Making the most of the busiest week of the year

Hello all,

As part of our great ';out west'; drive-a-palooza this year, we are going to be in YNP-GTNP in the first week of July, arriving the 1st into West Yellowstone and leaving the 6th for SLC. We will be coming from Grand Canyon/Zion/Bryce, so we%26#39;re excited about staying in ';one'; place for a while after some long days of driving in the desert!

Given the normal crowds and the fact that the 4th is a weekend this year (maybe that doesn%26#39;t make a difference, though???), I want to be smart about planning what we see in YNP.

How%26#39;s this sound for a rough plan? Family of four, with a %26#39;tween daughter and a wildlife-loving son.

July 1 - Arrive in W. Yellowstone late in day after 8-hour drive. Nap. ;) Go to pool. ;) Wander around town.

July 2 - Full day driving in YNP - Norris - Mammoth - Tower

July 3 - Full day driving in YNP - Canyon - Lamar

July 4 - Check out of W. Yellowstone. Driving south of Madison - Old Faithful (crazy because of the crowds on the actual holiday?), and exit to the south to get to GTNP.

Check in to GTNP for several days of wonderful nothing. ;)

Does this seem reasonable? How bad really are the crowds on the 4th? I saw in the archives that someone said there were 25,000 people in GTNP last 4th. That%26#39;s hard for me to gauge in actual terms. Are we talking traffic jams at every junction in YNP?

Thanks!

Making the most of the busiest week of the year

There will be crowds so plan on getting up as early as you can. I would modify your schedule just a bit to get to the wildlife viewing areas first thing in the morning. Take along a cooler with snacks, picnic supplies and drinks. Lots of picnic areas around.

July 2 Lower Loop. Head straight to Canyon and to Hayden Valley for early morning wildlife viewing. Then back to Canyon to see the falls and canyon. Then to Lake area and loop back around to see Old Faithful late afternoon. Maybe have dinner nearby and watch sunset. Back to West YS.

July 3 Upper Loop - Get up early and drive to Lamar Valley first. Early morning is best. Then make your way back to Mammoth and West YS.

July 4 You have this day to visit the geyser basins around Old Faithful and move on if it is too crowded. Stop at Lewis Lake on the way to Tetons..

Making the most of the busiest week of the year

Some Inside Pages and websites to provide more ideas.

Binoculars are very useful, the more the better to share.

For wildlife viewing and photography:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60999-c96653/Yellows…

Packing for your trip:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g28973-c100586/Wyomin…

Two very worthwhile museums to visit as time permits:

Cody, WY www.bbhc.org/home/index.cfm…

North of Jackson

http://www.wildlifeart.org/

The biggest crowds will not be at junctions but at the major geyser areas and their parking lots, so consider being there late afternoon, for example, eating, then seeing either Lamar or Hayden Valley in the evenings.

You will also have ';bison jams';; go with the flow, don%26#39;t worry about it, beverages and food in the car make it easier. Food is for you, NOT for the animals. :)

I%26#39;ve been there many dates throughout the summer and never felt that July 4 was any different.

It can be quite hot during the day, consider hats and sun block. Quite cool to cold at night.

If you cannot live w/o a fourth day in the park, inquire at the reservation desks if anything available (or in W. Yellowstone), and sacrifice a day in GTNP.

Just a couple of different things to fit in while you are here. Your son might really like the Grizzly %26amp; Wolf Discovery Center and talking to the naturalists there (in West Yellowstone).

Ranger Adventure Hikes are half-day hikes into the back country with a ranger. I don%26#39;t think many people know about them, but the Lone Star Geyser and Fairy Falls tours are neat ones for families

nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/rangerhikes.htm

Depending on when you are leaving, West Yellowstone has a neat 4th of July celebration with a small parade, music in the park, and fireworks at night.

Thanks, everyone. Great tips, across the board!