Another Yellowstone thread

[Randy]

I am thinking about 7/12 for 10 days

1. Is that too many days ?
2. Should I stay in the same hotel or split it up. I understand YS is huge.
How would you spend 10 days there ? Where to shoot and where to stay. Say 1/3 here and stay here, etc......

Thanks

 

[little big man]

Ten days is not too much if you are intent on shooting in the best light or if you plan on hiking into some of the backcountry attractions to shoot.

Normally I'd recommend staying the entire time at the Canyon Village because it's so central, has a great education/visitor center and is close to great natural features, but this year they're doing road work between Tower and Canyon (just experienced the delay first-hand this past weekend) so staying at Canyon Village this year will only be more desirable for the days when you want to be around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone area or to go south to the thermal features and Yellowstone Lake. The Old Faithful area has great lodging (Old Faithful Inn, Snow Lodge, etc.) if you think you'll shoot the thermal features for more than a day. When you are planning on being in the northern part of the park to shoot the big mammals (bison, elk, bighorn, etc.) staying inside the park at Mammoth or outside the park in Cooke City or Gardiner are the closest this year.

I would allocate days to shoot:
1. Mammals in Lamar Valley
2. Mammals in Hayden Valley
3. Hike up Mt. Washburn (summit views, bighorn sheep)
4. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (could easily spend two days or more here)
5. Old Faithful and other thermal features around the SW side of the park.
6. Take a day to drive out of the park through Cooke City and over the majestic Beartooth Highway.
7. Yellowstone Lake if that's your thing.


Sean

 

[Randy]

Wow Sean, you could be a tour guide.....thanks for that awesome info

 

[NewBert]

Ten days is not too much if you are intent on shooting in the best light or if you plan on hiking into some of the backcountry attractions to shoot.

Normally I'd recommend staying the entire time at the Canyon Village because it's so central, has a great education/visitor center and is close to great natural features, but this year they're doing road work between Tower and Canyon (just experienced the delay first-hand this past weekend) so staying at Canyon Village this year will only be more desirable for the days when you want to be around the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone area or to go south to the thermal features and Yellowstone Lake. The Old Faithful area has great lodging (Old Faithful Inn, Snow Lodge, etc.) if you think you'll shoot the thermal features for more than a day. When you are planning on being in the northern part of the park to shoot the big mammals (bison, elk, bighorn, etc.) staying inside the park at Mammoth or outside the park in Cooke City or Gardiner are the closest this year.

I would allocate days to shoot:
1. Mammals in Lamar Valley
2. Mammals in Hayden Valley
3. Hike up Mt. Washburn (summit views, bighorn sheep)
4. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (could easily spend two days or more here)
5. Old Faithful and other thermal features around the SW side of the park.
6. Take a day to drive out of the park through Cooke City and over the majestic Beartooth Highway.
7. Yellowstone Lake if that's your thing.


Sean

Sean,

I have reservations at Canyon Lodge for 6 nights starting 8/31. It seems (seemed?) like a great central location to allow access to all sections of the park. (Thanks for providing me the info in my Thread a few months back...). I read your response to Randy (quoted above) with some trepidation because my main interest is shooting the big mammals. Do you know when the roadwork is scheduled to end? Do you think that I should consider changing my reservations, at least for a few days? If so, do you have any specific suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[little big man]

I was surprised to run into the construction this weekend and I thought back to my recommendation to you with a bit of angst, Bert! To be honest, the road work wasn't too bad - about 10 minutes of delay and then a dusty ride over the small section of unfinished road so I don't think it will hurt your shooting by staying at Canyon. They will halt construction for the Labor Day weekend and then continue afterwards but you should be able to get to the Hayden Valley without encountering the construction from Canyon. If the delays did grow in length, you could use the non-construction holiday days for Lamar Valley and then shoot on Mt. Washburn/Hayden Valley the other days.

Sean

 

[hotrod4x5]

10 days is not too much by a long shot. I spent a week there once and would have loved another week. Stay inside the park if you can. I stayed at Madison campground and it was fairly central. I made the long drive once to the Tower area and Mammoth twice. If you could split it up. I'd stay a couple nights at Old Faithful, a couple at Mammoth and a couple at Canyon. Is that ten?

 

[Randy]

Thanks Rodney....btw that's 6

 

[Randy]

My #1 is wildlife, #2 is LS

Out of July, August, or September is there one month that is noticeably better or noticeably less crowded......

 

[NewBert]

I was surprised to run into the construction this weekend and I thought back to my recommendation to you with a bit of angst, Bert! To be honest, the road work wasn't too bad - about 10 minutes of delay and then a dusty ride over the small section of unfinished road so I don't think it will hurt your shooting by staying at Canyon. They will halt construction for the Labor Day weekend and then continue afterwards but you should be able to get to the Hayden Valley without encountering the construction from Canyon. If the delays did grow in length, you could use the non-construction holiday days for Lamar Valley and then shoot on Mt. Washburn/Hayden Valley the other days.

Sean

Thanks, Sean. That eases my mind. --- But I have a few questions based upon what you're saying:

1. From what I can tell, Mount Washburn is along the road from Canyon to Tower. Won't I encounter the construction on my way there? Or is the construction area located north of there?

2. Exactly where is Lamar Valley? :redface: I have a book that has photos of it, and lists specific locations in the park, but does not list "Lamar Valley" as one of them. . From your post, it sounds like it's somewhere between Canyon and Tower. Is it north of Dunraven Pass and Mount Washburn (ie - closer to Tower than it is to Canyon)?

