Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Want to go to Yellowstone again; need advice.

My family went to Yellowstone last summer and it truly was a trip that we will never forget. We loved it! We are thinking about going again but want a behind the scenes tour. Looking for access to the back country that we would not be able to see on our own. When we were there last summer I saw some "safari" tour vans and we want to consider trying that so we can see as much as we can in limited time.

Any suggestions?

Why yes...go via Canada, as I am sure a month of leisurely hunting and fishing in that far-flung realm will prepare you for dealing with the hoards of tourists just in from Disneyland.

At least, that is my impression of Yellowstone...and America in general.


How do you put up with all those PEOPLE!

The "Safari" tours just stick to the roads and the major highlights of the park. Nothing you can't do driving about yourself. They do offer narration which is sort of nice. There's a guide at the Yellowstone Association, his name is Leslie something or other and he knows so much history about the park you'd think he lived it all. If you can get on a tour with him it'd be worth whatever you had to pay. As for real back country, I don't know of any companies doing trips like that. I'm sure there are some but I just don't know who they are or anything about what they might offer.

Bring asian repellent. They're thick as mosquitoes.

One place to go is the little parking lot at Calcite springs. Take Binos and a camera and walk up the back or to a clear spot on the new handicapped trail. The bighorn sheep like the other side of the canyon from there and very few people take the time to look for them.
P.S. I was the field surveyor on that trail and spent a lot of lunches watching them. One day they were on the trail with me and walked within 5 feet of my lunch /nap spot.

Tote a .470 Evans Double Rifle....for grizz!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYs2Iwoc_Ss

Known several guys that moved to Canada for the hunting and fishing, and a couple more for other reasons.
All, no exceptions, returned to the USA saying it wasn't worth it.

I am also planning on taking my daughter and grand-children to Yellowstone this summer. We plan to do some hiking as well as touring the attractions on the road system.

Thanks to Wyoming260 for the suggestion of taking the hike behind Calcite Springs to spot bighorns.

I'll be watching this thread for more suggestions. Hopefully there will be more ideas for day hikes.

KC

Beartooth HWY, you'll never be sorry

Here's the National Park Circus's day hike guide.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/dhsampler.htm

Yellowstone Tour Guides (out of Big Sky, MT I believe.) offers guided hiking, photography and backpacking trips in the park. I used them a couple of years ago for a private car tour and they were excellent. I can't speak directly to the hiking/backpacking options.

Wife and I are thinking about going in 2 years after she retirees. How late in the fall can a person go to miss the crowds and not get to bad of weather?

The lodging starts shutting down in September. Check the hotels this year to see when they are closing. The change of colors and the elk rut are pretty cool that time of year.

I think they close the roads in October. September till the close down is the best time to be there. You can get some pretty good deals in West Yellowstone, Gardiner, and Jackson for those times as well.

Yellowstone's worth seeing. But if you're got some hiking left in you, you need to check out Glacier National Park someday.

There are plenty of options for guided horseback backcountry pack trips too. Both day rides and multiple day trips.

Although the one or two hour rides with 20 of your "best" friends would be a little lame.

After Labor Day there will be less people than in summer, but don't think you'll be alone. September in Yellowstone is great and lots of people know it.

We go to Cody Every year for our May 6 anniversary and usually spend 1-2 weeks in the area. This year the east gate didn't open until may 6 and the Jackson/teton entrance doesn't open until may 13. If you go in the fringe seasons, spring or fall,West Yellowstone gate is almost always open and the town has plenty of good accomodations. Cody is our favorite and we intend to hike every trail between Cody and Yellowtone. Did 9 miles on the Elk Creek trail on Sunday and had a ball.

We have seen Elk, Bighorns, Muledeer, Buffalo and 2 Griz while hiking both side of the North Fork of the Shoshone east of Yellowstone. You have easy access to several Wilderness areas and no Oriental tourists. Be prepared for any weather and have and have a ball in one of the worlds' best places.


mike r

Yellowstone set an attendance record last year of just over 4 million visitors. This year they are predicting 8 million visitors, brought on by the 100th anniversary celebration of the NPS. Yikes.

I'm glad you enjoyed Yellowstone and I don't know what other parks you've visited but I would reconsider the notion of hitting Yellowstone more than once.




Dave

We are torn between going back to Yellowstone or possibly visiting Glacier. We don't know how many more trips we will be able to do, so that is a factor in seeing a place we have not been to. Thanks for that thought flave. BTW, we went to Cody and the museum was worth the drive. The high desert was amazing to us.