Yellowstone lodging recommendations

[dentonfabrics]

Can anyone recommend a hotel near Yellowstone and/or Grand Tetons? Not necessarily a cheap place, but maybe a place you know of that's a good value. We'll be coming in from the west. Maybe some place in West Yellowstone, Mt?

Also, are there any part of those parks that aren't too crowded in June?

Anything else I need to know?


Thanks,
Bob

 

[Jaytrek57]

Jackson Hole probably has all you are looking for. From high end hotels/resorts to hiker friendly crash/motels. Although I assume you are driving from the west...so maybe not.

Mt. Sheridan.Heart Lake in the south of the park doesn't see that much traffic and is a really cool overnight backpack.

Watch out for the hotsprings. 'Deaths in Yellowstone' is a small paperback in most stores out there that is a very cool read.

Have fun....

Peace.

 

[carla]

Montana side lodgings, some thoughts on Ystone and Tetons

I did a trip out there a few summers ago. I came in on the Wyoming side and spent a few nights in Jackson Hole and yes it's got everything but it's also pretty expensive...

Also we drove through Yellowstone from the Wyoming side and then spent a couple nights doing hike etc in Yellowstone. We stayed in West Yellowstone MT at a place called the One Horse Motel. Family-run place, nothing fancy, but it was relatively inexpensive--$89/night in August--and clean and comfortable. We met other folks there who stayed there year after year. The town itself is a bit honky tonk and raw, but fun too--some restaurants to go to and it really is a block from the park entrance over there.

Yellowstone is huge, as I'm sure you know but there are lots of out of the way corners, you just have to drive a lot (the good thing about the drives is that you WILL see buffalo, bears, elk, etc.) We also did some hiking in a wilderness area right outside the park, in MT, which was a gorgeous and wild area. (can't recall the name, but you'll see it on a map).

I hope you do get to Tetons also--I have to say that I much preferred that area, less cars, felt more wild to me than Yellowstone. If you do go there, make sure you take a sunset rafting trip down the Snake River, and also get into the backcountry to do some serious hiking up and over the ridges there--there may still be snow at the higher points. We did go up and over a 10,00o foot pass on a very long day hike...

I am not gung ho enough to have climbed the Grand Teton itself, but of course that's a goal for many people there.

Here are some photos from my trip there.. You don;'t need to be a facebook member to see these. Ignore unflattering photos, of course! ; )

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49462&id=647681968&l=bec54fd9a3

 

[Stan]

Grand teton Lodge Company http://www.gtlc.com/ manages accomodations in Grand Teton NP.

Xanterra http://www.xanterra.com/ manages accomodations in Yellowstone NP.

It's always nice to be within the park but they tend to be a bit pricey. I think it's worth the convenience. There are some decent prices, cabins at Theodore Roosevelt Lodge in Yellowstone for example. Check the websites, you may find something though things book up early. I made reservations in January and pickings were thin.

We always like to "acclimate" in Jackson Hole where there are a wide variety of accomodations and great watering holes. It's really not that far from many of the trailheads in the Tetons, either. Try the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce website for leads ... many places show their availability on-line.

 

[timmus]

We end up sleeping in the car one night, because everything in and near Yellowstone had no vacancy, so yes, make reservations ! Jackson Hole has nothing good below 125$/night in high season.

Don't miss : the back roads of Yellowstone, all of them. We saw grizzly bears, discover amazing secret water holes, and we got to enjoy Yellowstone's unique hydrothermal features without the crowds.

And yes, the book ''Deaths in Yellowstone'' was the perfect read when flying back to Montreal.

Have a good trip !

 

[Chip]

Depends, obviously, on what you're looking to do. We did a 12 day trip a couple years ago with another couple and 5 children. We started in Jackson Hole and spent a few days in the Tetons at a hotel and lodge, then went up through Yellowstone and stayed 5 nights in West Yellowstone at The Gray Wolf Inn. This was a great decision; indoor pool, efficiency rooms, free breakfast, across the street from the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center (could hear wolf howling at night and visited it during the day), 4 blocks from the west entrance, West Yellowstone itself is cool. We'd get up early and do various extensive day outings into the park, covered everything, inluding some of the side trips/dirt roads, then get back to the town, pool, dinner, etc in late afternoon. We then went back into the Tetons for a few nights and stayed in cabins in the valley. PM me if you want specifics. Great trip. Spend some extra time there while you have the chance. In the Tetons I hiked/climbed Disappointment Peak with an Exum guide - highly recommended, and did a couple decent hikes in Yellowstone.

 

[Chip]

Also, are there any part of those parks that aren't too crowded in June?

Anything else I need to know?


Thanks,
Bob

Boiling River.

If you're coming in from the west, you can head north and do the Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs, Boiling River, Tower-Roosevelt, Lamar Valley, Canyon Village loop. It'd be a long day, but you'd see over half the park. There's a side/dirt road between Boiling River and Tower-Roosevelt. http://www.exploreamerika.com/images/YellowstoneMap2.jpg

 

[dentonfabrics]

I knew you all would come through with the good info. Thanks, keep it coming!

We plan on flying into Spokane, WA, spending 3-4 days at a backwoods lodge in northern Idaho, then drive down to the parks and end up flying home out of Salt Lake City, UT. I'm hoping to find a place to rent for 2-3 nites or so that can act as a staging area for visiting both Yellowstone and Grand Teton. According to the maps, West Yellowstone looks like the best place to stay for what I want to do. The Grey Wolf Inn sounds pretty good, Chip, thanks! (although I am going to check prices for staying in the park too.)

