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Posted by Granite Head (128.135.130.126) on 12:37:00 02/20/2008
In Reply to: West lodging posted by Missy
Gardiner is fine, if not super-exciting - I especially like the Yellowstone Absaroka Lodge, if you can get one of their rooms with a kitchenette, it's very convenient. There are several decent places to eat and a grocery store, which is convenient.
From Gardiner you can easily explore the northern parts of the park: Mammoth, south to Swan Lake Flats (including hikes to Bunsen Peak, one of my faves!) and towards the northeast, and access to the interesting and beautiful Roosevelt Lodge-Tower Junction area is a scenic 40 minute drive if you don't get stuck in a bison-jam - with good hikes along the way (like a nice mini to Wraith Falls, and a more challenging trek to Hellroaring Creek where it intersects the Yellowstone River - photo taken there last September. From Tower Junction it's a left turn and you're on your way through Little America and Lamar Valley for some great wildlife watching.
West Yellowstone is the best place to stay for ready access to the Madison River, if you're fishing, and to the major geysers and thermal features, including Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, Norris Geyser Basin, etc. It's also relatively direct for getting to the Canyon area. The wildlife watching overall is not as good on the west as on the north-northeast and eastern (Hayden Valley) sides but you never know what you're going to see or where.
For those reasons, I certainly recommend changing locations once during your stay. How many days you allot to each locale depends on your preferences and interests.
Was that more or less condusing ?!? ;-)
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