Verrrrrry nice trip idea. Have a great time folks!

 

Its open to one and all Paul. Even you Tar Heels are invited. Remember though you are committed to MITM next year.

 

I'll put this on my calender. It would be nice to visit my old stomping grounds. Might have to take a few extra days to visit my old lab in Bozeman

 

Great idea. Given its 100% I will go.

 

Everyone will have a different agenda to accomodate. I see nothing wrong with folks leaving and returning on different days as schedules allow. Also, chances are that there will be much less congestion in the park on Mondays and Tuesdays vs the weekend.

Also chances are that we can arrange a meetup with our MT MINI Brethren on the weekend, vs weekdays.

It will all work itself out.

JPS

 

up Hwy 212 to and from Red Lodge, MT. Very scenic and picturesque.

JPS

 

Is it next year yet? This is going to be a great trip, MINIs take Yellowstone!

 

Teena has provided this link to a Yellowstone trip planner:
http://www.yellowstonepark.com/PlanY...lannerKit.aspx

 

Tonight at 7 pm (Sunday 11/2) on KTVD (usualy channel 20) there is a show called "Yellowstone: A Realm Untamed" It is a history of Yellowstone park. For those that are interested in going next year this is something to watch. It is a new show according to Dishnetworks info.

 

How would everyone feel about making this a MYOR event?
(MYOR = Make Your Own Reservations)
General guidelines of 2 nights in Cody (or Powell) and one night in Jackson.

 

Good idea.

 

I second that!

 

If we wanted to stay in Cody on Friday night and then inside the park on Saturday night, here is what I found:


I found this on: http://www.travelyellowstone.com/

 

So, what's been decided? I'm confused.

ETA to add that option 3 would work best for us. My "vacation" starts June 6 but I could wiggle a bit.

 

Friday June 5th - leave Denver early and head to Cody
Saturday June 6th & Sunday June 7th in the park
Sunday June 7th stay in Jackson
Monday June 8th - leave for Denver

Variables are if a second night in Cody are desired or a night in the park instead.

Route from Denver to Cody via Ft. Collins, Walden, Saratoga, Rawlins, Riverton, Shoshoni, Thermopolis & Meeteese = 530 miles (11 hours)
Route from Jackson to Denver via Pinedale, Rock Springs, Flaming Gorge, Vernal, Craig, Steamboat Springs & Kremmling = 486 miles (11 hours)

That's as far as it has evolved at this point.

 

Yes, I like this idea. Pat and I were looking at the options and we plan to extend our visit to the North, too.

We were thinking 1 night Cody and 2 nights in Yellowstone with at least one night at the Yellowstone Hotel. (I really like their restaurant).

Our plan is to continue North to Glacier NP and then into Canada, heck we may not come back.

All very misty and gray right now in the planning stages, but a thought or two.

 

Alberta and I actually honeymooned in the Old Faithful lodge about 25 years ago. It would be kind of fun to visit it again. This time we can afford a better room. During our honeymoon we were disturbed by the Japanese family next door since they didn't realize we shared a bathroom. They were quite aghast by what honeymooners actually do on their honeymoon.

 

The Old Faithful Inn is amazing!! I highly recommend it. Even better if you can get a room next to some honeymooners!!

 

Dave were you Japanese about 25 years ago?

 

Hi Folks,
Hope you don't mind if a Tennessean jumps into this thread. My family & I did what we called "The Crazy Sock Tour of the Wild West" - named because the mapquest of our route looked like a crazy sock. Anyway... part of our trip included Jackson, Yellowstone and Cody. And we stayed in a couple of the places y'all are talking about... so I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to offer some suggestions and reviews. We did our trip in the reverse of what y'all are planning (we drove from Nashville to Durango thru Silverton and Ouray to Vernal Utah, past Flaming Gorge into Jackson Hole, up to Yellowstone, to Gardener MT (where we were based to do Yellowstone) back down thru Yellowstone to Cody to Buffalo (thru the Big Horns) and back down thru Denver to Colorado Springs. From there we headed East thru Kansas back to TN... Put over 5,000 miles on my Landcruiser and LOVED it. (this was pre-mini, but with the amount of stuff we packed, we needed the LandCruiser).

Cody- we stayed at the Cody Cowboy Village. It was clean, new and pleasant, but there wasn't a lot to it. For the money, we were pleased (we traveled with our two kids, aged 8, so that was a consideration.). Reminded me of the motels of my youth, full of character and characters, but not much in amenities. We weren't looking for amenities so it was great in our books.

We ate dinner at the Wyoming Rib and Chop House on Sheridan Ave in Cody. This is saying a lot because my husband is a vegetarian (ok, a pescetarian as he eats fish). It was GREAT! And that even includes the fact that the service was slow as molasses in January. But our server really went out of his way to try and make up for the slowness... and the food was really really good. Kid friendly. Vegetarian friendly.

When I do this trip again, I will spend a few days in Cody so we can spend more time at the Buffalo Bill Museum. We were there for 4 hours and only saw 2 exhibits. The museum is really well done. There is a reason it's called the Smithsonian of the West.

