My wifey and I are looking for a place to go during spring break. First we though Mexico, but I think it'll be crazy during spring break. Same with Vegas or Miami (two other places I was thinkin of) A national park seems like a safe choice. I'm thinking Yellowstone? Any recommendations on what to do, where to stay, etc?
Chico Hot Springs is a great hotel just outside the park. If it's just you and wifey, I recommend a bungelow. Very nice. One bit of advice from experience, gas up just before entering the park. It's a damn big park. Amazing place. It should absolutely be on the list of things you gotta do before you die list. It's incredible.
We just had a yellowstone thread a couple of weeks ago, that had a lot of good info. I can't search, but one of the contributing members can. I think that it may have been started by DaDakota, but I won't swear to it.
It's a nice place, but you need to be content with just reconnecting with nature. I really liked it, but bear in mind that it'll still be pretty cold during March. Evan
Let's see now Yellowstone in March! How much luggage can your snowmobile carry? Anyway I googled Yellowstone & they're talking "over the snow vehicle". The tourist info # is (307) 344-2386. In warm weather, Yellowstone is great!
Yellowstone is gorgeous. Went there back in May 2007. Bear in mind, large chunks of the park are inaccessible by car during the winter time, as the roads are closed. The geysers, buffalo, elk, bald eagles are all really cool though. Make sure you check out the Grand Tetons as well, which is a gorgeous mountain range. It's adjacent to Yellowstone. Maybe you could even go south to Jackson Hole for a day or two.
And if it explodes while you're there you get the benefit of the quick death without starvation from the winter of its fallout. Bonus!!!
The Grand Canyon is cooler IMO. You've got Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Southern Utah that are about 3-4 hours away. I toured the national parks out west a few years back and I enjoyed those a lot more than Yellowstone.
Cooler? cooler than boiling pots of mud? crystal blue pools with red and orange algaes, geysers, a huge yellow waterfall, elk and bison everywhere, the freaking Tetons, the youngest mountains in North America, Jackson Hole, the steepest ski runs I've ever seen and you can see it all from the comfort of your own touring car. Yellowstone is pretty damn cool.
There's a reason the National Park Service thinks of both Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon as "Crown Jewels" of our park system. There's nothing in the world like either one. When you see the Grand Canyon for the first time, you are awestruck by the awesomeness of the canyon and the scale of the view... it is all there in front of you. When you see Yellowstone for the first time, it is more like a series of impressions rather than one big picture. Both are cool.
I went with my family when I was about 13 and even though I was so young, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I imagine now that I'm twice that age I would probably appreciate it even more. Yellowstone Falls and the hot springs were a highlight for me.
I've been to most of the National Parks in the USA. I would not recommend going to Yellowstone in March. Heck, I went there in mid May and there was a ton of snow on the ground then. It's at such a high elevation that it really affects the weather tremendously. We had blizzard conditions inside the park, but once we drove out and got to the bottom it was clear and fine. Every park is great and I have a hard time ranking one ahead of another because they are all so different. But I especially enjoyed these parks: Redwood (Cali) -- the #1, absolute best thing I did on my trip to the USA was a hike called "Fern Canyon" in Redwood National Park. The trail head is a bit difficult to get to - you have to drive through a narrow, winding road and even through a couple of shallow streams - but it is well worth it! Mt. Zion (Utah) -- awesome hiking. If you go there, you have to do the "Angel's Landing" hike. It's one the best things I have ever done. A highlight of my life for sure. Joshua Tree (Cali) -- the landscape of joshua trees was one of the most unusual and amazing things I have ever seen. Also, if you are into rock climbing at all, this is a world class spot for bouldering. We didn't do any of that, though. Olympia (Wash) -- the "Hall of Mosses" in the Ho rain forest of Olympia National Park is an incredible hike. It's like being in Jurassic Park. Sequoia/King's Canyon (Cali) -- how can you go wrong with the biggest trees in the world? Badlands (SD) -- the colors of the rock formations are just incredible. Everglades (Fla) -- seeing gators up close is wicked cool! Mammoth Cave (KY) -- the largest cave system in the world. Hiking the Grand Canyon was also pretty cool, as were the geysers at Yellowstone, and I really enjoyed the waterfalls of Yosemite, but I think I had a better time at the ones mentioned above because they were equally incredible but less busy and less "touristy." And yeah, I would save Yellowstone for the summer because of the weather issues. Just be sure to book ahead well in advance!
I didn't say Yellowstone wasn't cool. The hot springs were insanely interesting, and there is certainly no place like it anywhere else in the world. The Hiking at Mt Zion is unreal though, The views you get will stay with you the rest of your life. I never had a better "naturey" experience.
no you said it!!!! i heard you say it!!! remember when we were hanging out at lazer tag?? you totally told me then you think yellowstone is for losers and completely uncool. i was all like "moes, take it easy!" but you kept insisting...screaming...ranting on about it. seriously, moes, this is all so disappointing.
I am so mad at you right now I can barely type. I am hereby changing the name of our club to "No Madmaxes." and I will invite the other Mad Max to join, therefor fulfilling the limit of Madmaxes able to join the club without incident. Good day sir.
