Yellowstone visit this summer -- would love to hear your ideas!

[msjones]

What do we need to see in Yellowstone? What's worth missing?

 

We're tent campers (not backpackers for this trip, though), so which campgrounds are best for tents?

 

Which tent-friendly campgrounds are closest to the things we just can't miss?

 

What were your favorite day hikes? (We'd go up to 6 mi round trip or so...)

 

If you've been there, I'd love to hear your advice! I've visited the park site, but it's so hard to tell what's really best to do.

 

Many thanks!

[Bang!Zoom!]

The Lodge itself is pretty awesome.

 

I was completely overwhelmed by the fumes on the decks leading out around the geyser fields. I felt slightly panicked out there as I felt I couldn't breath right, not to mention the folks not paying attention to their children on the catwalks.

 

The little road that has all the tourist shops is a bit much if you don't like being around people. The best time we had there was just driving about (very slowly indeed) looking at wildlife out the window.

 

I wouldn't be brave enough to camp there myself after seeing the wildlife running amok there. Those are big animals and they are wild as the day they were created, but folks/tourists don't seem to respect that much.

 

One thing I do regret is not studying up on the park and it's history prior to our visit there. The wildfires that have occurred there are spectacular in history is one I wished I'd known more about.

 

There are several documentaries on the park of course, that and some books might be a nice thing to scope out now before going for inspiration.

 

There were several times I wished I'd had a fishing permit and could have just jumped out and played in some of the rivers there and had the equipment to do so.

[Lab1]

We aren't much for camping or hiking :lol: my kids loved seeing Old Faithful. Their favorite memory was sitting on the balcony of a really cool old hotel and seeing Old Faithful a second time while eating ice cream! We drove around and pulled over constantly to explore the cool sights.

 

We did hike by Jenny Lake. We took a ferry ride across the lake and climbed up a trail to some beautiful water falls. My kids were 5 & 6 and barely made it! They still talk about the "huge hike" we went on. Should be an easy trip for your crew.

 

We were there the first week in July and there were patches of snow still!

[jar7709]

We're going this summer, too! I've been several times, but not since the kids were born. We are tent camping at Madison campground for 1 week. I like Madison because it is a little lower elevation than some of the others and fairly centrally located to most of the geyser fields. You can't go wrong, though, really, there's so much to do. How long are you staying? If only a couple days just hit the main boardwalk trails around the main loops. If longer, we'll talk. :) I'd recommend getting a campground reservation if you can, they do fill up pretty quick.

 

We're going to do a Yellowstone unit study in the month leading up to our trip...my resource list is on my blog here, if you are interested. :)

Edited May 4, 2012 by jar7709

[wintermom]

Our dc loved doing the Junior Ranger program, though your dc may be too old for that. We loved the Yellowstone canyon. We also had an amazing time swimming in a little river just inside the west entrance. The water is very warm and there are some really neat cliffs. Otherwise, we enjoyed pretty much every hike we did. There is so much to see and the variety is great. There are also lots of talks and hikes led by Rangers - the whole family learned tons!

 

We camped just outside the park, so I don't know about campgrounds in the park.

[gardening momma]

One thing I do regret is not studying up on the park and it's history prior to our visit there. The wildfires that have occurred there are spectacular in history is one I wished I'd known more about.

We stayed in a motel inside the park (within view of Old Faithful and a short walk from the lodge) 2 weeks before the fires in 1988. I believe the motel we stayed in burned down (?).

 

ETA: from what I read here, the fires were more than just a day, which is what I always thought--I was between 7th & 8th grade when we were there. I always "heard" from my parents that we were there 2 weeks prior to the fire(s). Maybe it was 2 weeks before the "worst day," Aug. 20, 1988.

Edited May 3, 2012 by gardening momma

[trlt]

We will be at Yellowstone this summer! I have been there once right after the wildfires but I was a young girl and didn't care much for nature! This time will be with my Dh and I am so excited because I am now a nature girl! My Dh introduced me to Colorado and hiking. My Dh is pretty excited to take us to Yellowstone (we are meeting up with his parents). I'll be watching this thread for tips!

[creekland]

If you don't mind traveling to get to showers, then we loved camping at Norris (first come, first served when we were there). If you want showers and laundry, etc, then Canyon or Madison work. Madison has more traffic noise, but is closer to the geysers. Canyon is closer to the fields of large animals.

 

Make sure you stop and see the Grand Prismatic Spring (sp?). So many people drive right on by it and it's one of the most beautiful places in Yellowstone (Excelsior - if I'm remembering the name correctly - is right there too and absolutely gorgeous).

 

For hikes? The waterfalls are short hikes that are easily do-able. Mammoth Hot Springs has some pretty walks through all the Travertine formations. Old Faithful has geyser hikes with it that are well worth doing - gorgeous pools too. There are also geyser hikes in the Norris Basin. (I really hope I'm remembering these names correctly as I don't have time to look them up!)

