Have you visited the Yellowstone website? It should give you lots of ideas about where to stay and what to do there. There are a couple of other inns in the Park, one on Yellowstone Lake, and one up at the North Entrance, at Mammoth. When we visited the area in 1996 and 2000 we stayed in the tiny town of West Yellowstone, Montana, which is directly across the road from the West Entrance. In 96 we stayed in a motel and in 2000 we stayed for ten days and rented a townhouse. West Yellowstone gave us many conveniences (and fewer tourists) that aren't available inside the Park.

If you come in from the West Entrance, which we did every day, you drive along the Madison River, one of the prettiest drives in the country. You can pull off the road and walk or picnic right at the water's edge - it's delightful. There are also a lot of buffalo here, you'll be sure to see many here and there, sometimes whole herds. Even if you don't stay at the Old Faithful Inn, it's nice to dine in their restaurant and/or have coffee on the huge second-floor deck. The dining room at the inn on the lake is also lovely.

Other sites not to be missed are the Yellowstone Falls, the hot springs area, and the Mammoth area up at the North Entrance. If this may be the only time you visit, then I would take a half-day or so (actually, I would take a full day) and drive out the South Entrance and down to the valley of the Grand Tetons. The Tetons are so spectacularly awesome that actually, words fail. You could have lunch in the inn at Jenny Lake, right at the base of the mountains, and/or take a boat ride on the lake. Really, really beautiful. Words and pictures don't do it justice!

Since you're going in July, just be aware that this is the height of the tourist season, so the place - especially the Old Faithful area - will be crammed. The farther away from the O.F. area you get, the smaller the crowds. But traffic in many areas will go along at a crawl. In fact, I would only go to Old Faithful to see the geyser erupt once or twice and then beat tracks out of there to elsewhere in the Park. The farther away you get from other people, the greater is the effect of this magical place!

And always take plenty of water, snacks, suntan lotion, a first-aid kit, a blanket, umbrella, etc.

How are you planning to get from Wyoming to Oregon?

15 years ago we stayed at Colter Bay, outside Jackson Hole. The cabins were pretty primitive then but from the website, they look to have been remodeled. The area was beautiful - the restuarant had wonderful breakfasts and it was both convenient to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

There is also a place in Montana that had bears - can't recall the name of it but we drove through Yellowstone to get there. Very nice place to spend the day.

If you are driving along the coast in Oregon, you must plan on stopping along the roadside to take a dunebuggy ride on the Glacier Sand. Its lots of fun and something you probably won't get to do again. Friends told us about it and we stopped when we saw it right along the highway. Its along the southern coast of Oregon. Maybe someone else will be able to provide the specific name of it.

We went last year for a little over a week. Fabulous vacation! We stayed 4 nights in Canyon Lodge and 3 nights in Grant Village. I recomend them both highly. Then we went to the Colter Bay/Jenny Lake area for 2 nights too. If I had to do it over, I'd just stay in Canyon Lodge during Yellowstone, which is what I recommend for you. You can pretty much get to everywhere from there. It is AWESOME! Don't miss driving out to Lamar Valley in the early evening. We saw two grizzles and two wolves going toe to toe over a moose carcus. It was one of the most thrilling adventures our family has ever seen!

If you do go down to the Grand Tetons then staying at Colter bay is good. The cabins have been remodeled and are clean, but plain. The hike up between the Tetons is wonderful. Have fun!

Oh my! I went online and checked out yellowstone website. Looks like we're going to be camping the whole 4 days- all the inns, cabins, lodges are sold out for late May to early September. I should have planned this earlier, like last year:(

Anyhoo, which entrance do you suggest we go to? I'm thinking the south entrance so it's close to Grand Teton, but I don't know how far is it from Old Faithful.

Sable_CA, we're driving from Wyoming to Oregon. Bad idea?

Thanks for all your input.

Before I saw your last post, I was about to tell you that when we went, we made our reservations a year in advance, and even then, we didn't have many choices because almost everything was booked. I definitely recommend staying inside the park if at all possible.

