Yellowstone

OutpostUSA.org

Yellowstone is the Mecca. All outdoorsmen must make at least one pilgrimage to this magnificent park during their lifetimes, and many come back every year or every other year. The hiking, backpacking, horsepacking, fishing and sightseeing options here are unlimited. It's a wierd, other worldly place where you'll spend a week or two above an active volcano which has erupted twice in the past and will erupt again, just (hopefully) not while you're here. And you'll share the space with wildlife. Yellowstone has been called the American Serengeti. Herds of Bison (not Buffalo!!), Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Elk, Antelope, Bighorn Sheep, Wolves, Mule Deer and other animals roam the park, often causing traffic jams and other inconveniences. You will see and probably have a confrontation with at least some of these animals while you're here. Every year many injuries and some deaths result from such confrontations as tourists insist on trying to get too close for photographs or feeding. You'll see Geology at work, as geysers, steam vents, hot pools, mud pots, boiling springs, fissures and other features surround you. You'll also experience weather here. If you stay a week you'll see at least one day of snow, hail, sleet and/or freezing rain, yes, even in July and August. It's a wild place, Nature In The Raw.

Yellowstone is where the idea of the national park began. It was the first in the world, a uniquely American idea now copied by most other nations. At first, when early explorers reported what they'd seen, no one back East would believe them. When the U.S. Government finally realized it did exist, it sent the Army out to protect it until Congress and the Department of the Interior could figure out what to do with it. It was declared a national park in 1872.

Today Yellowstone includes 3,472 square miles, which is 2,221,766 acres. It stretches from the snow covered Continental Divide to deep canyons and includes both vast prairies and high mountains. Half of the world's thermal features are here.

Yellowstone Lake is at 7732 feet altitude. It covers 136 square miles with a 110 mile shoreline. It's 394 feet deep in the center and is the largest high altitude lake in North America.

Unfortunately, Yellowstone's popularity is now a problem. Because of distances, narrow, winding roads, and traffic jams (most caused by animals), you cannot stay outside the park and drive in every day. But to obtain reservations inside the park you must call a year ahead, meaning June of one year for June of the next year.

Crowds at major attractions are also an issue. Old Faithful, Prismatic Spring, The Fountain Paint Pots, Mammoth Hot Springs and Yellowstone Falls are so popular you may have to park a mile away and walk.

Expect an hour wait at dinner at any of the restaurants.

Because of the law of supply and demand, the park is also expensive. In 1979 Congress voted to privatize national park lodging and concessions, so instead of the park service running them, private companies would bid for them. TWA ran Yellowstone services from '79 until 2005, when Xanterra outbid them. The park's priority had been providing public service. The private companies' priority is making a profit. So they've jacked up room rentals and restaurant prices to "whatever the market will bear." Since Yellowstone attracts tourists from around the world, that means unreasonable levels. Since our tax dollars pay for the park, it seems outrageous that Xanterra be allowed to charge obscene prices. But it is what it is. You still need to come. So just save up for a year or so and pay the price.

The South, North and West entrances experience backups in peak season. We recommend coming in through Cody and the East entrance, which is much less commonly used and has no backup.

Realize you'll be at 7000 - 8000 feet the whole time you're here. The altitude will affect you. You'll find yourself short of breath, tiring quicker, and having trouble sleeping at night. You may find your appetite suppressed. After a few days, as your blood and heart adjust, these symptoms will subside.

Be very careful with sunburn. In this high, thin air, you can burn very quickly. You need a broad brimmed hat and good sunblock. Be especially careful of your nose and ears. Sunburn is the number one injury the medical clinics here see.

Do Not try to come here for one or two days. Whether you plan to hike, backpack, fish, horsepack, or just stay at one of the lodges and explore the more popular sites, you need a good week to experience the park. This is a huge place and it takes time.

Be sure to bring adequate clothes. It may be 100 degrees where you live, but you'll see snow, sleet, hail and freezing rain here. You need a good anorak and long sleeved flannel shirt, and a pair of long pants. Even when daytime temps rise into the 70s and low 80s, evening temps will plunge quickly, at least into the 40s and often to the 30s.

If you have a good camera bring it. Your cell phone is not adequate for the shots you'll want here. A telephoto lens would be helpful.

Assume no internet. Even at Old Faithful Inn, there is no internet. You may occasionally discover a bar or even two but it won't last. On our most recent visit we went a week unable to access our email on our phones, IPads or laptops. As you move around the park, you can find brief signals. Snow Lodge, Visitor Centers, Mammoth Hotel and Canyon Lodge have internet, but they only extend for a short distance outside the buildings.

Budget for Bear Spray (Pepper Spray) and an airhorn and hang a set of bells on your pack. They sell Bear Spray at various locations and offer lessons in how to use it. The bells let the Bear know you're coming so hopefully they'll move out of your way.