Astronomy/Stargazing

You're getting in just under the wire to have your own campfire in the park (at designated locations) as the last day permitted is October 15th.  In terms of hosted NPS campfires and Ranger campfire talks, you'll have to check with the park itself for an updated schedule.  The best number to call is: (209) 372-0200; press 3 then 5.

Have a great trip!

Northern lights are not commonly seen at Yellowstone. According to rangers at the park, it's a rarity that occurs only on a very clear night and, at best, will be quite faint. One ranger I spoke with has lived in Yellowstone for ten years and only seen them once or twice. Thus, I'd have to place your odds pretty low. Better bet to see them would be at the national parks of Alaska!  

Have a nice trip to Yellowstone and be sure to come back to OhRanger.com to share your experience, especially if you happen to have a once in a decade sighting!  

Hi,

A great place to watch the sun rise over the canyon is the El Tovar hotel. You can park at the the hotel and walk out onto the Rim Trail--just pick a quite spot and enjoy! If you can't finding parking at El Tovar, you can usually find a spot in the large lot by Bright Angel Lodge. To get there, turn right as you exit the El Tovar lot area and continue on to the next lot. 

If you're not going to be close to El Tovar on your trip, then don't fret! The Grand Canyon is a huge place, so any spot you pick along the rim that's away from crowds should be a great place to watch the sunrise.

Have fun on your trip to the canyon! Be sure to check back in with us to post photos of the sunrise and also to comment about where you decided to go to watch it!

If you enjoy scenic beauty, extended hikes, short day hikes, and the serenity of escaping from the crowds, then you'll love the area around Bonanza Creek Campground in Challis Salmon National Forest. The campground is located in the Yankee Fork Ranger District offers over 300 miles of trails to enjoy. There are trails that will take you into a mixture of rugged peaks, timbered slopes, narrow canyon bottoms and majestic lakes. The Yankee Fork District offers a vast variety of trails to satisfy the desires of all kinds of uses, motorcycles, four wheelers, horseback, bicyclers and hikers, whether they are a novice or experienced. You can find a lot more information about the area here: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/yankeefork/trails.shtml have a great trip!