MTgirl's Yellowstone and Grand Teton travel thread

I've been avoiding the park which is sad because I usually try to go there for New Years Day....
Since Yelly is currently in its winter season most of the park is closed/inaccessible anyways so I'm hoping that that is keeping the craziness to a minimum. They are still letting the snowmobile and snowcoach groups into the park but none of the facilities are open. This time of year only a few pit toilets are open and they are not being cleaned/stocked unless its by the concessioneers that operate the snowcoachs. The north road between Gardiner and Cooke City is also open to vehicles as it is the only accessible road in/out of Cooke this time of year. There's only a couple of pit toilets along that entire route and I can't imagine the condition they are in unless the NPS locked the doors... And that route gets a lot of traffic this time of year with folks heading to Cooke to snowmobile in the mountains north of the park. IF the shutdown was happening during peak summer season it would be a different story but I think (hope) that Yelly will be relatively safe. At least it will be better off than some of the other parks. I've heard that some parks are having huge issues with filthy toilets and trash everywhere and people just doing stupid crap like going off trail to drive or camp or defacing rocks, etc with graffiti.... so sad. I kinda wish they'd just close all parks 100% until there can be full staff to babysit the tourons.

 

Good lesson to never ignore winter closures in the parks
https://www.instagram.com/p/Btyum1ZlCBb/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=vfkhxpzxebpb

 

thanks for the compliment! I love Yelly and I know I'm lucky to live here and visit as often as I do. Its a special place and I want to make sure that A)folks enjoy their visits here and B)that they are well informed so as to protect the park

I've thought that having a first time visitor education program would be helpful. they have junior ranger programs for kids (i got my junior ranger badge a few years ago ) but nothing for adults. i would support any program that targeted first time visitors. hell....i'd volunteer to teach the course if they would let me! a 30-45 minute presentation on park rules and safety could go a long way. folks have always done stupid stuff in the parks but social media has led to a huge increase in stupidity

 

OMG.... I just had a stroke of genius. I doubt this will make me a millionaire but I might come close...can't disclose details just yet.

 

Two more weeks and I'll be sleeping under the stars in Yelly again!

 

it will be busy. its always busy these days. how long you looking to be out here? camping? need the "MTgirl recommended park highights"?

 

You'll be right in my 'hood. We shall grab some eats if you have the time while you're here.
Yellowstone and Teton will be 100% open by then. It will be busy. If you're camping in the parks I would recommend reservations right away. There are a few other options for camping outside of the parks but you gotta get in early in the day to snag a spot. I'll PM you that info.
Glacier won't be 100% open as plowing will still be underway. My guess is that the Going to the Sun Road won't be fully open until 4th of July based on the amount of snow we've gotten this winter. You can still get in at the East and West entrances and travel part of each end of the road. Definitely worth it to see the place if you haven't been before. I also recommend checking out the Seeley Swan valley, its one of my favorite drives on the way to Glacier.
I was in South Dakota and Custer Park last summer. Cool place, lots to see in such a small area.
And you're right, no puppers allowed in most areas of the parks. Parking lots aren't big on shade either so I wouldn't recommend planning any hiking as you're going to be parking in full sun.

 

its always going to be busy. didn't used to be this way but hte last few years more and more people are showing up earlier and earlier in the season. no families this time of year - younger couples, college kids, retired folks and foreigners mainly. come in the middle of the week if you can, you will avoid some of the locals.
opening weekend is two weeks away. i never miss opening (or closing) weekend. it used to be i'd show up, grab a campsite at Mammoth without any issue. no camp host, just an honor system to pick a site and pay for it. camp was never crowded. now they have a camp host on duty, they check you in and pick your site. and camp is full by noon. its crazy.

 

opening weekend gives you access into the park from the west entrance. mammoth stays open all year. so you can get down the west side of the loops, mammoth to old faithful. canyon is open too. basically all of hte cool stuff that I like.

 

soooo....
today is opening day (yay) but also free entry for national parks week (boo) and I'm home (boo) because the weather forecast went all psycho this week (boo) and it was almost 70* today even thoug hte forecast was 100% chance of rain (boo) but the weather is finally starting to roll in (boo but yay). first thunderstorm of the year it seems. and here i was thinking i chickened out from going to the park for nothing. it better be total monsoon like weather later or i'm still gonna be pissed.