Yellowstone & Grand Teton · Benedict Walker, Bradley Mayhew, Carolyn McCarthy, Christopher Pitts Yellowstone & Grand Teton NATIONAL PARKS Yellowstone National Park p46 Grand Teton
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Benedict Walker, Bradley Mayhew, Carolyn McCarthy, Christopher Pitts
Start in Mammoth, taking the morning to climb Bunsen Peak for the fantastic views, before paying a brief visit to Mammoth Hot Springs and driving to Norris Geyser Basin. Continue to your reserved campsite at Madison for some early evening elk- and bison-spotting or fly-fishing on the Madison River.
Spend the next two days in Geyser Country, hiking to either Fairy Falls or Sentinel Meadows for backcountry geysers and bison. Stay the night at historic Old Faithful Inn to experience the Upper Geyser Basin and the next day cycle out to Lone Star Geyser to catch a backcountry eruption.
Drive south into Grand Teton and search for trumpeter swans at Oxbow Bend. Jenny Lake Dr is worth a linger for its awesome views of the Central Tetons. Enjoy a family trip to forested String and Leigh Lakes or join the crowds for Grand Teton’s most popular day hike up Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. Finally, cycle around Mormon Row for iconic views of barns and bison before heading south to Jackson for some R&R.
The southern loop takes in epic Yellow-stone Lake, the park’s greatest geysers and a dip in the Firehole River. Starting in West Yellowstone adds 28 miles.
Start the day with a scenic drive around Yellowstone Lake and then branch west from West Thumb over the Continen-tal Divide into Geyser Country. Check predicted eruption times at the visitor center to catch Old Faithful and others of the Upper Geyser Basin spouters. Head north to Midway Geyser Basin and admire Grand Prismatic Spring, then blow off steam with the kids in the thermally heated Firehole Swimming Area further north.
Continue north to the Porcelain Basin hot springs at Norris, grabbing a quick lunch at peaceful Norris Meadows picnic area, before turning east for views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from Uncle Tom’s Trail and Artist Point. Swing south through Hayden Valley for some prime sunset wildlife-watching before enjoying the park’s best food at Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room.
1 DAY Yellowstone Loop, South
This route through the north of the park takes in some premier wildlife-watching, views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellow-stone and a sampler of geysers and hot springs. You’ll need to start early and stay out late to fit it all in.
Head straight to the Lamar Valley around dawn to look for wolves, bears and bison. Grab a ‘hiker’s breakfast’ at Roosevelt Lodge, then drive up to Dun-raven Pass to make the three- to four-hour return hike up Mt Washburn for the park’s best views. Picnic amid the pines at shady Cascade Lake picnic area or grab lunch on the go at Canyon.
Gawp at the thundering falls and rusted colors of the Grand Canyon of the Yel-lowstone from Uncle Tom’s Trail and Artist Point on the southern rim, before driving to the geysers and hot springs of Norris Geyser Basin. Then swing north toward Mammoth, stopping en route to watch for moose at Willow Park. Stroll the boardwalks at dusk to admire surreal Palette Springs and Canary Springs at Mammoth Hot Springs, before collaps-ing in the bar back at Roosevelt Lodge for a well-deserved Old Faithful Ale.
1 DAY
YellowstoneNational
Park
Mt Washburn
Cascade LakePicnic Area
Willow Park
RooseveltLodge
LakeYellowstone
Hotel
OldFaithful
GrandPrismatic
Spring
Mammoth HotSprings
NorrisGeyserBasin
DunravenPass
R
#• Grand Canyon ofthe Yellowstone
#•LamarValley
#•Porcelain
Basin
#•Firehole
SwimmingArea
#•
ContinentalDivide
#•
HaydenValley
ShoshoneLake
YellowstoneLake
É
É
É
ÉÉ
É
É
É
É
É
É
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
Yellowstone Loop, NorthYellowstone Loop,South
Yellowstone Loop, North
26
PLAN YO
UR TRIP ItIn
er
ar
Ies
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
##
#
#
#
#
##
#
•
•
•
•
•
••
•
•
Grand TetonNational
Park
Snake RiverCanyon
Moose Ponds
StagecoachBar;
Nora's FishCreek Inn
InspirationPoint
Plains &PanoramasRoute
Table Mountain
Hole inOne Loop
Jackson
Fuel up with a classic breakfast of pan-fried trout at Wilson’s Nora’s Fish Creek Inn, then saddle your road bike to ride the Hole in One loop – extra points for start-ing from Wilson. Post-ride, opt for a brew at the award-winning Snake River Brewing Co, in Jackson.