We'll be out there mid-June. Should I expect wall-to-wall people at the parks?

 

[Chip]

I'm hoping to find a place to rent for 2-3 nites or so that can act as a staging area for visiting both Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

This will be difficult, it's a longer drive between the parks than it looks. There's a campground in the no-man's-land between, but you're neither here nor there, there. I'd spend 2 nights in West Yellowstone and one night in Tetons and try to fly out of Jackson Hole.

We'll be out there mid-June. Should I expect wall-to-wall people at the parks?

It shouldn't be that bad. There can be spots, especially if Buffalo are crossing the road. We hit the most traffic in the southeast quadrant and the least in the northwest and northeast.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

We've stayed at a place in Hatchet, Wy which we really liked and didn't cost an arm and a leg. It's west of Dubois, WY on US26/287. There's not much on that road, and this little place had small log cabins, a rustic restaurant, and gas station. It's called Hatchet Resort, although I think it's really in Moran.

Jackson is really spendy, and it's a long haul from town north to GT NP and even further to Yellowstone, so this place made those places more accessible.

Have also stayed in Dubois (pronounced "DOOOO-boyz" with a heavy accent on the first syllable!) which is reasonable. Not resorty.

Of course, maybe you are looking for resorty ...

 

[Billy]

Always good to hear when people go to Yellowstone. Awesome place. A few suggestions/tips:

- Lodging: You're only a month away. Lots of places in/near the park are booked solid by now. Go online and/or call very soon to get lodging.

- Whether there will be wall-to-wall people in mid-June: Ummm, kinda yes. We went in mid-June and it was crowded, but better than July/August. Visit the famous places (Old Faithful, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth, the Geyser Basins) early morning and/or early evening. Not only much less crowded, but also prettier with the softer emerging/fading sunlight. These tourist spots are famous for a reason...because they're amazing...so avoid the crowds but don't avoid the sites. Then hike during the middle of the day. Not a good idea to hike in the dark out there; the big dudes use the trails at night. Once you're a mile or so down almost any trail (with a few exceptions such as Mt Washburn) you'll see how uncrowded Yellowstone can be.

- In June there's still lots of snow up high. Some of the high passes might be "closed". Check with the backcountry rangers if you plan on doing a high elevation hike. Probably a good idea to check with the rangers before doing any hike this time of year just to avoid any unpleasant surprises (excessive flooding, trail closed due to bears, etc)

- If you want to see lots of wildlife, follow this secret: open your eyes. They're everywhere. Yellowstone is a zoo without cages. The best spots are Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley dusk and dawn. Bring binoculars.

- Watch out for the "Yellowstone Rollers", which are what they call the daily afternoon thunderstorms. It's a good show. Just be in a safe spot to enjoy them.

- Resign yourself to the fact that you will get caught in a bison-jam or a bear-jam. Peple's driving habits may not be to your liking at those times. Just accept it. There are worse places to be stuck in traffic. Just pull over, look at your pictures on your camera, enjoy the scenery, have a snack, whatever. Turn it into something good.

This website is a great resource. Lots of info on all things Yellowstone.

Have fun. Please post your photos.

 

[Blue]

I did a combination of camping and staying at lodges inside Yellowstone and the Tetons . It was the first week of June and could basically pick up a room without reservations - stayed at Canyon Lodge and Cabins, as well as Lake Yellowstone Lodge and Cabins (nice!). At the time, I don't think I could get in the Old Faithful Inn, but it was great to visit.

I don't remember the hotel in Jackson Hole, but I do remember enjoying numerous beers with great views in Moose, WY, right outside the entrance to the park.

 

[KRobi]

We did the same basic trip you are doing but flew into Salt Lake City and then north to the parks. We were going to leave from Spokane but extended it out to Portland. Mt. St Helen's was worth the extension alone. When in Teton we stayed in Jackson Hole at the base of the ski area in Hostel X. Clean, basic and for the area, dirt cheap! It only took a few minutes to be in the park. We didn't spend near enough time here. Definitely want to get back and go on more of the extended hikes. Our car rental was a standard full size sedan. Most of the roads to the trails were VERY rough and rutty. We had to turn back on a couple of them. A SUV with more ground clearance is the way to go. We then went north to Yellowstone. We did the big tourist stop at Old Faithful on our way to West Yellowstone. We went in late June when school got out and except for here (OF) we really never saw any big crowds. Just doing some of the short hikes at OF got you quickly away from the zoo scene. Very close to OF was a nice hike to Lone Star Geyser. We walked in (you can bike also) and were the only ones there to see it erupt. It's not as regular as OF but it was our own private show. We stayed at a basic hotel in West Yellowstone (name escapes me). If you were doing a daily ride from West Yellowstone to Teton that would be a much longer ride than you would probably want as Chip said. We tried to split the park up so that we didn't have to do the long drives. We stayed in Gardner MT to do the Mammoth area and down to the Lamar Valley. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was a bit crowded but certainly nothing more than a Flume or Franconia Notch trail crowd. Word of caution. Some trails are open to horses. These were incredibly dusty, and loaded with bugs and horse droppings. I would recommend avoiding these if possible. Lots of nice hikes in the area and basically crowd free. Feel free to PM if you want more details.
Ken