Never been to Yellowstone, anyone care to share?

[freonr22]

Looking for week of 10/2 ,maybe too late? Or maybe just right.. 10 and.11 year old kids. 1 week. Thoughts? Travel from San Jose. Open to methods. Have popup tent trailer if that matters. Or can fly. Maybe $2,000-$3,000 budget. Or maybe none?

[kemasa]

Personally, a week there is a bit much. That also can be a bit late for camping.

Some campgrounds don't allow soft-sided camping due to bears.

Check out the Grand Tetons as well.

[God Bless America]

Watch your picinic baskets.

[the_tunaman]

A week is good... Be sure to explore the entire park - lots of beauty to observe, and the sheer number of critters is amazing. Take any and all side cutoff roads and watch for unusual sightings.

October might be a bit late. Pretty far north, which can cause weather changes and temps to drop rapidly.

Be sure to check out West Yellowstone, Gardiner Montana and Cody Wyoming.

[jeffyhog]

Yellowstone is my absolute favorite place. Been there four or five times, and my wife and I went there last year on our Honeymoon. I guess it comes down to what you like to do, but I've spent 10 days in the park and didn't get my fill. I've always said I could spend a month there and not get bored. It's an absolutely amazing place, and there are other points of interest within a couple hours drive outside the park.

I've never been in October, but I have a friend that goes at least every couple of years, usually in October, although they do have a travel trailer. I expect that it will be getting cold.

[hermosabeach]

It's an easy drive from San Jose.... two days without pushing it


Lots of parenting questions come to mind... a week in the car without electronics can be a trial but many kids have never unplugged in a car... looked out the window... played slug bug or the license plate game....


That time of year is a weather crapshoot. Could be hot or snow.

Lots of neat places in that part of the woods... Jackson hole... Cody...

Lots of places to spend a day

[bool1tholz]

October is very late. I visited Yellowstone the week after labor day last year. By the end of September most things are shutdown. Almost all the merchants in West Yellowstone will be shutdown for winter. Most lodging within Yellowstone National Park will be shutdown for the season too. It will probably be too cold for summer tents even in September at night it can get down to freezing.

Probably better to visit in springtime. In springtime the animals are more visible coming out of hibernation foraging for food. Reservations should be made several months in advance if you're staying inside the park.

[David13]

I think Yosemite is superior to Yellowstone as the scenery is more concentrated. You can see more in less time.
My neighbor just got back from Yellowstone two weeks ago and said they saw no animals. Just too many tourists.
October could be very cold.
Be sure to travel the Beartooth Highway. That's probably the best scenery over there, in my opinion. And that goes out of the park, out toward Red Lodge. No need to go all the way to Billings, but Red Lodge is a nice town.
dc

[pennstater]

Oct may be getting a little late. Call some shops in West Yellowstone and ask. If you go, try to get to Cody, Wy. The Winchester Museum is a must. And don't forget to get prime rib at Irma's Cafe. Good stuff!
Actually, the museum is called "Cody Firearms Museum".

[echo1]

I've been trying to get there for 30 years. The last time I came close was coming back from Madison, WI. But I misjudged the AAA time line, got to Billings at night as it started to snow, early October. I'll get there yet. Yosemite is still at the top of the list for me and it's close 2.5 hours. Every year since '68, twice this year. PAX

[freonr22]

ok! thank you so much for all the effort? general consensus is October is too late. where to go for that time period? is it too late for Yosemite as well? shhot maybe its a Tahoe thing

[Free Dumb]

ok! thank you so much for all the effort? general consensus is October is too late. where to go for that time period? is it too late for Yosemite as well? shhot maybe its a Tahoe thing

My wife and I went there back in June 2013 and had a nice time. We were childless at the time so we hiked and relaxed. Saw some bears, tons of bison, foxes, moose, deer, and a wolf eating a deer carcass.

We stayed at a hotel in West Yellowstone and drove into the park each morning. We had 6 full days to explore the entire park and that was plenty (hotel cost us $1000 with taxes and fees during that time of year). We don't have any camping gear or fishing gear otherwise maybe I would have wanted to stay longer. I have no advice for how to prepare for the October weather except that it will probably be cold [emoji52]. Either way I can't imagine it not being a beautiful trip unless you get a ton of rain.

Send me a PM if you want to see our photo album.

[bohoki]

the place is neat with all the steam coming out of the ground i was facinated with a small crack near the parking lot spewing steam when i was a kid

[Jimi Jah]

I went in early June 20 years ago. It was a zoo. Can't imagine the crowds of summer there.

[CBR_rider]

I went in August; had a good time.. I think I spent four days there and wished I had longer. I also went to Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole, Wy. I'm jonesing to get back out there.