Island Park ID vs Jackson Hole WY to visit Yellowstone NP

[Elan]

Originally Posted by JWC

I wonder why the weather is so much colder than in the Utah high country. We spent a week touring Capital Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Zion last year at the end of May. The weather was great and not cold. We went swimming in the outdoor pool. The elevations are just as high or higher in Utah. We were well over 9,000 feet. We were in Spokane, WA and ID for 6 months and May and June were not cold.

Just further north.

Yes, Spokane can be nice in May/June, but it can also be in the 50's or lower for highs. I've been in Coeur d'Alene, ID, which is very close to Spokane, numerous times (~10) in late May/early June, and it's literally a crap shoot on weather. Anywhere from 75 and sunny, to 45 and rainy.

I've had mid-June golf tournaments delayed by snow in central Idaho, at an elevation of 5000ft.

[JWC]

Originally Posted by Elan

Just further north.

Yes, Spokane can be nice in May/June, but it can also be in the 50's or lower for highs. I've been in Coeur d'Alene, ID, which is very close to Spokane, numerous times (~10) in late May/early June, and it's literally a crap shoot on weather. Anywhere from 75 and sunny, to 45 and rainy.

I've had mid-June golf tournaments delayed by snow in central Idaho, at an elevation of 5000ft.

I should have added that the day we left Spokane to return home, it was bitterly cold and miserable and that was in mid-September.

[Laurie]

Originally Posted by JWC

I wonder why the weather is so much colder than in the Utah high country. We spent a week touring Capital Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Zion last year at the end of May. The weather was great and not cold. We went swimming in the outdoor pool. The elevations are just as high or higher in Utah. We were well over 9,000 feet. We were in Spokane, WA and ID for 6 months and May and June were not cold.

Don't know why, but we were in Park City the week b4 our July 4 Yellowstone week, and Yellowstone was much colder, 30's at night.

RCI resort directory has average monthly temps for most listings, by the way, very handy, you don't need to be a member to look up. Yellowstone basin is one of the coldest spots for some reason - here are West Yellowstone's:

High Low
January 24°F / -4°C ... 1°F / -17°C
February 30°F / -1°C ... 4°F / -16°C
March 38°F / 8°C ... 12°F / -6°C
April 47°F / 14°C ... 21°F / -2°C
May 58°F / 21°C ... 29°F / 2°C
June 69°F / 26°C ... 36°F / 5°C
July 78°F / 25°C ... 41°F / 3°C
August 77°F / 19°C ... 38°F / -1°C
September 66°F / 11°C ... 30°F / -6°C
October 52°F / 1°C ... 22°F / -12°C
November 33°F / -4°C ... 11°F / -17°C
December 24°F / 3°C ... 1°F / -11°C

[JWC]

Originally Posted by Laurie

Don't know why, but we were in Park City the week b4 our July 4 Yellowstone week, and Yellowstone was much colder, 30's at night.

RCI resort directory has average monthly temps for most listings, by the way, very handy, you don't need to be a member to look up. Yellowstone basin is one of the coldest spots for some reason - here are West Yellowstone's:

High Low
January 24°F / -4°C ... 1°F / -17°C
February 30°F / -1°C ... 4°F / -16°C
March 38°F / 8°C ... 12°F / -6°C
April 47°F / 14°C ... 21°F / -2°C
May 58°F / 21°C ... 29°F / 2°C
June 69°F / 26°C ... 36°F / 5°C
July 78°F / 25°C ... 41°F / 3°C
August 77°F / 19°C ... 38°F / -1°C
September 66°F / 11°C ... 30°F / -6°C
October 52°F / 1°C ... 22°F / -12°C
November 33°F / -4°C ... 11°F / -17°C
December 24°F / 3°C ... 1°F / -11°C

Thank you very much. It is pretty obvious that July and August are the only months that will work for us,

[Pstreet1]

The Old Faithful Inn (most difficult to get a room--we've never succeeded, though we've tried) is on the National Historic Places List, and the rooms are--I've been told--nice, nicer than El Tovar at the Grand Canyon, where I have stayed.
The following accommodations are available at Old Faithful Inn:

Suites
The suites have recently been renovated and feature a well-appointed sitting room with refrigerator and a bedroom with two queen beds. The private bathroom includes a tub/shower, sink and toilet.

Semi-Suites
These extra-large rooms include a sitting area along with two queen beds. Private bathroom includes a tub/shower, toilet and sink.