 

Critters? Yes, they are there, but they never bothered us while camping. I wouldn't let them deter you from camping. We loved it.

 

Traveling around to look at critters was just as fun for our family as seeing the geysers.

 

You really can't go wrong at Yellowstone. It's our #1 recommended western National Park for people to go see.

[WTMCassandra]

I found tent camping in Yellowstone to be dismal. The bear rules are super, super strict, and multiple times we returned to our campsite to find write-ups by the rangers about additional things that were not even on the list! If you tent camp, be aware that you can basically only leave your tent and your clothes. You must carry everything else around with you in your vehicle. Honestly, I got sick of getting in trouble Every. Single. Day when we were trying really hard to follow the rules and we ended up leaving a few days early (something I have NEVER done on any other vacation).

 

If I go to Yellowstone ever again, I will rent a hard-sided RV just outside the park and drive it in. Yes, it will be a pain on those tiny roads, but we will be able to fix ourselves lunch, change clothes to adjust to changing weather conditions, etc. And we won't be continually harassed by the rangers.

 

Yes, I know the animal danger is real, but still, it was a most unpleasant experience (and we had been tent campers for 20 years, so we knew what we were doing).

[Donna]

Tent camping is difficult at Yellowstone because all food and cooking items (even bottled water) must be placed back in the vehicle after each use so make sure you have an easy way to get your items out and put them back away. We ate at the restaurant at the campground most nights while there because it was a huge hassle.

 

The campground we stayed at had ranger talks at night. My kids loved them and they were very informative.

 

We loved Yellowstone and hope to go back again someday. Old Faithful, to me, is too busy and touristy. We enjoyed everything else and spent a day in each area of the park.

 

Make sure to get up before dawn at least once and find out where the wolves are then go out to see them...if you ask around, you'll find someone who knows. The amount of wildlife out around dawn is worth getting up for.

 

We did the horseback ride to chuck wagon dinner from Roosevelt and loved it. We thought the draw was riding horses through antelope herds and back at dusk but the food was wonderful as well.

[Mom22ns]

We spent 4 nights camping in Yellowstone late last summer. The first two at Madison and the second two at Bridge Bay. Madison had lots of trees and we really liked it. Bridge Bay was mostly open fields. We were able to get our site changed and get a site that was in one of the top loops that was in the edge of the woods, but there were a LOT of signs bears were sharing our site.

 

We didn't have any trouble with the bear rules. Both sites had bear boxes, although not all of the sites at Bridge Bay did. We enjoyed camping in the Tetons more. Bigger bear boxes, nicer camp sites.

 

As far as bear rules, we carried a large storage container, a few bags and cooler. I packed a breakfast bag, lunch bag and dinner bag so for meals we got out the cooler, one reusable grocery bag and the cooler. We always kept the bags in the van, but the cooler and storage container in the bear boxes. It didn't seem like a big deal to us.

[g7s22]

We will be there this summer too! Although we are not campers..anyone have hotel suggestions for outside the park :bigear:?

[LarlaB]

We're headed there late June for 5-6 days, so I'm marking this thread- already thankful for the BTDT experiences. :001_smile: My kiddos are still young; 4 & 8, so we're planning to take it slower and keep varied activities. If anyone has anything specific for younger kiddos, I"d appreciate the input!! We've never been to Yellowstone...

 

I'm getting books from the library on best hikes w/ kids etc, also bought some activity books for my kiddos to learn about Yellowstone- and we are pretty good at having a leisurely, but long day experience.

 

We're planning on taking fishing gear, but likely not bikes. We're camping at http://www.yellowstoneholiday.com/- its outside the park and settled on a lake...we are in a pop-up camper but still didn't want to deal w/ the hassle of bear boxes/food in bear country that is present right in the park, also while it is more driving, we wanted a 'break' from the park.

 

Any tips on non-park attractions? Since we are there 6 days, we will something...:)

Edited May 4, 2012 by LarlaB

[LarlaB]

 

We're going to do a Yellowstone unit study in the month leading up to our trip...my resource list is on my blog here, if you are interested. :)

 

Thank you so much for sharing your unit study book list! :001_smile: Our kiddos are similar ages, and I loved the resources you picked out.

[rwjx2khsmj]

We camped at the Bay Bridge campground while in Yellowstone and found the bathrooms to be clean and the campground to be well-kept and quiet. We were really only there to sleep.

 

The campground rules are pretty standard for a wildlife area. We kept our meals simple so keeping a cooler in the car and cleaning up after meals wasn't difficult.

 

We loved Yellowstone best when we were off the roads. Our favorite hikes were the Fountain Paint Pot Nature Trail and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The geyser walk beyond Old Faithful was really neat but a bit more crowded. Our other two favorite activities were swimming in the Boiling River and the Old West Cookout.

 

Traffic there is slow and some of the tourists behave like total idiots.

