Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Yellowstone.....park that is

Wife has us scheduled for a week including the 4th of July. I typically hate crowds, bad drivers and tourist traps....so, how do I make the best of this? We're staying at eagle creek near Gardiner. We're meeting my inlaws on what is surely their last road trip due to health and mobility issues.

Can a dog ride on a flatbed if it's in a kennel? Is it worth trying to fish?

Stories I've heard over the last couple of years make it sound like I'm burning vacation time to park in a traffic jam.

You will not like the traffic and people. The park is loaded. Lots of buffalo jambs and stupid tourists. For 45 years I have lived within 2 hrs of Yellowstone Park. Now it is crazy all the time.

Go in the fall.

Did you miss this?

Wife has us scheduled for a week including the 4th of July.

Over 65 years in Yellowstone and 43 of those working in the Park, I will still go in and see the sights and try some fishing. The Firehole is the only river to fish early in the season. 4th of July is still early enough to have high water with poor fishing conditions. There is a lot of water on the Firehole and upper Madison that can be fished that time of year.

Crowds are a daily attraction in Yellowstone, be prepared to be held up due to other’s inconsiderate acts of stupidity…

^^^^
Yup. Go in the fall

Well he has one of two choices. Change the dates or get real comfortable with being annoyed by large crowds. Either way I think I'd tell my wife to stop scheduling schiet without asking me first.....

Look into driving the Beartooth Highway, keep track of the weather.

Beartooth Highway

PS lots of high mountain lakes to fish on that drive, just beware of what state you are in.

Do yourself a favor and skip the tourist attractions, unless you love people. All the gurgling pots and geysers are cool and all, but the North part of the park is where it's at. If you are coming from the East, go to Cody and take 296 to 212 through the Northeast entrance. The Norris to Canyon Village to Mammoth loop is worth it. I avoid anything South of there as all it has is people. Several road projects going on in the park that will add even more delays than normal.

Been several times in May, once in June, and once in October. My advice is avoid the park from mid May to mid September, unless of course you love lots of people and traffic jams.

4th of July??? No way.

We do a family vacation in Pray or Emigrant North of the park most years in a house on the Yellowstone. We spend most of our time in the NF in MT hiking trails and mostly being alone, as well as having our own section of the Yellowstone to fish. We go to the Park once or twice, but spend most of the time in MT.

Was in the Park earlier this week and saw several grizzlies with cubs, several black bear, many elk, and a couple thousand bison. Didn't spend much time there, but my son-in-law went a few times to fish as the Yellowstone was too high and had quite a bit of luck.

If you want to see sheep, takes a little more homework and effort unless you just get lucky. Goats can been seen, but not up close easily.

And as far as staying in or near Gardiner, I'm sure there are some nice people living there, but it's a tourist trap. Way over priced for anything to buy or eat. Even the grocery store is ridiculous. As I said, we stay in Pray or Emigrant and get groceries in Livingston. There is nothing in Gardiner I need at the prices they are selling.

I agree that this is burning vacation time to park in a traffic jam. Treating US20 as a throughway means accepting unpredictable travel times and unplanned delays sometimes long delays. I suspect many people find the stop to enjoy the surroundings is well worthwhile or they wouldn't be there. I suggest maybe repeating the Serenity Prayer from time to time. Making the best of it may mean making sure your wife and her family have a good time.

Not very convenient to your stay but I find that even at the height of the season the service roads to back country ranger stations, for me those mostly east of Ashton Idaho, avoid crowds, the worst of if not all drivers and tourist traps. Mostly I suppose because they also have no roaded access to the highly touted unique to Yellowstone attractions.

I wish I could change the dates but my inlaws are coming 800 miles and they can barely travel any longer. I selfishly take September off to hunt so the dates we are going is my compromise.

Is there anything a guy can shoot at near Gardiner.....chucks, squirrels...etc? I am likely gonna toss in my 223ai just incase.

We were there in June of 2021 when the country was just opening back up after Covid. It was crowded.
You might try to get there early in the morning. It gets more crowded as the day goes on. If you have not been before, see Old Faithful and Mammoth. When you have seen one geyser, fumerole, mud pot, and hot spring you have seen them all. Unless you’re hiking, fishing, or doing something else, a week will be overkill.
A couple of days should be enough for sitting in traffic and seeing thermal features.

Pack a lunch and have a picnic each day. This lets you avoid crowded eating places. You’re not there for the food.

I’m not sure what the road situation is after last year’s flooding. You might want to Google the current conditions and adjust your route accordingly.

While you are on the website you can check information about pets.

Enjoy your visit and the time with your family.

I am glad I went when I did and it was in June 1997.

Not sure if this will help or not, but if you drive through all of the traffic in Yellowstone and get yourself to the Grand Tetons it may thin the crowds a little and we found that there was more there of interest to us than in YNP.

Your mostly screwed then. Probably one of the worst weeks to be there.


What you need to do is find Mill Creek, about 35 miles north of Gardiner and spend a day back there doing hikes. There will still be people, but it will be deserted compared to the Park. Depending on your ability, you can get into some good goat country with a days hike.

If you ever have an opportunity such as this one again, Screw that park and lease this place to surprise your wife before she starts making reservations for you.

It's closer to you anyway..

How do you make the best of this? Go in late September.

Signed,
Been There, Done That

Should be closed period! Tourist are f ucking it up! Mankind is like onto a coyote aka if it can't be f ucked or eaten he'll s hit on it so it can't be used by anyone else!!

Nice!

I'm hoping we can move locations after a day or two and either look at the tetons or....?