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Specifically... Maybe off the beaten path or up/down a side road. I'll be on the bike and will do the full loop of the park.

If it helps you plan your trip any (and I doubt it will)...
I spent 4 days at Yellowstone a few years ago. Had a baby along for the ride so couldn't do much hiking, stayed at a hotel in Gardiner.
Got to the hotel Sunday night @ 8pm. Most of the restaurants were starting to close up. Moral = get there early enough to eat a decent supper.
Each day we got up around 7, out the door around 9, back to the hotel after dark, around 10pm.
1st day was spent driving down the "right side", as in the east side of the Grand Loop, Mammoth, Roosevelt, Tower Falls, Canyon Village, Lake Village, Bridge Bay. Stopped at almost each and every little turnout, picnic area, etc. Had lunch at Lake Village (great burgers), started getting dark, skipped West Thumb, went straight to Old Faithful to watch the geyser at dusk, had supper at Old Faithful area.
2nd day, drove straight down the "left side" (west side), thru to the Grand Tetons and checked that out. Did the Jenny Lake boat tour, did some walking around, had lunch in Jackson. On the way back, stopped and took a good look at West Thumb/Grant Village, then again, back up to Old Faithful for supper and another dusk showing of the geyser.
3rd day, back down the "left side", Mammoth, Norris, Madison, etc. Took most of the day to make it down to Old Faithful, but got there with plenty of time to walk around the Old Faithful area, see a bunch of geysers go off during the day, and again, ate supper there.
4th day, drove the cut-across between Norris and Canyon Village, re-checked out Grand Prismatic, drove 'side roads' off the Grand Loop, drove the east and west entrance roads, and had supper in Gardiner. Basically picking up the pieces of the areas we hadn't seen yet.

Next time I make the trip, I'm going to spend more time just watching at the Norris Basin and Grand Prismatic, as well as try to get to the Old Faithful area early in the morning.

Here's one thing that made me laugh for literally hours...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prQ3t5FBYms" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Over those 4 days, we didn't rush anything, always had time to do whatever, didn't feel like I was getting up too early or going to bed too late, and I still feel like I could've spent another day or two there...possibly another week or so if I'd had planned on doing any hiking into the back woods (which requires a permit and stuff, so a bit of a PITA).

How long you plan on spending?

Hahaha... Northbound Buffalo!!!

Here's the rough route: https://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=51.04 ... =2,3,5&z=7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

6 days off from the 16th to 21st of June.

Saturday: Calgary to West Yellowstone.
Sunday, Monday: Full loop and general touristy suff, Sunday night in W/Yellowstone, Monday night in Idaho Falls.
Tuesday: Idaho Falls to Missoula or Coere d'Alene (depending on time)
Wednesday: Undetermined route back to Calgary... Might go through Kalispell, might go through the Okanagan...

Minimal freeway riding, all daytime as every town not on an interstate seems to shut down by 9pm.

star_deceiver wrote:Wednesday: Undetermined route back to Calgary... Might go through Kalispell, might go through the Okanagan...

That's weird...we're going to Glacier N.P. on the 22nd and will be staying just north of Kalispell, in Whitefish.

It's a small, Vibey world.

CV

star_deceiver wrote:Here's the rough route: ....

Nice drive, but I'm thinking you're gonna spend a LOT of time driving.
If you remember and/or think about it, when you go thru Babb, Montana (tiny tiny town), keep an eye on the west side of the road for "Thronsens General Store and Hotel", and if you would, let me know if looks like it's still open or not.
On that same Yellowstone trip, we went thru Glacier NP on the way back and stayed at that hotel. Surely not a 5 star hotel, maybe not even 2 star, but it was clean, fully functional, and fairly quiet, and most importantly, dirt cheap. But, the website link is dead, phone number is changed to something else, etc. I'd like to stay there again...but...

as every town not on an interstate seems to shut down by 9pm.

Why so late?

skimask wrote:Nice drive, but I'm thinking you're gonna spend a LOT of time driving.
If you remember and/or think about it, when you go thru Babb, Montana (tiny tiny town), keep an eye on the west side of the road for "Thronsens General Store and Hotel", and if you would, let me know if looks like it's still open or not.

Well, that is the point while on the bike!

I'll have a look for the store. The google maps street view image of it is from 2008.

And 9pm is a little late... I've driven through some small towns in Washington that were shutterd by 6!!!

Totally missed the part about taking a bike.

