Teton Mt Lodge, Jackson Lake Lodge or Wyoming Inn

I have two nights booked at the Teton Mt Lodge in lake July, which I chose because I liked the idea of having scenic views. However, I%26#39;ve been reading the forums and am now considering maybe switching to either Jackson Lake Lodge because it sounds like it has even better views from the hotel, or the Wyoming Inn because a lot of folks are recommending that we stay in Jackson because of its close proximity to the activity there. I know with the Wyoming we%26#39;d be giving up the views. We have two children, 7 and 10. Any suggestions to help me with this decision are appreciated!

Teton Mt Lodge, Jackson Lake Lodge or Wyoming Inn

Here%26#39;s a link to the pictures from our room at Jackson Lake Lodge. It was a mountain view room and that%26#39;s important. They don%26#39;t all have this view.

alandsuejohnson.com/grand_tetons_2008/tetons…

Look at this and the next 5 or 6 by clicking on the right edge of the pic. Also, Signal Mountain Lodge is spectacular and is closer to the lake.

I%26#39;d recommend Jackson Lake Lodge over Jackson. We didn%26#39;t really like the town that much. Jackson is a reasonable base to see the Tetons though.

Your kids may enjoy Jackson more than we did.

Teton Mt Lodge, Jackson Lake Lodge or Wyoming Inn

Thanks for the quick reply, and the suggestion. Love the pics!

We meaning my husband, my kids and me love the Wyoming Inn in Jackson Hole. Great beds, staff and very good hot breakfast each morning.

The Wyoming Inn is great, but if you can, would try to stay at a place that is walking distance to the Town Square. The Cowboy Village is great. Nice rustic cabins that are ';affordable'; for Jackson. The Trapper is great. The Rustic Inn is newly remodeled and has a nice outdoor pool for the kids. It is more money than the other too. Wyoming Inn is a couple miles from the town square where all the action is during the summer and just being able to walk to town with the kids is nice.

Really, all three places you are looking at are great, but if you do make the move to Jackson and are doing it to be closer to town, I would stay somewhere that allows you to walk there.

FYI though, up at Teton Village (where Teton Mountain Lodge is) there is a great kids activity area where kids can rock climb and do a bungee jump on a trampoline.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Hey! We%26#39;re going for our 5th trip to the area in early June. Here are my thoughts: Wyoming Inn - Located right in town. Haven%26#39;t stayed there, but have seen it and read good reviews. Looks like above average motel. Very close (walking distance in many cases) to family-friendly restaurants, shops, shoot-out in town square, see Grease this summer at the Jackson playhouse, etc. On the other hand, staying in Jackson means you%26#39;ll be a little further (30-40+ minutes) from Grand Teton NP entrance. Teton Mountain Lodge - Upscale hotel. We stayed there last summer %26amp; are returning again this summer. Fewer restaurants (most are in the nearby hotels), much less to see %26amp; do right in Teton Village, but much closer to the back entrance to Grand Teton NP (via Moose-Wilson Rd.). This is beneficial when getting up early to see wildlife (plentiful in the early morning hours)and when using as a base to go up into Yellowstone. Jackson Lake Lodge - Haven%26#39;t stayed there, but have eaten at the lodge. It is, of course, a park property, so you are inside the park and in a more central location to both GTNP %26amp; Yellowstone. Average amenities/food, but the views are great and, if using as a base for seeing both parks, this will mean less travel time back/forth. It just depends on what your plans/interests are...

I%26#39;ve stayed at both. Teton Mountain Lodge is new and very nice. We stayed in June 2007 in a suite with upstairs and downstairs. It had a beautiful(granite/stainless steel) full kitchen, with an 11mo. old and a 5 year old,it worked out very well for us with the kids. The Mangy Moose is close and a good place for eats and drinks, I think they still have live music on certain nights. In 1998 we stayed at the Jackson Lake Lodge BK (before kids), we (my husband and I)had a great time,but quite rustic. The Mural Dining Room was really nice and hanging out in the lobby after dinner was really relaxing, lots of kids with families...playing cards,board games, and reading, good family time. I don%26#39;t think they have upgraded, we stopped by in 2007 and it looked the same. But, that%26#39;s the charm of the area. They both are great, you can have rustic or upscale. Views are great at both. I haven%26#39;t stayed at the Wyoming Inn but have only heard good things. I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll go wrong either way. Enjoy and have a great trip. We%26#39;re heading back in early June, can%26#39;t get enough!

