fjrwillie Loc: MA

Flying into Salt Lake City, Yellowstone is only a 371 mile drive. and what a wonderful drive it would be. You don't say how long in days this trip is but there are a couple of places to see along the way to Yellowstone. Suggest you stay off the interstate on the way to Yellowstone.

Golden Spike in Utah (where the trains came together)
City of Rocks in Idaho
Craters of the Moon Idaho
and you get to see the Grand Tetons south of Yellowstone.

You don't have to spend a lot of time at these places, but they are worthwhile.

On the north side you can drive the Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass.

YMMV

Willie

Dan De Lion Loc: Montana

Anybody else think these business suggestions are from shills?

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

What business suggestions. Use your quote feature.

J. R.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Google marks it a 282 mi. It drives longer especially is shooting. The sites that you mention are worth but far off of the main route. City and craters are an all day full trip for me. Blue highways are great but get out of town congestion. Coming back through West Yellowstone Island Park, Harriman State Park and Mesa falls Bi-way which was know as Yellowstone highway are viable option and two Fridays ago Ray (Excalibur) and I made 350 rim out side of the parks with Mesa Falls and Mountain Man Rendezvous as focus all day and I was wore out. Then I would hit I5 direct to SLC.

Again Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass are very worth but way out others have suggested Glacier which I think is insane. I have been there but big drive.

This is my country that I grew up in. I have shot in WY, Parks, MT, Idaho and UT in one day. I was way young and drive a Sting Ray 65. By the time I hit bed in SLC I was dead. Lots of Kodachrome burnt.

J. R.

Dan De Lion Loc: Montana

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Let's face oh Gifted One, West Yellowstone is an over priced tourist trap. Cody is populated by parochial coastal yuppies and Jackson Hole is appropriately named. Yellowstone is way too crowded in the summer. Photographing animals there is easy but you'll get better photos at the zoo.

The thermal features set the bar for the entire world. The mountains, lakes, rivers, gorges, passes, and wide open western scenery within and around the park define the romantic west. Remember, we're answering a question from a Floridian photographer. What should he do or see coming from a state whose highest elevation is about four hundred feet above sea level.

BTW - Which Kodachrome did you shoot, ASA 25 (my favorite) or ASA 64?

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Ya, I hear you, but this is my back yard. Family has/had property in Fremont/ Madison Counties. I have gone to Disney knowing what to expect and around the world. Places you mentioned can be done on the cheap or high rolling. I have some chums that are in the parks 100 days a year. Roughing it out to get the picture. Don't tell them it's easy. I love the scenic UWA shooting.

The Gifted one is a tip of the hat to some people that gave equipment and more importantly time to tell me the truth about my work. Most are dead now and my way of reminding me to stay humble. I hope to get back in the hill soon. I have had some disastrous health issues. Two weeks ago Excalibur & I did a 350 drive one day hit on Mesa Falls and Mountain Man Rendezvous. Your part of the country is great also and have people there. Bear Tooth is great a photo friend went over it in winter snow cats. Hit some bag weather and one man perished. They were all athletes.

My Uncle and Aunt guided in the Parks and the was associated with Harriman Park.

Just my view from where I set.

J. R.

Dan De Lion Loc: Montana

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Hi Gifted One – When traveling I like to differentiate between authentic experiences and made for tourists experiences. As for the tourist stuff, you can be a lot more comfortable sitting at home and watching it on TV. No doubt a true back country Yellowstone trip can be difficult and perhaps photographically rewarding, but that’s not what most of this post’s suggestions involve. What have you gained if you go to Yellowstone and get pictures of buffalo, bear, elk, mountain goats, maybe a moose, and a few birds? Then stayed in an overpriced motel in West Yellowstone?

