[Sly Fox]

This summer, my family took a trip to one of my favorite places on the planet ... Yellowstone National Park. Recently I was asked to offer advice about planning such a trip and I thought it would be cool to get advice from everyone on here who has made the trek to see geyser country. I know SuperJon has been there recently as well.

Please consider this thread your place to share advice or simply reminisce about Yellowstone trips past.

[Schfourteenteen]

Jellystone>Yellowstone

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thanks Sly. I await the advice of what to see, where to stay, how to go about the whole thing.

[LUconn]

A montana/wyoming trip has been at the top of my list for a few years now. I want to drive and camp the whole trip. My biggest pitfall is the young age of my kids. The 2 big downers there is hiking and long days in the car. But I'm going to get them into hiking this fall and I'll see what they're capable of. I haven't come up with the solution to the car ride there yet.

[Cider Jim]

That was part of my high school senior trip in '79. For this WV boy to take in both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, as well as Mount Rushmore and the city of Chicago, was a memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Everyone should go there at least once.

But I've still go the Grand Canyon on my bucket list.

[Rooster Cogburn]

A montana/wyoming trip has been at the top of my list for a few years now. I want to drive and camp the whole trip. My biggest pitfall is the young age of my kids. The 2 big downers there is hiking and long days in the car. But I'm going to get them into hiking this fall and I'll see what they're capable of. I haven't come up with the solution to the car ride there yet.

Renting a camper is one of the options we are thinking about.

And CJ I've been to the canyon 2X. It's awesome.

[LUconn]

like a pop up? That seems to be the most sensible way. But if you mean an RV, I've looked into that quite a bi,t and rental fee + mileage fee + gas = waaay more expensive than flying and staying in a hotel. RV rentals sounds so awesome but it's just so expensive if you're driving a long distance (which anyone who wants to rent an RV surely would be).

[BJWilliams]

A montana/wyoming trip has been at the top of my list for a few years now. I want to drive and camp the whole trip. My biggest pitfall is the young age of my kids. The 2 big downers there is hiking and long days in the car. But I'm going to get them into hiking this fall and I'll see what they're capable of. I haven't come up with the solution to the car ride there yet.

Renting a camper is one of the options we are thinking about.

And CJ I've been to the canyon 2X. It's awesome.

My mom and dad saw the Canyon a few years ago...my dad got a case of vertigo from the heights

[4everfsu]

My sweetheart and I plan on heading out to Yellowstone and Mt Rushmore in 2013. We plan on driving out and finding places, hotels, motels and wing it. Any suggestions from those who have been to that area?

[R i]

I spent some time out there last summer. Yellowstone was very cool to see. But my reccomendation... Drive the entire loop in one or two days. take a few short day hikes to see the imperial geiser and a few others. Go to all the hot spots.. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Old faithful.

To see something that is not burned up go up to the northern part of the loop. Its a beautiful drive.

All that being said, I would not spend more than 2 days in Yellowstone, Now Jenny Lake down at the base of the Tetons a few hours south, It is very awesome. Much more scenic, far fewer people. Take a float down the snake river. Its about 40 dollars but you see the Tetons from every angle, and wildlife is amazing.

[SuperJon]

Yellowstone was nice but Jackson Hole and the Tetons were much prettier. There's a tram in Jackson Hole that takes you to the top of the mountain. Wow is all I can say. That was awesome.

[Sly Fox]

I have a feeling this is the tram for which you are referring, SJ ...





It was a lousy weather day and we had to wait over an hour to go up due to lightning in the area. The temperature dropped close to 40 degrees from the time we stepped on to the tram down in Teton Village until we stepped off in a June blizzard atop on Rendezvous Mountain.

I agree completely that Yellowstone and bordering Grand Teton National Park are all part of the same trip. Everything from Jackson up to Montana is the same area. Now keep in mind that includes hundreds of square miles and traffic moves at a snail's pace.

Jackson and the entire Jackson Hole area is a huge tourist mecca. Prices in Jackson are generally outrageous. But you can stay nearby and dart in and out of the key areas without breaking the bank.

I am going to have to disagree with R i on the amount of time to invest in Yellowstone. You'll be lucky to take in the South Loop with Old Faithful and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in one day in the summer. We are talking a great deal of mileage inside the park. Two days should be minimum IMHO. I'll go into greater detail about the park in this thread and drop some pics in here.

[SuperJon]

In the summer the top of the mountain looks like this:







The lower falls at Yellowstone were actually pretty cool too.

[PAmedic]

nice shirt.

get a haircut.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thanks for the pics and the tips. Keep em coming. This is awesome.

[Sly Fox]

The pics from SJ are from Artists Point in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. That spot along with Inspiration Point just a little further down the path are the best places to easily view both sets of falls. But both have trails that you walk down to the falls themselves. The Lower Falls seen in SJ's pics are twice as tall as Niagara but nearly as wide. But walking down to the base is spectacular. I would give a significant amount of time to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone region. Outside of some of the geyser pools, this is easily the most photogenic part of the park.

[SuperJon]

We had 100 high school students with us so hiking wasn't really an option. We just went, looked, said ooh ahh, then got back on the bus.