I can only speak about the Wyoming Inn as we stayed there for a week and loved it. It is on the Jackson bus line and you can ride around town for free or pay a small fee and ride out to the ski area.

The food is fantastic with a great breakfast and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies in the evening. Staff and service are superb.

However, for kids, there is no pool and there are no views.

We stayed at both Teton Mtn. Lodge and Jackson Lake Lodge last summer on our visit to Tetons/Yellowstone. I loved them both, but they were very different. Teton Mtn. Lodge was our ';splurge'; property, and I which I%26#39;d saved it for last. We had a 1 bdr. suite, the bed was awesome and the kids stayed out on the very nice sleeper sofa in the den. There was a neat hot tub on the roof that we had to ourselves for a while. We drove Moose-Wilson Rd. (which is very close and convenient) and had dinner at Dornan%26#39;s -- Moose-Wilson Rd. was so much fun and where we saw the most moose on our entire trip.

Jackson Lake Lodge was more scenic. We had a patio view room with no view of the Tetons, but looked out on willows that had colonies of little ground squirrels. My 10 yr. old had fun watching them. Two full beds and a more ';dated'; room, but lots of character here and great wildlife viewing out back of the lodge. Some nice hiking trails also. Again, I really enjoyed both places and I%26#39;m glad we experienced both of them.

Enjoy the Tetons -- they are stunning!

None of the above. I vote Signal Mountain Lodge (foreverlodging.com/lodging.cfm?PropertyKey=69).

In a trip that included Pike%26#39;s Peak, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain National Park we took more pictures while staying here than any other single place on the trip.

You are right on the lake and have the mountains directly across them. This is also a place that I don%26#39;t think you need have any fears with your children playing at the beach during the day. Though I would never leave a 7-year old out of sight for even 10 seconds in bear country.

The view through the window in the mural room at Jackson Lake Lodge is magnificent, but you aren%26#39;t going to stay in the mural room. We sat on our cabin porch (two bedroom cabin btw) and just enjoyed doing nothing but looking out on the view.

Cats

Grand Teton trip planning

Hello everyone,

I%26#39;m looking for advice about our Yellowstone %26amp; Teton national park trip. Maybe you can help.

July 7

We arrive at Jackson Hole Airport in the afternoon, rent a car, and hoping to find space at a campsite in Teton National Park. We have a small two-persons hiking tent. Campsites are on %26#39;first come, first serve%26#39; base,

Quistion 1:

Should i be worried about this?

Because we just arriving from the airfield we dont have any food with us. We going to camp in Teton and Yellowstone, but we cannot bring all the gear neccecary to %26#39;really%26#39; camp. Its a city holliday (New York, Washington, and a ';detour'; to Yellowstone :) ) we are not in full hiking mode. My travelmate has no experience with hiking, and no hiking gear.

We will sleep in the tent, but hoping to eat in restaurants and buying food (like choclatebars and hardkeks) for dayhikes.

I have some experience with hiking, last year i did the Kungsleden Trail in Lapland, Zweden (nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0505/classi…) and camped two weeks in the nature, drinking water from the river, cooking freecedried meals: a real long distance hike in a incredible area. But you need to prepare, and train, before you can hike with all the gear on your back. This is not an option right now, so we are in ';tourist mode'; without much hiking gear with us.

Quistion 2:

Is it doable to stay at this two parks without preparing your own meals? (i know its fun to do!)

Quistion 3:

Can we buy food, bars etc.. between the airport and a campsite in Teton National Park? I suppose there is no supermarket, but i%26#39;m already suprissed (not only positive) about the number of hotels and buildings in National Parks, kind of strange, but welcome for now.. This is very important for us, we cannot bring food for five days in a airplane (ofcousr i know we can drive to Jackson City).