On day two, hike out to scenic views at Inspiration Point and take the ferry back for an easy return. Detour to Moose Ponds to snag a glimpse of its namesake ungulates. For sunset views, rumble your pickup along the dirt roads of the Plains & Panoramas route.
On day three, take a white-water raft-ing trip down the Snake River Canyon. Later, treat yourself to a pan-roasted elk chop at Snake River Grill and take in some culture at the modern Center for the Arts, both in Jackson.
On your final day, get an early start to power up Table Mountain for a challeng-ing hike with big backside views of the Tetons. Make your last night count at the Stagecoach Bar, the liveliest roadhouse around.
4 DAYS
Jackson Hole & the Tetons
Start with a hearty breakfast in Moose at Dornan’s Chuckwagon, a pioneer-style camp serving flapjacks alfresco with great Teton views. Then glimpse the area’s fascinating homesteading history at Menor’s Ferry; audio tours are available for cell phones. For excellent photographs, Schwabacher’s Landing offers the best panoramas of the Teton’s toothy Cathedral group.
Get off the road and into the wilderness with a short hike to the glacial moraines cupping Taggart and Bradley Lakes. Bring swimsuits and take a dip from Taggart’s eastern edge if it’s warm enough. After-wards, take the short drive to the Log Chapel of the Sacred Heart and spread your blanket for a picnic at the edge of the pines.
Nearby, there’s incredible Native Ameri-can beadwork at the Indian Arts Mu-seum. End your outing watching wildlife at Willow Flats; there’s usually a moose munching in the dusky light. Finally, cap your day at Jackson Lake Lodge and down a huckleberry margarita at the Blue Heron.
Add this three-day scenic drive onto the Yellowstone, Big Loop itinerary and you’ll get a fantastic week of scenic drives, park highlights and even a trip through Paradise.
From Red Lodge, allow half a day to drive the US’s most scenic 70 miles, the Beartooth Hwy, stopping to stretch your legs at Beartooth Lake. Overnight in Cooke City, then enter the park for some early wildlife-watching in Lamar Valley and a hunt for petrified trees on the Fossil Forest Trail, before joining the Yellow-stone, Big Loop itinerary at Canyon for two days’ excursions to Mammoth.
Heading north from Mammoth on day six, squeeze in a morning rafting trip or horseback ride from Gardiner before continuing north through the lovely Para-dise Valley to relax with a hot soak and gourmet dinner at Chico Hot Springs. Continue to Bozeman on your last day to spend a few hours at the Museum of the Rockies and do some last-minute shopping.
1 WEEK
Yellowstone to Paradise
From Mammoth head to some early morn-ing wildlife viewing in the Lamar Valley before enjoying the crowd-free views of the Narrows on the Yellowstone River Picnic Area hike. Continue south to Canyon to take the South Rim Trail & Ribbon Lake hike before overnighting in Canyon Village.
The next day try some more early morn-ing wildlife-watching in Hayden Valley before continuing south to hike Elephant Back Mountain for great views of Yellow-stone Lake. After a lakeshore picnic on the sand bars around Gull Point, continue south to the hot springs of West Thumb Geyser Basin before heading west across the Continental Divide to overnight at Old Faithful Inn.
Spend day three visiting the geyser basins, and the next day drive to Mammoth via Norris Geyser Basin, arriving at lunchtime to stroll the travertine terraces at Mammoth. Either take a guided walk through historical Fort Yellowstone or a dusk hike to spot wildlife on the Beaver Ponds trail.
