Where to stay in Yellowstone

[boisewinesnob]

We are hoping to go to Yellowstone this summer and are wondering if anybody has a recommendation on places to stay? I'm open to any ideas. I went there when I was about 5 or 6 years old and remember almost nothing except seeing Old Faithful and a moose :) . DH and the boys have never been there.
I did a search, but didn't really find anything too specific on Yellowstone.

TIA,
Suzy

[JackieO]

I lived in Billings for four years in a previous life and spent many long weekends in the Yellowstone area. If you are going in the summer, I would recommend staying OUTSIDE the park to avoid the crowds, bad food, etc. Chico is an old tb sanitarium that has been gradually restored over the last 20 years or so to a "rustic chic" flavor and it has a fantastic dining room. I know they have a Web site but don't know the URL....It's located about 25 miles north of Gardiner, which is the northwest entrance to Yellowstone.

Also, if you are into the rustic thing, there are some cute cabins in the Silver Gate/Cooke City area, which is the northeast entrance to the park. Pine Edge cabins in Silver Gate are our favorites.

Must see places in the Park: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Tower Falls. Our favorite spot for hiking is in the Lamar Valley. Old Faithful and the touristy places are fun to go to to say that you've been there, but we prefer some of the less-traveled spots.

And be prepared to witness really stupid human behavior....like tourists walking up to buffalos to get close-up pictures.:rolleyes:

[m4star]

Another place outside the park to think about is Cody, Wyoming. It's a wee bit touristy in the summer, but I lived there for 2 years and think it's really a great little town.

[Laura]

On the southern end is Jackson Hole, I lived there 3 years and still miss it dearly. There are lots of little hotels/motels there but they are quite booked in the summer. Jackson is about 70 miles from the southern entrance to the park. Since you can only travel 45 miles an hour it takes a good two hours to get there. But you are traveling through some of the most beautiful scenery in God's creation. Plus, between Yellowstone and Jackson is Grand Teton National Park, lots of goregous hikes and many lakes (Jackson Lake) being the largest. Grand Teton Park has some great hotels as well but I think they can be quite pricey. The Jenny Lake Lodge comes immediately to mind. Jackson also has the other activities to offer. There are number of campgrounds within Yellowstone itself that I believe are on a first come basis. Run an internet search on Jackson Hole and you will find lots of information.

[boisewinesnob]

Thanks for the ideas you guys! We are going to be driving from Boise across southern Idaho (BORING!!!) and through Idaho falls, so I am really interested in Jackson, WYO. I have been to the Tetons, and they are incredible!
DH loves to camp, but I am a big baby and hate sleeping outside. I love to hike and all that, but at the end of the day, I need to be in a real bed in a room with a real shower, toilet, etc. I know, I am such a wuss!!!
I know that driving around Grand Teton, Yellowstone, etc is very slow....about how long to get from Jackson to Yellowstone?

[Laura]

I think if you take all park roads it is around 2-2 and 1/2 hours. You might be able to shorten it up a little if you stay off the park roads. But still I think that is just to the southern entrance. It is another 1/2 hour to most of the sites (Old Faithful, paint pots, geysers.) You will also want to see Yellowstone Canyon. If you leave early in the morning from Jackson (around 7:00 a.m.) you can drive through the park and see most everything, but it is a long day. I really miss it there. If only it hadn't been so *&%#! expensive to buy a house. :(

[cchhbb]

I would recommned that you change where you are staying during your trip. DH and I camped when we were at Yellowstone and the Tetons. We stayed in one campsite at each park. That required a large amount of driving each day as the parks are huge. We took some notes for a future trip and while we would camp again, we would move the campsite while in Yellowstone at least twice during a week. We also wouldn't cook very much as it was a pain due to the bear restrictions.

[cjm]

Suzy-several years ago DH & I took a motorcycle trip to see northwest USA. We stayed at the Stage Coach Inn in West Yellowstone, Montana, @Hwy 20 & 191, 209 Madison Avenue, West Yellowstone, MT, 800-842-2882. It is just across the Wyoming/Montana border. It is pretty close to the west entrance to Yellowstone Park...nice town and lots of history in the hotel (they have a new section and an old section...we didn't realize it so had a room in the "new section" wish we could have been in the old, original section).

Hope this helps!
cjm