July 8

The day after we arrived, we want to hike in Teton. I was thinking about the ';Paintbrush Canyon/Cascade Canyon Loop'; wich seems to be long and hard, more than 10 ours estimate, but doable consider the popularity. We are both not in very good shape (i%26#39;m sitting behind the computer all day long...) but i have some experience with long distance hikes in Zweden and Scotland. I was thinking of leaving the campsite at 6AM in the morning to start early on. I have found a lot of information about this hike. I do think its a little to much for one day, but to carry al sleepinggear allong with us doesn%26#39;t seem to be a option, so we cannot use the campsites halfway the hike.

Quistion 4:

Any opinions about this hiking idea?

July 9

Leaving in the morning for a drive to Yellowstone, find a campsite. A easy day with hopefully not to much pain in our body ^

July 10

Small hike in Yellowstone

July 11

Hike in Yellowstone

July 12

Maybe going to a different campsite, small hike.

July 13

Driving to airport, leaving to New York city.

Quistion 5

Any suggestions or opinions about this?

(suggestion for a cool dayhike in Yellowstone?)

I hope you can help me with some of my quistions!

Thanks!

Greetings,

Jerry

(From Holland)

Grand Teton trip planning

There%26#39;s information on our website that might help you. I%26#39;ll provide a link to our Yellowstone map but there%26#39;s planning information, trip reports, many pictures, sample itineraries.

The junctions are where the red triangles are.

alandsuejohnson.com/yellowstone_map_pics/yel…

If you are in a campground near a junction, meals will be easy. If you buy an ice chest while in Jackson, you can eat breakfast and lunch anywhere and there are several picnic areas around.

Now to try to help with some of the questions.

Question 1: There%26#39;s a large grocery store in Jackson about 8 miles south of the airport. Its an Albertson%26#39;s. Depending on what time you arrive, it might be simplest to spend the night in Jackson and get an early start searching for a campground. Take a look at Colter Bay Campground for a nice setting within the park. Also look at Signal Mountain. Signal Mountain has a store and a restaurant as well. Views in that area are spectacular.

Question 2: Yes. Easier if you stay near the junctions in Yellowstone. Less sure about the Tetons. If you camp at someplace like Colter Bay then no problem.

Q 3: You can be food things at the junctions in Yellowstone and at Signal Mountain. Not full grocery stores but may keep you going. You could also find a full grocery store in WEst Yellowstone, MT.

Hiking questions: I can%26#39;t help a lot with these. We spend most of our time driving and look for or watching wildlife. There%26#39;s lots of trails out there but I%26#39;ll let someone else offer advice. One that might be worth considering is Mt Washburn. Its a 3 mile or so hike up from Dunraven Pass. Spectacular with a chance of wildlife.

Our website has some sample itineraries that you might find interesting. No need to follow them but they might get you started.

We have less information on the Tetons but its located here:

www.alandsuejohnson.com/grand_tetons_top.htm

Look at the 2008 trip since it gives you a decent idea of what can be seen in a day. The Tetons are spectacular and definitely worth spending the time.

Grand Teton trip planning

I forgot, here%26#39;s a link to information on camping in Yelloswtone. Note that not all campgrounds have showers or laundries.

nps.gov/yell/…camping-in-yellowstone.htm

I replied earlier...Kids and I love Grand Teton so much we do not even head towards Yellowstone...Have found it to be crowded with folks to lazy to get off the road and hike a bit..every animal sighting is a traffic jam. North Yellowstone is better, less crowded and more scenic, however is a good drive from Jackson...Looks close on a map, however road is slow going...On three different visits, having spent 4-5 days hiking in the Tetons, I have always asked myself ';why did i leave and go to Yelloowstone? I certainly understand you travel distance and the desire to see as much posssible..I have alwasy been dissapointed and frustrated by the crowds..

