Going to Yellowstone in 2019 - where's the best place to stay?

RedRyder

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Minuteman
Feb 22, 2013
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We're planning a trip to Yellowstone next year and the wife absolutely positively needs a private bathroom and all the other mod cons. Can anyone provide real world input?

I said I was going to post this question on the hide because you guys know something about everything. I hope this isn't an exception.
 
Depends on what you want.
The Snow Lodge at Old Faithful (westerly side)was pretty nice and the food was good.
Mammoth, up at the north end has some nice lodgings.
Lake (s.central)also is nice.
Canyon has cabins w private bath.
Make reservations now imo. They fill up fast.
If you've not been there it's an amazing place. Different topography. Diverse.
If you don't like crowds avoid holidays and around them. We usually go second or third week of June. You can get snowed on then but it doesn't usually stick around. Lots of little critters then and you're a little ahead of the summer rush. We were usually pulling out as the 4th of July crowd started in.
If you fly fish it can be pretty awesome.
Camping, we did Madison a couple times and it was good.
 
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Good fricken luck. I hope you are patient. I drove it on my way to Montana last summer. Bumper to bumper traffic in and out. 35mph top speed. And I’ll be damned if cars didn’t stop in the middle of the road to get out and take pictures of an animal and every fricken animal at that. All while I’m thinking “Hey dumbass get a little closer to the bear maybe it will eat you”.

I’ve heard that if you go while all the kids are in school there are less tourist.
 
We stayed at the lake and it was great. We also planned our trip a full week after labor day and the crowds and traffic were gone. That said if you go east to the bighorns, plan a stay at www.wyhighcountry.com/phone/index.html we both fell in love with this place and it was the highlight of our trip. I could walk out at night and see the stars, experience a silence so loud you'd hear your heart beating... interrupted occasionally by a elk bugling down in the valley. By day we met several grazing moose and thier calves munching on the willows 100 feet away. Just an awesome little known spot.

It's at 12,000' ASL so plan accordingly if you more of a sea level hiker.
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Also, if you get a chance to drive highway 16 west bound out of Buffalo about an hour before sun down though the southern end of the big horns, take it. You can thank me later. To bad my phone didn't capture the colors present.
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We're planning a trip to Yellowstone next year and the wife absolutely positively needs a private bathroom and all the other mod cons. Can anyone provide real world input?

I said I was going to post this question on the hide because you guys know something about everything. I hope this isn't an exception.
PM and I can send you my cell. My old man lives in West Yellowstone all summer and works in the park everyday. he can tell you where to stay, get you a discount, and even tell you where you to go to see all the good animals and what time they are there. wolves grizzlies, etc..
 
NilesCoyote - been to Glacier twice. Man, what a place. Beauty on a whole other scale. The first time you walk out on the shore of Lake McDonald you get the sense there is a God. When I die, I hope it's somewhere in Glacier.

Waveslayer, will do. Thanks very much.
 
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I enjoyed going thru Cody and staying at the East entrance..Anyway, I had a good time staying at Pahaska Tepee Bears and Moose walk near by several nights.. The cabin rooms are a hair rough.

I want to get back to Cody to shoot, but it is still a 5hr drive from my Son's school in Laramie.
 
I grew up about two hours south of Teton park and Yellowstone. That is my literal home. I hate what the mega tour busses have done to the park. Public bathrooms are now a Third World War Ground.... no exaggeration. They LITERALLY have signs that say/show DO NOT STAND ON THE TOILET TO TAKE A SHIT! I am not racist at all, but I definitely loath third world cultures! I love capitalism but I have mixed feelings about the abuse the park and population takes.

Rant over.
 
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I grew up about two hours south of Teton park and Yellowstone. That is my literal home. I hate what the mega tour busses have done to the park. Public bathrooms are now a Third World War Ground.... no exaggeration. They LITERALLY have signs that say/show DO NOT STAND ON THE TOILET TO TAKE A SHIT! I am not racist at all, but I definitely loath third world cultures! I love capitalism but I have mixed feelings about the abuse the park and population takes.

Rant over.

I am sure you've seen the tourist running after Buffallo and Elk with their faces barried behind their Ipad and phones or walking around off the trails near the vents.. All just after they give you a 5 minute lecture before you can even drive in.

Stupid is as stupid does.. I don't think they ever found this boy https://www.yellowstonepark.com/news/man-dead-hot-spring

Anyway, great country crowed main attractions.. I second Cody as a cool town!
 
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Lots of folks in Cody rent out their homes May-September, so that is a desirable option. You would do well to see the BBHC museum, a day run around the Bighorns as well as a run around the Beartooth hwy. Irma Hotel Sunday brunch, Thermopolis hot springs, Wind River Canyon and of course Rodeo everynight of the week.
 
I am sure you've seen the tourist running after Buffallo and Elk with their faces barried behind their Ipad and phones or walking around off the trails near the vents.. All just after they give you a 5 minute lecture before you can even drive in.

Stupid is as stupid does.. I don't think they ever found this boy https://www.yellowstonepark.com/news/man-dead-hot-spring

Anyway, great country crowed main attractions.. I second Cody as a cool town!

Honest to God truth;

Wife and I were there in ‘92 and saw one of them spanking a buffalo. Not approaching, not trying. He was right up to the animal and swinging away. We drove off before any festivities started, so don’t know if he lived through the experience.
 
This. S
We stayed at the lake and it was great. We also planned our trip a full week after labor day and the crowds and traffic were gone. That said if you go east to the bighorns, plan a stay at www.wyhighcountry.com/phone/index.html we both fell in love with this place and it was the highlight of our trip. I could walk out at night and see the stars, experience a silence so loud you'd hear your heart beating... interrupted occasionally by a elk bugling down in the valley. By day we met several grazing moose and thier calves munching on the willows 100 feet away. Just an awesome little known spot.

It's at 12,000' ASL so plan accordingly if you more of a sea level hiker.View attachment 6945827View attachment 6945828View attachment 6945829
The lake is awesome. And most silly little tourists are intimidated by it so rent a boat cheap and tour the shoreline. Lake is huge. And if you are driving don't dare miss beartoothpass.
 
Wyoming sucks. The old faithful is fake. There are zero animals. Don’t come here.
We actually saw the propane truck backing up ten minutes before it went off. They said my goodness it's so late and the propane truck driver was chomping Mickey dees.
 
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This place is good for a little stroll too...View attachment 6946211
Gives you a little perspective on the smoke in the air September 2017.

Up close was clear.

Isn't i amazing that when people are on "vacation" they either become dumb asses or think nothing bad can happen to them... I going to coin a new phrase for it called DS.. the "Disneyland Syndrome".

edited: I just looked up Disneyland Syndrome. I guess it really is a thing. We'll there looks to be many definitions but here is one below.
The Disneyland Parent Syndrome Defined. ... The noncustodial parent provides luxuries that the custodial parent cannot afford but performs no disciplinary duties, in an effort to gain or retain the child's affection.”

OK, well I'm sticking with DS for "dumb ass".. that will make me laugh every time I see someone on vacation in Hawaii playing in the waves that can't swim (the waves are only waist high - lol), running out into traffic to grab a photo, strolling in parts of the twon they never would walk through if they were home.. camping with shit laying all over.. running up to a bear to get a photo... man the list is to long. LOL
 
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