Yellowstone? (West Yellowstone, Hot Springs: 2009, hotel, school)

[wawagners]

We are planning a trip through the Grand Tetons up through Yellowstone and then to Glacier Nat'l Park. What are the best senic drives in all three parks? Only have a week and a half so must see's would help too. Want to do the senic river raft ride(the slow one), what river would be the best to do this. What time would be the best to go? I heard in the Spring time the rivers can be muddy from snow melting and Winter they close down some roads so I was thinking about September or October. Would love to see some snow, is it still around then and also I love moose so they are a must see. Any info whould be great! Thank you. Oh we would be coming from Texas if that makes any differance in roads we should take.

[Joe Doer]

The best time is early fall after school starts and the crowds thin out. There are numerous options for visiting Yellowstone. Check their website and choose the things you want to see most. There is a nice loop you will see on a map allowing you to see most of the popular attractions.

[grizzfan]

From Texas it's easiest to enter Grand Teton Park from it's south entrance near Jackson Hole. Don't miss the Western Art Museum just north of town. There are several attractions in GTNP such as the old hotel that has a beautiful view of the mountain range; but you can see that from the road too. You are more likely to see moose in GTNP than in YNP but be advised that moose are very wary animals and don't cooperate with those who want to see them!

YNP roads are laid out in a loose figure-eight. You can easily see the sights in two or three days; most do it in one! Lodging in the parks is very expensive. We stayed in a dump in Glacier National Park (Many Glacier Hotel) about 10 years ago and it was $135 a night!!! And, bookings tend to be filled up early so start planning now.

I'd recommend that you spend your first night at Lake Hotel area. Get up early and check out Fishing Bridge area and then go to Canyon. Spend most of the day there viewing the Upper and Lower Falls area. Drive over Dunn Raven Pass; stop at Tower Falls. Then you have a decision to make. You can drive to Cooke City, MT and see thousends of Bison; stay the night there; or drive to Mammoth Hot Springs area and stay there. Your choice. Then head south and see the several geyser basins on the way to Old Faithful. Lodging is availble there too.

No places in the parks to do river float trips that I'm aware of. Many North of the YNP on the Yellowstone, but they are anything but quiet and smooth!!

YNP is my favorite place in the world. I worked there three summers in my teens and had a great time.

Enjoy.

[rangerider]

You'll probably want to check the float trip outfits no matter what river you choose to go on. They usually operate in the peak summer months but if we get a dry year the river(s) sometimes lose water to the extent that floating gets tough.

Although the Yellowstone and other bigger ones would largely be immune to this.

And grizzfan, there are trips on the Y-stone that don't include Yankee Jim and are fairly sedate, especially in later summer. We float that every now and then and most of it isn't much especially if you're in a little larger raft. I think the raft companies kinda tailor some of their trips to people who want to shore-watch and fish.

[c_phillips01]

Does anyone have any information and/or recommendations for a snowmobile tour of Yellowstone in winter time?
Thanks for your help.

[rickers]

You are going to need a month and a half not a week and a half.
Below are a picture of an elk feeding her baby and another one of a black bear I saw while floating The Lower Flathead River.

[Traci1298]

I was also wondering about snow mobiling and winter horse back riding, I will arrive the first week of December 2009 and I am trying to figure out what all I can pack into a week, I am staying in West Yellowstone area.

[grizzfan]

West Yellowstone, MT is the center for snowmobile tripes to Yellowstone Parks. While there are real pressures to curtail the number of snowmobiles entering the Park, there are concessions that have packages that include travel in large enclosed snowmobiles, food and lodging. Riding horses in deep snow that West Yellowstone has doesn't sound very desireable or safe to me!