Hiking: Paintbrush and Cascade canyon may be a bit much for a beginer hiker in one day. My suggestion is to take the ferry across Jenny lake and hike up cascade canyon to lake Solitude. Beautiful hike, follows stream, fields of wildflowers after fork towards Lake Solitude. Have soon Moose on every occasion in this is area. Have lunch at Lake Solitude and return. Take inventory of your companion and their feet condition. The next day head up through Paintbrush canyon towards lake solitude from other direction. See both trails, different views of the Mts and your companion will enjoy more of the trip when broken into 2 hikes..I am jsut saying this based on your description of fitness level and experience...It is doable for the avid hiker, but no recommended for a begginer. I would ge them to start breaking in their hikiing boots/shoes..determine hot spots by putting in several miles at one time and determining friction points...

I am concerned that you may not be acclimated to the altitude to do that much hiking on your second. You may want to plan on something less physically taxing, such as kayaking or river rafting, and let your body adjust to less oxygen.

Thank you all!

AKJ, you helped me allot! I%26#39;am glad to hear that there are possiblities for buying food. Iam going to do some research based on the information you gave me!

LLamalike, i have heard this comment on Yellowstone/Teton more than once. Thats the reason i want to do a long dayhike in the Tetons. But Yellowstone is worldfamous and i believe a must seen for people visiting this area. Also, Yellowstone is much bigger with different natural areas(?), that i think spending more days in Yellowstone instead of Teton is the thing to do.

But thanks for the advice.

If we break the hike up into two days, then we must hike the same way down as we did up?

(';Have lunch at Lake Solitude and return'; i dont know if its possible to hike a different path down?). I think your concern is very right, i know its a little to much.. But it seems like a great hike(?) and hiking down the same path does%26#39;t sound to attrictive to me either.

Shell_Net, good point! what if we do the hiking in Grand Teton on the last day there, instead of the first? So a couple of days Yellowstone before hiking that long and high in Teton? Or doesn%26#39;t that help?

Thank you.

Jerry

I suggested head to lake solitude from Jenny lake and cascade canyon on one day then to lake solitude through paintbrush canyon on a different day..If I understand you, you do not want to return on the same path that you departed from and are more interested in a loop type trail?? Not sure I can help you there..My opinion is, i often see things from different perspectives and different light conditions when returning on the same trail..Maybe the photographer in me! I certaily undersatand your view of Yellowstone and I am sure everyone has varying opinions, but I am a fan of the Tetons (scenery, less crowded, easier to get around,i could go on) Just when in Yellowstone..get out of the car and experience it unlike the vast majority of the folks you will see. Bechler area of Yellowstone is known for its waterfalls, south side of the park and away from the crowds

Iam still a bit worried about finding a campsite, since our plane is arriving arround 16:11 at Jackson Hole Airport. We are going to rent a car there. So it would be late when we finaly arrive at a campsite, which are all first come first serve.

I read that the Lizard Creek Campground is big and not likly to be full in the morning. But in the evening... (?).

Driving the other way, to Jackson Hole instead of GTNP/YNP sounds a bit of a waste of time, because the airport is already IN the park, and now we driving away from it. But maybe this is the right thing to do...

What do you think about the changes of getting a campsite so late?

Greetings,

Jerry

Having been in a similair psotion as you, Late check in..I stayed at the Gros Ventre camp ground. It is very close to the Airport (across the street as a crow fly%26#39;s) well maintained, clean, showers,..Additionally I have found park rangers to be very helpful. Call them and see what they suggest. Having done so myself, they love to share their knowledge and experience and you coming from so far, I am sure they would love to help..The people in Wyoming are very accomodating and love their piece of the world. They will talk for hours trying to help and acomodate travelers..

Also, Jackson to airport and back to park, is really not that far of a drive. Jackson is a great Western town and have low budget hotels available if that is an option for night one. I stayed at the Buffalo Inn the night after Summitting the Grand Teton. Needed a hot shower and soft bed, price was less than $100

Yeay i think we can call The Netherlands far :)

I have search Google for Gros Ventre camp ground, but i cannot find a offial website. Do they have one? And is it possible to reservate?

Thanks!

