Going to take the family to Yellow Stone next summer and we are starting to plan now. There will be four adults and two children age nine. Was wondering if anyone that has been there has suggestions on things to do and places to stay. We would like to do a day horse back ride one day and maybe some fly fishing . Will be there four or five days. Looking for a few more ideas. Our budget does have limits. If you saved by using a particular outfitter and enjoyed doing business with them let me know. Thanks

Slough Creek for fly fishing

Thank you. Anyone else?

The place is very commercialized, with a traffic jam everywhere someone sees an animal. I enjoyed looking off Fishing Bridge....you can see some big fish down in there if you have the sunglasses that cut the glare. Be sure you fill up with gas before you enter the park! Nearly 5 million visitors annually. Be prepared.

X2 people from out of state spend too much time driving from Park to park. Go stay at a national Forest campground or nearby town. Much more laid back and just as cool in my opinion

There are cottages outside the Old Fathful Lodge that should work for your group. You need to make your reservatiions NOW for 2019. You make them online. Lodging within the park is sold far in advance. There are excellent restaurants inside the park.

I enjoy Cody and Jackson. Catch one on your way in and another during your departure. The park is huge and it is impossible to take in all the sites on your first visit.

Take your binocs.

Old Faithful is most definitely the #1 thing to see. We stayed in a campground with 500+ campsites and we were on asphalt. Everything must be inside a vehicle at night to deter Yogi and Booboo.
No dirty dishes, etc.

If you go near the end of the summer, bull elk will have their antlers and you might see and hear some rutting behavior.

There is a lot to see/do if you don't want to spend all your time at the park. Unlimited sights and you should get in touch with Tourism of Montana which I believe is an online site for all your travel needs. You could actually spend a 2 to 3 weeks taking in surrounding states attractions as well. Good luck I hope this helped.

https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/top-ten

https://yellowstone.net/intro/top-10/

Make sure you go thru Grand Teton NP to the south.

When you Google to search for more info, remember it is one word, Yellowstone.

I say don't bother fishing in the park. West of Yellowstone is the Madison River and Hebgen Lake. Look at Cooke city, it is just outside the northeast entrance. It is close to the Lamar Valley and the above mentioned Slough Creek if you do want to fish in the park. There are several motels there that are very reasonably priced. The Lamar valley would be a great place to view a variety of wildlife; tons of bison, antelope coyotes possible wolf and griz. If you had a choice to go in Early to mid September, that's is the ideal time to go, crowds thin out and the wildlife is very active.

Thanks for the replies sent. We will probably rent a cabin outside the park and drive in each day. We would consider outfitters that operate outside of park for horse back rides or other activities. Their rates may be less than inside park outfitters.

If your camping? I always pull into a national forest campground about 5 miles north of West Yellowstone. The campground is right on the Madison River. I have had some good fishing there and it’s not unusual to have a moose feeding in the river at times.

Kids have to start school mid August. Planning trip formidable to late July

For mid to late July.

Go camping in the backcountry. Cost is almost nil and you leave the crowd behind. Enjoy the space and silence. Shortest I know of is an easy 2 mile hike in, Indian Creek I believe. I spent a couple days there, hiking out to the car to see the park and hike back to camp in evening. Had my 10 yr old son out there last August, we camped on Hellroaring Creek and by a small lake I can’t remember the name of, had a great trip. There’s a couple with hot springs to soak yourbones in but you gotta hike a long way. The backcountry campsites give a real camping experience. I avoid the park campsites like the plague. Ask Park Rangers any questions. I’ve found them to be eager, honest and helpful. If you want to see bears, tell them. If you don’t, tell them. They do their best to point you what and where you want to go. Summer break is very busy so plan accordingly.

Check out Yellowstonevacationcabins.com. 4 miles from Roosevelt Arch, but away from town with easy highway access. Amazing views into the park and the Gardiner Basin. And very reasonable compared to motels.

Sent you a PM

Personally, I always skip the park completely and spend all my time in Cody at the museum.

The park is an awesome place but the crowds get really old really quick. There is so much to do outside the park regionally that create great memories. For fishing it just doesn't get much better than southwest Montana. The state's stream access laws really let you enjoy the rivers. One of my favorite events are the rodeos every Friday night in the summer in Dubois, Wyoming. Anytime you take off from a trailhead hiking public ground out west you might see something you never dreamed you would witness in this lifetime, bring good binoculars and a good camera.