So we have a week trip booked to Yellowstone. We’ll be driving. We have bear spray. We’ve never been. No kids, two adults. What can we book for hikes, tours, eats, etc. A visit to some hot springs would be a bonus!

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Yellowstone is pretty awesome. Be prepared to do a lot of driving, because the park is huge.

Old Faithful is kinda over-developed and very crowded, but it's a must see...and it is pretty cool. We got lucky and happened to see another big gyser go off while we were in that part of the park, too (great fountain geyser).

The canyon is pretty cool, too, and the waterfalls are very impressive, but it's also quite crowded. Pretty much everywhere we would go in the middle of the park, busses would roll up every few minutes and disgorge hundreds of foreign tourists...it was almost overwhelming. We found that the most relaxing places were on the perimeter of the park away from the crowds. My two favorite places were the Lamar valley where we did some hiking and wildlife watching, and another area where we swam in the firehole river. You could sit there and watch trout jumping and grabbing bugs off the top of the water while the kids swam...it was one of the coolest places I've been.

If you plan to camp get reservations early, or show up really early in the morning. We reserved the first night at fishing bridge, then moved to one of the furst-cone first-serve campgrounds the next day. We got to the campground at 8:30am and barely got a spot.

We didn't encounter any bears in the campground, but I'm sure it happens frequently. Follow good bear safety practices and you will be fine. We saw a few alongside the road, but the rangers are really on top of it and every time we saw one there was a ranger there shooing people away and making them move on. I figure if the bears were going to attack someone, there were enough idiots around that they'd have gorged their fill long before they got to us.

Don't know if you're driving up from Colorado or flying in.

If driving, stop at Yellowstone Drug in Shoshone, Wyoming. Old style drug store complete with a soda fountain.

Plan to spend time in Cody, Wyoming and the museum there. Whatever time you plan to spend, double it. I haven't been there since the natural history museum wing has opened and would love to go back.

Virginia City, Montana, the original territorial capitol of the state. It's a state historical park and worth the time visiting.

Have fun, Yellowstone and Volcanoes are my two favorite national parks. Both of them are nature in the raw and what Mother Nature can do when she gets pissed off.

Bring a sweater! Watch cap also. What to do? Park any place no one else is parked and walk a trail.

Walking the Upper Terrace, Mammoth, at 7:00am on a Sunday morning. It'll be just you and nature.

https://americantoolbox.files....ings-yellowstone.jpg

May 2017 I spent a few days in the area. Hit sleet / snow coming through Tetons; walked along the deserted, pre-season lake. Camped in Mammoth over Memorial Day weekend. Waking up to 33˚ fog. Bugged out Sunday morning and had a perfect drive out the NE entrance through the Beartooth.

Chow --> Más Taco, Red Lodge, Montana

I've been twice, in the Fall, it's amazing. It will still be cold, maybe snow on some trails. I understand the crowds have gotten insane, lots of tour buses. I loved the two valleys, Hayden and Lamar, at Dusk and Dawn. Be sure to have at least one pair of binoculars, a spotting scope would be great.

We used a book "Yellowstone Trails - a Hiking Guide" by Mark and Joy Marschall, got it at a VC in the park.

I had an awesome trip there last July.

Couple of ideas.

One make it to Mammoth. Great little town to walk around and eat in. Also the Mammoth Hot Springs are awesome.

Not sure which way coming or going, but remember Grand Tetons is right there too!

And so is Jackson WY, great town for a visit and food.

Breakfast are Lake Yellowstone Hotel is worth it. (Don't have to be staying there)

Cool thing to bring. When going to the various hot spots, bring a infrared temp gun. Can truly see how hot the springs, ground and mud are.

Lines - try to start early and not that bad, when get bad take a food break. There is really not a bad uninspiring view or things to do there.

Have a great time

Yellowstone is one of my favorite places on earth. We will be going back in 2020 on our way to Alaska.

At the end of May it will not be too crowded yet and some of the campgrounds may not be open yet. It will however be very cold at night if you plan on camping. Bring a winter coat.
As far as hikes go if this is your first time just go to the main attractions, Old Faithful, Lower Falls, the mud pots (my wife's favorite) etc. As someone mentioned the Lamar Valley is one of the best places to watch for wildlife including wolves, bears Elk etc. Be sure to bring good binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one with tripod.

You could easily spend a week there and not see half of it.

Be prepared for wet snow. Our trip was 3rd week of June and it dipped below freezing at night and snowed the day we left.

Sunscreen, being from CO I’m guessing your familiar with sun at altitude, I was burned about as bad as I can remember one day that week. Inside of my ears peeled, it was crazy.

Pack a lunch the park is every bit as big as you’ve heard. Don’t enter without a full tank of gas, there are services but they are few and widely dispersed. I only remember one fuel stop to be honest, but I feel there were a couple.