Jerry

Help with Yellowstone itinerary & hotel

My wife %26amp; I are planning to go to Yellowstone for the first time. We are flying to Bozeman, arriving on Thursday Sep 4th at 3:30 PM, and leaving on Monday Sep 7th at 3:00 PM. I thought to stay the first and the last nights in Gardiner to be close to the airport. I’m not sure where we should stay the other 2 nights. I checked Xanterra, and except for the Lake Lodge, %26amp; Old Faithful, the other accommodations are still available inside the park. We like to see the falls, the geysers, do easy short hikes (max 2 miles), drive the scenic routes, %26amp; watch the animals. Do you have any suggestions of what to do and what areas of the park to visit? Where should we stay for the middle two nights? Should we stay in West Yellowstone, or should we stay inside the park? If inside, then which area? Our budget for the hotel is max $170 per night. What is the temperature like first week of September? I would appreciate your input.

Help with Yellowstone itinerary %26amp; hotel

I would suggest staying in the Park those 2 nights. It will make it easier for you to get out and see the sights in the time you have available. Canyon and Lake would be the most central locations and you should be able to get a cabin under your max at either place. If you call Xanterra rather than relying on the website you%26#39;ll get more current availability. Cancellations occur frequently and they can%26#39;t always keep the website updated to reflect them.

Here is a link for the facility closing dates, as some will be starting to shut down by then: nps.gov/yell/…open_closedates.htm

If you click on the ';Plan your visit'; link on the left of that page, you%26#39;ll get ideas for hikes, etc. You can also pull up the map of the park to help you plan. Be aware that part of the road between Madison Junction and Norris will be closed for repairs after Aug. 17th.

Weather at the beginning of Sept. is usually beautiful. It cools down a little by then, but is still generally in the 70%26#39;s during the day. Also, the crowds are thinning by then as kids go back to school.

Come back with any further questions as your planning continues - and Have fun!

Swimming in YNP??

Are there designated swimming areas in YNP? Learned that Yellowstone Lake is too cold to swim in-what about mammoth area?? Any advise-Thanks

Swimming in YNP??

Here%26#39;s a thread from last year that will give you some info on a couple of options. For the most part, there is NOT swimming in Yellowstone.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60999-i481-k20632…

Swimming in YNP??

thanks for the link!

There is a spot on the Firehole River. You need to climb down several flights of stairs to reach the canyon floor. The river ebbs back into a nice pool there. The water is a little warmer than other rivers because of thermals spilling in up river. More of a place to just get water then any real swimming. But, it is fun and you meet people from all over. We%26#39;ve been in it and watched wildlife on the other side of the river.

Take Firehole Drive (just south of Madison Junction) drive past the falls. There are parking pullouts and some outdoor toilets/changing rooms.

Thanks, that sounds great!

%26lt;%26lt;There is a spot on the Firehole River. You need to climb down several flights of stairs to reach the canyon floor. The river ebbs back into a nice pool there. The water is a little warmer than other rivers because of thermals spilling in up river.

Take Firehole Drive (just south of Madison Junction) drive past the falls. There are parking pullouts and some outdoor toilets/changing rooms.%26gt;%26gt;

FYI We were very disappointed, but at the moment this area is closed to swimming. There was no indication it would open any time soon. (Closed due to ';human activity'; Whatever that meant?)

The ';closed to human activity'; sign probably meant that there was grizzly bear activity in the area, or that the water was fast, deep, and 37 degrees. That swimming hole would be best in late July/early August.

The water was definitely fast, deep and cold...

The Firehole River ';swim area'; was closed last year at the very end of June due to the late and very high (and cold) runoff. I took my grandson there and in all the years of visiting the area I%26#39;d never seen it that high and fast. I used to take my daughter there 28 years ago when she was 2 years old (long before there were any wooden stairs to the bottom).

Last June, there was a pelican in the upper area of the the swim area (just around the corner of the cliffs) that was (I swear) surfing the rapids. He%26#39;d swim up the side and then go out into the middle and ride the rapids back down. It was obvious what he was doing was puposeful. He did it over and over for about 15 minutes and then swam to a little cove and climbed out on a rock to rest. We got the coolest pictures of it.

Deb

Sorry, no guarantees on swimming. The Boiling River spot can also close. Of course, there is always Yellowstone Lake, but it is sooo cold. You can wade for about a minute and then most people jump out!

thanks to everyone for all the great info-gonna be a great trip even if we dont get to swim!

makeup show

West Yellowstone or Gardiner?