4 DAYS
Chico HotSprings
Museum ofthe Rockies
RedLodge
GardinerMammoth
Willow Park
Old Faithful Inn
Paradise Valley
Norris Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin
#•Beaver Ponds
#•
#•#•Geyser Basins
#•
#• Elephant Back Mountain
#•Hayden Valley
#• South Rim Trail &Ribbon Lake
#•
YellowstoneRiver PicnicArea
#• Lamar Valley
Yellowstone Lake
#•
Fossil ForestTrail
Beartooth
Hwy
#•Beartooth Lake
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É
É#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
#•
YellowstoneNational
Park
#•
Yellowstone, Big LoopYellowstone to Paradise
Yellowstone, Big Loop
29PLAN
YOUR TRIP It
Ine
ra
rIe
s
SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travelers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-traveled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to your submissions, we always guarantee that your feed-back goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters.
Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our award-winning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions.
Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don’t want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/privacy.
280280
WRITER THANKSBradley MayhewThanks to the almost-always professional Carolyn McCarthy for being a dream co- writer, and for joining me on that Shoshone Lake trek. Rick Hoeninghausen and Cameron Walker of Yellowstone National Park Lodges were gener-ous with their time. Cheers to Celeste, Wendy and Sandra for making the Ice Lake author meeting such fun. Goodbye Montana, you have been one of my favorite places and I will miss you.
Carolyn McCarthyI am very thankful for another opportunity to explore this amazing wilderness and call it
my home for a while. Thanks to the Climbers Ranch for providing an excellent base camp. I am also grateful to Andrew White, the San-telices family, Drew Hardesty and the friends who shared my campfire. Lastly, a shout out goes to co-writer Bradley Mayhew for his dedi-cation in the field.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSClimate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 1633–44.
THIS BOOKThis 5th edition of Lonely Planet’s Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks guide was curated by Benedict Walker, and researched and written by Bradley Mayhew, Carolyn McCarthy and Christo-pher Pitts. Bradley and Caro-lyn also wrote the previous two
editions. This guidebook was produced by the following:Destination Editor Ben BucknerSenior Product Editors Victoria Smith, Kate MathewsProduct Editor Carolyn BoicosSenior Cartographer Alison LyallBook Designer Jessica RoseAssisting Editors Sarah Bailey, James Bainbridge, Anne
Mulvaney, Lauren O’Connell, Maja VatrićCartographers Anita Banh, Corey HutchisonCover Researcher Naomi ParkerThanks to Anthony Barreiro, Evan Godt, Nancy Leon, Anne Mason, Clinton Milroy, Theresa Montag, Peter Mutton, Monique Perrin, Alison Ridgway, Ross Taylor
also individual locationsactivities 22, 23-4, 30-8, see
also individual activitiesair travel 270Alaska Basin 180, 187altimeters 257altitude sickness 275amoebic dysentery 275Amphitheater Lake 177animals 244-51, see also
individual speciesAntelope Bear Management
Area 74Antelope Flats 182Apollinaris Spring 94apps 249, 257, 258area codes 267art galleries, see galleriesArtist Paint Pots 106Artist Point 60, 99Astringent Creek 64astronomy 122ATMs 269
courses 22, 265coyotes 245Cunningham Cabin 194Custer, General George
24, 132Custer’s Last Stand
Reenactment 24cycling 33-4, 272, see also
mountain bikingBunsen Peak Road &
Osprey Falls 83Fountain Freight Road
84-5Grand Teton National
Park 188-90Hole in One 189-90Jackson 216Mormon Row 188-9Mt Washburn 83Natural Bridge 83Old Gardiner Road 82-3Paradise Valley 150safety 279Shadow Mountain
189West Yellowstone 164Yellowstone National
Park 82-5
Ddangers, see safetyDead Indian Pass 139Death Canyon trail 180,
187-8dehydration 278disabilities, travelers with
