View Full Version : Yellowstone
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.
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.
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
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?
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.
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