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Started By
Message
Wyoming/Montana area in May
Posted on 12/27/19 at 10:32 pm
Posted on 12/27/19 at 10:32 pm
Any recs? Jackson Hole too busy?
7
Posted on 12/27/19 at 11:16 pm to patnuh
May will be quiet. You’ll beat the summer rush.
The rivers will still be high with snow melt so the fishing won’t be great. You may see rain, a snow storm, or sunshine. Hiking a higher elevations is doable, but you may need some technical gear due to snow and ice.
It’s not a bad time to visit. But June is nicer. Due to better weather, and better fishing.
The rivers will still be high with snow melt so the fishing won’t be great. You may see rain, a snow storm, or sunshine. Hiking a higher elevations is doable, but you may need some technical gear due to snow and ice.
It’s not a bad time to visit. But June is nicer. Due to better weather, and better fishing.
This post was edited on 12/27/19 at 11:23 pm
Posted on 12/28/19 at 7:37 am to Lima Whiskey
Thanks for the info. I’m eyeing the last week of May so that might help some.
Posted on 12/28/19 at 7:54 am to patnuh
what are you wanting to do? what type of town/place to stay?
Jackson Hole is great, it's a resort town with some higher end places to stay. If you're looking for something smaller and more rustic, you may want to consider a different spot. But it's right near the entrance of the Grand Tetons and not far from Yellowstone.
Jackson Hole is great, it's a resort town with some higher end places to stay. If you're looking for something smaller and more rustic, you may want to consider a different spot. But it's right near the entrance of the Grand Tetons and not far from Yellowstone.
Posted on 12/28/19 at 8:24 am to patnuh
It’s possible that snow will make some areas impassable. I’ve been in May and there was still a lot of snow. I like September a lot more than May for months outside of summer. I don’t think the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier is open at that time.
But the crowds are a LOT better, so that’s nice. May is a nice time to beat the massive crowds.
But the crowds are a LOT better, so that’s nice. May is a nice time to beat the massive crowds.
Posted on 12/28/19 at 8:27 am to specchaser
quote:
what are you wanting to do? what type of town/place to stay?
Good question....it will be my wife and 4 year old kid making the trip. My wife is not the camping type. She wants to go, but I’m not sure what to do with her. That goes with daily life too though.
Posted on 12/28/19 at 5:07 pm to TigerSaintInDallas
That’s a good point to bring up. Glacier is an astonishing experience, and it’s worth building a trip around it.
Posted on 12/28/19 at 5:51 pm to patnuh
We went the last week in May a few years ago and it was perfect. Chilly in the mornings (upper 30s) but warmed to around 70 quickly. No rain for us that week. Crowds in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone were very manageable.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 8:44 am to patnuh
Do you have to go in May OP? May is mud season. The snow is melting so it’s muddy and the rivers are very high, fast, and dirty. Check the park schedules as everything may not be open. This continues until about mid June. It’s also a decent chance of a good snow still.
Given that, if you can deal with that stuff if it happens and not bother you then by all means it is a slower time of year and the weather can be great.
Given that, if you can deal with that stuff if it happens and not bother you then by all means it is a slower time of year and the weather can be great.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 9:48 am to baldona
Thanks for the information everyone. We are also going and were trying to decide between May and September.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 11:33 am to madamsquirrel
quote:
Thanks for the information everyone. We are also going and were trying to decide between May and September.
If those are your options, it’s not even a question as September is probably the best month of the year out there. There’s really
No downsides to September.
If you guys are planning on visiting yellowstone, make some refundable reservations ASAP especially if you want to stay in the park. Hotel prices will cause some sticker shock but they will be reserved up quickly and likely limited already.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 11:50 am to baldona
There is certainly a downside to visiting in September. It’s called wildfires.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 12:27 pm to patnuh
quote:
My wife is not the camping type. She wants to go, but I’m not sure what to do with her. That goes with daily life too though.
That's funny.
We went this August; long road trip through SD, MT, WY, etc. Our first time and now that we've been I don't know why we waited so long. Can not wait to go back.
If you search the TB there are many post about Yellowstone/GT. If you stay in the park the best recommendation about Yellowstone I found on the TB, from a frequent visitor, is to stay in two different locations. We did not do that because it did not make sense to me but now it does.
I recommend staying at one of the Old Faithful hotels 1 or 2 nights and then at the Roosevelt Lodge a night or 2. OF is in the SW corner and RL in the NE.
Roosevelt is the nearest to Lamar Valley where you have the best chance to see a variety of wildlife but getting up early increases your chances; especially to see bears and wolves. But the problem with Roosevelt is that most of the lodging are small cabins without indoor plumbing.
The next best options would be at Canyon Village or Mammoth but then you have almost an hour drive to get to the beginning of Lamar Valley. Regardless of where you stay you should see plenty of Bison, Elk and mule deer.
And, of course there are waterfalls, geysers and other unique features in the park to see.
We stayed 3 nights in the Lake Hotel and it was pricey but we booked late and didn't have many options. When we left YS we drove through GT NP but did not spend the night; only stopped briefly at a few places. We were headed to RMNP near Denver.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 2:19 pm to baldona
Hotel rooms are probably already booked if you are staying in the park. However, with persistence you can still get a room. I booked 3 nights in Yellowstone during August a month before we left and did the same for Yosemite with about the same timeframe. Xanterra (the Yellowstone concessionaire), allows your to cancel your rooms up to a week before arrival without penalty. As a result rooms are opening up all of the time, but they book up almost as quickly as they open up. Check back several times a day and you will likely get a room. Also, the suggestion about staying in different places in the park is a good one. Over three nights we stayed at Old Faithful Inn (I highly recommend it), a lodge in the Canyonlands section, and Mammoth. Get up and get going early. Most people in the national parks don’t leave their hotels until after 9-10. You can see and do a lot during those first few hours of the day before they get going. September is after most kids go back to school, and although it’s still busy it’s not near as packed as before. September is when the elk will be rutting and seeing mammoth is a must during that time. There will be a lot of people, but there will be a ton of elk in town. Mammoth hotel was recently renovated and the rooms there are very nice. Every American should see Yellowstone at least once in their life.
This post was edited on 12/29/19 at 9:11 pm
Posted on 12/29/19 at 3:30 pm to canyon critter
quote:
There is certainly a downside to visiting in September. It’s called wildfires.
Ha, I mean I guess. There's a downside to every month. I guess I should say September is usually the best month with the least downside and the most upside.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 8:00 pm to patnuh
Download Gypsy Guides Yellowstone/Grand Teton app. Best $10 you will spend. Makes the ride around the parks much easier. Multiple hotels is a must. We spent all 5 nights at Canyon Lodge which was not optimal. Had a few late dark nights driving back from Old Faithful Lodge and Tetons. Dark, curvy roads at 25mph not much fun. Plus if something happens, you will not have cell service to call for help.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 9:10 pm to baldona
quote:
There's a downside to every month. I guess I should say September is usually the best month with the least downside and the most upside.
In a year with no fires, September is absolutely the best time to visit. Indian Summer can’t be beat! The last few years; however, September has been pretty crappy here. Fires or lots of unseasonable rain.
FYI to the OP, June is the wettest month for Montana.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 9:22 pm to patnuh
if your wife isn't the camping type, Jackson Hole has some really nice hotels. It'll be difficult to find places in the parks, but West Yellowstone and Cody would be options for doing Yellowstone as well.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 9:58 pm to specchaser
Whitefish, Montana is another good option.
Posted on 12/29/19 at 10:46 pm to ColoradoAg03
quote:
Whitefish, Montana is another good option.
Stop it. We have enough tourists.
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