260Disappointment Peak 177documentaries 228dogsledding 38, 149, 215Driggs 225driving, see car travel driving tours, see scenic
191, 194sights 196-204skiing 195-6snowmobiling 195tourist offices 209travel within 210wildlife-watching 182
Grand View Point 174-5, 197Grandview Point 98Granite Hot Springs 223-4Grant Village 104Grasshopper Glacier 243Grassy Lake Reservoir 196Grassy Lake Road 196Grizzly & Wolf Discovery
Center 163grizzly bears 163, 229,
244-5, 8-9Gros Ventre River 191Gros Ventre Slide Area
199, 223Gull Point Drive 103
Map Pages 000Photo Pages 000
283IN
DEX H
- HHHayden Valley 100-1, 72health 274-9Heart Mountain Relocation
Center 144heat exhaustion 278heatstroke 278Hebgen Lake 161-3Hemingway, Ernest 141Hermitage Point 173Heron Pond 173hikes (day) 31, see also
hikes (overnight), hiking, hiking (by region)
Avalanche Peak 65, 64Basin Lakes National
Recreation Trail 134Beartooth High Lakes
Trail 137Beaver Ponds Trail
51-2, 51Bechler Meadows & Falls
70, 70Blacktail Deer Creek Trail
57, 51Blue Danube Lake 161Buffalo Horn Pass 150Bunsen Peak 52-5, 51Cache Lake Trail 57, 51Cascade Lake &
Observation Peak 62-3, 61
Cinnamon Creek Trail 159
Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail 172
Death Canyon 180, 181DeLacy Creek Trail 69Devil’s Staircase to Alaska
Basin 179-80, 179Dogshead Trail 65Elbow Lake 150Elephant Back Mountain
63, 64Fairy Falls & Twin Buttes
68-9, 67Forces of the Northern
Range Self-Guiding Trail 93
Fossil Forest Trail 59, 58Garnet Canyon 177-8, 176Garnet Hill Trail 59-60Glacier Lake 134Goodwin Lake & Jackson
Peak 213Harlequin Lake Trail 116Hermitage Point 173-4,
174Howard Eaton Trail 56, 51
Ice Lake Trail 107John D Rockefeller Jr
Memorial Parkway 182Lake Fork Trail 134Lake Solitude 175-6, 176Lava Lake 159Leigh & Bearpaw Lakes
175, 176Lone Star Geyser 68, 67Lost Lake 58-9, 58Monument Geyser Basin
Lake Solitude 175-6lake trout 87, 250, 251Lake Yellowstone Hotel
103Lamar Valley 9, 94-6, 8-9Laurance S Rockefeller
Preserve Center 203-4Lava Lake 159leeches 277legal matters 266LeHardy’s Rapids 103Leigh Lake 175, 192lesbian travelers 266Lewis Lake 104LGBT+ travelers 266lightning 279Lily Pad Lake 60Little Bighorn Battlefield
National Monument 132Little Firehole River 66Livingston 147-9lodging 263-4Log Chapel of the Sacred
Heart 194Lone Mountain Ranch 159Lookout Point 98Lost Lake 58Lower Geyser Basin 115-17Lyme disease 275lynx 249
MMadison Junction 107Mammoth Chapel 93Mammoth Country 92
Artist Paint Pots 106Fountain Paint Pot 115Grizzly Fumarole 101Gumper 101Red Spouter 115
Mud Volcano 101museums, see also
galleriesAmerican Computer &
Robotics Museum 155Buffalo Bill Center of the
West 142Carbon County Museum
134Draper Museum of
Natural History 142Driggs Geotourism
Center 225Gallatin History Museum
155Indian Arts Museum
197Livingston Depot Center
147Museum of the
National Park Range 105
Museum of the Rockies 11, 155, 11
National Museum of Wildlife Art 213
Old Trail Town 142Plains Indian Museum
142Western Heritage Center
132Yellowstone Art &
Photography Cente 109
Yellowstone Forever Institute 96
Yellowstone Gateway Museum 147-8
Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center 151
Yellowstone Historic Center 163
Yellowstone Trading Post 141Map Pages 000
Photo Pages 000
285IN
DEX N
- TNNational Elk Refuge 213National Park Mountain 116national parks programs 40Native American culture 230natural resources 237-8Nez Percé people 232Norris
accommodations 122hiking 65-6, 66sights 105-7
Norris Geyser Basin 17, 105-6, 17
Nymph Lake 94
OObservation Hill 111Observation Peak 63Obsidian Cliff 94Old Faithful geyser 9,
109, 9Old Faithful Inn 109opening dates, parks 19opening hours 266Oregon Short Line Railway
Car 163Osprey Falls 55ospreys 250owls 250, 2Oxbow Bend 194
PPaintbrush Divide 182-3Paradise Valley 149-51Paradise Valley Route
Chico Hot Springs 149Cody 142-4Gallatin Valley 160Gardiner 151-3Jackson 216
railways 235-6Raven Creek 64Red Lodge 134-6rescue & evacuation 279resorts
