Glacier/Grand Teton/Yellowstone NPs - what to do?

[alesis]

Hey guys-
Visiting the NPs listed in July, and I'm wondering what are "must do" in the parks and surrounding areas.
Kids are 6,10 and 12 and love hikin and scenic spots as well as the usual tourist traps. Any help is appreciated!

[66chevelle]

I also am from Michigan and will be visiting these same parks in July, gonna follow this closely.

[RGar974417]

Go into the Inn at Old Faithful. The lobby is bueatifull.The dinning room is nice with meals anywhere from $12 to $30. Take in all the ranger programs and check out the visitor centers. At Mammoth Hot Springs there are stores,restaurants and historic buildings plus the hot springs themselves.If you need groceries head into Gardiner, Mt which is a few miles north of Hot Springs.We saw a mother grizzly and 3 cubs on the road from Norris to Canyon. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is really neat with the lower falls.We stayed in Madison Campground for 4 nights. Pretty centrally located.But this time of year many more campgrounds will be open.

[fanrgs]

1320Fastback wrote:
We're staying in the Tetons right now at Colter Bay and will be for another week. Our plans are to take a scenic float down the Snake River, do some hiking around Jackson, boat tour of Jackson Lake and possibly rent canoes and do some shore line exploring of our own.

When my now 40-something sons were young, they were on year-round schools in Colorado. So we vacationed in the "off-season." They still talk about one September when we spent a week in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. For the first several nights, we stayed in a real log cabin at Colter Bay. Each night we built a wood fire in the big stone fireplace and felt just like Jackson Hole pioneers. And one morning while they were paddling a rented canoe along the shoreline of Jackson Lake, they saw a moose wading in the shallows. Pretty simple things but memories that have lasted a lifetime for them.

A few days later we walked into Old Faithful Lodge and overheard an "old lady" (probably younger then than we are now!) with a New Jersey-accented stage whisper saying, "What are those kids doing here? This is OUR time of the year!" They still laugh when they talk about that little episode. But, needless to say, Old Faithful and the Morning Glory Pool impressed them even more.

Then one very early morning, we drove to Yellowstone Falls. We were the first car in the parking lot and decided to wait a bit for a fog to lift. While sitting in the car, a small herd of buffalo surrounded the car, grazing on the grass in the parking lot landscape strips. A couple of cows were not much more than an arm's length from the car, but none bothered us. In a few minutes they all wandered away, but I am not sure any of us breathed for a good two minutes as we waited to see what would happen. Unfortunately, Yellowstone Falls was a bit anticlimactic after that!

It's hard to choose things that will impress every child, but they don't have to be expensive to become lasting memories.

[dodge_guy]

Thanks everyone. I can't wait. We will be there in a month and a half!

[4runnerguy]

Take the boat shuttle across Jenny Lake to the Cascade Canyon trailhead. Just a different way to start a hike.

If you don't mind stairs, hike down to one of the viewpoints in Yellowstone Canyon to see the falls from a better perspective.

Of course a hike around the Lower Geyser Basin is a must. Stop in at the Old Faithful VC and check out the anticipated eruption times to see if you can plan a loop to see some of the other geysers erupt (besides Old Faithful).

Walk out onto Fishing Bridge and look down at all the large rainbow trout swimming below you.

[patperry2766]

If you can afford it, there are several outfitters around the Tetons that do horseback rides. We went on one years ago and it was awesome.

[memtb]

You may talk to a ranger or two, to get an idea of things that may have changed recently, from wildlife movement, to environmental changes. Some of the things to see or do may not have existed a week before! memtb

[Gjac]

Hike Iceburg lake in Glacier. There is a nice hike right out of Two Medicine CG with beautiful views of the park and CG with a lot of alpine flowers. I June there will still be snow up there. Fishing is good also in Glacier if you like to fish.

[Bayoubass]

In Glacier, I didn't notice anyone mention - Going to the Sun Road. This is a must but it's slow and I wouldn't tow anything. Bring lunch, pull over at a scenic spot and enjoy. One of the most breathtaking rides of my life!!!!
See Jenny Lake in the Tetons. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a great hike that is easy but beautiful- the waterfall is terrific. That area of the West is my best if I have to pick one.....wish I were going!

[vermilye]

For scenery check out the view of the Tetons from the buildings along Mormon Row.

[Cali-MinnieWinn]

We went on the chuckwagon horseback ride and bbq in Yellowstone and took a float trip in the Tetons. A little pricey, but if you are looking for something special/different.
In all parks, lots of beautiful short hikes/walks for all ages. Be sure to take advantage of ranger talks/walks. You will get a newspaper/activity guide at each park listing all of the programs, but if you want to plan in advance, visit nps.gov; each park has a lot of information listed and you can usually download the current park newspaper/brochure.

[Horsedoc]

If you are staying on the West Glacier, pack a lunch and ride over the pass to St Mary. Lot of pull-outs for photos, especially up around Logan rest area.

Good hike is Trail of Cedars. Much of it is on a boardwalk and the trees are huge. Moss is likely thick enough to hide in with the water seeping out of the rocks. Thirty yards off the road and the noise disappears. It is amazing how quiet it is there.

[The_Kroc]

While your in the Tetons, take in the Bar J Wrangler Chuckwagon dinner/show in the evenings in Wilson WY just West of Jackson, it's quite a treat. Our kids loved it way back in the 1980's and the wife & I loved it a couple of years ago once again. Call ahead for reservations, they sell out every night.

[Braces]

Talk with Rangers about need for bear spray if hiking and let Ranger tell kids about hiking "rules" for wild animal encounters and safety around geothermal areas. Also let kids do the Junior Ranger programs in the parks, they usually love it.