Yellowstone - Huge
Written: Oct 26 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tremendous, awesome, unique attractions.
Cons: Too many people converge on only a few specific sites.
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| ErgoPropterHoc's Full Review: Yellowstone National Park |
Yellowstone is perhaps one of the more famous parks in the National Park system. It encompasses a huge expanse, across three states -- but you can learn all this from any typical guidebook. I had a fabulous day and a half there while driving cross-country (a trip I highly recommend,) but there were a few surprises (both good and bad.) What you won't learn in the guidebook, or what may not fully dawn upon you:
- You may be going into the park to do some good hiking, and get in touch with nature. But be prepared to do some good driving, as well. We arrived at the front gate after a long day's drive, quite tired and somewhat famished. We were somewhat surprised (and dismayed) that unlike most national parks, the visitor's centre and lodge are not right by the gate. They are instead in the center of the park, some forty to fifty miles away (depending on which gate you use to enter the park.) Also, be prepared for delays that could last half an hour or more. Inside the park, there are very few roads, and generally no way to get around any delays, whether they be created by road construction of a pack of Buffalo.
- Try and fuel up your car right before you enter the park. (This may be in a town several dozen miles from the gate. Inside the park, there's only a single fuel provider (Conoco), prices are higher, and there's no self service.
- Old Faithful is an amazing geyser, but it's not the most impressive one there. There are other geysers which are more predictable, higher, hotter, more voluminous, and pretty much more spectacular. Just because you have not heard of them before doesn't mean they're not exciting.
- Don't be sad if it's a grey, rainy day when you're at the park - those days can be quite spectacular as well. I have only a single photo on my desk at work: a panoramic picture of the most amazing double rainbow, which arched clear across the sky, and ended on the ground in front of some mountains.
- Be prepared for nearly any weather, at any time of year. Even in July, nighttime temperatures in the park can get down pretty low. If you're planning on camping out, bring a heavy sleeping bag. If you don't (like I didn't,) you may want to consider staying up late at the lodge/hotel right by Old Faithful, chatting with people. That way, you can stay out of the cold longer, and you can meet some quite interesting people.
- If you are going during the busy summer months, plan on arriving at a campsite early in the day when you first arrive at the park. Also, make sure you go and select a campsite for yourself before venturing out into the park at large. Many of the good campsites fill up fast, and you may get stuck at a site lacking even basic amenities, out on the fringe of the park. (Unless, of course, that's the kind of thing that you are looking for.
- If you want to get away from people, hike on trails that are less accessible, longer, or even consider going off the trail in certain places. The easier trails tend to get "mobbed" with people, and it loses some of it's wilderness feeling when it seems like you are on a highway.
Finally - go without a fixed plan. If you are willing and able to adjust to the conditions and opportunities around, you'll enjoy them a whole lot more.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ErgoPropterHoc
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Location: Evanston, IL
Reviews written: 71
Trusted by: 66 members
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