Road Trip Yellowstone Read online

  ROAD TRIPYELLOW STONE

  ROAD TRIPYELLOWSTONE

  ADVENTURES JUST OUTSIDE AMERICA’S FAVORITE PARK

  DINA MISHEV

  Guilford, Connecticut

  National Park Trips Media’s mission is to inspire travelers through authentic storytelling to take a great American road trip to a national park. It is part of Active Interest Media’s Outdoor Group.

  An imprint of Globe Pequot

  Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

  Copyright © 2018 by

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

  British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Mishev, Dina, author.

  Title: Road trip Yellowstone : adventures just outside America’s favorite park / Dina Mishev.

  Description: Guilford, Connecticut : Lyons Press, 2018. | Includes index.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2017048250 | ISBN 9781493030309 (pbk.) ISBN 9781493030316 [e-book]

  Subjects: LCSH: Yellowstone National Park Region—Description and travel.

  Classification: LCC F722 .M57 2018 | DDC 917.87/520434—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017048250

  The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

  Printed in the United States of America

  CONTENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  YELLOWSTONE PRIMER

  PART 1: NORTH AND NORTHEAST ENTRANCES

  Road Trip 1: Gardiner

  Road Trip 2: Encountering Local Characters

  Road Trip 3: A Trip to Paradise

  Road Trip 4: Red Lodge

  Road Trip 5: Cooke City

  Road Trip 6: High Country

  PART 2: SOUTH ENTRANCE

  Road Trip 1: Kelly

  Road Trip 2: The West Bank

  Road Trip 3: Art and Culture

  Road Trip 4: Downtown Jackson

  Road Trip 5: Public Lands

  PART 3: EAST ENTRANCE

  Road Trip 1: All Roads Lead to Cody

  Road Trip 2: Old West

  Road Trip 3: Culture

  Road Trip 4: Hot Springs and Meeteetse

  Road Trip 5: Wild Lands

  PART 4: WEST ENTRANCE

  Road Trip 1: Butte

  Road Trip 2: Bozeman

  Road Trip 3: Teton Valley to West Yellowstone

  Road Trip 4: The Williamsburg of the West

  Road Trip 5: Gallatin Canyon

  Road Trip 6: Madison River Valley

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  My first trip to Yellowstone was the summer before I started eighth grade. We hit it on a family road trip west from our home in Maryland. I’d like to say my memories of those days were vivid and exciting. I’d be lying. For weeks before we left home, my dad, who had lived in Great Falls, Montana, and spent many weekends exploring Yellowstone in the 1960s before marrying my mom, told my younger brother and I stories about bears that stuck their heads into your car, even your tent. There were tales about water exploding up out of seemingly nowhere. I couldn’t wait to experience these things myself.

  By the time my family made it to Yellowstone in the late 1980s, the park had begun managing human/bear interactions. And by “managing,” they meant preventing them from happening as much as possible. We didn’t see a single bear in the park, much less have one stick its head into our tent.

  To a precociously imaginative kid like myself, tales about water exploding suddenly out of the ground had conjured up a vision much more awesome than the reality of Old Faithful. (Nothing less than a Mt. St. Helens–level eruption would have satisfied my expectations.) Since I knew little to nothing about geology, I couldn’t appreciate the awesomeness happening underground that caused Old Faithful’s faithfulness.

  But the trip wasn’t totally a waste. I do have vivid memories of driving around Jackson, Wyoming, looking for a hotel when we rolled into town without a reservation (some things don’t change). I remember our car muscling its way up the Beartooth Pass between Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana, and thinking it improbable and astonishing that such a landscape, and road, existed. How had a road been built in such hostile geology? There were snowbanks, taller even than my mom and dad! I could have a snowball fight with my younger brother! In August! How could this many lakes exist so close to each other, and each be more beautiful than the last? And there was the bear I so wanted to see, even if it was a speck in the distance (and might really have been a tree stump). My takeaway from that trip was that Yellowstone was so much more than the national park. The whole area around the park was magic.

  Immediately after graduating from college, I ended up moving to Jackson, an hour from Yellowstone’s South Entrance. But, for more than 20 years now, I’ve been working on appreciating the awesomeness of the world’s first national park, and having experiences in it not even my prolifically creative 12-year-old self could have thought up.

  Exploring Yellowstone has brought me much joy, but exploring the towns and communities around it has brought me even more. Since there is no shortage of books about Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, this book focuses instead on the communities around the park. Yellowstone is unique among America’s 143 national parks and monuments for many reasons, including the fact it has five different entrances, each of which is at least a 2-hour drive from its nearest neighboring entrance. Yellowstone is larger in size than Rhode Island, Delaware, and Washington, DC, combined.

  The communities nearest these five entrances—Jackson Hole and Cody, Wyoming, and West Yellowstone, Cooke City, and Gardiner, Montana—are as diverse as the geological wonders within Yellowstone. This book starts at each of Yellowstone’s gateway communities and then, extending about 100 miles away from the park, tells the stories of people, events, local institutions, and places in an attempt to provide a true and well-rounded sense of place.