If I gotta say one thing, watch out for those damn tourists (uhh...like you??? )
As you may well know, the overwhelming vast majority of those idiots are busy looking around and trying to take pictures with their brand new iphone INSTEAD OF DRIVING!
I don't ride any more (no reason, just don't). I'm one of those in the vast minority that keeps a keen eye out for 2 wheels, not to mention plenty of room to maneuver. Nothing like a clown trying to pass you on the 4 lane, cutting it real close and pushing all that wind right up in your face.

yes, as one who has travelled through around 100 parks in the National Park system:

1. stay at the Yellowstone lodge if you can. They have a nice string quartet play ever afternoon and serve a mean Black Dog Ale
2. drive up to Glacier National Park if you can. It is the premier park in the US far and away. Yellowstone is good for backpacking into the wilderness. Glacier reveals it all on simple day hikes.
3. See the upper and lower falls at Yellowstone
4. If you can't drive up to Glacier, drive down to Grand Teton N.P. and do the Jenny Lake trail if you have some time
5. Drive up to Virginia City, Montana and visit a real life ghost town. Pretty neat.
6. Have a great time.

Well... found out today that my new rain gear works great. Hopefully I don't have to use it! Need to patch a small hole in one of my boots.

Will most likely be staying in West Yellowstone at one of the cheaper motels for a night or two. I"ll be passing by Glacier national park on the way down, don't really have time to take a side trip, might stop by on the way back. I will see the upper and lowr falls... and probably most anything else that is marked with a sign.

I'll be sure to fill this thread with pics once I'm back.

The road through Glacier nat. Park is still closed. Bummer.

Going to the Sun Road is closed? I wonder why? It took 10 years to build that road. It is spectacular. So much so, that many in a camper/trailer have plunged over the side of the road while enjoying the scenery. I sure hope you get to go. If you have time for one hike in Glacier, do the Iceberg Lake trail accessible from Many Glacier Rd near the Many Glacier Inn.

Alright! All loaded up and ready to go!



Looking down on Montana's Glacier National Park



Ultralight in a canyon



70mph speed limit



Caves



Only 87 more miles to go!



This was 20 miles worth of bugs...



...and I'm hungry

Day 2... $20 park entry fee... and off we go!





Hot pool beside a creek





Oooooooo steamy!



No shortage of people



Blue



Boardwalk







Boiling mud





Small erupting geyser



Old Faithful



lots o people at Old Faithful

Who's this guy?



The big lake





Hunting



Hmmmmm..... can we pet it?



Beeeeeffalo





Just before the Upper Falls





The Upper Falls



The Lower Falls







This little guy is about the size of a Loonie



"Inspirational Point"



Glacial boulder



We be high up!



Another waterfall



Take quick pic and move away quickly





More Buffalo



Mammoth





4.5 foot snake







Another boardwalk





Here's how to get around the mean streets of Kelowna during the winter

Day 3

This tire is done!



Off with you!



This tire is new..... $131 dollars later including a litre of Motul 10w-40



Hmmmm.... now what should I do... Go to the Pacific!!!

The Gorge





Cannon Beach, Oregon













Ft. Stevens Park in Astoria, Or



Riding on the beach




Day 4... on the way home

Snoqualmie pass

And I'm home. It was at 2832kms when I left.

Boy there is a lot of spam on this website these days. I guess the lack of activity is allowing the rats to move in.

Anyway, great pictures Star_Deceiver. I have many of those hanging in my home that I took years ago. I'm surprised you didn't try to pet the snake; they are all killers as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad you had a great trip and a safe one. I do hope you'll get into Glacier NP some day and drive the Going to the Sun road and hike up the Iceberg Lake trail.

One wonders if they ever sell any of those $15 watches for $150. As for Yellowstone, I was there 50 years ago. Probably time to go back for a last look.

Caretaker wrote: I do hope you'll get into Glacier NP some day and drive the Going to the Sun road and hike up the Iceberg Lake trail.

Yup... made it there a few months ago! Walked the nice trail at the top... long way down. And Jake75, 50 years seems like a good excuse for a road trip next summer!!!



Made it to Yellowstone twice this year! Bike and Car!!!

The road to Old Faithful opened on Friday!





Got quite dark by the time it finally erupted...

great pictures from a great place. I will never forget being parked in a turnout at Yellowstone where lots of people were looking at the bison. Suddenly the bison began approaching some of the group, who, without asking, jumped into our car for shelter. We then all began singing: "Like a good neighbor...................."