We are planning our first trip to Yellowstone NP in mid to late September. I am looking for suggestions for lodging in either WEst Yellowstone or Gardiner. Is either town better than the other, or are they pretty similar? We will be there for one week (probably Sept. 12-19, depending on lodging availabilty and flights). We don%26#39;t need anything more than a moderate priced, CLEAN, room. We do not plan on spending much time in our room, but rather, fishing, hiking, viewing wildlife, etc. My husband is an avid fly fisherman, so does one town over the other have better rivers for fishing? Is September a good time of year for fly fishing? And, can one fish right in Yellowstone?

And, how is the weather at that time of year? We are flexible, and can go in late August, as well (but I%26#39;m afraid lodging might be gone at that time if I don%26#39;t make reservations somewhere soon!)

We are also interested in mountain biking, but with a guided tour, not on our own.

Any suggestions for white water rafting or float trips?

Will we have time for a day trip into the Grand Tetons?

Thanks for any and all suggestions, I am VERY excited about this trip, but planning it has been almost overwhelming because of the vastness of the park itself, and how many different areas one can stay in to enjoy it!

West Yellowstone or Gardiner?

You%26#39;ll find the lodging you described in either town. Personally, I prefer West Yellowstone - more shops, restaurants, and things to do - such as touring the Grizzly Discovery Center - quite interesting.

Sept. is a great month to visit - the crowds are thinning and the weather is usually beautiful. Just check the YNP website to see when facilities will be closing so you don%26#39;t have any surprises on arrival: nps.gov/yell/…open_closedates.htm

Also, be aware that a section of the road between Madison Junction and norris will be closing for repairs on Aug. 17th.

Your husband will find great fly-fishing no matter where you stay. Sept. is a great time for it - the weather is cooling off and the fish are feeding again. Also, if you%26#39;re lucky you%26#39;ll hit the brown trout spawning period - an awesome experience for a fisherman! Just remember that if he fishes outside of the Park he%26#39;ll need to get a state fishing license. For fishing inside YNP he%26#39;ll only need a Park license (much cheaper). There are amazing fishing rivers and streams throughout the Park. This website has a lot of good info: flyfishingyellowstonenationalpark.com/stream…

Have Fun!

West Yellowstone or Gardiner?

West Yellowstone, for reasons provided above.

Yes to a day trip to the Tetons.

No mountain biking in the parks.

How many, ages, of ';we';? If kids, need to know that.

You might consider trying for a Western Cabin in the park, much more convenient than in and out every day.

Canyon, Lake, Old Faithful, good locations, though the last one is a bit far from the valleys and wildlife viewing.

A couple of Inside Pages might help you plan, pasted below.

You have plenty of time to explore YNP; don%26#39;t be overwhelmed, once there, go with the flow, don%26#39;t worry about backtracking as things and views and, certainly, wildlife, changes.

For wildlife viewing and photography:

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

Packing for your trip:

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

If you have 7 nights, then you may want to consider staying at more than one location, particularly given the conbined size of YNP and GTNP.

I recently returned from a 7 night trip to both parks and we decided to stay 2 nights in Gardiner, 3 nights near Old Faithful and 2 nights in Jackson. In hindsight, I wouldn%26#39;t have done things differently because this helped reduce the amount of driving on many days. The obvious disadvantage is having to move accommodation more (but that doesn%26#39;t bother me very much).

The above posters obviously prefer West Yellowstone (I haven%26#39;t been there so can%26#39;t make the comparison with Gardiner). We drove down from Bozeman so Gardiner for us was an obvious stop and I thought it was a perfect location for touring the northern part of YNP (it%26#39;s only a couple of miles from the entrance to the park and Mammoth). Having said that, I wouldn%26#39;t have wanted to stay there much longer than the two nights we did. There is a fairly decent choice of hotels/motels in Gardiner and a few dining options (although not everything was open when we were there at the start of May).

Whatever you decide to do, have a great trip!

Just returned from Yellowstone on 5/22.