Premium Rooms
The premium rooms are well-appointed rooms and most include two double beds with a private bath. (Tub/shower, sink and toilet.)

High-Range Rooms
The high-range rooms offer attractive modern furnishings with either a queen bed or two double beds and a private bath. They come with either a Tub/shower or shower only.

If I were planning, I'd stay a night at the Old Faithful Inn and spend the afternoon of the day I arrived exploring the lake and doing the Old Faithful ranger walk, preferably for me, the last one of the day--cooler, more interesting light, and fewer people. The next day I'd head out early and drive up the east side of the park, stopping at .... well, everything--Mud Volcano, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, various animal sightings, which are sure to occur, waterfalls--they are everywhere, and I'd drive out of the park and secure lodging in Gardiner. I think you'll stand a much better chance of finding lodging you'll like there than at Mammoth. The second day I'd drive down the west side of the park and, again, stop at everything and do all the ranger talks. If you have the schedules in advance you can do all of them with minimal planning. Then, I'd go on to the timeshare, and if there are things you want to re-see, you could make trips just for those things, but you would have seen "the biggies" already.

Don't forget to sign up for the Chuck Wagon Dinner; it leaves from Mammoth.

Yellowstone is wonderful!

[chellej]

Originally Posted by shaggy

What all is there to do in Island Park. I've got Yellowstone & The Tetons on my most wanted list. shaggy

Harriman State Park you can see trumpeter swans, historic ranch buildings and go horseback riding.

Go to big springs and see an old hand built cabin, float the river from there back to macks Inn. (they will drop you and the canoe off)

Upper and lower Mesa falls

Quake lake - go to the visitors center - very interesting.

Imax and grizzley discovery center in West yellowstone

Yellowstone museum in West Yellowstone.

Fly fishing all along the snake river and in yellowstone

hiking

Sawtelle Peak - great views and snow even in July

Warm river - feed the fish hundreds of them

Go to Ashton and go to fall river - this is at the southwest edge of the park but you can only hike,, picnic or fish - no roads into the park.

There are sand dunes down near rexburg also a museum in Rexburg about when the Teton Dam broke.


and then of course there are the parks....

[Thirsty]

If costs are not a factor I would stay in the park. There are 3 or 4 different areas in the park you can stay. Two summers ago we spent 2 night at Old Faithful Inn and it was great. There are restaurants on the grounds and the food was good. There are plenty of tours offered through Old Faithful Inn. The room we had was small but functional. It was a one bedroom unit that shared the bathroom and shower with several units (kinda like a collage dorm). My wife and I didn't mind as we are early risers and the showers were never crowed. We didn't have to wait to get your day started because we couldn't get in the showers. I would stay there again if I go back to YNP.

We also spent a week at Island Park and would not go back there if are plans are to see the parks. The trip to YNP from Island Park is about 45 minutes. However coming back from the park we saw a grizzle eating a carcass just a few feet off the road. In the Island Park area we went to a moms and pops rodeo, Mesa Falls, and Warm River.

Here are some pictures I took of Yellowstone, the Tetons, and Beartooth Gap in Montana. On the second page there are 2 pics of the room we stayed in.

[eal]

Hi John,
We stayed at Lake Yellowstone Hotel a few years ago in the annex and it was very nice.
Here is the web page:
Yellowstone Cabins, Accommodation, Inn, Camping, RV - Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins

[JWC]

Thanks for all the info.

I am not able to do much walking so can I see most of the attractions from the road or very short walks?

[Laurie]

Yes, you can see a lot that way, tho not quite all. Be sure to take all of the little one-way scenic drives off the main park roads too.

You might want to print yourself out a park map, and do some research on the boardwalks at each of the basins, then plan a few different overnight spots at opposite ends, if you'll be staying in the park. Each basin is different and 100% worthwhile, although one or 2 of them might be a longer walk in than is comfortable for you. There are benches along most of the boardwalks so you can take a break.

When I think national parks, I usually think hiking trails for an afternoon or 2. But there was so much to see along the road and the boardwalks at Yellowstone, and we stopped so many times for photos and admiring, we couldn't even quite do them all, and never got much further than that.

(Exceptions: an hour's round-trip level walk + very short climb above Grand Prismatic Spring, to look down upon it, plus the walk down to the overlook at the Yellowstone Grand Canyon falls and somewhat-strenuous walk back up to the parking lot. We never even had time to walk the rim trails at Yellowstone Grand Canyon, which was on my wish-list - 2 weeks at Yellowstone wouldn't be too many for me.)