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Hamhock
6/26/2008, 04:42 PM
I'm taking the family to Estes Park and Yellowstone.

Any suggestions on what I should/shouldn't do?


Yes, I'm taking my bow.

OUHOMER
6/26/2008, 04:54 PM
you should make sure you schedule enough time. The wife and I did a 1 day drive thru Yellowstone. man was it neat. but one day was not near enough

SteelClip49
6/26/2008, 05:12 PM
gotta see Old Faithful.....other than that, great fun.

Whet
6/26/2008, 05:39 PM
Two most important do and don't do:
DO - while driving, stay on the road
DON'T - drive off the side of the road

Soonrboy
6/26/2008, 06:04 PM
Do not stay at the Old Faithful Inn, unless you like rustic..as in no air conditioning.

Geysers got old quick...but the waterfalls were always spectacular.

Rogue
6/26/2008, 06:26 PM
Drive between West Yellowstone and Jackson, WY.
About 1/2 way between is Jenny Lake. Go there, trust me on this.

I've given this advice many times. Those that heed it come back and thank me.

You are talking about a summer trip, yes?

In Jackson there are a few must-dos.
1) Ride the tram at Jackson Hole - wow
2) Drink a cold beer at the Million Dollar Cowboy
3) In summer - ride the boogie scooters down the mountain at Snow King in town
4) In winter - duh - SKI! Oh, and see the Elk Refuge ;)
5) Summer - whitewater on the Snake R.

IronSooner
6/26/2008, 06:27 PM
Trail Ridge Road - winds along the area around Estes Park. Beautiful views all around

Rogue
6/26/2008, 06:30 PM
When is the trip?
If you are within 1/2 day of Driggs, ID during the hot air balloon festival it is worth catching too.

SoonerStormchaser
6/26/2008, 06:39 PM
Jeez...where to begin.

Estes Park is ok...it's a pure tourist trap, but nowhere on the scale of Aspen, etc. Carolyn and I stayed at a cabin on the road to RMNP last October over OU/TX weekend...right when the leaves were changing. Absolutely beautiful.

Yellowstone is cool just cuz there's bald eagles and ****...geysers are ok, the Fountain Paint Pot was really neat...and watch out for the bison, they can and will **** your car up. Oh...and learn from my mistake... DON'T DRIVE AT 5 AM, the moose will thank you (at least the ones I let live).

thesnowbishop
6/26/2008, 09:44 PM
I worked in Yellowstone for 4 years, so pm me for any details.

Suggestion number 1: Narrow your focus. To combine trips to both Rocky Mt. National Park and Yellowstone (along with the possibility of the Tetons) with the fam is one hell of a lot of driving depending upon your departure point. Factor in the kids' travel tolerances--i.e. you could easily expect to spend half a day getting from Jackson Hole to the Old Faithful area or from Cody to the Lake area, all without scratching the surface of the area.

#2: Pick your must see sights. You can't do it all and do it well, unless you have a large time-frame. I'm not much of a geyser gazer, so the Old Faithful area was not as great as the Lamar Valley and the Beartooth range for me.

#3: Hike. Anything. Get out of your car and onto the trail.

#4: If you want to stay in the parks, reserve your room or campsite now. You may be too late. The park concessionaire will release some reserve rooms/sites in the late afternoon, but it's a crapshoot. If you're in the middle of the park (Canyon area) at 5:00 in the afternoon. It could take 2 hours to get West Yellowstone or Cody depending upon bear/bison jams.

#5: Read up and be flexible.

def_lazer_fc
6/26/2008, 10:07 PM
Trail Ridge Road - winds along the area around Estes Park. Beautiful views all around

second this. there's also a bad *** hiking trail in RMNP in estes park but the name escapes me. ill try to find it.

Hamhock
6/27/2008, 08:24 AM
i'm going the last week in august/first week in september.

taking an RV.

4 kids. youngest is 1.

snowbishop: can you recommend a campsite?

12
6/27/2008, 08:46 AM
My advice would be to pm snowbishop.

Hamhock
9/5/2008, 01:22 PM
awesome place. highly recommend going.

soonerhubs
9/5/2008, 03:55 PM
Post some pictures if you've got em.

Hamhock
9/5/2008, 03:59 PM
fyi - if you leave your camera at RMNP, they'll fedex it to you.

Flagstaffsooner
9/5/2008, 05:29 PM
Many years ago I did an all day horsie ride from Estes Park to Grand Lake. Great experience.