BootsnAll Travel Community

This is probably going to sound like the world's stupidest question, but what does one do at Yellowstone?

It's a huge, HUGE piece of land. You can't possibly see the whole thing in a day or two. Where is the best place to go? What are the best things to see? I know it's supposed to be beautiful and amazing, but what do you DO there?!

When I look stuff up on the web I get information overload. I just want the very very basics. And your opinions.

I don't even know how many days I should stay.

Any help is appreciated... I don't want to go there and miss the good stuff!!

Spend a week minimum - and that's just YNP...If you want to hang out in Grand Teton N.P., you should tack on a couple of days at least.

As far as what to do - well, what are you in to? If you're the hiker/backpacker type then your options are endless - but I would highly recommend a hike to Union Falls (figure at least one night in the backcountry for that one) - oh, and not doable in June - wait until at least mid-July for this one, especially with the high snowfall this year.

Else...there's the classics - no trip is complete without a visit to O.F.. The grand canyon of the Yellowstone is not to be missed and the lake is beautiful. Spend time checking out the historical hotels and lodges.

DEFINITELY go to ranger-led program.

Definitely go swimming in the Firehole river (Firehole canyon drive) - again, may be inaccessible until July or August depending on river levels.

have lodging booked? probably to late to book anything in the park - but campground reservations can still be made - but do it (xanterra.com) - you have to find the phone # as camping reservations can't be made on the web.

Tickles, when are you going to Yellowstone? I would agree with m0loch; you definitely need at least a week to take it all in. That's if you want to do some hiking and/or camping. If you're not into that, you could do the typical windshield tour in a day or two. That's not something I would recommend but some people are satisfied with that. Tell us what you're into and we can give you a better idea on what to do.

I'll probably be there in Mid-July. As far as what I'm into - I'm flexible. I probably wouldn't be interested in bird watching. Wouldn't mind talking some walks, but I'm not a hard core hiker and I'm not interested in camping.

When you get there, there are tours you can take? To show us around to the good stuff? Or is it just better to wander around?

I haven't booked anything, as I don't know exactly what days I'll be there. I'm assuming I could stay somewhere a little ways away if needed (I do have a car).

You can probably book a tour in one of the gateway communities - which if you're not going to camp, you will probably be staying in one of those places.

I'm not familiar with many of the tour operators...I imagine the quality is quite variable. There is one in Jackson...called callowishus...I think is fairly reputable - a local with MANY years of local knowledge - I'd still recommend the ranger-led interpretive programs over any organized tour. If I were to do an organized activity, I would do it outside the park - River rafting on the Snake is going to be AWESOME this year - wish I was "home"

Try to get out before sunrise on at least one day for the best wildlife viewing.

As for lodging...at least if you're planning on staying in Jackson, WY - book NOW!!!! - summertime is peak season, many a visitor shows up and there's no room at the inn.

I think you can find the park newspaper at the official park website: nps.gov/yell It will list all the current ranger programs and give a good idea of what is where, what to see and some great pointers.

i'd recommend the grand tetons too, snake river, gros vente mts, jackson hole has some pretty cheap places and a hostel too. lots of people travel through the tetons on their way to yellowstone, so even if you pull into town you are sure to find something turning over as far as rooms go. plus camp out at colter bay village, where i worked last summer. party with the kitchen crew!

Thank you for your suggestions, I am making a note of all these for when I get there. I appreciate it!

You don't say, but I assume you have a car? There is a huge loop road and a visitor center which should give you and overview of what is available. They also have information of tours, guides and hiking trails. There are some bike and horse retal companies. I agree with the above poters, you need to make reservations now for lodging.

Hi a601mom,
Yes, I will have a car. I don't mind staying somewhere a ways away, I figure I will be able to find somewhere to stay if I get farther away from the Park, right?

There are accommodations outside of the park in the gate towns like Gardiner, Montana, and West Yellowstone, Montana. There you'll find national chain hotels like Best Western, etc. But, I see you'll be there mid-July, I'd try to make reservations for those places ahead of time, as well.

My two cents...the question of what to do at Yellowstone misses the point a bit. Yellowstone, in my opinion, is one of the great places in the world and amazingly diverse with the lake, the canyon, the geysers, the wildlife, etc. So just take some books and your camera and kick back and relax and BE. And yeah, definitely, definitely make sure to hit the Grand Tetons. A truly awe-inspiring, jaw dropping experience.

I totally agree with EMH. Having lived in another equally amazing place for 20 years (Banff, Canada) I've seen millions of tourists skittering around "looking for the good stuff". I'm sure they've seen many trees and few forests.

Don't know about the yoga though.

I'm driving to Yellowstone.
We are camping at Canyon flats for a night and then up to Roosevelt tower and then down to the lake. We'll walk around mammoth.

My question: What to do on the drive up from LA aside from the Dinosaurarium?

In June I see temperatures will be 21C....Any swimming?

Any short walk suggestions (under 5 km?)

