I'm going on my first trip ever to Yellowstone / Grand Tetons the first 2 weeks of September and am excited beyond belief - assuming of course, that the virus doesn't ruin things. I am in the process of researching and planning my trip. I want to spend the bulk of my time in Yellowstone and I have a few preliminary questions which I haven't been able to find answers to either here or on the internet. (I have yet to start planning the Grand Tetons part of the trip - I'm sure I will have questions when I get to that part of my planning.)

Just some background - I'm a big city girl and I will be travelling alone. I will be staying outside the park (I am leaning towards right outside the Roosevelt Arch) and I will have a rental car.

Here goes: I know hiking alone is a big no-no. The ranger led hikes have been cancelled this year as far as i can tell. Do you know of any hikes that can be done alone or am I stuck with what I can see from my car? I suppose I could wait until I arrive and ask at the ranger station, but I prefer to have everything thought out in advance.

The Hayden and Lamar Valleys are prime wildlife viewing locations. Is there a best spot (i.e. mile marker) to just sit and wait or is it a matter of driving around until I see something and then stop?

Everybody says to get to the park early for the best wildlife viewing opportunities. What does "early" mean exactly? Is it 1 hour before sunrise, 2 hours, sunrise itself? I want to maximize my opportunities to see wildlife.

Since I will be alone and I have a healthy fear of bears and the nights there are far darker than what I am used to, can anyone suggest someplace where I might be able to try some astrophotography that won't be so scary and where I won't necessarily be alone? If I do end up by myself, would keeping the car headlights on keep the bears away?

Finally, don't laugh, but do bears go out in the rain? (Some websites said yes, others didn't say one way or another.) If they don't go out in the rain, I was hoping to be able to do do some hiking.

Thanks for any information you're willing to share.

Gloria

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I will definitely check out the links suggested and heed all the great advice shared.

I do all of my travelling alone (even internationally) because none of my friends share my hobby or even want to go to the same places. The only times I have used a tour group was when I traveled to Egypt and Morocco -- because of the language barrier and cultural differences. I am very aware of all the extra precautions and "things" I have to keep in mind that being a solo female traveler entails.

I don't foresee having anyone to go to Yellowstone with me now or in the future so I go realizing that I have to compromise. I have read enough and seen enough pictures to know that I am going to be blown away by the beauty but there are also many hazards to be aware of. I just need to know which are real and which I am exaggerating in my own mind.

For example - dark in NYC is not really dark. I was in South Dakota a few years back and I got a taste of dark and I found it unsettling and actually pretty scary. I imagine that Yellowstone must be far worse. You all just confirmed for me that my fear of that kind of dark is not irrational -- because of both the two legged and four legged animal. I guess my desire to try astrophotography is out the window. As as aside, I am pretty shocked to learn that a running car could attract animals - I never would have figured that one.

I wasn't sure if my fear of a bear encounter was justified. I read the local newspapers online and have read the stats and they all say bear attacks are few and far between as long as proper precautions are taken and besides that, the few hundred bears within the thousands of acres of land makes it unlikely that you would run into one. However, based on your personal experiences it seems that an encounter is more likely than not to happen especially since the animals have lost their fear of humans due to the recent closures.

As a poster suggested, I thought of tagging along on someone else's hiking group but I will be honest - I enjoy just walking, getting lost in my thoughts and absorbing beauty in silence - precisely why I cannot hike alone in Yellowstone. I was hoping there were some popular trails which are sufficiently crowded so that being alone wasn't such a big deal. Cross hiking off my list as well. Sigh.

It **pains** me to have to take a tour bus like someone suggested though I know it is for the best and I can justify it in my mind as a recon tool for where I want to go on my own later. (That, along with the Gyspy guide should give me some good ideas.)

You are all correct -- Yellowstone is definitely an adventure and out of my comfort zone. That being said, I will compromise where necessary to make sure that it is a safe trip. A few years back I went to Custer State Park and Windcave Natl Park in SD and the wildlife and beauty was incredible. That trip, as well as viewing the photos and reading the comments on UHH is what ignited this incredible need to go to Yellowstone. I will keep researching and refining plans for my trip thanks to all your advice. It seems that i will also have to rethink my lodging idea in light of the recent fire.

Thank you again.

Bear spray is essential for any hiking, and must be purchased on-site. Airlines will not let you carry it onboard or in checked luggage. And make sure you are clear on how to use it--trying to figure out how to spray while a bear is advancing is NOT a good idea. Having said that, sighting a bear is a treat, and the rangers know most of them by name and patterns. I've also used bells attached to my hiking poles, which some refer to as "dinner bells for the grizzlies" .

I like the above idea of finding a "tag-along" partner -- we would have always welcomed such a person.

Tetons and Yellowstone are quite different. Yellowstone is incredibly unique, but I actually prefer the beauty and solitude of the Tetons. Animals in both are pretty habituated to humans, and if you're in a car, they might come close while grazing, etc., but don't move toward them. There are rules posted stating how closely you can approach different animals.

As to timing, I like to be out as the sun rises and as the sun sets. Rest/sleep in the middle of the day. Have a great time and stay safe and healthy.