Dear friends,
I am planing to go in end of September to Yellow Stone , I am sure many of you have been there for many times,,,, I would like to ask you for some advice where is the best place to book some cabin or hotel in very descent location for wildlife and landscape photography...?
I will appreciate your advice or even some links on others forums where I will get more informations, Thank you very much! Verdon!!!
Posted by Robert Bunch on August 1, 2011 at 10:35 AM
First I will say you're gonna love it!!
I usually camp or stay in Gardiner, Montana just outside the north gate. I have stayed at both the Asaroka motel in Gardiner and the Mammoth Hotel inside the park at Mammoth Hot springs. The Mammoth hotel is 100 or so years old and is really a cool place. I stayed at the Absaroka motel in February and you could stand on the balcony looking across the Yellowstone river at McMinn bench and Mount Everts and see large herds of wintering elk. I give both of them a good reccomendation. Gardiner is pretty small but it has a few good restaurants, bars and shops if you're into that after a hard day of photography. There are more of the aforementioned bars etc and tourist attractions such as the IMAX theatre and the Grizzly discovery center in West Yellowstone. I have never stayed there but there are many motels and hotels. The prices at the hotels are high in the summer but usually come down in the fall at the end of the tourist season. I'm not sure about the availability of rooms so you might want to make reservations in advance once you choose a motel. You also might want to check out the Old Faithful Inn at the Old Faithful area. It is in the south part of the park and a bit of a drive (maybe an hour or so) from the best wildlife areas but this is an amazing old hotel. It has a huge lobby with large fireplaces. It's like being in a giant log cabin. Everything, the stairs, balconies, the support columns are all made of giant, twisted, gnarly logs. To say it is rustic would be an understatement. To me it is the perfect place to sit down and relax in a really appropriate atmosphere after a long day of Yellowstone photography. Even if you don't stay there be sure to check it out when you go see Old Faithful. It also has a nice restaurant.
For wildlife I would definitely target the northern part of the park (Gardiner, Cooke City, Mammoth and West Yellowsone) cause that is where the wildlife is most easily found. Especially from Norris campground (which will be closed when you get there) north to Swan Lake and Mammoth. Of all the grizzly photos I have taken in Yellowstone about 75% have been in this area but grizzly populations have increased throughout the park. Lamar valley, the road from Canyon to Tower, the road from Mammoth to Tower across Dunraven pass and the Hayden valley are all good for grizzlies. Elk can be found throughout the park but I've always had good luck along the Madison river just west of the Madison campground. I believe its a little harder to find elk now probably because they are more dispersed from the presence of the wolves. Often you can find bighorn sheep on McMinn bench just inside the north gate. Bison are found almost everywhere. The Lamar valley and Hayden valley are good for spotting wolves. Coyotes can be found throughout the park. Max's suggestion about Yellowstone.net is a very good idea. If you have a laptop or Ipad take it with you and you can check for up to date wildlife sightings and see photos posted by other people in the park at the same time as you.
For landscapes there are many great areas. One of my favorites would be the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the lower falls. Lamar valley is also very beautiful with rugged mountains towering over the Lamar river and the wide, wildlife filled valley. There are also many geysers and colorful hot pools to explore. And for sure check out Old Faithful.
Grand Teton is probably better for landscapes because of the majestic Tetons and the fall aspen display but in my opinion Yellowstone is better for wildlife.
You can request an information packet, map and park newspaper by calling the park office or probably from online. I would also contact the local Chamber of Commerce (an organization that promotes local businesses, every town has one) for all the gateway towns and for Jackson, Wyoming. They will send you a boatload of information.
I hope you have a great trip. I will be there myself from mid September to about mid October. I'll be driving a red 2010 Ford F-150 pick up truck with Texas license plates. If you see my truck stop and say hello. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Verdon, there are a lot of options depending on what you're interested in specifically. Since Yellowstone is a big park, it often makes sense to plan your stay based on your target subject matter. A place like West Yellowstone is much closer to the major thermal areas and in September, the elk rut that often (but not always) occurs along the Madison River. Staying up north in Gardiner or in the northeast in Silver Gate or Cooke City will put you closer to what are traditionally the higher-density wildlife areas.
You'll also want to make sure you get down to the Grand Tetons for at least a couple days. Around the end of September and the first week of October, the fall colors are spectacular there, and it's also a great place to see moose. For the Grand Tetons, I recommend the Signal Mountain Lodge or (more rustic) Colter Bay Cabins in the park... or you could stay in Jackson, which is not that far away.
