Specific itinerary help for inside the park

Well, the plans are set for our June trip and all I need now are specific in-the-park routings if you could help me out.

We have a total of 3.5 days in the park, not necessarily following one another- we are going to Cody, Red Lodge, and the Beartooth also.

Day 1 is all day, driving up from Jackson and ending staying in the Wapiti Valley at Bill Cody Ranch.

Day 2 is all day, starting and ending from Island Park, ID vacation home.

Day 3 is a full day, starting in Island Park and ending at Old Faithful Inn.

Day 4 is the following 1/2 day starting at Old Faithful Inn and driving to SLC through the Tetons again.

Can anyone give me ideas for these days based on where they start and end and how much time it might take to cover each area? We have no idea on the times involved in each area. We won%26#39;t be taking big hikes but have kids 9 and 11 and want to see as much as possible. Thanks so much!

Specific itinerary help for inside the park

I%26#39;ll give this a try:

Day one- I%26#39;m assuming already did the tetons, drive in the South entrance, stop for a quick look and Moose Falls, Lewis Falls then stop for a walk around West Thumb- very nice area. Around Lake Yellowstone, up into Hayden Valley to see the wildlife and the mud pots and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the upper and lower falls then back down Hayden Valley and out the East entrance. If there%26#39;s time maybe a hike to storm point.

Day two- Back in the East entrance, again up Hayden Valley for early morning wildlife but continue north past Canyon over Dunraven pass (watch for the grizly there) up to Tower Falls and into the Lamar valley for as far as you want. Maybe a hike at the Yellowstone picnic area or Trout Lake. Go just past Roosevelt junction to see the petrified tree (good black bear area) then back track over Dunraven pass to Canyon, across to Norris (if enough time check out this basin, very neat- hottest one in Yellowstone) Then out the West entrance.

Day three- In the West entrance, along the Madison River watch for the bald eagle nest then North to Mammoth- walk around the terraces, maybe short hike to Narrow Gauge terrace or a soak in the Gardiner River, back tract back down stopping at Sheepeater cliffs, lots of geyser basins as time allows on your way to Old Faithful Inn.

Day 4- Make your way slowly south stopping at Keepler Cascades, Isa Lake or maybe before start heading south do a final hike to Mystic Falls or Observation Point.

Hope that helps, there is so much to do in each area it%26#39;s hard to pick a few but I think that hits the highlights. I%26#39;d gladly try to answer any other questions you may have. You%26#39;re going to have an awesome trip!

Specific itinerary help for inside the park

Thanks Vetmom, that%26#39;s exactly what I%26#39;m looking for!

Day 2 is actually in and out of Island Park, ID so its the west entrance at West Yellowstone. If you have time could you advise on that?

Anyone else have any ideas? Thanks so much!

Snorkel – I’m confused. Day 1 you spend the night at Bill Cody Ranch and you indicate Day 2 begins and ends from Island Park, ID.

From what you wrote, I’m assuming you are staying at the following on each day: Day 0 – lodging in Jackson; Day 1 – leave Jackson; lodging in Bill Cody Ranch; Day 2 – leave Bill Cody Ranch; lodging in Island Park, ID; Day 3 – loading in Island Park, ID; Day 4 – leave Island Park, ID; lodging in Old Faithful Inn; Day 5 – leave OFI for SLC.

I%26#39;d love to redo it but I guess I%26#39;m still not clear on where you will be each night.

I%26#39;m so sorry I wasn%26#39;t clear. The days are NOT consecutive days, they are merely the days that we will be in the park amidst all the other travel we%26#39;re doing. Here is the whole schedule:

day 1- fly into SLC, drive to Park City

day 2- Park City

day 3- drive from Park City to Jackson

day 4- Jackson

day 5- Jackson

day 6- Jackson

day 7- drive from Jackson to YS- spend day in YS. Spend night at Bill Cody ranch in Wapiti Valley.

day 8- cody, spend night at Bill Cody Ranch

day 9- leave cody, drive Chief Joseph, end up in Red Lodge overnight

day 10- drive Beartooth, end up in Island park, ID for night (could we see Mammoth then??)

day 11- all day in YS starting and ending in Island park

Day 12- drive up to Big Sky to whitewater raft. stay in IP

Day 13- Day 3 in YS, coming in from Island park, (west entrance ) ending up in Old Faithful Inn

Day 14- 1/2 day in YS starting at Old Faithful Inn, ending up driving to SLC

Day 15- fly home

So you see, the days are not consecutive, they are day 7, 11, 13, and 14. I just wanted to know based on where we are coming into the park on a certain day, the best way to schedule ourselves so we can see it all. Sorry for the confusion!! and thanks for your help!

On day 14 are you spending the night in SLC? The drive from Jackson to SLC in 5 hours so from Old Faithful it would be about another 3-4 depending on traffic. This would be a long day driving!!

Ouch! The drive times are so deceiving. I%26#39;ve obviously underestimated the drive -that%26#39;s why I need the help--Thanks!

I guess that means we%26#39;re down to 3 days in YS instead of 3.5 - we%26#39;ll have to get up and get going on day 14. We%26#39;ll stop in Jackson for lunch and a break, then on to SLC. Thanks for the correction- that%26#39;s the stuff I%26#39;m looking for!

Based on the above information for CeCe, I just switched the Old Faithful night to Jackson Lake Lodge. We%26#39;ll leave YS in the afternoon, drive to Jackson Lake Lodge, then on to SLC the following day. I really didn%26#39;t want to have that ugly of a driving day! Thanks CeCe for the heads up!

Ok, I would keep day 7 the same:Drive in the South entrance, stop for a quick look and Moose Falls, Lewis Falls then stop for a walk around West Thumb- very nice area. Around Lake Yellowstone, up into Hayden Valley to see the wildlife and the mud pots and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the upper and lower falls then back down Hayden Valley and out the East entrance. If there%26#39;s time maybe a hike to storm point.

Day 8- I still concentrate on the East side, up through Hayden Valley past Canyon, over Dunraven pass(maybe enough time for a hike up Mt Washburn) again Tower Falls and into the Lamar Valley. Couple of short hikes to Trout Lake or Yellowstone River picnic area. Then retrace your way back out taking time for wildlife watching all along the way!

Day 10- Coming in the northeast entrance take your time going through the Lamar Valley lots of wildlife to see, go over the north part of the Grand loop, stopping at the petrified tree maybe Lost Falls, Wraithe Falls, Undine Falls and into Mammoth- Take a few hours here for the terraces, short hike to Narrow Gauge terrace. Down the west side and out the west entrance. With quick stops at Obsidian Cliffs and roaring mountain.

Day 11- Geyser Basin day- up and down the western part of the loop to the many geyser basins.

Day 13- I%26#39;d leave fairly open for anything you want to stop by again or weren%26#39;t able to get to another day. Good day for a hike, maybe Mystic Falls or Fairy Falls. Once at Old Faithful take the short hike to Observation Point and around the Upper basin. Enjoy the wonderful Inn and take in an eruption from the second floor balcony!

Day 14- Take your time driving to the south entrance with a stop at Keepler Cascades and Isa lake. Then through to tetons for a last farewell.

You have a great trip planned!

How%26#39;s that work?

You have great advice, above. I wonder, however, why you are spending so many nights in Jackson, and a night in Red Lodge. I think I%26#39;d flip some things and spend more time in YNP, drive Beartooth/Chief Joseph as a round trip, i.e., NE entrance exit to Cody via Red Lodge, return via Chief Joseph next day into E entrance, spend more time in the park. Perhaps I%26#39;m confused because you are ';coming and going'; into/out of the park. Meaning to help, of course...