Sure take pictures of the animals as you encounter them, but you’re in the world’s largest volcano with 75% of the earth’s geysers. You’re surrounded by mountains, canyons, waterfalls, lakes, alpine tundra, rivers… - That are beyond compare. Which way would you rather enter the Yellowstone, through West Yellowstone or via that dirt road out of Idaho that ends up between the two parks? Where would you rather camp, at a KOA or in the national forest?

My suggestions were for a more authentic experience.

Best of luck with your health issues - Dan

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Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Actually I would rather enter YP through Buckler Meadow, up the Fall River. Or GT through Idaho over the Table Rock trail. Be very careful suggesting The flag ranch road Many will pick up on it and go where they should not. One trip this year will be with GD and I have COPD so I am glad for creature comfort of some sort. My wife while significantly younger has back so it will not be sleep on ground. I may go to Jenny's Lake for Chuck Wagonn Dutch over Cooking.

Dan the OP wanted suggestions. I gave my option based on fact. I know FL or CA is not Disney but have flown in for a point of designation experience.

J. R.

Bill Munny Loc: Aurora, Colorado

Dan, you are one interesting guy. I always respect your opinions and especially from where you live. I was raised in the Colo rockies, was a cave explorer as an early teen, did Alpine Search and Rescue in my late teens and twenties while guiding in the Tetons as a climbing guide. Was at Yellowstone one year before and after the earthquake and fire. Backpacked the Boundary Creek Trail, and then all the way across the park. So, I am not sure if you are being sarcastic or think that giving tourista advise is the way to see the park. I will take every dirt road possible to see what 99.9% of the people do not. But I have been a tourist at times so I can see both viewpoints. I hope you were being sarcastic. BTW, I love your territory. And I have backpacked the Continental Divide from the Northwest Territories (White Goat Wilderness) to the northern NM border, while working for the original Backpacker magazine.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

'Xactly! Read Carter's advice. Better yet call him! http://www.cameracottage.com

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Well here is the thing the Parks are not like the zoo. I like to listen to people give their take on stuff. Just remember none are all that an authority. Both Carter and I are more than two hours away from YP. My friend is in the Park about 70 days a year. Moves with the season to capture stuff. My Uncle and Aunt guided and were the first to do snow tours. I love to do obscure areas but don't recommend them as you can quickly get into trouble. At passed 70 and with health issues I have become causes. It's easy to get into trouble very rapidly.

J. R.

Dan De Lion Loc: Montana

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Hi Bill - Thanks for your kind words. I would have answered sooner but yesterday I got back from a couple of weeks in Alaska to face several hundred emails. I lived in Colorado for a little over 40 years. Most of that time at 8300 feet, west of Boulder, off Sugarloaf Road.

Regarding the Yellowstone post, lots of posts talked about the wonderful tourist things you can do in the park. So, I wanted to suggest some of the spenders that aren’t on everyone’s bucket list. The original poster is from the East and will be here for only a short time. Unless he specializes in wild animal shots his time here could be better spent than waiting days or hours for a perfectly lighted animal shot. In Yellowstone, where the animals are somewhat domesticated by the millions of tourists who see them every year, it is not difficult to get many shots of buffalo, bears, elk… But, you can easily do that at a zoo. What is really unusual for an easterner is places like Chief Joseph pass, Bear Tooth Pass, the world class thermal features, and the vast empty plains butting against the Rockies.

Anyway, that’s what I was trying to say,

Best of luck – Dan

P.S. Speaking of Backpacker magazine, I worked for Holubar Mountaineering for several wonderful years.

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nikonlad Loc: Venice, FL

Dan,
We will be flying into Idaho Falls then driving to Jackson Hole to spend thee days to explore Grand Tetons Park.
From there we drive through Yellowstone to Gardiner, which will be our base to visit Yellowstone for five days. Then driving to Bozman to catch the plane back to Tampa, FL.
Chief Joseph Pass and Beartooth Pass look great, but they seem too distant for us unless we were starting our trip from Billings.
What is your opinion?
Can you suggest anything else along our itinerary?
Bob