3 nites Old Faithful Inn

2 nites Wyoming Inn in Jackson

I would say that West Yellowstone was the nicer of the 2 towns mentioned for reasons stated in other replies. Be aware that there is MAJOR road construction south of Yellowstone on the way to GTNP.

(it might be finished by Sept.) A visit to GTNP is a definite if in the area, and I found Jackson to be very convient to the southern portion of GTNP, as a day trip would be a very long day and long drive back to either location.

Other options are Moran Junction and Jackson Lake/Signal Mtn area. (albeit more expensive)

Thanks, all, for your suggestions! Every bit of information is helpful for such a trip as this.

Beartooth Pass/Yellowstone Park Day Trip Report

After a quick (450 miles, 12 1/2 hours) day trip over Beartooth Pass and through Yellowstone Park today I%26#39;m back to report how it went. My grandson and I left Billings and drove to Red Lodge and up over the pass. We entered the park through Cooke City, turned south at Roosevelt and basically went all around the loop ending up going out through Gardiner. Even though there is quite a bit of snow in the park it wasn%26#39;t as much as I thought there would be. Roads were perfect. The only stops we made on this trip were for animals and of course ice cream at Fishing Bridge.

1st- I got to see something that I%26#39;ve never seen in the 30+ years off going to the park at least once each year (lots of times more)- a frozen Yellowstone Lake! I%26#39;ve gone through the park many times in the spring (but its always been from Mammoth to Cooke City or down to Old Faithful and back) but never by the lake so it was quite the treat for me.

2nd- Beartooth Pass was spectacular. The roads were awesome- completely dry. Lots of snow banks. I%26#39;ll post a pic tomorrow of my grandson standing next to one that was about 15 feet high (it will take a few days to get approved tho). Lots of ';hardcore extreme skiers'; at the top of the pass- probably close to a 100. I got some cool pics of them going down a side of a cliff (crazyyyyyy!) and also a bunch that were para-skiing (cool!).

3rd- Animals! Saw 4 grizzly bears. The first was just of Dunraven Pass. It had cross the road about 1/2 hour before we got there. It was digging in the snow/dirt under a tree about 100 yds from the road in a draw. It was pretty active. Saw 2 on a ridge in Hayden Valley just south of Alum Creek. Saw the last one just off of where you turn at West THumb to go to Old Faithful. That one wasn%26#39;t too far off the road. Apparently, it is a female about 2 years old that is hurt pretty bad from a fight with another bear. Its been hanging around the area for a few days. Saw lots of bison with a few calves in Lamar Valley (not as much as I usually see in Hayden tho) along with 5 Big Horn Sheep just before the Yellowstone Bridge east of Roosevelt Junction. Also, saw 3 very young (probably last years) Big Horn Sheep between Mammoth and Gardiner. Not a whole lot of elk (I expected more) and no black bears. Also saw antelope and of course the 2 big herds of elk that hang out about 20 miles north of Gardiner.

All in all, it was a wonderful day trip. We%26#39;re already planning our next trip into the park. Hopefully, end of June where we%26#39;ll camp for 4-5 days.

Deb

Beartooth Pass/Yellowstone Park Day Trip Report

That sounds like a wonderful, loooong, day!! Thanks for writing about it. I get more excited to see this place every day.

Beartooth Pass/Yellowstone Park Day Trip Report

Thanks for the report Deb!

We%26#39;re going over to the Park tomorrow. My son and his wife left this morning to go camping for a couple of nights. We%26#39;re going to take my 4 yr-old granddaughter over in the morning so they can then all leave to go back to SLC from there on Tues.

I%26#39;ve never seen the Lake frozen either - that should be quite a sight! Maybe we%26#39;ll get lucky enough to see one or more of the bears too.

Thanks again,

Paula

Awesome report-thanks for sharing! I am jealous! You had a much cooler day today than I did! 2 months and we%26#39;re on our way there!

Sorry-too many exclamation points?

I posted some pics of the day trip in my profile. There are three from Beartooth Pass, one of frozen Yellowstone Lake and one of the grizzly we saw at West Thumb. I read some of the information we got at the entrance and it said that Yellowstone Lake can hold on to the ice til mid to late May. I%26#39;m still tickled to death that I got to see it frozen.