We went to Yellowstone a couple of years ago and LOVED it. It is just amazing. We had been to Yosemite and I guess I expected a similar experience, but being at Yellowstone at times felt like being on another planet.

We combined our trip with a trip to the Grand Tetons as well. Just spectacular. We all want to go back!

We went in August and expected huge crowds, but I didn't think it was too bad.

"...but being at Yellowstone at times felt like being on another planet." I agree! Certain parts of the Park have an unearthly quality.

Rich - If you're looking for a campground, then yes, something nearer the South Entrance would be good. Old Faithful is closer to the South and West Entrances than to any of the others (if I remember correctly). The Madison campground is popular, partly because it's pretty conveniently located.

I asked about how you are driving to Oregon just out of curiosity. Not a bad idea at all! We've done a fair amount of driving around the West, but not in that particular direction. So I hauled out a map of the US. If you're going to be at the Grand Tetons, you could continue through Jackson and south along the US 89 and then connect with the I-84 in Logan, Utah. That would take you into Portland along the Columbia River. We've done that drive to Logan and also driven along the Columbia in Oregon - if you combine the two you would see some spectacular scenery. Then if you end up on a beach at the edge of the Pacific, you will have given yourselves, all in all, an unforgettable experience-of-a-lifetime! Forgive me for drawing up an itinerary! I get all hyper when thinking about this part of the country.

Good luck planning -
Sable

Here is a link that might be useful: Campgrounds

in 1999 we took our Wild Wild West trip. One of our map pins was Yellowstone so we came in from the devils tower( another map pin) way( forget which gate) drove through and wanted to stay just inside the north gate( we had no reservations) we didnt get one there in YS but had no trouble finding a room in I want to say Gardner? just outside of the north gate. I had made reservations for horseback riding while we were going through the park so we went back south into the north gate the next day and out the west gate. The only time we backtracked anywhere. We stayed in Cinnamon Lodge right dead on the Gallatin river. we coulda fished out the window! It is part of Big Sky Mont. We went horsebackriding from the Lodge and actually went through meadows and fields of west Yellowstone.
Cinnamon Lodge had the best Mexican food of anywhere on our 9008 mile trip! It is in the middle of nowhere and it was jammed at dinner- everything made right there!
Not a fancy lodge but a scattering of nice plain log cabins and the restaurant and corral.
We each brought one long pant and one sweatshirt to wear- we bought a lot of sweatshirts on our trip- even in mid July in SF we bought fleeces to wear- San Fran summer wear.
Go and have a great adventure!
oregon to wyo is going to be a beautiful drive! I am jealous!

Thank you guys for the tips:)

Sable, you're too funny! You plan my route for me:) Thank you, I appreciate it. And thank you for the link.

Now I'm off to plan our camping trip!

On our cross-country move in 2000, we camped at Lake Jenny in the Tetons, which was then voted one of the best campgrounds in America. It was astonishingly beautiful! There was a nearby lodge (can't remember its name) with great (somewhat expensive) food, where we ate a couple of times for a feeling of lodge-y luxury. We liked the Tetons so much better than Yellowstone, so if you can fit them in, do.

Other fun things to hit on the way to the Oregon Coast...

Craters of the Moon (an unearthly park with good camping)

Oregon Train Interpretive Center (haven't been, but it's the best in the state... there are several, but this one is in Baker City)

Historic Columbia River Gorge (the most waterfalls in the country, conveniently located on a short detour off 84--give yourself enough time to hike and maybe have a snack at the lodge)

Portland Saturday Market (largest, year-round outdoor art market in the country, with great food)

Powells Books (largest bookstore in the country--AMAZING!)

Cannon Beach (beautiful views)

We moved to Oregon in 2000, and really loved the drive. Make sure to do the Columbia River Gorge part of 84 (after at town called Biggs) in daylight--the views are spectacular.

The drive from Craters of the Moon to Portland is a long, all-day affair, if that helps you make your plans. If you planned to do it one day, you wouldn't have time to see anything on the way, and would miss the amazing views along the way. So I would break it up over a couple days.