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Anyone have advice for my Spanish friends about visiting Yellowstone?

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July Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-30-08 08:40 PM
Original message
Anyone have advice for my Spanish friends about visiting Yellowstone?
I've never been there, but I'm trying to help them find out how to make the trip with their 2 kids (9 and 13 years old).

The little I've discovered is: there are countless hotels/motels; it's hard to get a summer reservation; you need to know a lot about going to the park before you get there.

Also wondering about how foreign visitors do the guided tours -- are there recorded guides, Spanish-speaking tours (parents speak English, kids don't)?

I'm taking any tips, and will pass them on. THANKS!
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July Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-30-08 08:53 PM
Response to Original message
1. kicking in hopes of getting some info. nt.
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RadiationTherapy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-30-08 09:44 PM
Response to Original message
2. Don't go during any holidays.
The drive in to Yellowstone is beautiful from any direction; the further away, the cheaper it is.

I didn't do any tours.
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fishwax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-30-08 11:48 PM
Response to Original message
3. When are they planning on going?
There can be snowstorms in Yellowstone even into June (I got caught in a particularly nasty storm there over Memorial Day weekend once), and by July it is super crowded.

There are only a few hotels and inns in the park itself (and these, as you said, would be difficult to get a summer reservation for), but there are many hotels, motels, inns, and cabins in the towns just outside Yellowstone. The most convenient of these is probably West Yellowstone, which is only about fifteen miles from the Grand Loop that runs through the park. Gardiner, Montana is also just outside the park--it's the northern gateway to the park, and is only a few miles from Mammoth Hot Springs. It's been a while since I've been to either of these towns, but both of them were, at one time, nice towns in their own right. West Yellowstone, from what I understand, has gotten increasingly commercial over the last few years, though. Cody, Wyoming is the closest town to the Eastern entrance, and is a nice, enjoyable Western town. They have a really good museum, some good food, and it's a pleasant drive into the park. But it's a bit too far away to be practical as a home base while exploring the park, imo.

I don't know if your friends are up for camping or not, but this is what I would consider the best bet. There are lots of campgrounds in the park. The last time I checked (and it's been a while) there were some spots that could be reserved, but many of them are first come, first served. They're pretty cheap--all of them are less than 20 bucks a night (unless you've got an RV), and some are as low as 12 bucks a night.

My personal favorite campground is probably Mammoth--it's big enough that you can generally get a spot, but not super crowded like the huge campgrounds at Grant and Bridge Bay. There is a service station and a small store so you can stock up on food, etc. There's a historic Inn (I've stayed there, too, but it's expensive and I kind of prefer camping), and of course the hot springs, which are a great attraction. There is also a ton of wildlife at Mammoth--or, at least, there has been every time I've been there--especially elk. Once when I was staying there I took an early morning walk, just before the sun was to come up, and was treated to a huge herd of elk, some bugling in the otherwise still mountain air. Damn that was a beautiful scene.

As for the tours--I haven't done a lot of formal tours there, but the rangers are very good and informative. At most locations they have a walkway that you guide yourself along, and they have maps/pamphlets with information as well as informative markers along the trail. So if the parents read English as well, they could conduct the self-guided tours fairly easily. (They might have Spanish language pamphlets available, too, but I don't know for sure.) That's not to say there are *no* guided tours, just that you don't need guided tours to have a good time in Yellowstone. There are a lot of great specialty tours that are guided by rangers--one of the best of these is the Norris Geyser Basin at night--but I don't know if they have any in Spanish. They also have special programs (Ranger talks, Video presentations, etc.) at some of the major locations (Mammoth, Old Faithful, etc.). Again, even if none of these are accessible b/c the kids don't speak English, a great time can still be had.

The NPS Yellostone page has a lot of information: http://www.nps.gov/yell/.

Oh, and one more thing: The animals are wild and they are dangerous. I know that may sound obvious, but every summer there are people who think they can pet the buffalo. If your friends aren't used to the wilderness, please impress upon them a healthy respect (not fear, but respect) for the wildlife. :)

Anyway, I'm quite jealous of your friends, as Yellowstone is one of my favorite places on earth. If you've got other questions I'd be happy to tell you more, or to make specific recommendations, if you'd like. :D
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Zoigal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 12:13 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Also respect the hot springs and geysers..
and the areas surrounding them. That water is HOT...z
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fishwax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 12:37 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. very true--stick to the boardwalks and trails
when wandering around geysers and hot springs :)
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July Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 03:35 PM
Response to Reply #3
7. Thanks for all of the details, fishwax.
My friends plan to visit Yellowstone in August, if they can find lodgings. They don't want to camp, but they'd be okay with a basic motel.

I've never been there, but your descriptions make me want to see Yellowstone. Thanks, again.
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July Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 03:33 PM
Response to Original message
6. Just saw the replies I've received since yesterday.
Thank you to all of you!
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hobbit709 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 03:42 PM
Response to Original message
8. Don't feed the bears
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Haole Girl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 03:44 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. Don't leave any food in the car, either...
..which is "feeding the bears!" lol
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quakerboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 06:29 PM
Response to Original message
10. Its much much colder
in the winter?

We spent Christmas there a few years back. It was... interesting.

The old hotel is a WPA project, and the age is told in the furnishings. Its kinda cool. If only we had sprung for more than one room for the bunch of us, I would even call it nice, despite the many attempts of the elevator to electrocute me(not joking. It took me 3 jolts to start carrying a plastic bic pen to push the buttons with).

