{"id":6119,"date":"2021-08-13T10:45:20","date_gmt":"2021-08-13T14:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shaleewanders.com\/?p=6119"},"modified":"2021-12-31T14:16:18","modified_gmt":"2021-12-31T19:16:18","slug":"wyoming-national-park-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shaleewanders.com\/wyoming-national-park-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Wyoming National Park Guide: Everything to Know Before Visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Shalee\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

\n\t\tWyoming National Park Guide: Everything to Know Before Visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park\n\t<\/h1>\n\t

August 13th, 2021<\/p>\n\t\n

Growing up in small-town Michigan, living in a ‘gateway’ town to Wyoming’s National Parks was a bit overwhelming at first.<\/p>\n

Driving through National Parks is, many times, our standard route to get anywhere these days. It doesn’t matter how many times we do it or how long we’ve lived here; I still pinch myself. Sure, the ‘bison jams’ get agitating after the 12th backup of the day when you’re just trying to pass through, but I’d take that kind of traffic jam over a four-lane highway at rush hour any day.<\/p>\n

I was a travel blogger long before I moved to Wyoming. However, I didn’t want to write about the Wyoming National Parks until I felt like I understood them the way they deserved.<\/p>\n

Here we go:<\/p>\n\n

What to Know Before Visiting Wyoming’s National Parks\u00a0<\/strong><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0Are you visiting in the summer? So is everyone else.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wyoming winters are not kind. Yellowstone National Park is typically closed late October – Mid-May. Grand Teton National Park closes many of its roads around this time as well. Unlike many other National Parks that are open year-round, the tourist season for Wyoming National Parks is condensed between June-September.<\/p>\n

I’m not one to plan travels or follow an itinerary, but Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are two of the places I recommend securing your details, accommodations, and activities at least six months ahead of time. Attempting to book and plan a trip three months out will prove nearly impossible unless you want to overpay for the last available campsites\/hotel rooms.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The crowds don’t only affect availability for accommodation. Many of the parking lots in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are full by 10:00 am. Peak mid-day travel times cause long car lines that lead out to the main road in places like Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Old Faithful, and more.\u00a0If you plan to visit any major attractions in either park, attempt to coordinate visits in the early morning or evening.<\/p>\n\n

Slower Vehicles Use Pullouts\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are signs throughout both parks that ask slower vehicles to use turnouts. Unfortunately, most don’t, which causes long lines and eventual traffic jams. A general rule-of-thumb for courtesy in Wyoming is if there are more than four cars behind you, let them pass.<\/p>\n

This also includes using turnouts for wildlife. Everyone’s first bison or elk is exciting, but please avoid stopping in the road. As stated above, these are known as ‘bison jams’ and usually cause quite a backup as well as a headache for rangers. Especially in Yellowstone, there are ample pull-offs that allow those viewing wildlife a safe place to park. It is rare for a wide shoulder to exist on narrow roads, which means being courteous of your fellow parkgoers behind you is all the more meaningful. Bison and elk move slow, so I promise they aren’t going to run away in the three minutes it takes to park. We thank you!<\/p>\n

\"wyoming\"wyoming<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bear Safety in Grizzly Country<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Northwest Wyoming and Western Montana are the only regions in the United States home to the grizzly bear outside of Alaska. We also have wolves, bobcats, coyotes, black bears, rattlesnakes, and more. I will admit my midwestern soul was a bit terrified of the wildlife when we initially moved to the region, especially since we have two hiking cats<\/a>, but I’ve learned awareness and common sense go a long way out here.<\/p>\n

The first thing to know is that grizzly bears are different than black bears. Black bears are found throughout the United States and are significantly smaller than male grizzly bears. Many people think they have grizzly encounters in states like Colorado, Washington, and California, but those are beyond their boundaries.<\/p>\n

Most grizzly attacks occur under two circumstances.<\/p>\n

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  1. A mother protecting her cubs. Most attacks happen in the spring, partly because mothers are protecting their newborn cubs.<\/li>\n
  2. A surprise encounter. Grizzlies rarely want to attack humans and typically charge under self-defense. This is why it is recommended to travel in groups if you are in grizzly country. If you must hike alone, wear bear bells or and attempt to make noise, especially in thick brush\/forests.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Most bear encounters are uneventful, but a few attacks do happen every year. Be smart, don’t approach any bears, and carry at least one canister of bear spray per group. If you head into the backcountry, ensure you have a bear bag and properly hang food every night for safety.<\/p>\n

    Read more about bear safety in Yellowstone National Park\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Read more about bear safety in Grand Teton National Park\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    Where to Visit in Wyoming’s National Parks\u00a0<\/strong><\/h1>\n

    Yellowstone National Park<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

    Best place to stay:\u00a0<\/strong>Cody (outside the park) or Lake (inside the park)<\/p>\n

