Heading to Yellowstone soon for 4 days - what to see? What to skip?
 

It's a big park. We're staying just outside the northern entrance. Any hidden gems? Anything you felt was a waste of time?

Tetons.

It is indeed a big park. Unless you're going to go seriously off-trail, like to climb The Thunderer or similar, I would still go see many of the attractions that draw the tourists. I watched Old Faithful with about 40,000 other people and I didn't consider it a waste. Obviously be prepared for heavy traffic and the occasional 45 minute traffic jam so Clark Griswald can stop to let his unremarkable offspring photograph a similarly unremarkable buffalo standing in the road. I can't think of any particular elements of the park that stand out extraordinarily, but the park is generally an extraordinary environment.

My opinion is that the nearby Grand Tetons are so breathtaking and commanding a spectacle, I will always cut my trips through Yellowstone a little short so I can go take in the Tetons.

This is Mammoth Hot Springs, I did like this place in particular, but then again, so do the 6 million other visitors.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...IMGP3716-1.jpg

Agree

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1279998506.jpg

Four days is barely a primer. You'll see plenty no matter what you do and leave untold hundreds of things unseen.

The "rainbow" pools (due to all kinds of weird bacteria) are pretty amazing things to see. One of my favorites was the Imperial Geyser. Tetons are amazing - pretty much everything there is amazing. One of my truly favorite places on earth. You'll love it.

can't really answer w/o knowing more about what you like but a few tips for you:

1. get off the trails and go cross country - you will see few tourists, but beware bear & bison interactions

2. if you stop to look at bison always position a fat tourist with an small camera between you and the bison -- I almost got a great pic of a primate being gored that way

3. for popular spots, visit in the very very early am - leave before & arrive at daybreak; or go at night or twilight -- dinner time is also good
- this will not completely eliminate tourists, but you will see fewer and higher quality, more interesting ones

4. there are some places you can drive to that tourists do not go -- check a map and you may find something

otherwise, the place is a zoo at this time of the summer

A lot of it was still recovering from the fire when I went, but Old Faithful was good and so was Mammoth. The big log hotel near Old Faithful is worth walking around in too. Other than that we kind of stuck to the backcountry when I was there. We also went to a waterfall over there but I don't remember its name.

oh yeh - the burned areas are great places to see wild flowers & woodpeckers

THE waterfall, lol?

I'll have to scan some pics and post them up. I had such a fun time going through the Wind river range and Jellystone as a kid, that I have decided that instead of going to Europe this coming summer I will hike big sandy lake and the Cirque of the Towers this summer with the old man.

Seriously, it's that beautiful.

My thoughts:

1) You've already realized that it is a big park. Keep that in mind. You can spend a lot of time in the car if you don't plan prudently. The scenery may be nice, but there's a lot of park. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to do the whole thing. Enjoy what you can see and come back later for more if you like the park.

2) Hot springs terraces, Firehole falls, sheepeater cliff, Grand Canyon, Mud volcano area, and norris geyser basin were all favorites.

3) Old faithful is the big tourist attraction for good reason. Don't skip it on the logic that it is too touristy.

4) Wildlife is everywhere. Keep a watchout and keep your camera handy.

5) Yes, the sulfur is pungent. Stay on the paths.

Have a great trip.

We have been going there once a year for the past 6-7 years it is beautiful.
1. It is BIG so expect long drive times
2. Wildlife come out around dusk, especially bison.
3. Old Faithful cool but crowded, day hike to Mystic Falls the trailhead is at the Upper Geyser Basin. Another day hike Harlequin Lake trailhead of the road leading to west yellowstone.
4. Try and spend time in West Yellowstone cool little town, spend a day in the Tetons not as crowded, take the ferry across Jenny Lake, then hike back about 2-3 miles but beautiful.
5. DO NOT miss Lamar Valley that is where you will see the most wildlife.
6. Mount Washburn cool hike with great views.

I love the place and could go on and on, enjoy yourself
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280022390.jpg
Bison in Lamar Valley
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280022445.jpg
Madison River
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280022506.jpg
Yellowstone River
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280022558.jpg
Falls at Jenny Lake, Tetons
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280022619.jpg

Grand canyon of Yellowstone and the northern section are my favorite.
Old faithful area and Yellowstone lake area are a bit too crowded for my taste.

On the northern loop you will see many different types of terrain and scenery, many times you will go around a bend and be completely surprised at what you see. It isn't just higher and deeper like the south-west area.

We are going again in September. We got stuck in the park because of a fire last year, and had to spend 8 hours driving around to get back to Jackson. It was fun.

There is no waste of time there. It is all worth seeing.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/STA71282.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/STA71309.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/STA71321.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/STA71335.jpg

Everywhere includes the porch of any cabin you might rent.

Do NOT eff with the bison.

BTW if you're camping don't forget to put all your smellables in a bear bag at night. And be careful on trails. We followed close behind a bear for a long time one morning - close enough so that the scat was still steaming. Needless to say we stopped for a while to give it some room even though we never saw the bear.

On a trip like that, I always like to have a well stocked ice chest, food and beverages. Are you taking kids or is it all adults?

Oh, and a roll of toilet paper, just in case, even if not camping.

I worked with this guy and YSNP was one of his favorite places to go, he's a Canadian Treaty (pure blood ) indian and he loved to hunt, he could go anywhere in Canada or the states and hunt in season or out because of his treaty card, Provincal park national or state park that treaty card allowed him to hunt anything anytime, there where a few restrictions but not many. He is one of those guys who could take a rifle and a back pack and disappear for weeks at a time, never been but its on the bucket list and I hope my buddy Jack can take me. Those pic's are great.

AFAIC, the road from mammoth to tower-roosevelt and then down to canyon is the most scenic drive I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. So many people go to the southern portion and completely miss the best part IMO.

This is God's country but Roosevelt loved it to. Teddy that is, not the commie.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280165169.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280165187.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280165200.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280165216.jpg

Anyone ever hike/fish up in the slough creek area of jellystone?
Seems like the best place on the planet to do that sort of thing, assuming you have a mastiff to keep the bears away ;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280170860.jpg

TATONKA!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280176265.jpg