Deb

Great photos Deb - I agree about the Lake - it was quite a sight.

Thanks,Paula

Deb - Thanks for the report! We had an 8-bear day on Saturday too. Lots of bison and calves. And, some really pregnant elk. No elk calves yet. And, the most amazing sight were the visitors brave enough to wear shorts, t-shirts, and flipflops on top of Dunraven Pass where the snow is still deep. With all that snow, it is going to be an incredible year for wildflowers!

This for posting the trip report and the pictures. It%26#39;s so strange for me to see all the snow and ice there yet when it%26#39;s almost June! To think I was complaining about the ';cold'; (mid 60s) weather we%26#39;re having here in Iowa today;-)

To Yellowstonefan: Actually, I was quite surprised how warm it was. I%26#39;m a cold-blooded person (I%26#39;m always wrapped up in a blanket). I had a hooded sweatshirt on on top of Beartooth Pass but took it off after we did a short hike before Cooke City. The rest of the time I was fine in the long sleeve t-shirt I was wearing. My grandson was in shorts but he%26#39;s always warm. We watched the bear at Dunraven Pass for a little over a 1/2 hour and I wasn%26#39;t cold.

I was kind of surprised there weren%26#39;t more bison calves in Lamar. There were some herds on the other side of the river- maybe thats where most of them were. One of these days I need to break down and buy some binoculars.

Deb

Deb1741- Hope it stays warm, eh! Nice to not be having those snowstorms we did last May and early June. There are large groups of bison and calves in the Fountain Flats areas and around the Madison River, higher locations. The areas right next to Madison River are flooding because of the snow melt. The high melt this year may be affecting things. Old timers say that this is the highest the Gibbon has been for a long time, but the falls are just spectacular.

You lucky people - living close enough to take a day trip tp the park! - I%26#39;m green.

cute names for baby girl rats

JAC to Grand Teton drive

We land at JAC around 8 pm %26amp; plan to cover Grand Tetons for initial 1 or 2 days %26amp; then move onto YSNP for another 3 days.

Should we try to get to Colter Bay Lodge or Jackson Lake Lodge, the same night we land, so that we get an early start the next morning? Or does it make sense to crash at JAC? We dont want to %26#39;waste%26#39; a night in JAC, when instead we could be waking up in the middle of nature %26amp; start our national park experience sooner. Im more concerned with safety in night driving, rather than the distance/ time involved?

Any thoughts? Thanks!

JAC to Grand Teton drive

it just depends on if you want to spend one evening in jackson. i really like jackson %26amp; all the dining options it gives you. plus, it%26#39;s always fun to check out the square at night %26amp; also stop by the cowboy bar. you are only 30 minutes from gtnp so getting an early start the next morning won%26#39;t be a problem.

on the otherhand, jackson lake lodge is great %26amp; i%26#39;m sure it%26#39;s neat waking up there in the morning %26amp; going to the back of the lodge to look for wildlife. ynp is great but i like gtnp just as much.

JAC to Grand Teton drive

PT said it best. Either option would be a great experience.

The airport is north of Jackson and on the way to GTNP. If you are coming in June or July, it will stay light until about 9 PM. There are speed limits and you would want to just watch around the road where rivers and streams are close to the roads where wildlife would be present.

Thanks, this helps...looks liek either would be good choices...

However I%26#39;m not too comfortable when driving at night, especially on curvy roads, (even if its my DH driving). So maybe we will crash at JAC or Teton village the night we land...

Plus someone on another forum mentioned about there being only one major store (Albertsons) near Jackson, so it might be good to stock up on supplies the next morning before we head out into the GTNP ...

We flew into JAC on a flight that landed around the same time last year. We chose to drive to Jackson to stay and started out the next morning. This worked well because we were able to check out the town of Jackson briefly including finding something to eat after 9 p.m. and also to shop at the Albertson%26#39;s early the next morning for snacks, drinks and a cooler. We then hit the Moulten Barns on the way into GTNP.