Thanks!

 

[gnagel]

My #1 is wildlife, #2 is LS

Out of July, August, or September is there one month that is noticeably better or noticeably less crowded......

July is the most crowded, August is very crowded and September is less crowded.

Glenn

 

[gnagel]

Exactly where is Lamar Valley? :redface: I have a book that has photos of it, and lists specific locations in the park, but does not list "Lamar Valley" as one of them. . From your post, it sounds like it's somewhere between Canyon and Tower. Is it north of Dunraven Pass and Mount Washburn (ie - closer to Tower than it is to Canyon)?

Thanks!

Go east from the Tower-Roosevelt Junction towards the NE Entrance of the park and you will be in Lamar Valley:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.yellowstone.co/images/maps/lamar.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.yellowstone.co/maps/lamarvalley.htm&h=508&w=1015&sz=550&tbnid=Kg4LIllFdsoPoM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=184&zoom=1&usg=__5CvoTLBbtXTEW_GtIhW6l-jlREs=&docid=6ugIw3yuj60QKM&sa=X&ei=yCWvUaCMJKObyAHZwoDYDw&ved=0CJIBEP4dMA0

Glenn

 

[Creative Edge]

Lamar Valley is at the North end of the park, it's my favorite part of the park for wildlife...
Hayden Valley is also very good for wildlife..

I would skip July or August as it is definately crowded, September the crowds tend to die down.

 

[hockeyron]

I usually stay at the Super 8 in Cooke City,MT at the NE Entrance … this puts me close to the Lamar Valley and the drive from the valley to Cooke City is fantastic ….
One early morning as I drove back into Yellowstone I saw moose, elk, bison, antelope, wolves, black bear, deer ,coyote and that was only about 6-10 miles of driving plus great scenery as well …
This was in mid-late Sept and crowds were very manageable and no problems at all but I would pass on July and Aug if at all possible ….
Fantastic place and I wish I could have 2 weeks there …. with so much to explore and so many places to hike you could easily fill 2 weeks and I bet miss for more ….
Now all you need is the new 800mm :wink:

ron

 

[little big man]

Thanks, Sean. That eases my mind. --- But I have a few questions based upon what you're saying:

1. From what I can tell, Mount Washburn is along the road from Canyon to Tower. Won't I encounter the construction on my way there? Or is the construction area located north of there?

2. Exactly where is Lamar Valley? :redface: I have a book that has photos of it, and lists specific locations in the park, but does not list "Lamar Valley" as one of them. . From your post, it sounds like it's somewhere between Canyon and Tower. Is it north of Dunraven Pass and Mount Washburn (ie - closer to Tower than it is to Canyon)?

Thanks!

The trailhead for Mt. Washburn is south of the construction so leaving Canyon Village and driving north you'll be clear. The Lamar Valley runs along the road from the Tower-Roosevelt Junction and goes east along the Lamar river towards Cooke City.

 

[NewBert]

Go east from the Tower-Roosevelt Junction towards the NE Entrance of the park and you will be in Lamar Valley:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.yellowstone.co/images/maps/lamar.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.yellowstone.co/maps/lamarvalley.htm&h=508&w=1015&sz=550&tbnid=Kg4LIllFdsoPoM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=184&zoom=1&usg=__5CvoTLBbtXTEW_GtIhW6l-jlREs=&docid=6ugIw3yuj60QKM&sa=X&ei=yCWvUaCMJKObyAHZwoDYDw&ved=0CJIBEP4dMA0

Glenn

Lamar Valley is at the North end of the park, it's my favorite part of the park for wildlife...
Hayden Valley is also very good for wildlife..

I would skip July or August as it is definately crowded, September the crowds tend to die down.

Thanks, guys!

 

[NewBert]

I usually stay at the Super 8 in Cooke City,MT at the NE Entrance … this puts me close to the Lamar Valley and the drive from the valley to Cooke City is fantastic ….
One early morning as I drove back into Yellowstone I saw moose, elk, bison, antelope, wolves, black bear, deer ,coyote and that was only about 6-10 miles of driving plus great scenery as well …
This was in mid-late Sept and crowds were very manageable and no problems at all but I would pass on July and Aug if at all possible ….
Fantastic place and I wish I could have 2 weeks there …. with so much to explore and so many places to hike you could easily fill 2 weeks and I bet miss for more ….
Now all you need is the new 800mm :wink:

ron

Sounds great, Ron. I don't have an 800mm, so I guess that I'll have to sneak up on the wildlife and stick with my 70-300VR. :biggrin:

The trailhead for Mt. Washburn is south of the construction so leaving Canyon Village and driving north you'll be clear. The Lamar Valley runs along the road from the Tower-Roosevelt Junction and goes east along the Lamar river towards Cooke City.

Thanks, Sean!

 

[hotrod4x5]

I enjoyed my trip there in May. Lots of baby bison to shoot.

 

[bpdougd]

Are you planning on going this year, Randy? If so, the in-park lodging is probably booked solid through mid September.

 

[Randy]

Are you planning on going this year, Randy? If so, the in-park lodging is probably booked solid through mid September.

yes and thanks for the heads up

 

[bpdougd]

yes and thanks for the heads up

Back in September 2008 my son and I went on a motorcycle road trip to Yellowstone. I started trying for reservations in the park in April (not to stay in April, just started checking the web site and calling). It took a cancellation to get us 4 days at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel the first week of September (we were willing to take almost anything at that point).

IIRC, they take reservations waaayyy in advance.

Good luck.