Our Recommendations

The first thing that you should do is read our Yellowstone Visitor's Guide. There are answers to many frequently asked questions.

Planning your trip

We have provided a map below with an example of how your stay in the park should be distributed. Note the triangle drawn between three locations. You should try and spread your stay around in a similar fashion so that you are staying in a different part of the park every two nights or so. This is the only way that you will be able to see all of Yellowstone. We chose West Yellowstone, Gardiner and Lake as our three locations. You might, however, choose Roosevelt, Gardiner and Old Faithful and accomplish the same thing. Or Jackson, Old Faithful and Canyon Village. Spread your stay around.

About Hotels

We have a hotels page that provides a list of what is available in the park. There are a number of options outside the park. Your cheapest option is often to stay in one of the towns on the park's periphery. Park hotels are often pretty "bare-bones"--no phones or televisions in the rooms, and no internet connections. This may be perfect for you; it may not. We would never discount the splendor of a stay at the Old Faithful Inn or the Lake Hotel, but accommodations in areas such as Mammoth Hot Springs or Canyon can be pretty bleak. The cabins at Mammoth and Lake can be a pleasant experience. Roosevelt is a wonderful place to stay if you don't mind rustic cabins. There is nothing like sitting on the porch of the Roosevelt lodge and having a glass of wine. Avoid Grant Village all together. Here are some alternatives:

In Gardiner Absaroka Lodge Gardiner, MT 59030 406.848.7414 800.755.7414 Yellowstone Village Inn Gardiner, MT 59030 406.848.7417 800.228.8158 (Tell them we sent you, and they will take care of you.)	In Cody Robin's Nest Bed & Breakfast 1508 Alger Avenue Cody Wyoming 82414-3912 ynpbob@bresnan.net 307.527.7208 866.723.7797
In West Yellowstone Hibernation Station 212 Gray Wolf Avenue West Yellowstone, MT 59758 reservations@hibernationstation.com 800.580-3557 406.646.4200

About Food in the Park

The number one complaint that we hear from clients pertains to food in the park. Food in Yellowstone's restaurants is mediocre, at best. Some locations are better than others. Roosevelt Lodge is usually good, and the Lake Hotel has been acceptable in recent years, albeit seriously overpriced for the quality. Generally speaking, avoid eating in the park when possible. You'll get acceptable, though expensive, food at the grills throughout the park, but restaurants are best avoided all together when possible. Here are some alternatives:

In Gardiner Sawtooth Deli When they are open, this is one of our favorite places, but every year their hours and offerings differ. Some years they offer dinner, some they don't. It's pretty hit or miss, but a good option when they are serving dinner. It is always good for lunch. K-Bar Pizza For a great pizza, you won't go wrong at the K-Bar. You can feed the whole family for $20.00. The Raven This is a barebones grill located on a patio in town. The food is really good and the price very acceptable. Usually has three options: Chicken, Steak, Pork Chop. Take the pork chop when available. Our only complaint (other than the less-than stellar attitude of the staff) is plastic utensils. Who wants to eat a $20.00 steak with a plastic fork?

In West Yellowstone The Stagecoach This is pretty decent dining, and not a bad place to stay either. Visit their website. The Gusher Serves a good pizza at a reasonable price and has all-you-can-eat spaghetti night on Wednesday.

In Jackson The Rusty Parrot is a fantastic restaurant. Average price is $40.00 per plate.

If during your stay you have a bad experience with the food in the park, please send a letter of complaint detailing the location of the meal in question to:

National Park Service
Business Management
Attn: Judy Jennings
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY
82190

Something Special

Our highest recommendation goes to Chico Hot Springs, shown on the map below. It is home to Montana's only five star restaurant, and it is a wonderful place to stay. Chico Hot Springs is located 35 miles north of Yellowstone, and it is a wonderful addition to your trip. The drive from Gardiner to Chico Hot Springs is very scenic, passing through Paradise Valley, and we think that you will find the hotel's atmosphere very charming. After a long day of wildlife viewing in Yellowstone, you can spend an hour or two in the hot springs and then dine in our very favorite restaurant. The whole experience is very reasonably priced. Visit their website.

Chico Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa P.O. Box 29 #1 Chico Road Pray, Montana 59065 800.HOT.WADA 406.333.4933

Yellowstone for Violin and Orchestra

Be sure to check out the number one selling CD in the Park by your outfitter and guide, Jett Hitt. You can download samples of this full scale violin concerto that was inspired by the Park and recorded by the Slovak Radio Symphony. It is the perfect sound track to your Yellowstone vacation.