The hallway side of the room was set at a permanent and unchangeable 85 degrees. I couldn't take that, so I opened a window near the floor where I slept. The bottle of Orange soda 3 inches from my head was solid long before morning. You can also freeze cheese at 20 below by setting it in the window sill. Fortunately I had just gotten a rather nice sleeping bag, and I like cold. It was a crazy temperature gradient from one side of the room to the other though, even with the window just cracked.

It also managed to Kill my car. Not sure what exactly, just apparently there are temperatures that a beat up old dodge minivan will not operate at.

For all its perils, I really think the winter trip is the better choice, though. The summer is ok, but too many people. Winter you get absolutely beautiful snow. You can see the animals all the better for it, and see their tracks and paths. Plus its not as hot.

As to the Espanol, Cant help ya there. The guided tours are ok, but if they are even slightly outdoors savvy, it might be better to find your own way. I found the tours to be rather boringarific, and my own exploits in the snow to be much more valuable, if a bit chilly on the fingers.
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grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Mar-31-08 06:49 PM
Response to Original message
11. I would try for a cabin inside the park first.
Perhaps there is still something available in the park itself. I recall staying at some very cool old cabins in several different locations.

There's plenty to see and do in every season. It will be a bit crowded in August, probably, but that just means that you figure out how to do things off hours. Go out early in the morning, and be sure to take another drive just before dusk to look for wildlife.
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yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-01-08 10:06 PM
Response to Original message
12. Yellowstone is so amazing. I have been twice and would go again
and I dont normally repeat vacation trips.

I would recommend West Yellowstone for the biggest concentration of lodging convenient to the park. We camped in the park and went to West for breakfast every morning. That drive is really lovely too.

all the things that are wonderful about Yellowstone are available all the time. If it is daylight, you can see it and it is also fun to drive around in the geyser areas at night to see the steam in the dark.

There is a really nice restaurant for dinner at the Main Lodge # Mammoth Hot Springs, and a great place in Gardiner that is just excellent, can't remember the name of it though.

They can buy a car pass that is good for 7 days for Yellowstone and Grand Teton together. Tetons are gorgeous, and a trip into Cody to see the museum there would be nice. too.




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Lydia Leftcoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-01-08 10:28 PM
Response to Original message
13. Los osos son peligrosos...
:-)
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WinkyDink Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-01-08 11:09 PM
Response to Original message
14. El agua es muy caliente.
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BreweryYardRat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-01-08 11:12 PM
Response to Original message
15. If they camp out, tell them not to have sex while they're camping.
Supposedly, it can attract bears.
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swag Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Apr-01-08 11:24 PM
Response to Original message
16. Read "Death in Yellowstone"
Don't jump or bathe in any sulfur pools, even if you want to rescue a dog.

Don't get out of your car to tease the wildlife. The wildlife is bigger and faster than you and will kill you.

Stay on the trails. Obey all warnings and instructions.

Or just stay away.

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ironflange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 12:09 AM
Response to Reply #16
17. Hey, I have that book!
Some pretty stomach-churning stories in there. You do NOT want to screw around with that hot water.
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NNadir Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 01:30 AM
Response to Original message
18. Tell them not to step on a geyser.
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Mendocino Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 07:47 AM
Response to Original message
19. I've been there twice.
Edited on Wed Apr-02-08 07:53 AM by Mendocino
Oops see next text.


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Mendocino Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 07:47 AM
Response to Original message
20. I've been there twice.
The first time way back in 64, I was almost seven. We camped in the park.

The last time in 2000. Stayed at a lodge just outside the east entrance. The lodge was in a relatively good location, but still far from most anything. It was about thirty miles to the closest store in either direction.(Fishing Bridge in the park to the west, the town of Wapati to the east. We visited the park two days and drove 220 and 250 miles. The distances are vast. And no trip to the area is complete without visiting Grand Teton, which is further yet.

As already posted, beware of the wildlife. The bison may be the most dangerous animals in the park. Keep a respectful distance. Moose and elk are unpredictable, they could charge at any moment, especially during the rut season. The bears are fearless, do not feed ever, it is illegal and dangerous. At the lodge we had two young bears roaming the grounds daily. They head out to the highway where people would feed them and take pictures. These bears will be relocated once, and if they return will likely be destroyed. Too dependent on humans.

See: Old Faithful Geyser and Lodge, Mammoth Hot Springs, Lammar Valley(Wolves), both falls of the Yellowstone River, Tower Falls, Norris Geyser Basin. Those are the biggies, many little gems exist. Our favorite was a picnic area along the Gibbon River. A wonderfully green fern lined stream with crystal clear water, quiet and moist.

I seem to recall that bilingual pamphlets were available, but I'm not certain. I would visit the parks NPS website to check on services available for foreign visitors.


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kwassa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 08:16 AM
Response to Original message
21. Get whatever reservation you can now.
I worked in the park in the late '70s, briefly. It is physically huge, it is very popular, like all the major parks you need reservations way in advance to stay during the summer, and it might be too late now.

Most tourists don't venture far from their vehicles, so it is easy to get away from the crowds by doing a little hiking. There can be bad traffic on the roads, and there used to be "bear jams" and "moose jams" when tourists stopped to take pictures.

I don't recall any Spanish services, but things may have changed.

Don't venture too near "thermal features" meaning geysers and hot pools, unless you know what you are doing.
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Arugula Latte Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Apr-02-08 10:52 AM
Response to Original message
22. The whole thing is a massive volcanic caldera. If it blows, will kill us all.
But, hey, I hope they enjoy the trip.

I keed, I keed! ;)

I've always wanted to go there. I know a lot of Europeans do the RV thing ... I wonder if they'd consider that? (I know it's sort of camping, but, if lodging is a problem, it might be a solution.)
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