Yellowstone National Park
Hello,
It is always best to call the park office and speak with an employee to be sure. The phone number for Yellowstone National Park is 307-334-7387 and Glacier National Park is 406-888-7800. For more information you can visit the National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
Hope that helps! Thanks.
-Erika
Please also see these two websites for more infromation specific to the park.
Glacier - http://www.tdtcompanion.com/NPS/Glacier/Default.aspx
Yellowstone - www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm
Hi SandyO,
Thanks for reaching out to us. The menu for this winter season and next summer has not yet been confirmed. I would recommend checking the website closer to the time you plan on visiting the park: http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/dining/ or you can call the concessioners dining department at (307) 344-5202. Hope that helps!
-Erika
I'm assuming this question is in regard to the NPS shutdown Oct. 1, 2013.
For the most part, the answer will be no. Gates into the parks will be closed to all non-resident, non-essential (emergency and law enforcement) traffic.
Death Valley NP is an odd exception. The main park road is California highway 190, not included in NPS jurisdiction. Highway 190 will be open, though most or all other roads in the park will be closed.
Your best option is to visit the NPS website for the park you plan to visit, or call the park to find out exactly what is and is not open at that particular park.
Hi Cannon,
For lodging options in Yellowstone National Park take a look at the places that the National Park Service suggests on its website: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/lodges.htm
Thanks!
Inside Yellowstone park, your only option for hotel or cabin lodging is through Xanterra Parks & Resorts (Full Disclosure: I work for Xanterra, currently at Death Valley, formerly Yellowstone)
http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/
Deciding which of the options they offer (or even deciding on other lodging in the "gateway towns" such as West Yellowstone MT, Gardiner MT, Cooke City MT or Cody WY, is "best" really depends on your taste and what you want to get out of your visit. Want to fish or boat Yellowstone Lake and the rivers? Lake Hotel has upscale amenities and fine dining, while Lake Lodge has more rustic (and affordable, if you're on a budget) accomodations. Likewise, Old Faithful Inn is a a beatiful, somewhat upscale and pricy historic hotel, while Old Faithful lodge is more rustic, and Old Faithful SnowLodge is somewhere in between, with modern and well appointed hotel rooms alongside rustic, affordable cabins. The other locations like Mammoth Hot Springs and Canyon Lodge have similar options, while the small locations like Roosevelt Lodge are fairly rustic and have a definite western, wilderness feel.
The time of year of your visit changes your options as well. Yellowstone is closed from early November to mid December and again from mid March to mid April, check the NPS Yellowstone site for exact dates by year. During the winter months, Old Faithful SnowLodge and Mammoth Hotel are your only options, everything else is closed. By mid to late may and through till early to mid October, all of the park's services and lodging is open.
A bit of research with your personal preferences, expectations and goals during your visit and a visit to the Xanterra site, or a google search on one of the gateway communities I mentioned, with a phone call to the lodges that interest you should help you pick the 'best' option for you.
And don't forget camping! The weather in Yellowstone in the summer varies a little day to day, but is generally mild and perfect for camping out.
Guided trips into Yellowstone’s backcountry may be arranged with a licensed outfitter. Contact Jackson Hole Llamas at (307) 739-9582, Lone Mountain Ranch at (406) 995-4644, Yellowstone Llamas at (406) 586-1155 or Llama Trips in Yellowstone at (406) 587-2661. Early reservations are highly recommended.
There is RVing permitted at Tower Fall, Pebble Creek, and Slough Creek campgrounds in Roosevelt Country. Please visit the National Park Service's website for more information on campgrounds in Yellowstone.
Just to expand on Christie's answer a bit:
Tower Falls campground is the closest to Roosevelt Lodge and stables, and also features a small (compared to other outlets in the park) store and restaurant just across the road from the campground.
However, the sites at Tower Falls are designed for RVs of 30 foot or shorter size, and the campground itself has some steep grades and very sharp turns, if I recall, also, the road between Roosevelt and Tower Falls (only a mile or two, if I recall) is a little twisty. The road in the other direction, toward Mt Washburn and Canyon village, is steep and very twisty.
Slough Creek is the next closest, and in my opinion, nicest of the three options. The campground is set well off the main road in a secluded spot with light trees and a creek/small river running alongside. Like Tower Falls, the RV spots are all limited to 30foot or shorter rigs, but manuvering to and around the site is much easier.
A little further down the road toward Northeast Gate and Cooke City, MT, Pebble Creek is the best option if you have a longer rig and/or need pull through spots. The site is located fairly close to the main road, and facilities at Cooke City are a short drive away. In my experience, this campground has the best chances of wildlife viewing of the three we're discussing, I've seen bear cubs (didn't see momma, but I'm sure she was around), wolves and deer in the valley up there.
It is worth mentioning that according to the park service website, none of these campgrounds have "full hookups" or dump stations, you have to stay down at Fishing Bridge for hookups, though dump stations are available at most of the larger locations (Grant Village, Canyon Village, Fishing Bridge, etc) in the park.
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/camping-in-yellowstone.htm
That page at the Yellowstone website has more details on the different campgrounds and their features.
Which park are you referring to?
Horseback riding is best in spring or summer. Opportunities for this fun outoor activity are available at Mamoth, Tower-Roosevelt, and Canyon. You can visit the National Park Service's Yellowstone National Park website for more information.
Please refer to the National Park Service's website for specific details about visiting national parks with your pets. More information can be found by searching for individual parks on nps.gov.
