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joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 472
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 10:00 pm: | 
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Anyone been? - looking to go next year.
Any recommendations, what time to go, where to stay, what to see, what to avoid? Etc... |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 730
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 7:48 am: |
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We went and we loved it, although I wouldn't recomend going when we did, which was the last two weeks the park was open. (Things were 1/2 price, but it was cold and snowy).
It's big....very very very big, and vast, with the highlights speckled around the park with hours of driving in between. It's very hard to pick a place and hike around, because you have to get in the car to get from various points in the park to other points. Plan accordingly.
Also, when we were there, Grizzly's were about so we weren't able to take long hikes deep into the wilderness.
We split our stay into two parts...Half was in the Old Faithful Lodge, which was very nice, and the other half was in a private cabin, which was VERY private/secluded/Rustic....just us, the fireplace and the front porch. All arranged via the Hotel Link on the National Park Service website.
We also took a stint down to the Grand Tetons which were absolutely gorgeous, and provided a couple highly memorable hikes. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 473
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 8:40 am: |
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Thanks - I don't think we'll be hiking into the wilderness. We're taking my mom - who's always wanted to go - but couldn't due to my dad's health. Dad's now in a home - so her caretaker responsibilities are over.
The rustic cabin and fire place sounds really cool. But I didn't relize that there are hours of driving between sights. We figure we'd have to hit old faithful - but beyond that - we're open.
Can you reccomend any guide books? |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3495
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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My in-laws used to live in that part of the country. I'll ask them about lodgings, etc. We usually just went there for day trips from their home, although we stayed in a cabin once, but I don't remember exactly where. Definitely include Grand Teton National Park in your plans. It is adjacent to Yellowstone. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 737
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:37 am: |
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How long do you have to stay? The Old Faithful Lodge might be the best bet, however, that depends on whether or not you can get a room in time. (researvations book up). Old Faithful in is a gorgeous Teddy Roosevelt Era lodge well worth a visit.
The cabins you can get easier than a room at the lodge, and various locations throughout the park have cabin options. You can even get two side by side if you need one. (Typical cabin has a bed, a SMALL kitchenette, a fireplace, a small front deck and a grill) Cabins are going to be at locations far from Old Faithful. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 474
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:17 am: |
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I think we'll go for 10 days if we can swing it. I know that they book up fast - so looking at Sep 07 is not out of the question. I want ot make the reservations as soon as possible.
I'll definately look into the Grand Tetons as well.
It reminds me of visiting the Smithsonian - I actually thought I could see 'everything' in a weekend.
I need to look stuff up and pick a few must sees and some other if we have time options.
We'll be traveling with a 6 year old and the fore mentioned 74 year old - as well as us 40 somethings. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3498
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 1:37 pm: |
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Look at cabins in the Tetons also ... now that I think about it, I think that may be where we stayed when we did the multi-day trip there rather than staying with the relatives. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 738
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 2:54 pm: |
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Ultimately, what you schedule to see is truly a matter of personal preference. This is simply MY personal preference, hopefully it helps.
Yellowstone is mostly flat and wooded, with gently rolling hills, which makes for somewhat boring driving/hiking, with long spells between finding Amazing Animals (Moose, Wolves, Foxes, Elk, Deer, and of course....plenty of Bison). I couldn't get enough of the Bison, but don't worry, there's plenty herding up around Old Faithful. Your 6 y/o will have a total hayday with the Bison.
WIth respect to the hot springs and geysers, I kind of felt that after I saw one set, that I had seen enough. The first one is super cool, but you kind of have to be a geoligist to enjoy the next 40 you will come across. So it was not worth some of the 2 hour + Drives we took to see them. I liken this to seeing Churches/Catherdrals in Europe. The first three are breathtaking...after that, you'd prefer sitting in a Bar or Cafe....
The Tetons are awesome, and there are some easy hikes to arrange, suitable for your party (I'll call them "walks")....you'll enjoy that a lot, and the drive down from Yellowstone is quite enjoyable. I would also consider ducking into Jackson Hole, which is not too far from the Tetons, should you get bored with your rustic, outdoorsy vacation.
Have you been to Yosemite? |
KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 78
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 6:24 pm: |
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Book as far ahead as possible. The lodges within the parks book far in advance and the more desirable places to stay outside of the parks also book well in advance. We are visiting the area in a few weeks and waited too long to book our first choices. Some of the less desirable places seem very expensive for what you get. Check out TripAdvisor.com. to get an idea of what is availble.
