Yellowstone for June 2014

[Grammy23]

6. I've been to Yellowstone twice....

Once when I was a kid about 11 years old we went in July. Never forgot that amazing trip and the things we saw there!!

Then in Sept. 2005, my husband and I went there with my niece and her husband.

Many good tips already given by others but here are a few things I can add. Yellowstone Park is very large. Don't be deceived by the maps. Just driving from one area to another can take a quite a bit of time. So quick trips are not practical. Enjoy the scenery and don't get in a hurry. Also have contingency plans for when your itinerary gets side tracked. What happened to us was that we woke up one morning and it was snowing like mad!! The road going to the northern part of the park was closed and so we had to regroup our plans for that day. It was not a big deal since there are so many things to see and do. Just know that weather or other factors might influence your daily activities.

One thing we did that was fun and not too expensive was get a lunch at one of the General Stores in the Park. We stopped by the deli there and got sandwiches and snacks that we took on an impromptu picnic.

After the trip was over, my husband told me that he preferred the Grand Tetons, which was the second part of our trip that year. It looks entirely different than Yellowstone, although they are very close to each other. The mountains there are very rugged and you will see glaciers and snow atop many of the peaks. While we were there we went on a Photo Op tour that started at the crack of dawn. It was well worth the wait to see the sun shining on the mountains in the distance. There were many other photographers out there, like us, waiting in the chilly air for the perfect moment to snap pictures!

Since you'll be going in the summer, be sure you have your reservations made well in advance so you don't get there and find out that there literally is NO ROOM in the INN!! Oh and for sheer cool factor, if you can swing it, do try to stay at the Old Faithful Inn. There are a variety of rooms available there with a big price range. It is a neat old building and the Old Faithful Geyser is right near by.

Have fun and enjoy planning and going on this trip!