If driving take yourself through the Wind River Gorge at Boysen State Park in WY on Hwy 20. Its beautiful!

Contact our fellow forumite TMats.

TMats lives in Cody and is the best source for local intel.

I sent his profile eddress to your profile eddress.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Contact our fellow forumite TMats.

TMats lives in Cody and is the best source for local intel.

I sent his profile eddress to your profile address.

Actually TMATS lives near Cheyenne, in the south east corner of Wyoming.
I, on the other hand, live in Cody and am open to answer questions.

PC

Go out the north entrance and drive the Beartooth Highway. Unforgettable!

RMD

It is otherworldly on a cool morning with the mists coming off the fumerols and vents. There may still be snow blocking roads. The Lamar Valley and Mammoth Springs see a lot of animals up in the North part of the park.

Don't forget to go see the Roosevelt Arch at the north entrance up by Gardiner, MT. Teddy himself opened the park there.

Roosevelt Arch

Why they call it Yellowstone

The mud pots are wonderful so go find them. Also, the hike back into the canyon and the falls are wonderful. Been there twice.

If you have the time, go wander the Tetons. We saw our first and only bull moose & cow there.


There are two main basins of geysers, go early and the place will be fairly alone. Stay in the park, my standard advice for anyone. Otherwise, Gardiner, Mt is fine.

Visit the Old Faithful Inn and the Lake Hotel. I can swear by the Fishing Bridge store as having a fine cafe like grill. Best burger and Coke I've had since diners went away.

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful

Elk in Velvet

Mammoth Hot Springs ~ Yellowstone

Famous Red Doors

Herds of elk and buffalo wander around and close. We got to see a Grizzly sow and cub walking the road our first trip there. Go out at night and elk may bellowing. Owls hooting, it's pretty incredible.



And for God's sake, if you go through Cody, stop in at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. This is a world-class institution.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Yellowstone is pretty awesome. Be prepared to do a lot of driving, because the park is huge.

Yep. It does depend on what you want to do. If you want to see a lot of fantastic sites you'll be doing some serious driving. If you've never been there I would recommend covering as much territory as possible. You will want to come back. I think Yellowstone is the best park in our country. There is no place like it. FYI, you probably won't see a bear but plenty of bison and moose. They look harmless but they're not

Oxbow bend facing the Tetons before sunrise. Awesome as the suns early rays hit the MNT's.

Wow! What a ton of great ideas! Thanks and keep ‘em coming, if you have them!

Did a week in YS last year followed by a week in the Grand Tetons. Loved every minute. If you have a chance to visit the town of West Yellowstone, do so. Neat little town just outside the west gate with some great food and shopping.
Be sure to visit the grizzly and wolf discovery center.
The bears are required to forage for their food as in the wild. That is where they test the coolers and garbage cans to determine if they are bear resistant (you’ve seen the commercial). They put a couple of fish heads in the coolers or cans and seal them as specified by the mfg. If they keep out the bear for a set period of time (less than an hour but can’t remember exact time) they are certified. We watched one cooler test that looked like a Yeti and the bear got in at the 20 minute mark.

Be sure to take good binoculars and/or spotting scope. Stop where you see all the folks with expensive gear looking. We watched a wolf pack in Hayden Valley for over an hour with the “Wolf People”. They had specific names and bios on each of the animals.

Been a few times. Best advice I can offer: WATCH OUT FOR THE OTHER DRIVERS! Lots of rubber neckers, crossing the center line into oncoming traffic or running off the road into ditches.

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Go out the north entrance and drive the Beartooth Highway. Unforgettable!

RMD

He beat me to it.

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Contact our fellow forumite TMats.

TMats lives in Cody and is the best source for local intel.

I sent his profile eddress to your profile address.

Actually TMATS lives near Cheyenne, in the south east corner of Wyoming.
I, on the other hand, live in Cody and am open to answer questions.

PC

True, all true. I did however live at the western foot of Togwotee Pass, north of Jackson where I was District Ranger on the Bridger-Teton until my retirement. I might still have a suggestion or two.

Glad you have bear spray and a willingness to go for hikes. One of our favorites is the Taggart Lake Loop Trail in Grand Teton NP. Elevation changes are not severe. Views of the Cathedral Group are spectacular, and the tourists who hike, typically hike up at Jenny Lake.

Last year lots of trail closures because of bear activity. Numbers are steadily rising. Good for your opportunity to see grizzly, not so good if it leads to trail closures. It’s still not easy to see wolves. They are plenty around, but not frequently encountered. You oughta be able to see moose, often just north of Jackson around the Gros Ventre river, in the vicinity of the airport.

I like The Bird bar and restaurant, just a little south of Jackson. Great food, both burgers and the like, as well as German food. German beers on tap!

Great pizza inside GTNP at Leeks Marina. Fun place too.