how many days needed to see yellowstone?

we plan on driving from Boise to Yellowstone over memorial weekend...will it be too cold? how many days should we plan on staying?

thanks!!

Cari

how many days needed to see yellowstone?

Good morning Cari,

Of all the things that we CAN tell you about Yellowstone, the weather is about the hardest to guess, especially in May and early June. Being a regular springtime visitor myself, I can tell you that springtime is my favorite time to be in Yellowstone, with all the park waking up from the long winter, and the newborn bison and elk calves romping around, the bears coming out of hibernation with their new cubs, and even possible wolf pups to see. However, the greater Yellowstone area doesn%26#39;t usually get a ';standard'; spring like a lot of the country does. It can go from winter right into summer, and that can happen within a 24 hour period anytime between early May and mid June! So, ';will it be cold?'; We could see temps anywhere from the 20s like we had on a few occasions last year, into the 70s like we had in 2007. ';Normally'; by Memorial Day weekend there are more springlike days than winter,and any winter weather, including snowfall does not last that long. But it can always be a guessing game. The best suggestion is to dress in layers, and come prepared for anything!

How long to stay is pretty much a personal thing. Everyone comes to YNP expecting something different. Some folks are happy with a drive-through.... NOT recommended at all! While others, myself included, can not get enough of it. For first time visitors we usually recommend at least 3 or 4 days to allow time to get a good taste of everything. Then when you%26#39;re ready to plan that return trip, you%26#39;ll have a better understanding of the size and character of Yellowstone, and all there is to experience in this awesome place!

The ';bad news'; is ... If you do not have lodging reservations by now, your chances of finding anything inside the park are getting worse by the hour. You might try this toll free number for the lodging agent, Xanterra 1-866-439-7375 to see what might still be available. If you can%26#39;t, or don%26#39;t want to stay inside the park, you should be able to find motels in any of the surrounding towns. West Yellowstone offers the most choices for eating and lodging, with Gardiner, and Cooke City coming in second and third. Jackson and Cody are great to visit, but a bit too far out to make good bases for YNP.

Enjoy your visit, and I%26#39;m sure that you will have a great time!

how many days needed to see yellowstone?

I agree that 4 days is good. Three will leave you feeling like you saw a lot. Since you%26#39;re driving from Boise, I assume you%26#39;ll have some warm clothes with you not just Florida things. Might still be winter when you get there.

I%26#39;d call the number in the previous post relentlessly (daily). The economy is still in the tank and there may well be more cancellations between now and late May.

You might find some helpful information on our website. There%26#39;s a trip report from early last June, sample itineraries, planning information and a lot of pictures with comments.

www.alandsuejohnson.com/yellowstone_home.htm

thank you for the info...we are going to postpone our trip until July..when we will have more time to spend.

cari

Sounds like a good plan. You%26#39;ll be glad you waited until you have the extra time to spend in the Park.

If you know when you%26#39;ll be visiting, I would suggest you call the above number ASAP to get your lodging reserved.

Come back with any further questions!

where would you recommend staying? Do not like to rough it!

thank you again.