Yellowstone... wow- there is so much to do and see in Yellowstone. For one, driving speed limit is 45 mph (as it is in most National Parks and Dept of Interior Lands, like parkways). Tickets are expensive. Scenery is Incredible... We were there in Mid July and there was still quite a bit of snow up on Washburn's pass... (we were heading to Cody from Gardiner and went thru Mammoth Hot Springs and around Yellowstone Lake to the road for the East Entrance). Lower elevations the wild flowers were incredible. We did see two bears- a grizzly up on the side of a hill (a spec in our photos) and a yearling black bear walked right in front of our car about 4 feet from me. That was not intentional on our part... the bear was in the meadow about 100 feet away when we got stuck in a traffic jam of tourists watching it (ok, it was a slow season, there were 10 cars, but we couldn't move). The bear decided the grass on the other side of the road was greener and our Landcruiser must have looked safe to him (big black landcruiser). I wouldn't be happy had that happened while I was in a MINI...
We didn't stay in Yellowstone, instead we went up to a friend's cabin on the Yellowstone river just above Gardener MT (North entrance at Mamoth Hot Springs). LOTS of elk around the Mamoth Hot Springs entrance. Lots of buffalo everywhere else.
For mid July it was quite nippy. My husband went fly fishing while the kids & I went to see Old Faithful - and while we were watching it blow, the wind changed direction and everyone got baptized by Old Faithful (it was like some giant cosmic joke on all the tourists by Nature!). We took that opportunity to go get hot chocolate at the Old Faithful Inn. what an incredible place. Also incredible is Canyon- and Roosevelt Lodge up in Tower.

In order not to let this get any more an e-novel... Jackson Hole, we stayed at Wyoming Inn of Jackson. We were originally booked for one night and loved it so much we stayed two. It's on the main drag, but not right in the middle of things. That said, the "middle of things" is only a few blocks away. Wyoming Inn is a bit pricey, but the service is excellent- very comfortable Inn, small but nice. Breakfast was included and was good. We ate dinner the first night at Nani's Genuine Pasta House. The food was good, but it was OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. Then again, Jackson Hole is not for the faint of heart, and the closer you get to downtown Jackson the more expensive it seems to get. Our second night we went to the Rendezvous Bistro, which was practically walking distance from the Inn, and is where the locals go. all I can say is WOW! Great food and a fab atmosphere. Even the kids felt comfy, altho it's much more an adult place. Again, expensive, but wasn't over the top like Nani's was. In fact, 4 adults and 2 children ate very well with appetizers and full meals and dessert at Rendezvous for about what 2 adults and 2 kids did at Nani's. At both places, I believe my husband had 2 glasses of wine. No one else drank.
It's well worth it to do a driving tour of the Grand Teton National Park and surrounding area. Hike it too- and if some tall thin guy in his early 70's bets you an ice cream cone that you won't go swimming in Jenny Lake, don't take the bet. He never gave my kids their ice cream cones and they both went skinny dipping! (ok, he's a family friend that lives out there, and the kids should have known better!).

I hope this helps. I'm sure there is all sorts of things I've left off, and unfortunately we only just grazed the surface while we were out there. If you see a Hot Chocolate Clubbie S with TN tags in your rear view mirror, don't worry... it's just me!

Have a great trip- I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

Hey thanks for the travel log. Sounds like you had a great trip. Having grown-up in Wyoming I almost forget sometimes that people choose to vacation there. It is a great state (though I doubt I will ever live there again - to much family). Two days in the park will only be enough for the highlights and the museum may be too much without getting into a third day. I'm easy though, if folks want to skip Jackson in favor of a third day in Cody that works for me too.

 

LOL... If we win the lotto, we'd MOVE to Wyoming! Or possibly North Western Montana. We're actually all really bummed as this will be the first summer in almost a decade that we won't be able to go out west. We usually spend a lot of time in the Big Horns, although I'd love to live in Jackson Hole (just couldn't afford it, even after winning the lotto). I also really love the Black Hills, but they've gotten pretty built up.

Y'all have a GREAT trip. Can't wait to see pix when you come back.

 

Based on family obligations imparted by the rule of proximity, we will probably be staying in Powell the first night.
Second night I'm thinking we would really like to be in the park so we will probably make reservations as such. Third night in Jackson has yet to be worked on.
Given that many will be spread around, it will probably work out better to set-up meeting points to kick-off each day's motoring. That way people can stay where they find space and price and then we can still gang tackle the park.

 

I've made our Yellowstone reservation for Saturday night. We will be staying in the Old Faithful Inn - queen bed, no bath $109. If you have never seen the Inn built in 1909 it is very beautiful and rustic; the quintessential log cabin. If you are interested in staying in the park check out this link: http://www.travelyellowstone.com/

 

Chuck,

Nice. So would you suggest we stay in Cody on Friday night, the OFI on Saturday night?

I'm thinking to stay at the Lake Hotel on Sunday night versus Jackson, then we head North on Monday.

Touring with the MINI folks on Saturday and Sunday, any ideas of multiple little drives?

Should be a blast.

Don