Big Sky Resort 13, 158Grand Targhee Ski &
Summer Resort 226Jackson Hole Mountain
Resort 222Lone Mountain Ranch
159Snow King Resort 215-16
rhyolitic lava 242Ribbon Lake 60Rims, the 132road distances 46, 129,
168, 211, 273 Roaring Mountain 94rock climbing, see climbingRockchuck Peak 202Rockefeller Jr, John D 236rockfall 279Roosevelt Arch 151Roosevelt Country 96
215-16Wapiti Valley 147West Yellowstone 165-6Yellowstone National
Park 89-90ski-joring 135sleeping bags 257Smoking Waters Mountain
Man Rendezvous 24Snake River 192Snake River Overlook 194snakes 277snow blindness 278Snow King Resort 215-16snowcoach tours 38, 273snowmobile access 238snowmobiling 38, 254
Grand Teton National Park 195
Yellowstone National Park 89, 16
snowshoeing 37, 195Soda Butte 95Sour Lake 101Spanish Peaks 159Specimen Ridge 59spiders 277springs, see hot springsstargazing 122Static Peak Divide 180stings 277stoves 257streams, crossing 279String Lake 175, 192, 202summer travel 30-6sunburn 278Sunlight Basin 140Surprise Lake 177sustainable travel 254Swan Lake 94Sylvan Lake 105
Dead Indian Pass 139Grandview Point 98Inspiration Point 97-8Jenny Lake Overlook 202Lake Butte Overlook 105Lookout Point 98Point Sublime 99Uncle Tom’s Trail 99
visas 268volunteering 268
Wwalking, see hikes (day),
hikes (overnight), hiking, hiking (by region)
Wapiti Route 141-7Wapiti Valley 146-7water, drinking 257-8, 278waterfalls
OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Dublin, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasona-ble care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.
OUR WRITERSBenedict WalkerA beach baby from Newcastle, Australia, Ben turned 40 in 2017 and decided to start a new life in Leipzig, Germany. Writing for Lonely Planet was a childhood dream. It’s a privilege, a huge responsibility and loads of fun! He’s thrilled to have covered big chunks of Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and the USA. Come along for the ride on Instagram @wordsandjourneys.
Bradley MayhewYellowstone National Park Bradley has been writing guidebooks for 20 years now. He started traveling while studying Chinese at Oxford University, and he is the co-author of Lonely Planet’s Tibet, Nepal, Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya, Bhutan, Central Asia and many others. Bradley has also fronted two TV series for Arte and SWR, one retracing the route of Marco Polo via Turkey, Iran, Afghan-istan, Central Asia and China, and the other trekking Europe’s 10 most scenic
long-distance trails. Bradley also wrote the Plan Your Trip and Survival Guide chapters.
Carolyn McCarthyGrand Teton National Park Carolyn specializes in travel, culture and adventure in the Americas. She has written for National Geographic, Outside, BBC Maga-zine, Sierra Magazine, Boston Globe and other publications. A former Fulbright fellow and Banff Mountain Grant recipient, she has documented life in the most remote corners of Latin America. Carolyn has contributed to 40 guidebooks and anthologies for Lonely Planet, including Colorado, USA, Argentina, Chile,
Trekking in the Patagonian Andes, Panama, Peru and USA National Parks guides. Carolyn also wrote the Understand chapters. For more information, visit www.carolynmccarthy.org or follow her Instagram travels @mccarthyoffmap.
Christopher Pitts Around Yellowstone National Park, Around Grand Teton National Park Born in the year of the Tiger, Chris’s first expedition in life ended in failure when he tried to dig from Pennsylvania to China at the age of six. Hardened by reality but still infinitely curious about the other side of the world, he went on to study Chinese in university, living for several years in Kunming, Taiwan and Shanghai. A chance encounter in an elevator led to a Paris relocation, where he lived with his wife
and two children for over a decade before the lure of Colorado’s sunny skies and outdoor adven-ture proved too great to resist. Visit him online at www.christopherpitts.net.