Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks 5
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Yellowstone & Grand Teton NATIONAL PARKS Around Yellowstone p129 Yellowstone National Park p46 Grand Teton National Park p168 Around Grand Teton p211 Benedict Walker, Bradley Mayhew, Carolyn McCarthy, Christopher Pitts PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to Yellowstone YELLOWSTONE Other Overnight & Grand Teton National NATIONAL PARK . 46 Hikes . 81 Parks . 4 Driving . 82 Day Hikes . 50 Yellowstone & Grand Cycling . 82 Teton National Mammoth Country . 51 Mammoth Country . 82 Parks Map . 6 Roosevelt Country . 57 Canyon Country . 83 Yellowstone & Grand Canyon Country . 60 Lake Country . 83 Teton’s National Lake Country . 63 Parks’ Top 20 . 8 Geyser Country . 84 Norris . 65 Need to Know . 18 Geyser Country . 66 Other Activities . 85 If You Like . 20 Bechler Region . 69 Sights . 90 Mammoth Country . 90 Month by Month . 23 Overnight Hikes . 70 Roosevelt Country . 94 Itineraries . 25 Canyon Country . 74 Canyon Country . 97 Activities . 30 Lake Country . 75 Lake Country . 101 Travel with Children . 39 Geyser Country . 77 Norris . 105 Travel with Pets . 43 Bechler Region . 79 Y LIU/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGE © IMAGE LIU/EYEEM/GETTY Y © CASS/SHUTTERSTOCK KEVIN YELLOWSTONE RIVER P57 CHASE DEKKER/SHUTTERSTOCK © DEKKER/SHUTTERSTOCK CHASE OWL, GRAND TETON JACKSON HOLE P221 NATIONAL PARK P168 Contents UNDERSTAND Geyser Country . 108 GRAND TETON The Parks Today . 228 Bechler Region . 117 NATIONAL PARK . 168 History . 230 Sleeping . 117 Day Hikes . .. 172 Geology . 239 Mammoth Country . 119 Colter Bay Region . 172 Wildlife . 244 Roosevelt Country . 120 Central Tetons . 175 Canyon Country . 121 The Tetons via Idaho . 178 Conservation . 253 Lake Country . 121 Moose–Wilson Road . 180 Norris . 122 John D Rockefeller Jr Geyser Country . 123 Memorial Parkway . 182 SURVIVAL Bechler Region . 124 Overnight Hikes . 182 GUIDE Eating & Drinking . 124 Cycling . 188 Summer Activities . 190 Clothing Mammoth Country . 124 & Equipment . 256 Roosevelt Country . 124 Winter Activities . 193 Directory A–Z . 260 Canyon Country . 125 Sights . 196 Geyser Country . 125 John D Rockefeller Jr Transportation . 270 Memorial Parkway . 196 Lake Country . 126 Health & Safety . 274 Grassy Lake Road . 196 Shopping . 127 Colter Bay Region . 197 Index . .. 281 Eastern Slopes . 199 Map Legend . 287 AROUND Central Tetons . 199 YELLOWSTONE . 129 Moose–Wilson Road . 203 © REICHNER/SHUTTERSTOCK TOM Beartooth Route . 132 Sleeping . .. 204 Billings . 132 John D Rockefeller Jr Red Lodge . 134 Memorial Parkway . 204 Beartooth Highway . 136 Colter Bay Region . 205 Chief Joseph Eastern Slopes . 206 Scenic Byway . 139 Central Tetons . 207 Cooke City . 140 Moose . .. 207 Wapiti Route . 141 Eating & Drinking . 207 Cody . 141 John D Rockefeller Jr Wapiti Valley . 146 Memorial Parkway . 207 ELK P246 Paradise Valley Colter Bay Region . 207 Route . 147 Central Tetons . .208 Livingston . 147 Moose . .. 209 SPECIAL Paradise Valley . 149 FEATURES Gardiner . 151 AROUND Travel with Children . 39 Gallatin Route . 154 GRAND TETON . 211 Bozeman . 154 Jackson . 213 Geology . 239 Gallatin Valley . 158 Jackson Hole . 221 Wildlife . 244 Hebgen & Upper Wind Clothing & Quake Lakes . 161 River Valley . 224 Equipment . 256 West Yellowstone . 163 Idaho’s Teton Valley . 224 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 25 Itineraries Mammoth •# R Bunsen Peak Norris Yellowstone Madison •# Geyser National River Park •# É Basin Fairy Falls •# Old •# Yellowstone Lake Faithful Inn •# Lone Star Geyser É Grand Teton National Park Jackson Lake String Lake/ É •# Leigh Lake •# Oxbow Bend Cascade Canyon •# •#Jenny Lake Drive •# Mormon Row 1 WEEK Yellowstone & Grand Teton Overview 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. 