Budget Yellowstone Trip - possible?

[pixiewings71]

Visiting Yellowstone *and many other NPs* is so easy for us Yellowstone was a 4 hour drive, we stayed in W YS - here last early Aug *no cost for us, my dad's timeshare We hope to go back soon! My son prefers Arches and Zion NPs.

Thanks for posting this! We can actually use that property! That would be a big budget saver for us!

Gumbo4x4, thanks for correcting my ups.
Also, it can take you ALL day to drive the figure "8" in Yellowstone. When you look at the maps, you forget how big the park is. It is close to the size of Connecticut but with a speed limit of 35mph (?) and there will be plenty of times where you are lucky to average 5mph. This is due to the rod constructions and from tourist stopping in the road. Yes, I said stopping in the middle or the road.

I do no even think about speeding in the park, the sight lines are horrible and animals will jump out on to the road. And I am not talking about deer.

And the bears come in a larger version in Yellowstone, too

Sounds like Yosemite. We visit Yosemite a lot in the summer months, we take our bikes and some sandwiches and ride around and enjoy ourselves. It's gorgeous but man it can be cold, we've been there in June/July and it's snowing. So worth it tho!! We've been talking about visiting YNP in the next couple of years, this thread has been a great help!! I'll be watching it for more information! Thanks OP!

 

[Earstou]

When you go to see Old Faithful, make sure to stop at Old Faithful Inn and look around the lobby. It's amazing!

 

[Geomom]

Subscribing to the thread. We (dh, dd7, dd12, my dad, and myself) are also heading out there this summer. 2 week trip from mid-late August. Flying in/out of Denver on Southwest. Renting a car (still need to do that), and driving into the Black Hills of South Dakota to go to the Badlands, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse. Visiting Devil's Tower and making our way to Cody, WY and into Yellowstone. 4 days exploring Yellowstone, 2 exploring Grand Tetons/Jackson, and making our way back to Denver. We have already booked our Yellowstone Nights, 2 at Old Faithful Inn, (booked it back in October and we could only find those 2 nights together--based the entire trip off those 2 dates.) and 2 in Gardiner--just booked those today as the cheapest 'normal' hotel (Travelodge) only had one 2 double beds room left. Lodging is definitely pricey around Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. We also booked our last 2 nights in Denver at the Drury Inn Denver East sounded cool and pretty close to the airport for our morning departure. To save money, we're looking for as many free continental breakfast hotels as we can find. We're doing mostly national park stuff, which is usually a fee/carload. Planning to take advantage of as many Junior Ranger activities as we can.

 

[disneybirds]

This trip is definitely on our list of "to dos" in the years to come. I love all the ideas and pictures. Keep them coming!

 

[Kathi OD]

We were there last summer. Flew into Bozeman...much lower airfare than Jackson and much closer than Salt Lake City.

We stayed at several locations throughout the park. By far the best room was a cabin at Mammoth Springs. The cabin at Canyon Lodge was literally falling down around us. It is an embarrassment that anyone charged for staying there. Our room at Old Faithful Inn was also less than satisfactory. It was poorly maintained (mold in the bathroom and a window that would not stay open for starters) and since we were there in the summer there were no other rooms to be had.

On the positive side, the landscape is simply amazing! You could spend more than a week just driving and observing the wildlife and other natural attractions and not spend a dime for anything other than gas, food, and lodging. Just depends on what your priorities are.

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

We went to Yellowstone in 2009 and it was my favorite non-Disney trip!
We talk about that trip all the time.
You are going to love it, supposedly Ft wilderness lodge was built to resemble Old Faithlful lodge.
We took our 5th wheel to we brought in all our own food, which saved a bunch.
Most of the different campgrounds have a ranger talk each night with a campfire, and we learned so much! Try to do those if you can.
Have the camera ready when your driving down the road, you never know what you will see!
And, be ready to stop for bison!
Have a blast !

