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Page
2:
Wildlife
| Where
to Stay
What
to See & Do
Park
Trails
There
are many trails throughout the park which lead to various
features and into the back country. Most visitors walk
along the self-guiding trails which have been laid out in
the more popular scenic areas. These include the Mammoth
Hot Springs Terraces, Norris Geyser Basin, Calcite
Springs Overlook and Tower Fall (1.5 miles south of Tower
Junction), and the Mud Volcano Trail which is 6 miles
north of Fishing Bridge, leading to several thermal
features including Dragon's Mouth. Walking trails wind
along both rims of the Grand Canyon. The South Rim Drive
takes you to the trailhead for Uncle Tom's Trail.
For
those who want to experience more of the wilderness in
the park, there are many trails which lead from the loop
road or the entrance roads to the mountains and into the
central part of the park called the Thorofare Area. For
long hikes and overnight trips, it is necessary to
register with one of the park ranger stations. The
trailheads for some of the most popular (and
moderately-easy) hikes are found in the Yellowstone Loop
Road logs (pages 216-219). A good guide to the full range
of trails in the park is Yellowstone Trails, A Hiking
Guide by Mark Marschall. You can purchase this book in
the park visitor centers.
Yellowstone
Guided Hikes
Yellowstone's
Ranger Adventure Hike Program has been expanded
for 2002.
Interpretive
Park rangers are offering 10 half-day hikes every week
from June 17 through August 31. Hikes are at at Old
Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Tower/Roosevelt
areas.
With
hikes limited to 15 participants, the cost is $15 for
adults, $5 for youth 7 to 15, and free for childrfen 6
and under. The hikes are rated from easy to difficult,
and some are not recommended for people with heart or
breathing programs.
Information
on the hikes is available at all visitor centers in
Yellowstone.
Wildlife
Viewing
wildlife is problematical at times. Early morning and
late evening are the best times to view the park's wild
animals. Elk are seen at Mammoth Hot Springs (sometimes
on the lawn) and north and south of Madison. Bison feed
in the Lamar Valley, in the northeast corner of the park,
in the Hayden Valley north of Fishing Bridge and north of
Old Faithful. Yellowstone has around 300 bighorn sheep
which are seen on the rocky slopes and cliffs, mainly in
the Mount Washburn area. Moose are often seen in the
Fishing Bridge area, north and south of Madison and near
the south entrance to the park. The grizzly and black
bears inhabit the backcountry and are not normally seen
by park visitors. Pronghorn antelope live in the northern
reaches of the park, above the north road which leads
from Mammoth Hot Springs to the northeast
entrance.
Boating
and Fishing
Permits
for all boats and fishing are required. Permits may be
obtained at the South Entrance, Lewis Lake, Grant
Village, Bridge Bay Marina, the Lake Ranger Station and
Mammoth Hot Springs. Yellowstone Lake has the largest
supply of cutthroat trout in the world but because of
bear problems, parts of the lake have been closed to
fishing. Consult the Lake ranger station or the Fishing
Bridge Visitor Center for fishing closures.
The
Park campgrounds are located in the major areas of
interest, while lodge and motel accommodations are
available in major park centers. All campgrounds are
operated by the National Parks Service and all campsites
are obtained on a first come, first served basis except
for the Bridge Bay Campground which is on a reservation
system. There are campgrounds at: Mammoth Hot Springs,
Madison, Norris, Slough Creek, Tower Fall, Fishing Bridge
(RV Park), Canyon Village (RV Park) Grant Village, Indian
Creek, Pebble Creek and Lewis Lake. The two RV parks are
for hard-sided vehicles only due to seasonal bear
intrusions. The Bridge Bay Campground is on the national
Ticketron reservation system, in effect from mid-May
through Labor Day. Reservations may be made no more than
8 weeks in advance of the booking. Phone 1-800-452-1111
between 8 am and midnight (Central Time) or write
Ticketron, Box 617516, Chicago, IL 60661-7516.
The
authorized concessionaire for the National Park is TW
Recreational Services. For reservations, contact the
Reservations Department, Yellowstone National Park WY
82190-9989. Rates range from $ to $$$. For information on
park accommodations and to make reservations, call (307)
344-7311
Summer
Season Lodgings:
For
all of these indoor accommodations, reservations should
be made (well in advance for summer bookings) through TW
Recreational Services (307) 344-7311.
Accommodations
close to the park entrances are available in
West
Yellowstone
and Gardiner,
Montana; at Pahashka Indian Village, a large motel near
the west gate, and in Cooke City, just outside the
northeast gate.
There
are also cabin and motel accommodations in
Grand
Teton National Park
-- just south of Yellowstone. Unless you're visiting the
park for just a day or two, and camping, a trip to
Yellowstone takes some planning in order to fully enjoy
your stay.
 
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