  Within 100 miles of a Yellowstone entrance, you’ll find everything from the seed potato capital of the world to the country’s second-largest Superfund site, the continent’s most challenging ski resort, an artist who majored in agricultural business, the largest National Historic District in the country, a wildlife art museum that includes pieces by Picasso and Warhol in its collection, and a bakery that makes the best pain au chocolat this side of Paris, among other things. Most of the road trips are organized geographically—keeping the people, places, and events of Teton Valley, Idaho, or of Butte, Montana, together. But every once in a while—like with the art and culture scene in Jackson Hole near the southern entrance—I made a road trip thematic.

  I gave up a winter of skiing to write this book. If you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it, I’ll consider the sacrifice worth it.

  YELLOWSTONE PRIMER

  THE ENTRANCES

  Located mainly in northwestern Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first national park. Parts of it also stretch into Idaho and Montana. To access the park, choose between five entrances and their nearby towns.

  NORTHEAST ENTRANCE

  Closest to Cooke City, Montana, and its sister village Silver Gate, Montana, this entrance gives you the best access to Yellowstone’s legendary Lamar Valley where grizzlies, black bears, bison, and wolves roam. Tucked between Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance and the imposing Beartooth Mountains, the tiny outpost of
Cooke City (year-round population: seventy-five) has a downtown that spans only a few blocks but offers good dining and lodging options. In summer, travelers can reach Cooke City via the Beartooth Highway or the park. In winter, this entrance is closed and the only way into the park is through Yellowstone’s North Entrance near Gardiner.

  NORTH ENTRANCE

  Want to experience some of the West’s most spectacular scenery in a town that can feel like a cross between Northern Exposure and Animal Planet, given its wild neighbors living up the street in Yellowstone National Park? Head to Gardiner, Montana, just 5 miles from the steaming terraces of Yellowstone’s Mammoth Hot Springs, one of the park’s many natural wonders. Sitting at the only year-round entrance to the world’s first national park, pretty much everything in Gardiner is colorful from the scenery and people to the names of dishes on menus, adding a poetic slant to your visit.

  EAST ENTRANCE

  The closest town to Yellowstone’s East Entrance is 50 miles away in Cody, Wyoming. Named after onetime resident and western showman Buffalo Bill Cody, it’s home to a top-notch museum complex, an Old West replica town, and historic reenactments. Cody doesn’t disappoint on the modern front either. There are lively rodeos, down-home restaurants, and even a zipline. The closest year-round airport to Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone Regional Airport) is here, making Cody an especially convenient launching point for trips to the park.

  SOUTH ENTRANCE

  Take one part historic cowboy charm, add a healthy dash of modern glamour, and finish with a heaping portion of world-class mountain scenery, and you’ve got Jackson, Wyoming—Yellowstone’s southern gateway town and one of the most beloved getaways in the Rocky Mountains. Situated on the doorstep of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and 57 miles from Yellowstone’s South Entrance, Jackson’s (Jackson Hole refers to the entire valley) fantastic dining, outdoor recreation, and cultural attractions make it more than worth a visit in its own right. This entrance is convenient for those wanting to visit Grand Teton National Park in addition to Yellowstone. It’s home to the Jackson Hole Airport, which is serviced by a handful of airlines.

  WEST ENTRANCE

  This entrance is the park’s busiest, so it’s no wonder that West Yellowstone, Montana, is a bustling gateway with dining, shopping, and attractions for travelers. Located just across the Wyoming border in Montana, West Yellowstone is a convenient entrance town for those coming from Idaho or western Montana, especially Missoula. Visitors will find lots of Wild West flavor, plenty of lodging, and a mix of cultural and outdoor activities. Catch a show at the Playmill Theatre or study up for your park trip at Yellowstone IMAX, which shows a rotating series of movies about Yellowstone, wildlife, and pioneer history.

  WHERE TO STAY

  With nine accommodation options in Yellowstone National Park, it can be difficult to figure out where you should stay in the summer. Do you stay in a historic hotel near Old Faithful or a cabin closer to the wildlife lounging in the Lamar Valley? Read on to find the lodging that best suits your needs. Be forewarned that there are no TVs, radios, or air-conditioning in park accommodations, but the fresh night air will cool you down enough to want a blanket. If you are planning on visiting in winter, there are only two lodges open in the park: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins and Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins.

  OLD FAITHFUL INN

  Built in the early 1900s, the Old Faithful Inn is arguably Yellowstone’s most iconic hotel. It’s certainly the hotel that garners the most reservation requests every year. It’s a National Historic Landmark and the world’s largest log cabin structure. Its lobby was designed to create a sense of community, and you will literally find people from all over the world gathering here, swapping stories and listening to the live piano music. The inn has 327 rooms, ranging from suites and luxury rooms to rooms without bathrooms. It typically opens in early May and closes in early October.

  OLD FAITHFUL LODGE CABINS

  Not to be confused with its older neighbor, the Old Faithful Inn, the Old Faithful Lodge Cabins offer great views of the iconic Old Faithful geyser. There are log cabins that were built during the 1920s in addition to a one-story lodge with large logs, stone pillars, and a cafeteria-style food court. In 2016, sixty-seven cabins were renovated to provide guests with a more contemporary cabin experience. The cabins are typically open mid-May to early October.

  MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS HOTEL & CABINS

  Stay at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins and you’ll be within a few minutes’ walk of Mammoth Hot Springs, the peculiar terraced hot springs you can explore via boardwalk. Located near the North Entrance of the park near Gardiner, Montana, and built in 1936, this grand hotel and cabins offers rooms or cabins with or without bathrooms and a cabin that features a six-person outdoor hot tub. It also features a guest wing that was originally built in 1911. In 2017, the hotel lobby, retail shop, map room, and hotel rooms were renovated. During the summer season, it’s open late April through early October. In winter, it’s open mid-December through early March.

  ROOSEVELT LODGE CABINS

  At Roosevelt Lodge Cabins, you are a short drive from the wildlife mecca of Yellowstone’s grand Lamar Valley. Choose between two types of cabins to spend the night. The Frontier Cabins have two double beds and are equipped with a shower, toilet, and sink. The Roughrider Cabins are a bit more spartan. Each comes with one or two double beds and a wood-burning stove to keep you warm. There are no bathrooms in these cabins, but you can use a communal shower and bathroom facility nearby.

  All cabins are a short stroll to Roosevelt Lodge, one of the most charming and intimate restaurants in the park. Just to be clear, the lodge itself is a restaurant, not a hotel. The cabins typically open in early June and close early September.

  Next page: If you’re visiting Mammoth Hot Springs, you can stay at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins.

  JIM PEACO/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

  LAKE YELLOWSTONE HOTEL & CABINS

  While many think Old Faithful Inn is the oldest in the park, they are incorrect. Built in 1891, Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins wins the prize. Located near the shores of Yellowstone Lake and Hayden Valley, which is known for its wildlife, this beautiful yellow hotel with large white columns underwent a $28.5 million renovation in 2014. The renovation included all guest rooms, the dining room, bar, and public spaces and a redesigned deli. Lake Yellowstone Hotel offers wired Internet service and a business center. Choose among suites, deluxe hotel rooms, standard rooms, and even cabins clustered near the hotel. The hotel opens mid-May and closes early October.

  LAKE LODGE CABINS

  Located near the shores of Yellowstone Lake, the Lake Lodge Cabins’ lodge is a charming shingle and log-hewn building with a large porch. Inside are two fireplaces. Choose among 186 cabins, many built in the 1920s, and some built later, that come with a variety of amenities. The Western Cabins are the priciest and are built in modules of four or six and are furnished with two queen beds. The Frontier Cabins were built in the 1920s but recently renovated and feature one or two double beds and a bathroom. The Pioneer Cabins are the least expensive and were built in the 1920s. They feature one or two double beds and a bathroom. The cabins are open early to mid-June to late September.

  OLD FAITHFUL SNOW LODGE & CABINS

  Built in 1999, this lodge is the newest kid in the park, the latest full-service lodge to spring up in Yellowstone. It’s near the legendary Old Faithful Geyser and offers a full-service dining room, quick-service Geyser Grill, and a gift store. It’s tucked a little farther away from the action in comparison to its sister hotels, the Old Faithful Inn and Old Faithful Lodge Cabins. Because it’s less than 20 years old, its appearance, furnishings, and decor are contemporary. Choose between two types of lodge rooms or two types of cabins. For the summer season, the lodge opens at the end of April and closes at the end of October. In winter, the lodge opens mid-December and closes early March.

  GRANT VILLAGE

  Closest to Grand Teton National Park,
which lies south of Yellowstone, Grant Village was built in 1984 and is in the West Thumb area of Yellowstone. It has six two-story lodges with fifty rooms each. The lodge rooms were remodeled in spring 2015 and include two double beds, a bathroom with a shower or shower/bath combination, and an activity table with chairs. You can keep small items cool in the room refrigerator and satisfy your caffeine fix with the coffee brewer. There’s the Lake House Restaurant with large windows looking right out onto the lake. Or dine in the pines at the Grant Village Dining Room, a full-service restaurant that sits amid lodgepole pine trees and offers views of the lake. Grant Village lodging accommodations are open mid-May through early October.

  CANYON LODGE & CABINS

  Located on the park’s east side near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, the Canyon Lodge & Cabins is the biggest lodging property in Yellowstone. It also underwent a 2-year lodging redevelopment that included the construction of five new lodges and 400 guest rooms. Choose among a variety of suites, lodge rooms, and cabins. Since its renovation, the property is now hailed as a very eco-friendly place to stay. When you walk in, you’ll find wainscoting and coat racks made from beetle-kill wood, which is wood from pine trees in the region decimated by the pine beetle. You’ll also see countertops made from recycled glass, much of it from the park, and recycled fly ash, which is a by-product of coal burning. In addition, there’s LED lighting and low-flow toilets. Canyon Lodge is open from the beginning of June through early October.

  To make reservations for lodging inside Yellowstone National Park, go online to yellowstonenationalparklodges.com or call (866) 439-7375.

  48 HOURS IN YELLOWSTONE