 

[3boymthr]

Subscribing to the thread. We (dh, dd7, dd12, my dad, and myself) are also heading out there this summer. 2 week trip from mid-late August. Flying in/out of Denver on Southwest. Renting a car (still need to do that), and driving into the Black Hills of South Dakota to go to the Badlands, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse. Visiting Devil's Tower and making our way to Cody, WY and into Yellowstone. 4 days exploring Yellowstone, 2 exploring Grand Tetons/Jackson, and making our way back to Denver. We have already booked our Yellowstone Nights, 2 at Old Faithful Inn, (booked it back in October and we could only find those 2 nights together--based the entire trip off those 2 dates.) and 2 in Gardiner--just booked those today as the cheapest 'normal' hotel (Travelodge) only had one 2 double beds room left. Lodging is definitely pricey around Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. We also booked our last 2 nights in Denver at the Drury Inn Denver East sounded cool and pretty close to the airport for our morning departure. To save money, we're looking for as many free continental breakfast hotels as we can find. We're doing mostly national park stuff, which is usually a fee/carload. Planning to take advantage of as many Junior Ranger activities as we can.

Double check the fees on the parks vs. buying a National Parks pass. $80/year for the whole carload and it's good for one year from the day you first activate it (i.e., july 1 to july 1) - so you could potentially get two years worth of vacations out of it if you hit National Parks next year.

Also you mentioned that your dad is going with you. Does he have a Golden Eagle Pass? My dad has one of these. As long as he is driving when they hit the entrance to the National Park the whole carload gets in for the Golden Eagle fee - which we love around here because it means everyone gets in free.

ETA - also if you are going to hit Mt. Rushmore make sure to add Custer State Park to your agenda. Very beautiful SD State park with some amazing views of Mt. Rushmore and great wildlife loop. We saw more buffalo in Custer SP than we did in Yellowstone though we did get a little more up close and personal with a Buffalo in YNP (as in it walked up to our van). Of course in Custer we got up close and personal with the herd of Burros that live wild there. Very Cool place to visit.

 

[hsmamato2]

it definitely seems like the only time to visit,with a family is in the summer....the season appears to be really short,am I right?

 

[leagirl12]

Love this thread! We are planning a trip for next summer (2013). Going to take two weeks and visit Mt. Rushmore, YNP, and Grand Teton/Jackson Hole. I can't wait.

I was really surprised at how early we will need to book. I called YNP reservation line about a month ago and was actually told the best way to get the cabins we want is to be on the phone on May 1st of this year. So on the phone I will be!

 

[Deb & Bill]

it definitely seems like the only time to visit,with a family is in the summer....the season appears to be really short,am I right?

Yes, it snows a lot in Yellowstone. Roads are closed right now and should reopen maybe April or May. I know we went for Memorial Day one year and there was a lot of snow and the loop wasn't open on the NE corner. We've been in December and January once each and the roads in the park are closed and you have to take the snow coach (and have a reservation to take the snow coach).

So from about Memorial Day to about Labor Day is it.

 

[Geomom]

When DH and I went in 1997, we went in late September...so I'd actually push Yellowstone NP 'open' dates to maybe Columbus day...but things like the Stagecoach Adventures will be closed as of Labor Day. (We did get frost on our car windshield at the end of September, so if you tavel that late, make sure you have something you'd be willing to use to scrape the ice off--we had some old plastic card in our wallets we were willing to sacrifice.) I will say that traveling in late Sept. meant there wasn't much for traffic--but hotels were still completely booked up in the parks and if you wanted a normal dinner time you needed to make a reservation months in advance.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

You wouldn't have any issue pushing it beyond Labor Day. I know a lot of folks who love Yellowstone in October. Yes, it can and often does snow in Sep or Oct, but it's not normally enough to reach the point of seasonal road closures. I last went the week of Labor Day & it was shorts & t-shirt weather the entire time w/o a snowflake in sight.

 

[heartpumper]

We are also going to Yellowstone this summer from MN. We're driving as we plan on spending time in SD at Mt Rushmore, Custer then on to Devil's Tower and Cody WY for Rodeo. I booked our cabins in Yellowstone in Dec and was surprised to find so many places sold out already. I ended up getting a Lake area cabin. It really is like planning a disney trip with ADRs. Need to call right away for the best places to stay. The last time I was there was the end of Sept. Very beautiful but cold!

 

[CowboyCO]

it definitely seems like the only time to visit,with a family is in the summer....the season appears to be really short,am I right?

In Wyoming, there are two seasons: Winter and the Fourth of July. Plan accordingly...