I'll let you know of our experience when I return. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 475
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:35 pm: |
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Yosemite may be the trip after next - assuming we both stay employed.
Friends just came back today from there - they just spent a day on a plane - or I'd be over there quizing them! |
Frederick Schmid
Citizen
Username: Carlfrederick
Post Number: 50
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:22 pm: |
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Make sure you do the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum in Cody. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 484
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:15 am: |
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Now - what's the feeling on taking a first grader out of school for a week the second week of sept?
In the big picture - will I scar my child by taking out of school for that week or will I open her horizons? |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3515
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 5:57 pm: |
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That's opening a can of worms as there are varying opinions on that. I will comment that it always seems like there are very few full weeks of school during September and October due to Labor Day, Jewish Holidays and the teacher workday usually scheduled for early October. If you schedule your trip in one of those few full weeks, your kid may miss a chunk of REAL school work since many of the days in those other weeks often seem a bit wasted. On the other hand, if you hit one of those holiday weeks ... especially if the holiday is midweek, she probably won't miss much at all.
If you don't have control over the date anyway, I wouldn't fret that much about it, though.
If you are just looking to hit after peak tourist season, late August is probably good, too, since schools in most parts of the country start up by then. That is certainly true of the area surrounding Yellowstone, as well as most other parts of the country (except the Northeast of course, and perhaps a few other pockets.) We often find fewer crowds when we vacation at that time.
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Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 790
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 8:42 am: |
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Just be careful!!!
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. Jun 18, 2006 (AP)— A woman lost her footing after stepping over a retaining wall to take a photograph and went over a cliff, falling 500 feet to her death in a canyon, park officials said.
Deborah Chamberlin, 52, of Rockford, Mich., was visiting the park with her husband and two children, park spokesman Al Nash said Sunday. She was vice president of the school board in her west Michigan community, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported in its Sunday edition.
Her husband flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911 after the Saturday morning accident at an overlook along the Yellowstone River, park officials said.
A ranger rappelled down the canyon wall to reach the woman, but she was dead at the scene.
"It's hard for me to articulate right now because I'm still in shock," said Rockford Superintendent Mike Shibler, who said he spoke to Chamberlin's husband, Gary.
It was the second fatal accident in Yellowstone this year. In February, a woman was killed in a snowmobile accident.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Eric Wertheim
Citizen
Username: Bub
Post Number: 213
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 9:02 am: |
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You might want to read up on Yellowstone's status as a super-volcano, a subject that has been much publicized in recent years due to documentaries on the various leaerning channels. It is truly chilling.
Don't know if it was mentioned but make sure u check out the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We had a vacation based in the Tetons once, and we did a one day whirlwind of Yellowstone, which I advise against. Yellowstone is one of the strangest most varied and dramatic places on earth and should be explored with some leisure.
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joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 487
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 10:35 am: |
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Actually - the super volcano specials got me started on this. I wanted to see it before it blew up - hopefully not while I was there.
My neighbor is already worried about one of us slipping off a cliff. However - as ardent a photog as I am - and love to get 'the shot' - my healthy respect for heights and becoming a parent tempers what lengths I now go thru to get 'the shot'. |
cppkqp
Citizen
Username: Cppkqp
Post Number: 135
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 3:10 pm: |
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I think it is great that three generations of your family are taking such a wonderful vacation together. When I was 16 my family (parents, brother, aunt, and me) took a three-week vacation out west. We flew to Denver and rented a car in which we logged many hours of driving (and singing, and Mad Libs!). Trip included visits to Cheyenne, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Moab, and Salt Lake City, as well as other stops along the way. We spent the second half of our trip in Colorado on a ranch with two dairy cows, 30 work horses, and 500 head of cattle, run by four families that lived there.
Over 20 years later and my family still laughs at the thought of "the 4-o'clock buffalo" that showed up each afternoon near our cabin in Yellowstone or the morning my mother decided to make French Toast in our cabin's kitchenette and set of the smoke alarm. We each were allowed one large duffle bag as our luggage and we tied a couple of them to the roof of the small station wagon we had rented. When we drove through some thunderstoms my dad asked if the bags were waterproof, to which my mom replied, "We'll find out!"
I trust that you and your family will have at least as much fun and as many fond memories as we did/do. My favorites in Yellowstone were: the geyser area, including the mud pots and other geysers aside from OF; the canyon; the vastness of it all, being traversed by herds of incredible animals; and getting relatively close to a few of those majestic creatures, including a bear and especially the aforementioned buffalo. HAVE A GREAT TIME! |
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