26 Mammoth Hot •# Springs É É É •# Roosevelt Yellowstone Lodge Lamar É •# National Willow Park •# Valley Park PLAN YOUR TRIP É Dunraven RMt Washburn Norris Pass •# Yellowstone Loop, Geyser Cascade Lake North •# Porcelain Basin Picnic Area Yellowstone Loop, Basin •# •# •# South É Grand Canyon of É the Yellowstone É Hayden IT Firehole Valley É I •# NERAR Swimming Area Grand •# Lake I Prismatic ES •# Yellowstone Spring Continental Hotel Divide É •# Yellowstone Old •# Lake É •# Faithful Shoshone Lake DAY Yellowstone DAY Yellowstone 1 Loop, North 1 Loop, South This route through the north of the park The southern loop takes in epic Yellow- takes in some premier wildlife-watching, stone Lake, the park’s greatest geysers views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellow- and a dip in the Firehole River. Starting in stone and a sampler of geysers and hot West Yellowstone adds 28 miles. springs. You’ll need to start early and stay Start the day with a scenic drive around out late to fit it all in. Yellowstone Lake and then branch west Head straight to the Lamar Valley from West Thumb over the Continen- around dawn to look for wolves, bears tal Divide into Geyser Country. Check and bison. Grab a ‘hiker’s breakfast’ at predicted eruption times at the visitor Roosevelt Lodge, then drive up to Dun- center to catch Old Faithful and others raven Pass to make the three- to four- of the Upper Geyser Basin spouters. Head hour return hike up Mt Washburn for the north to Midway Geyser Basin and admire park’s best views. Picnic amid the pines at Grand Prismatic Spring, then blow shady Cascade Lake picnic area or grab off steam with the kids in the thermally lunch on the go at Canyon. heated Firehole Swimming Area further north. Gawp at the thundering falls and rusted colors of the Grand Canyon of the Yel- Continue north to the Porcelain Basin lowstone from Uncle Tom’s Trail and hot springs at Norris, grabbing a quick Artist Point on the southern rim, before lunch at peaceful Norris Meadows picnic driving to the geysers and hot springs of area, before turning east for views of the Norris Geyser Basin. Then swing north Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from toward Mammoth, stopping en route to Uncle Tom’s Trail and Artist Point. Swing watch for moose at Willow Park. Stroll south through Hayden Valley for some the boardwalks at dusk to admire surreal prime sunset wildlife-watching before Palette Springs and Canary Springs at enjoying the park’s best food at Lake Mammoth Hot Springs, before collaps- Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room. ing in the bar back at Roosevelt Lodge for a well-deserved Old Faithful Ale. 27 Indian Arts É Museum •# Grand Teton National Jackson Lake É Park Lodge •# É •# Inspiration Willow Flats Moose Ponds Point É •# •# Table Mountain •# •# PLAN YOUR TRIP Log Chapel •# Plains & É of the É Panoramas É Sacred Heart Route Grand Teton National Park Hole in One Loop •# É Schwabacher's É É Landing •# IT É I É NERAR •# É É Stagecoach É •# Jackson f# Menor's Bar; Dornan's É Ferry Nora's Fish I Chuckwagon •# ES Creek Inn É É Snake River Canyon •# Jackson Hole 1 DAY Teton in a Day 4 DAYS & the Tetons Start with a hearty breakfast in Moose Fuel up with a classic breakfast of pan- at Dornan’s Chuckwagon, a pioneer- fried trout at Wilson’s Nora’s Fish Creek style camp serving flapjacks alfresco Inn, then saddle your road bike to ride the with great Teton views. Then glimpse the Hole in One loop – extra points for start- area’s fascinating homesteading history at ing from Wilson. Post-ride, opt for a brew Menor’s Ferry; audio tours are available at the award-winning Snake River Brewing for cell phones. For excellent photographs, Co, in Jackson. offers the best Schwabacher’s Landing On day two, hike out to scenic views panoramas of the Teton’s toothy Cathedral at Inspiration Point and take the ferry group. back for an easy return. Detour to Moose Get off the road and into the wilderness Ponds to snag a glimpse of its namesake with a short hike to the glacial moraines ungulates. For sunset views, rumble your cupping Taggart and Bradley Lakes. Bring pickup along the dirt roads of the Plains swimsuits and take a dip from Taggart’s & Panoramas route. eastern edge if it’s warm enough. After- On day three, take a white-water raft- wards, take the short drive to the Log ing trip down the Snake River Canyon. and spread Chapel of the Sacred Heart Later, treat yourself to a pan-roasted elk your blanket for a picnic at the edge of the chop at Snake River Grill and take in some pines. culture at the modern Center for the Arts, Nearby, there’s incredible Native Ameri- both in Jackson. can beadwork at the Indian Arts Mu- On your final day, get an early start to seum. End your outing watching wildlife power up Table Mountain for a challeng- at ; there’s usually a moose Willow Flats ing hike with big backside views of the munching in the dusky light. Finally, cap Tetons. Make your last night count at the your day at Jackson Lake Lodge and Stagecoach Bar, the liveliest roadhouse down a huckleberry margarita at the Blue around.