    YNP encompasses 3,471 square miles of wilderness, which is larger than both Delaware and Rhode Island combined, according to the History Channel. That’s a lot of land, but most of it is located deep in the backcountry and away from roads.<\/p>\n

    Even with most of the park being remote or inaccessible, it is impossible to see everything in a single day. To put it in perspective, it takes three hours to drive straight across the park without stopping. Unlike Yosemite, Grand Teton, Zion, and other national parks, Yellowstone’s amazement doesn’t stem from grand views and towering mountains. Instead, it comes from its abundance of wildlife (nearly 300 species of birds alone) and distinctive geysers. Nowhere else in the world has an ecosystem like Yellowstone National Park. It is one of the last (nearly) intact temperate-zone ecosystems in the northern hemisphere.<\/p>\n

    That is what makes this place so special. Nowhere else in the world can you find this kind of natural diversity.<\/p>\n

    When it comes to places to see in Yellowstone National Park on a time restriction, some places are worth fighting the crowds, and some are not.<\/p>\n\n

    NOT: Old Faithful\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    I’ll be the one to say it: Old Faithful is underwhelming and highly crowded. It might be worth the stop if you have kids, but otherwise, I would skip and spend more time at other thermal features such as West Thumb Geyser Basin and Norris Geyser Basin.<\/p>\n

    Old Faithful erupts roughly three hours, which also makes it inconvenient for many driving through the park. If you miss the eruption, you will have to wait half the day for it to erupt. However, you also don’t want to cut the timing too close as you may find it hard to get a parking spot or seat near the eruption. Benches start to fill up to an hour before the scheduled time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    WORTH IT: Grand Prismatic\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The parking lot for Grand Prismatic is roughly 1\/5 the size it should be. This often causes chaos and clusters for anyone trying to visit. There are two viewing points of the natural wonder: The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook and the Firehole River Bridge Parking lot.<\/p>\n

    The Firehole River Bridge is a series of boardwalks that circles Grand Prismatic and a handful of other thermal opal pools. The walk allows you to get up close and personal with the spring and is my recommended route.<\/p>\n

    Grand Prismatic Spring overlook is a one-mile roundtrip hike that leads to a lookout a few hundred feet above the geyser basin. It is a unique perspective but is quite far from the spring and only offers a small viewing platform, making it uncomfortable and crowded most of the season.<\/p>\n

    The opal pool of Grand Prismatic is a world of its own and unlike anything else I’ve seen in my 35+ countries, which is why I put it at the top of the ‘worth it’ list.<\/p>\n

    Additional note:<\/strong>\u00a0Leave hats behind if you plan the Firehole River Bridge loop. Many hats litter the springs around Grand Prismatic from unsuspecting winds blowing them off tourist’s heads. It is illegal and extremely frowned upon (seriously, don’t do it) to step off the boardwalk, making retrieving any lost hat nearly impossible.<\/p>\n\n

    NOT: Petrified Tree<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    I’ll let you in on a secret: there are a lot of petrified trees in Wyoming. You must hike into the wilderness for most of them, but the petrified tree is nothing special. Not to mention, there is an entire National Park in Arizona dedicated to these ancient fossils. Save the stop for your southwestern road trip. There are also few parking spots, and it is easy to get trapped down the narrow road if too many people pile in at once.<\/p>\n\n

    WORTH IT: Backcountry in Yellowstone\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    For the most part, Yellowstone is a ‘pull-off’ National Park, meaning visitors rarely travel more than a mile from their car. That is surprising given that Yellowstone is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Any stop in Yellowstone will be busy, but the complete opposite is said for the backcountry. Unlike many of the long-distance hikes in places like Zion and Yosemite, the wilderness of Yellowstone is, well, empty. Get an overnight camping permit somewhere in the park if you want to experience the true wild west of Yellowstone. You might even hear the cry of one of the many Yellowstone wolf packs in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n\n

     <\/p>\n

    WORTH IT: Yellowstone Lake + Lake Butte Overlook\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    On the eastern side of the park, Lake Butte gains elevation over Yellowstone Lake for a unique perspective of the ancient crater. On clear days you can see the Teton mountain range in the distance. As the plaque at the pullout states, the mountains directly across the lake are some of the most remote wilderness in the country. I call it one of the great postcards of Yellowstone National Park.<\/p>\n

    I recommend stopping at Yellowstone Lake for lunch during your travels across the park as picnic areas are frequent and the views are plentiful. The lake is cold, with a yearly temperature in the 40s, but that doesn’t stop many families from enjoying a small ‘beach’ day along the rocky shoreline. It’s also one of the best spots in the park to watch the sunset.<\/p>\n\n

    WORTH IT: Geyser Basins<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    There are multiple geyser basins located throughout Yellowstone National Park. These include<\/p>\n