[Briartell]

We went last July and I learned that I will never go tent camping again in Yellowstone. We love tent camping but it was too much for us. Here are the reasons why:

 

1. In the end of July the temperatures at night were 33 degrees. We froze. We brought wonderful bags that kept us warm but the condensation would make the bags wet by morning. Having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and the morning was torture.

 

2. The mosquitos were a freaking nightmare. Deep woods off did not work. You have to spray everything! They would bite through the clothes and our faces were the most bit part. It was awful. No one wanted to cook because they would get eaten the worst. The bites lasted for weeks.

 

However, if you can get past this, here are the parts we loved.

 

1. Canyon Campground (There are very nice cheap cabins here, highly recommend it). It was central and made the daily drives fabulous.

 

2. The Hot Springs were our kids favorite and the early morning wildlife viewings.

[Donna]

Oh, I forgot. If you have teens or almost teens...we found a book in one of the bookstores in Yellowstone about all the ways people had died at Yellowstone and loved reading the stories to each other while cooking dinner or driving around the park. The book was called Death in Yellowstone Kinda morbid but very interesting.

[KS_]

I'd get online today and find out what campsites are available. Some fill up with reservations very early. That will tell you a lot about what your options are. :0)

 

I agree. Everything fills up quickly (hotels and camping) so you may have to change your plans based on what's available. We're only a couple hours away, so we will just call up and find what dates they *do* have something available and plan our trip based on that. For the rooms I wanted, when I called last month, there were only 2 dates left between June and early Sept and I took them both.

[Miselainia]

Our family went last April and we're going with the extended family next month. One thing we love doing is the Junior Ranger program. Yellowstone also has a new Junior Scientist program that is better geared for older kids. I got the books, but it was too cold for comfort last spring, so we hope to finish them this year. (BTW, This was the first NP I'd been to where the Junior Ranger programs cost a nominal fee $2-3?.)

[Hilltop]

We are going to Yellowstone this summer too. We have reservations at Madison campground, but I still need to figure out where we will camp near the Tetons. I just read an article in Outside Magazine about bear attacks in/around Yellowstone and it has me slightly freaked out.

[Donna]

We are going to Yellowstone this summer too. We have reservations at Madison campground, but I still need to figure out where we will camp near the Tetons. I just read an article in Outside Magazine about bear attacks in/around Yellowstone and it has me slightly freaked out.

 

We camped near Jackson Hole, WY in a KOA campground (I think). It was very nice. Jackson Hole has a rodeo which the kids loved and every afternoon there is an old western shootout in the town square which is neat for the kids to see.

[Jamee]

We tent camped at the West Yellowstone KOA in Montana. Very nice, great facilities. Yes, it was cold, in fact we were the cold spot for the nation the night's we were there in early July, going down to 28 I think. You'll need cold weather sleeping bags, and ALWAYS take jackets--we were snowed on in August in Colorado on one camping trip many years ago.

 

As for what to see, as much as you can! The Junior Ranger program is fantastic and my boys loved that. We also like the Dragon's Breathe vent(?). Shoot, can't think of the right name at the moment. Very cool though and another favorite. On our last trip, we had just missed a herd of buffalo that went through there and did some damage!

 

On that trip in addition to bison, we were greeted into the park by bald eagles, saw lots of elk, a playful family of coyotes, just missed seeing a bear cub. We were only there two days, and oh how I would love to spend more time there. But it's pretty easy to get around.

 

Have a great time! It's one of our favorite parks.

[Mom22ns]

We are going to Yellowstone this summer too. We have reservations at Madison campground, but I still need to figure out where we will camp near the Tetons. I just read an article in Outside Magazine about bear attacks in/around Yellowstone and it has me slightly freaked out.

 

We camped in the park for the Tetons. The campground was nicer than in Yellowstone, larger tent spaces, heated bathrooms, large bear boxes at every site - very convenient! We didn't have reservations there and were able to get into a campground and were very happy, but we were late in the season. We did spend one night in the KOA in Jackson and went white water rafting from there. Then we spent the next two nights in the park.

[TheCoffeeChick]

We camp in 2 spots when we go. First in Teton NP at Jenny Lake. It is absolutely stunning!!! It's a first come, first serve place and it is really popular, so it fills up in the mornings. Then when we are done with the Teton area, and the lower loop of Yellowstone, we go up to Norris or Canyon Village for the 2nd half of the trip. Jenny Lake is better (IMO) but we like to start our days near the upper loop when we are touring up there. One year we stayed in a cabin in Gardiner, MT for the 2nd half instead of camping.

 

The rules are strict about what you can leave at the campsite, but we've never had a problem with following them. I grew up in WY and have always followed "bear rules" while camping, so it's really nothing new to me.

 

The last time we were there we did the Chuck Wagon -- LOVED IT! You ride in a covered wagon or on horseback up to a old west dinner cookout with steaks and all sorts of other food. They have a cowboy that sings old westerns for entertainment. Great fun!

 

Teton/Yellowstone has so much to do that's it's just about impossible to do it all in one trip. We like to take at least 5 days in the park, more if possible.