DH and I are headed to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in mid-July this summer. I'm super excited; as a national park lover, this is a bucket list trip for me. We are driving from IL. I've booked our lodging:
2 nights Canyon Lodge (YNP) 2 nights Old Faithful Cabin (YNP) 3 nights Colter Bay Village cabin (GTNP)
Right now, I am researching hikes we want to do. We will be at elevation coming from sea level, so I don't want anything too long or ambitious. We have hiked at elevation before and have never gotten sick, but I know I feel winded more easily and just hike slower in general. I am thinking 4 miles per hike will be our max length (plus there is so much to see that I don't really want to dedicate an entire day to one long hike).
In YNP, I think I want to do Storm Point Trail, the short hike by Fairy Falls to see Grand Prismatic from above, possibly Trout Lake, but that is all I have really researched so far. In GTNP, I would like to do String Lake and maybe Leigh Lake, and then the Taggart Lake Trail. I might consider hiking halfway around Jenny Lake, too, and then taking the boat back over.
Any other hikes in either park you'd recommend? I obviously want to see a bunch of the geysers, too, and wildlife watching, and I know we only have 6.5 days total in the parks. We plan to drive into YNP from Red Lodge via the Beartooth Highway, which I really wanted to see, so that will get crossed off the list.
Also, there are SO MANY thermal features in YNP. Are there favorites you'd recommend we prioritize if we just don't have time to visit all the thermal areas?
Post by InBetweenDays on Jan 2, 2019 1:12:07 GMT -5
We went to Yellowstone and Tetons 3 summers ago and loved it. At YNP we camped at Madison Campground 2 nights, and stayed at Canyon Lodge two nights. In the Tetons we stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge.
Highlights of YNP: *Old Faithful, of course, but also check out Morning Glory Pool which is a fairly short walk from the Old Faithful Lodge *Grand Prismatic Spring *Hike up Mt. Washburn (gorgeous 360 degree views, but it is up there in elevation) *Drive through the Lamar Valley at sunset *Hiking around the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - including down Uncle Toms' Trail and out to Artist Point *Mammoth Hot Springs *Swimming in the Firehole River - one of only two spots that are authorized swim areas
In the Tetons we floated the Snake River and hiked to and beyond Inspiration Point (took the boat across Jenny Lake).