If you have more questions about Yellowstone, try the Yellowstone.net forums. There are many frequent visitors to the park--including many photographers--there that can help answer your questions.
Discussion
3 repliesI am planing to go in end of September to Yellow Stone , I am sure many of you have been there for many times,,,, I would like to ask you for some advice where is the best place to book some cabin or hotel in very descent location for wildlife and landscape photography...?
I will appreciate your advice or even some links on others forums where I will get more informations, Thank you very much! Verdon!!!
I usually camp or stay in Gardiner, Montana just outside the north gate. I have stayed at both the Asaroka motel in Gardiner and the Mammoth Hotel inside the park at Mammoth Hot springs. The Mammoth hotel is 100 or so years old and is really a cool place. I stayed at the Absaroka motel in February and you could stand on the balcony looking across the Yellowstone river at McMinn bench and Mount Everts and see large herds of wintering elk. I give both of them a good reccomendation. Gardiner is pretty small but it has a few good restaurants, bars and shops if you're into that after a hard day of photography. There are more of the aforementioned bars etc and tourist attractions such as the IMAX theatre and the Grizzly discovery center in West Yellowstone. I have never stayed there but there are many motels and hotels. The prices at the hotels are high in the summer but usually come down in the fall at the end of the tourist season. I'm not sure about the availability of rooms so you might want to make reservations in advance once you choose a motel. You also might want to check out the Old Faithful Inn at the Old Faithful area. It is in the south part of the park and a bit of a drive (maybe an hour or so) from the best wildlife areas but this is an amazing old hotel. It has a huge lobby with large fireplaces. It's like being in a giant log cabin. Everything, the stairs, balconies, the support columns are all made of giant, twisted, gnarly logs. To say it is rustic would be an understatement. To me it is the perfect place to sit down and relax in a really appropriate atmosphere after a long day of Yellowstone photography. Even if you don't stay there be sure to check it out when you go see Old Faithful. It also has a nice restaurant.
For wildlife I would definitely target the northern part of the park (Gardiner, Cooke City, Mammoth and West Yellowsone) cause that is where the wildlife is most easily found. Especially from Norris campground (which will be closed when you get there) north to Swan Lake and Mammoth. Of all the grizzly photos I have taken in Yellowstone about 75% have been in this area but grizzly populations have increased throughout the park. Lamar valley, the road from Canyon to Tower, the road from Mammoth to Tower across Dunraven pass and the Hayden valley are all good for grizzlies. Elk can be found throughout the park but I've always had good luck along the Madison river just west of the Madison campground. I believe its a little harder to find elk now probably because they are more dispersed from the presence of the wolves. Often you can find bighorn sheep on McMinn bench just inside the north gate. Bison are found almost everywhere. The Lamar valley and Hayden valley are good for spotting wolves. Coyotes can be found throughout the park. Max's suggestion about Yellowstone.net is a very good idea. If you have a laptop or Ipad take it with you and you can check for up to date wildlife sightings and see photos posted by other people in the park at the same time as you.
For landscapes there are many great areas. One of my favorites would be the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the lower falls. Lamar valley is also very beautiful with rugged mountains towering over the Lamar river and the wide, wildlife filled valley. There are also many geysers and colorful hot pools to explore. And for sure check out Old Faithful.
Grand Teton is probably better for landscapes because of the majestic Tetons and the fall aspen display but in my opinion Yellowstone is better for wildlife.
You can request an information packet, map and park newspaper by calling the park office or probably from online. I would also contact the local Chamber of Commerce (an organization that promotes local businesses, every town has one) for all the gateway towns and for Jackson, Wyoming. They will send you a boatload of information.
I hope you have a great trip. I will be there myself from mid September to about mid October. I'll be driving a red 2010 Ford F-150 pick up truck with Texas license plates. If you see my truck stop and say hello. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Robert Bunch
You'll also want to make sure you get down to the Grand Tetons for at least a couple days. Around the end of September and the first week of October, the fall colors are spectacular there, and it's also a great place to see moose. For the Grand Tetons, I recommend the Signal Mountain Lodge or (more rustic) Colter Bay Cabins in the park... or you could stay in Jackson, which is not that far away.
If you have more questions about Yellowstone, try the Yellowstone.net forums. There are many frequent visitors to the park--including many photographers--there that can help answer your questions.
Max