Goin' to Yellowstone..need some info

“Well, my wife and I have decided to take a week in mid June and head up to Yellowstone NP. Hillary has never been there, and I haven?t been for about 17-18 years. So, we?re looking for any and all advice on the can?t miss spots and things to do. We?ll be heading from here in Denver, so any info on things on the way would be great also. We definitely plan on the Tetons and Jackson Hole, but pretty wide open from there. Thanks in advance, and everyone take care!
Brent”

“Here's some gee whiz info about the park that I wrote on another thread...

Yellowstone has a buttload of geologic topics that can be discussed. The one I had in mind is why the hotsprings exist.

Yellowstone sits atop a huge cauldera, a hotspot underneath a very thin portion of the earth's crust. It's this proximity of the groundwater with the intense heat that causes the occurrance of the hotsprings.

But the scary thing about the hotspot is the fact that the land surface above this area has collapsed into the underlying magma chamber at least 2 times in the past.

Try to compare this regional area to the small area of a volcano. The forceful injection of magma within tubes in a volcano, then the volcano eruption...now visualize an area of tens of square miles literally falling into the earth, and the eruption that that event would cause.

As pressure increases, the magma chamber rises causing the land surface to also rise. Circular "ring" fractures form around the region. This fracturing causes the land surface to violently collapse into the chamber. THEN, intense pressure is released expelling gasses, and ejecting thousands of square kilometers worth of red-hot pumice, ash and dust

Magma is alot more than molten material, it has a buttload of compressed gasses in it. When it reaches the earth's surface to standard T & P, the gasses expand, much like when a soda can is opened, at an explosive rate. You saw what Mt. St Helens did when it blew. Well, the size of the Yellowstone cauldera makes conditions ripe for an explosion that only equal to a large-scale meteor impact.

Will Yellowstone ever experience another cauldera collapse? It is not a matter of if...it is a matter of when! I just hope I'm not around to experience it and its affects.”

“Back in the earlier 90's a friend and myself did aloop trial around Heart lake and a day hike to the top of Mt. Sheridan. It is not really difficult other than the climb to the top of the mt.

Heart lake
Another Heart lake”

“hi, photoboy, lucky you are to be heading to Yellowstone! It's somewhere I think everyone should venture for its awesome geologic features. I'll have to go through my archives since I haven't been there for quite a few years but know that Mt. Washburn hiking is supposed to be great. Its something we missed and have on our to do list when we go back. In fact, my son and new daughter who just moved to Denver want us to join them for a week there in August. Sooo...I'll be going through my stuff anyway. Here's a webcam of Old Faithful - one of the neatest features in the park:

Old Faithful Geyser”

“If you are coming from Colorado, go through Jackson, probably want to spend one night there seeing the Cowboy Bar and a couple other places.

Next day, go north, take the Rockefekker parkway to the South entrance. A little more scenic than the main highway. You will see alot of the burn from 1988 this way.

As far as things in the park, there are going to be many things you won't be able to see or hike to because of snow. There are a couple of little towns that would be less costly to stay at than the hotels in the park. West Yellowstone, at the West entrance. Or Cooke City, at the Northeast entrance. Nice clean motels, good food, good drink, etc. Good places to base at and venture into the park. Also get good info from the locals as to what's cool to see. You probably want to spend at least one night at each of those places. This gives you 3 days to tour the park, that is what it will take if you want to take your time. Old Faithful, Mud pots, etc.

When leaving Cooke City, you probably want to go over the Beartooth pass into Red Lodge, if it has been plowed. Usually plowed by Mothers day. Usually HUGE cuts through the snow (40-50 feet deep in places. It is really cool, if the road is plowed.

Another option is to go through Cody, WY (where I live !). If you do, you will want to spend a day or two here. See the Buffalo Bill Museum. Lots of good stuff in there. Plains Indian Museum, Winchester Arms Museum, etc.

You will also want to have dinner at Cassies Supper Club, (used to be a whore house way back when) and stay for dancing after dinner. Make sure you tell Mel or Steve I sent you. Best steak and seafood in town.

The only real problem with mid June will be not much for day hiking as for the snow at higher elevations, but plenty of other things to do and see.

Enjoy!!”

“Only a week?
hmmmmm...

You didn't elaborate about the "things to do" - so I'll assume y'all will be bp'ing.

Jackson is a doable day's drive from Denver. I, personally, do not particularly recommend the town - it's another Denver for all practical purposes (crowded, traffiky, touristy, costly). Though I must say that it's conviently located for laundry and showering (rec center) purposes.

If you're driving to Jackson via Rock Springs, you'll pass through Pinedale. I would recommend that you stay the night there. It's a quiet but fun town. It's also at the foot of the Wind River Range. Next morning, you could drive up Skyline Road to the Elkhart Park trailhead and be at Photographers Point before 11 a.m. The view from the point is stunning. You could make it an overniter, and get a good distance up Titcomb Basin, where the views are even MORE STUNNING-ER! Problem is, tho, that if you hit the Winds you may not wanna leave!

The Teets have numerous loop type hikes that can range from overniters to week-long. Checkout GORP - they have tons of info. As spectacular as the Teets are as viewed from the Hole, the magnitude of their beauty cannot be fully appreciated until one ventures into them. They are probably the most beautiful mountains on earth. A dayhike could begin and end at Jenny Lake. Catch a shuttle boat across the lake, and hunker up Lower Cascade Canyon trail for some up close and personal time. On the trail, you'll pass Hidden Falls and (Yadda) Overlook - beautiful view of the Hole. Eventually, you'll reach Upper Cascade Canyon, and have a SPECTACULAR view of Grand Teton and her neighbors. For an overniter, continue on to UCC campground. Next morning, continue to Paintbrush Divide (June? crampons!). Oh daddy! The view is indiscribable! Exit via Paintbrush Canyon, and turn south back to Jenny Lake. This loop is about 18 miles.

I haven't made it to Yellowstone yet (but I will!), so I can't help you there...

Y'all have fun, ya hear?”

“Sounds like gojo meant to get to Yellowstone, but spent all his time stopping at many of the cool places on the way....er I meant to say that Wyoming sucks, stay home.”

“Actually, Chief, I did those hikes enroute to or from ID - another beautiful state! Er...um... I mean Idaho sux! Nothin' but a buncha radical skinheaded supremacists! Stay home!”