Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Yellow Stone Park who has been there

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Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 01-13-2010, 03:47 AM:

Watch a fantastic docco on TV about Yellowstone park the other night, I was really taken by the beauty of this place , relativity untouched wilderness (except maybe Phil Hills back yard), I would be interested in hearing from those who have been there. It would rate as a number one attraction for me if i ever had the chance to visit USA.

We may have some mighty fine beaches over here , but we are very flat with knee high vegetation and no water. it creates a big contrast.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 01-13-2010, 06:18 AM:

Yellowstone is awesome but very crowded on the main tourist routes. I have heard that during peak season they limit the number of cars entering the park, but I have not encountered that myself. I recommend that you take the time to hike some of the trails that take you away from the crowds. My wife & I hiked one that went up to some rarely visited geysers. Along the way we saw lots of wildlife including a group of buffalo. Be prepared for starting out in near freezing weather and returning in warmer (if not hot) conditions. Also, take some time to visit the Grand Tetons which are just south of Yellowstone on the road to Jackson Hole.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-13-2010, 10:54 AM:

I live about 4 hours from the park and have been there many times. It definitely is awesome but it does get crowded in the summer. The trick is to visit early or late in the season -- anytime from opening in May until mid June, or from the week after Labor Day until closing.

My favorite section is the Canyon section, in particular Upper and Lower Falls. There's a hike called Uncle Tom's Trail which leads about half way down into the canyon via stairs.

Upper Geyser Basin (home of Old Faithful) is a great place to spend a whole day if you have the time. There are literally hundreds of features to see, plus a new visitor center.

I feel bad for people who come to this area to "see Yellowstone" and only allocate a day or two to drive through...you really need to spend at least four or five days and plan to get out of the car a LOT.

quote: Rick Raskin
I have heard that during peak season they limit the number of cars entering the park, but I have not encountered that myself.

You might be thinking of snowmobiles. There is a limit on the number of snowmobiles that can enter during winter season. (I suppose there is an upper limit on cars too but I've never heard of the park being "full" of cars and no more being allowed in.)

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-14-2010, 11:13 PM:

I'm from E.Idaho and a trip to the park was a 2.5 hr drive up north for the many of us. One could leave in the morning and make the Old Faithful run by 11a, have lunch at the Old Faithful Lodge, walk around and look at the Morning Glory pools and the Mudpots, head back to the lodge and get home before nightfall.

Yet, I was over here in the Boise area when the great 1988 fire hit the park. My fam and friends back home said it was definitely smokey for quite the time. I went back to the park that autumn and the park was in a definitely sorry state with all of the fire damage - looks so barren and not green as it used to be.

-Monte

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 01-15-2010, 03:34 AM:

I remember the fires because the weather guys in Lubbock was telling us at the time the smoke we were all smelling was coming from up there. I had not realized that was possible...but there it was.

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 01-15-2010, 04:26 AM:

yes well it sounds like a place i will add to my bucket list along with exploring Mark Gulbrandsen's old bear infested mine shafts.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-15-2010, 11:11 AM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
I went back to the park that autumn and the park was in a definitely sorry state with all of the fire damage - looks so barren and not green as it used to be.

It's amazing to go now and look at how the fire areas are recovering. Areas where the "experts" said the ground was basically dead for all time are now covered with lush meadows and new trees 5 or 6 feet tall. It's really cool.

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 01-16-2010, 01:21 AM:

not unlike our parks here every summer they are ravaged by bush fire mostly from lightning strikes , tourists travel from afar to see our parks and all they get is burnt sticks to look at , oh we and the odd nice beach.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-18-2010, 09:54 PM:

Yellowstone is great for sure but there is so much more to the area that one needs at least a month to see at least some of it. I always wondered how aware tourists are of what lies within a couple hours driving radius around Yellowstone. Aside from Yellowstone itself there is the Beartooth Highway and Red Lodge Montana, Chief Joseph Highway and Cooke City Montana, The Tetons and Jackson Hole Wyoming, Cody Wyoming and the Museums it offers(largest gun collection in the world). Aside from Mike's theater in Forsyth these are but a few of the places and things that are IMHO just as worthy or perhaps more worthy than Yellowstone itself.

Mark

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 01-20-2010, 05:57 AM:

not unlike some of our park areas , the scenery in the areas beside the parks is sometimes better than the parks themselves.
the gun museum seems interesting.