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[Park partly closed due to floods] "Visiting/traveling to Yellowstone Park" thread
#31
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA*G, UA 1MM
Posts: 1,277
Originally Posted by faithng
You've got to make reservations at least a year in advance. We were there in June of last year and I think we tried almost everything in the park in Dec/Jan and most everything was booked. Old Faithful Inn was definitely booked. We ended up staying outside the park in Montana.
#33
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAT
Programs: NWA/DL
Posts: 158
If you want to stay in Yellowstone, the Old Faithful Lodge is really neat. The public areas are a sight in themselves. YOu have to book early though. If you want to stay outside the park, try Cody or Jackson Hole.
#37
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 2,232
Originally Posted by sylvia hennesy
For the record, the only road open to wheeled vehicles during the winter is the north entrance, according to the YNP website.
*At least that is the way it was a few years ago when I work in the park, I'm not sure if anything has changed.
#38
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 2,232
Originally Posted by sylvia hennesy
um...several of the entrances are closed during the winter (I thought Jackson was one of them), and most of the roads.
http://www.flaggranch.com/winter/
#39
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: UA 2.5MM; HH Diamond; Hyatt Platinum; MR Gold
Posts: 1,354
If you really want to experience Yellowstone in the winter, take a look at the Lodging and Learning Programs offered through the Yellowstone Association (www.yellowstoneassociation.org), a non-profit organization that partners with Yellowstone National Park, running the bookstores and providing funds to the park. They offer 2 to 5 day courses that allow you to really delve into the Park in winter. The prices are good values and the instructors are excellent.
#40
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Glastonbury, CT USA
Programs: Hilton HHonors Diamond, AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 213
Yellowstone in June from Billings, MT?
We're planning a family (kids 8 and 12) vacation to Yellowstone National Park June 17-23. Originally we had planned on driving from Dayton, Ohio, both to save money and to stop at Mt Rushmore on the way out and some relatives in Denver on the way back. It will be two days' drive to Mt Rushmore and then another to Yellowstone, and three days' drive back through Denver as well.
I was looking at flights into some of the area airports, and found a great fare into Billings, MT, but wanted to make sure that I'm not making a mistake before I book.
Is flying into Billings in mid-June and driving the (roughly) three hours to Yellowstone a good idea? How likely are snowy roads at that time of year?
Any other advice on visiting Yellowstone at that time of year? I realize that it will likely be rainy at least a part of the trip and it may snow some. At this point, I could easily change the dates to later in the season, although I think the crowds could be worse.
Thanks,
AGS
I was looking at flights into some of the area airports, and found a great fare into Billings, MT, but wanted to make sure that I'm not making a mistake before I book.
Is flying into Billings in mid-June and driving the (roughly) three hours to Yellowstone a good idea? How likely are snowy roads at that time of year?
Any other advice on visiting Yellowstone at that time of year? I realize that it will likely be rainy at least a part of the trip and it may snow some. At this point, I could easily change the dates to later in the season, although I think the crowds could be worse.
Thanks,
AGS
#41
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Lewis & Clark
Programs: ADL, ACLU, NRA, HRC, NCLR, WBCA
Posts: 5,121
You'll be way before the big crowds. There may be some snow but it should be ok. Yellowstone's website is very helpful http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm . BRING WARM COATS. It's really cold at night.
Watch the 8 year old. Sadly, our national parks have been severely underfunded for the past many years, and are getting pretty rundown. We were last at Yellowstone in October and found a lot of the walkways in poor condition, which can be dangerous in thermal areas.
Do you know where you are going to stay? The village of West Yellowstone is nice but fills up. There are cheap motels and cabins and yuppie hotels. I'd recommend the Hibernation Station if it has space (http://www.hibernationstation.com/) There's also an IMAX theatre in case the day is just too rainy.
I'd also suggest a cooler of food. Concessions may be open, but it's very pricey and frankly not very good. Have a picnic and watch out for Yogi :-)
Watch the 8 year old. Sadly, our national parks have been severely underfunded for the past many years, and are getting pretty rundown. We were last at Yellowstone in October and found a lot of the walkways in poor condition, which can be dangerous in thermal areas.
Do you know where you are going to stay? The village of West Yellowstone is nice but fills up. There are cheap motels and cabins and yuppie hotels. I'd recommend the Hibernation Station if it has space (http://www.hibernationstation.com/) There's also an IMAX theatre in case the day is just too rainy.
I'd also suggest a cooler of food. Concessions may be open, but it's very pricey and frankly not very good. Have a picnic and watch out for Yogi :-)
#43
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1
I live in the Billings area, and would not worry much about snow by mid-June. There may still be some snow on the sides of the road going up the Beartooth Pass, but they have the roads plowed to open the pass on Memorial Day weekend. It is about an hour to Red Lodge and from there the drive to the park is very scenic!
#44
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Erie, CO USA
Programs: UA, Marriott, Starwood, et al
Posts: 1,559
I haven't gone into YSNP through Billings, but I have through Bozeman. If prices are similar, I believe it is a bit closer to YSNP. Several of the majors fly to BZN. Road is 2 lane but was in good condition last time I was on it. There were a lot of flat, open sections so to that passing slower traffic was not a significant problem.
From my experience, summer crowds will have started to build by the time your are planning. Look at the occupancy for the YSNP facilities to get a sense of how crowded the park will be.
There are several other threads in this forum with a lot of discussion and advice on visiting YSNP that you may want to look through if you haven't already.
The suggestion from swei009 about a cooler is a good one. If you do fly into Bozeman, there is a Wal-Mart across the highway from the airport (or at least there was the last time I was there). Stop by, pick up a cooler, ice, and some food (the wood sticks the sell as replacements for mop, etc. handles make good hiking sticks). When you are ready to leave, either check the cooler, ship it back home with some of the extra stuff you picked up along the way, or offer it to a local charity.
From my experience, summer crowds will have started to build by the time your are planning. Look at the occupancy for the YSNP facilities to get a sense of how crowded the park will be.
There are several other threads in this forum with a lot of discussion and advice on visiting YSNP that you may want to look through if you haven't already.
The suggestion from swei009 about a cooler is a good one. If you do fly into Bozeman, there is a Wal-Mart across the highway from the airport (or at least there was the last time I was there). Stop by, pick up a cooler, ice, and some food (the wood sticks the sell as replacements for mop, etc. handles make good hiking sticks). When you are ready to leave, either check the cooler, ship it back home with some of the extra stuff you picked up along the way, or offer it to a local charity.
#45
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Borrego Springs, CA
Programs: UA 1P, Marriott Gold
Posts: 181
We did the Northeast entrance after the Beartooth scenic highway last year and found the less-used approach quite nice. "Scenic" is an understatement for the Beartooth highway.
Overnighted in both Red Lodge and Cooke City due to a late night arrival in Billings. Cooke City is small and rustic, but we had a pleasant stay there.
I wouldn't want to do this route with any time pressure.
In prior years, we've come in through Bozeman happily. Any entrance is fine if you miss the crowded months.
Overnighted in both Red Lodge and Cooke City due to a late night arrival in Billings. Cooke City is small and rustic, but we had a pleasant stay there.
I wouldn't want to do this route with any time pressure.
In prior years, we've come in through Bozeman happily. Any entrance is fine if you miss the crowded months.