banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

I am heading to Yellowstone in about a week and will be there 3 days approx. Just wondering if anyone has any tips on "must see" areas besides the obligatory Old Faithful. I don't mind a little walking but don't really want to make a career out of it.
Will I need to lug the 70-200 on any walks, or would this be best left in the car?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Are you primarily interested in scenics? Or are you after wildlife too?

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

Wildlife would be OK, but I am mainly a landscape person. I have been reading up on the park the keep coming across things I never realized existed.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Then there are LOTS of don't miss locations for you. All the geyser basins and named geysers of course, Upper and Lower falls of the Yellowstone, any part of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth mountain, Gibbon meadows, any of the multitude of waterfalls (especially Wraith Falls), Yellowstone Lake, The Hayden Valley, the Lamar Valley, Indian creek, never pass up a side road like Virginia Cascade road and Blacktail Plateau road, Barronette peak, the view overlooking the valley on the North side of Mt. Washburn, LOTS of stops along the Madison river valley, Prismatic Spring, the Indian Paint Pots, The drive from Canyon to Yellowstone Lake MUST be taken around sunrise as its spectacular.
I could go on like this all day, pretty much anywhere you go will provide wonderful photo ops. The Grand Loop road traverses the park in a figure 8, be sure to drive it in BOTH directions. There are 5 roads that leave the Grand Loop and go out to the 5 entrances to the park, they are all well worth the trip, but especially the NE entrance to Cooke City, MT, and head on over the Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge, MT, that pass is a MUST DRIVE when in the area.
Enjoy the trip! (Only 3 days huh????)

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

You've given banjonut a pretty hectic schedule, MT. But if he only stops at each location for 1/500th sec. (all that's needed) he'll be okay!

MtnMan Loc: ID

This above is the best advice from one with vast experience.

I'd only add a few of our favorites: the West Thumb geyser area, Fountain Paint Pot and Norris Geyser Basin. The West Thumb doesn't really have geysers but it is on the shore of Yellowstone Lake and one of the lesser crowded areas. It has great hot springs and often has Elk and/or Buffs roaming around. It is a very short boardwalk.

You might want to video at the Fountain Paint Pot...we love the "bloops".

Norris Geyser basin is cool also. It doesn't get as crowded as Canyon or Old Faithful. It's parking lot can get crowded but you can wander over a large area. Some of the trails there do go a mile or more.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

3 days is a good way. There are essentially 3 "circles" within the park, so you can do one a day. When my wife and I went late May, we did the geyser route one day, the Grand Canyon route the next day, and then the northern route on the third day. that northern route took us up to Mammoth. While there, we saw bison right in town hanging out in a park, just about 50 feet from picnic tables where families dined for lunch.

There were deer walking around right there where we parked to go into a restaurant.

On the way south from Mammoth, we stopped at a place and photographed grizzlies that were off to the side of the road. I've heard of them being closer, but on this trip, they were about 100 yards out, so I'd recommend having a lens with good reach and a tripod for certain.

That place is so photogenic; it's hard to say anything more than just be prepared. You can't just take one lens and expect that it will serve all cases.
I will say that a good wide angle will work well at the geysers.

Have some good walking shoes because there's definitely a lot of walking on the geyser circle; but it's well worth it.

Pay attention to the speed limits. You don't want to get a ticket, and you don't want to kill a deer or bison. (Bison tend to walk wherever they want, which means that it is highly likely that you will see them walking straight down the middle of a road more than once during your 3 days.

Although we didn't experience any close calls (dangerous situations), I recommend taking a small air horn just in case you encounter a bear that wants to get closer than you want (and a ranger isn't nearby to scare him off).

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

3 Days is not enough time. The park is just too big.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

My wife and I did it in 3 days. You have to be aware of time but it can be done. Truthfully, I would've preferred an extra day.

Originally, we were to be there for 4 days, but it snowed the night before our first day there, and so they didn't open the park. So we had to do it all in three days.

PS.
One more thing to mention, is that when you get to the gate, admission is $25 or $30 a day. I can't remember for sure. But, you can get a week's pass, which is $45 or something like that, so that was a much better deal that we weren't aware of, except that we asked.

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

Wow MT. You have given me a lot to chew on. I have printed this out and will have it with me. When we started firming up plans for a trip this fall, and decided on Yellowstone as a stop, I researched and found a place in West Yellowstone and booked it for 3 nights. I was hoping to extend that by a day or two but as of today, they don't have any room. At any rate, we have to make it up to GNP before the middle of the month when they close part of the road for maintenance.

Three days may actually be a long time for me, since the last time I was in Yellowstone was 1973 and we did it in an afternoon, due mainly to some bad misinformation.

Thanks

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

Thanks for the information. Being an old fart, I have the Senior pass which cost $10 last year and is good for life, or until you lose it, or until the have a new plan. We spent 6 weeks wandering the west last Sept. and Oct. and the pass paid for itself the first time I used it.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

The park entrance fee is $25 per carload and is good for 7 days re-entry from the purchase date. Yellowstone Park and Grand Teton Park passes are interchangeable and each is good for both parks for that 7 days. I buy an annual pass which is $80 and good for ANY National park or National Monument in the USA for one year. A Yellowstone/Grand Teton only annual pass is $50.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

TIME is always an issue in the park. Back in the 90's I used to do professional photo tours in the park. I would pick up professional photographers at the airport in Billings or Bozeman and tour them through the park, camping for 2 nights in the park. I would get them the shots they were contracted to get and send them on their way. It was fun and quite lucrative until 1998 when the park changed their policy and required me to get a commercial permit, which were allotted and limited, and I applied too late to get one. I have been #3 on the waiting list for 14 tears now! LOL (But that doesn't stop me from taking in an "unofficial" guest from time to time.....LOL)
Have a great trip, and my phone number is on my website if you have any questions while you are there.

ephraim Imperio

[quote=banjonut]

Thanks for the information. Being an old fart, I have the Senior pass which cost $10 last year and is good for life, or until you lose it, or until the have a new plan. We spent 6 weeks wandering the west last Sept. and Oct. and the pass paid for itself the first time I used it.[/quote

Well, if you have a senior pass then you are good. Entrance fee will be free.

Add Loc: S.W.Florida

While there are many well meaning groups opposed to snowmobiles being allowed in Yellowstone,this is positively the best way to see and photo Yellowstone.More wildlife close up and less people,unbelievable landscapes.Animals could care less about the presence of snowmobiles.Do it before it is prohibited.