doesn't open until July 1.

If you would prefer to stay in the park I would call Xanterra ASAP;1-866-GEYSERLAND (439-7375).

Their website, http://www.travelyellowstone.com/ is very informative, but you might have better luck calling them directly. Don't be discouraged if nothing is available, keep calling back, they get cancellations all the time.

Thank you all for your help. We have now booked our first night in a Mammoth Hot Springs Frontier Cabin and the second in The Old Faithful Inn. Need to continue researching now how to make the most of the 2 days we have in the Park. Our intention is to arrive via the Beartooth highway by late morning on the 7th and leave by the South entrance early afternoon on the 9th. If the waether restricts or threatens the Beartooth highway then we will enter via the East entrance instead.

Krissie -- After the BT Hwy has been cleared the road is an easy drive for about any vehicle. The only problems that could arise would be if you got caught by an early or late season snow. I have seen snow in mid July in the higher elevations and while camping near Cooke City. All anyone needs to do is be aware of the current conditions. There will be road construction to contend with in the Park and on the roads approaching from the E or NE entrance. You can check the YS site on http://www.nps.gov/, they have a map of road conditions and construction as well as other worthwhile information. By next spring when the Park opens I am sure it will up current.

Krissie- Thanks for letting me know that Xanterra adjusted their schedule and is opening the Inn on May 11, instead of July 1.

I was able to tranfer my reservation from the Snow Lodge to one of the rooms in the "old house" with the bathroom down the hall, just what we wanted in the first place. Thanks so much for this post, we couldn't be happier.

Very pleased for you FLmom. Thanks everyone for your help. I'm off now to check out places to stay on the rest of our tour of Wyoming but will check back later to look over the links suggested to suss out the best use we can make of our 48 hours in Yellowstone as I can see it's not going to be long enough.

Only 19 weeks and 3 days till we fly ( can you tell I'm getting excited!)