Thanks,

That temperature is probably about right for early June, by late June it will get quite a bit warmer. The sun is brutal, though, so be prepared.

As for swimming...not so much in Yellowstone. Especially not in early June, the river flows are likely to be epic this year - But the one place I would recommend checking out on the chance that conditions are good is the firehole canyon drive (near Madison Junction.) It's my personal favorite swimming hole in the whole world.

Yellowstone Lake is always too cold for swimming - as is most of the water in the park.

A favorite spot among many people is Huckleberry Hot Springs - near Flagg Ranch (at the southern entrance to the park) - I find it a bit skeevy.

Some other favorites are String Lake in Grand Teton National Park and Kelly Warm Springs near Kelly, WY. If your route will take you through or near the Hoback Canyon - Granite Hot Springs is probably my favorite developed swimming hole.

As for hikes in and near the park....pick one, you can't go wrong.

I live within walking distance to the Park. Ive also worked two summers in the park years ago.
YEs its huge. You can see it in a week. Ive been here 20 years and only have seen a small park. Yellowstone doesnt end/start at the park borders. Its a huge ecosystem that extends millions of acres surrounding it. The largest ecosystem outside of Alaska in the oountry.
If you ONLY have a coupe days,,, well drive the two loops on the road. The road system looks like a figure eight.
See Midway Geyser Basin and the Lowere Geyser Basin where Old Faithful Geyser is located. There are about a dozen in the area and some far bigger than Old Faithful too.

DOnt miss the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with two big waterfalls of which one is the largest in the USA, almost twice as high as Niagra. Other areas of interest, are Norris Geyser Basin, Hayden Valley, Lake Yellostone, and maybe a side trip south of Jackson WY or better yet the the NE part to Cooke City MT. Maybe a drive OVER the Beartooth Pass which has been called the most scenic highway in the USA and the road is at over 11,000 feet high. Snow year round and two hundred mile 360' views.

GEt your cabin or hotel lodging reservations NOW or you will be sorry. Google Zantera Resorts and they run the consessions in the Park. I recommend staying at the Old Faithful Inn. Its the largest log structure in the world. Over 5 stories high and all made of logs. You can also stay at Lake Hotel for more of a modern hotel but old and nice. Or get a cabin at Lake, Old Faithful or Roosevelt Cabins to the north. Roosesvelt is the smallest location in the park.

A ranger walk would be nice at the geyser basins or take one of the old yellowstone car tours...these restored cars are open air cars that are about30 feet long and hold twenty people. Bring lots of film or memory for your camera. Expect to see Bison, Elk, Deer, Bear, coyotes, wolves, antelope, big horn sheep, and moose too.

Have fun
Norm

Thanks Norm and everyone for your advice. I am looking forward to it.

I will go to YS next month and My Boyfriend has booked a 4- day tour with tours4fun. I don't know what to see actually, but we are expecting to watch wildlife.

My family actually took a Yellowstone tour with Tours4fun last summer. Both their price and service are not bad. Our 7 day tour cost around $500 per person. It was really worth to visit Yellowstone, one of the most beautiful national parks in u.s. A lot to see on the tour: old faithful geyser, lower and upper falls, mammoth hot springs, grand canyon of yellowstone, and so on. As for wild animals, we've seen elk, fox, and bison on the trip. Bison may be the most popular animal i think in the park, we saw them quite a few times and they were even walking on the road. You will have a wonderful trip!

I love Yellowstone. It is the one place in the US that is like a game park in Africa. The wildlife is amazing.

When I first went to Yellowstone, my boyfriend (now husband) said we should stay there 10 days. I thought, "come on, 10 days..." I couldn't imagine there would be enough to do. But it was wonderful!

We spent 5 days down staying in a cabin by Old Faithful and then 5 days up in the north. Every day we went for a drive, some short hikes and just explored the place. Then we'd head to one of the restaurants in the park for drinks and dinner. I mean, it's great to hike a few miles and then have a margarita and dinner. Or even better, when we were up in the north, we had a cabin with a hot tub, so we could hike and then soak. (Of course those are hard to reserve and need reservations 6 months in advance.)

I really liked hanging out at the beer pub at Old Faithful. Nothing like having a pint while watching tourists gather to see the geyser go off. Of course, the windows are a bit hard to see through probably from the chemicals in geyser water, but it was great. Assuming it's still there, check it out and raise a glass for me.

Become a Junior Ranger. Every National Park has a Jr. Ranger program. You get to fill out a workbook, and then you get a plastic badge, and then the ranger is supposed to make you take an oath. When you are, say, in the adult age-range, sometimes the rangers only pretend to check your work in the workbook, and sometimes you have to really convince them to give you the oath and they seem kind of embarrased about it. But make them stand up with you and lift their right hand and be solemn. And then get your picture with them. IT IS SUPER COOL. You can start a collection.

This is not just in the big outdoorsy National Parks either. I just got my Jr. Ranger badge at the Jean Lafitte something or another park in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Quite a feather in my cap.