In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
I'm Chris Hall you have reached my canoeing page.
When you go canoeing it's important to have all the following items.
| FIRE TOOL | Bring plenty of lighters and matches. Lighters are very small and light so bringing extra ones in case one doesn't work is a very good idea. Without means to make fire you will freeze to death. You can try to make fire like a caveman by spinning a stick against a piece of wood but that is a skill that takes practice to learn and if you don't already have that skill you'll freeze to death before you have it figured out. | |
| STRING | There's no reason not to bring some string, it weighs close to nothing and has a million uses. | |
| WATER | Water is much more important than food in an emergency, you can go for weeks without food but without water you could be dead in a couple of days. | |
| FOOD | Bring plenty of granola bars for snacks, they're a perfect high energy good tasting paddling food. You've probably tried those energy bars and if you're a normal person they make you puke. | |
| CAMPSTOVE | The Trailstove is the best canoeing stove in the world as far as I know. No stove even comes close. The Trailstove burns wood which may sound old fashioned but so what. You don't have to carry any wood and it works just fine. | |
| FISH NET | In most states you're not legally allowed to fish with a net without a commercial fishing license, but in a life and death emergency who cares. With a fishing pole and a hook you could spend all day and still not get any fish. With a net you will catch fish within minutes, I guess that's why it's illegal. | |
| TARP | If you don't bring a tarp you'll regret it. |
MAKE A SHELTER
Find two 4 foot sturdy branches with "Y" shapes at the ends.
Find an 8 foot sturdy branch.
Pu the branches together into a pyramid with the longer branch towards the wind, make sure that they're securely joined, tie something around the top if you need to.
Line the two long walls with ribs consisting of branches resting against the long branch.
Cover the two long ribbed walls with smaller branches.
If you want to and you have plenty of time you can prepare the ground under the shelter ahead of time by digging down a few inches and burning a fire on the ground for a few hours and then covering the coals with the dirt from the dig. This way the ground in your shelter will be warm and dry all night long.
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Established on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the first and oldest national park in the world.
Preserved within Yellowstone are Old Faithful Geyser and some 10,000 hot springs and geysers, the majority of the planet's total. These geothermal wonders are evidence of one of the world's largest active volcanoes; its last eruption created a crater or caldera that spans almost half of the park.
An outstanding mountain wildland with clean water and air, Yellowstone is home of the grizzly bear and wolf, and free-ranging herds of bison and elk. It is the core of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest intact temperate zone ecosystems remaining on the planet.
The human history of the park dates back 12,000 years. The events of the last 130 years of park history are reflected in the historic structures and sites associated with various periods of park administration and visitor facilities development.
CONTACTS
Email - yell_visitor_services@nps.gov
Fax- 307-344-2005
Write to
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY
82190-0168
Phone
Visitor Information - 307-344-7381
Visitor
Information (TDD) - 307-344-2386
TRAVEL BASICS
Operating Hours,
Seasons
PLEASE NOTE: Some Areas, Entrances and
Roads are Not Accessible Year Round.
Spring
This is a unique opportunity for non-motorized use of certain park roads. Bicycling, hiking, jogging, roller blades, roller skis, and similar means of non-motorized travel are permitted between the West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs ONLY from about mid March through the third Thursday in April. The opening day in March is weather dependent.
See the Spring Biking Page (http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/todo/biking/sprgbike.htm) for a map and more information. You may verify which specific roads are open to such activities by calling: 307-344-2109.
Summer / Fall
Park Areas, Entrances and Roads open on different dates. Visit the Opening/Closing Dates and Calendar Pages for more information.
This Season runs from approximately mid-April to the beginning of November.
Once an Entrance / Road opens, it is open 24 hours. The only exceptions are caused by road construction and weather-related restrictions.
Winter
The season runs from approximately mid-December to mid-March. The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner, MT to the Northeast Entrance at Cooke City, MT is open to wheeled-vehicle use year around. Only over-snow vehicles are allowed on other park roads.
Please Note, US Highway 212 east of Cooke City, Montana is CLOSED during the winter season.
Getting There
PLANE - Commercial airlines serve the following
airports near Yellowstone National Park all year: Cody and Jackson, WY;
Bozeman and Billings, MT, and Idaho Falls, ID. The West Yellowstone, MT
airport is open from June to early September.
CAR - North Entrance - Near the gateway community of Gardiner, MT, the North Entrance is the only park entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year. November through April, the North Entrance provides the only access to Cooke City, MT. Beyond Cooke City the road is closed to wheeled vehicles November through April. The road from Mammoth to Norris is open to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the first full week in March.
West Entrance - Adjacent to the town of West Yellowstone, MT, the West Entrance is open to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the second full week in March.
South & East Entrances - Open to wheeled vehicles from the first Friday of May through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the second full week in March. Limited services are available near the South & East Entrances.
Northeast Entrance - Near the gateway community of Cooke City, MT, this entrance is open year around for wheeled vehicle access to Cooke City through Gardiner, MT and the North Entrance. Opening dates for roads east of Cooke City vary from year to year, depending on the weather.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Bus service from Bozeman, MT to West Yellowstone, MT via Highway 191 is available all year. Bus service directly from Idaho to West Yellowstone is limited to the summer months. Commercial transportation from Bozeman, MT to Gardiner, MT is available during the winter and summer seasons. Commercial transportation to the park from Cody and Jackson, WY is available during the summer season. There is no public transportation within the park.
Weather & Climate
Summer: Daytime temperatures are often
in the 70s (25C) and occasionally in the 80s (30C) in lower elevations.
Nights are usually cool and temperatures may drop below freezing at higher
elevations. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoons.
Winter: Temperatures often range from zero to 20F(-20 to -5C) throughout the day. Sub-zero temperatures over-night are common. The record low temperature is -66F (-54C). Snowfall is highly variable. While the average is 150 inches per year, it is not uncommon for higher elevations to get twice that amount.
Spring & Fall: Daytime temperatures range from the 30s to the 60s (0 to 20C) with overnight lows in the teens to single digits (-5 to -20C). Snow is common in the Spring and Fall with regular accumulations of 12" in a 24 hour period. At any time of year, be prepared for sudden changes. Unpredictability, more than anything else, characterizes Yellowstone’s weather. Always be equipped with a wide range of clothing options. Be sure to bring a warm jacket and rain gear even in the summer.
Accessibility
The pamphlet, Visitor Guide to Accessible
Features in Yellowstone National Park, is available free online at the Web
address below and at all visitor centers in the park. For more
information, write to: Park Accessibility Coordinator; P.O. Box 168;
Yellowstone National Park WY 82190-0168.
Getting Around
Most visitors use private vehicles to get
around inside Yellowstone National Park. There is no public transportation
available within the park.
AmFac Parks & Resorts provides bus tours within the park during the summer season. The Lower Loop Tour departs from locations in the southern part of the Park only. The Upper Loop Tour departs from Lake Hotel, Fishing Bridge RV Park, and Canyon Lodge to tour the northern section of the park only. The Grand Loop Tour departs from Gardiner, MT and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel to tour the entire park in one day. During the winter season, they provide several snowcoach tours from various locations. Please call (307) 344-7311 for information or reservations.
During the summer season, commercial businesses offer tours originating from many area towns and cities. During the winter season, some businesses provide snowcoach tours for most park roads or bus transportation on the Mammoth Hot Springs to Cooke City road.
FEES/PERMITS
Entrance Fee
1. PRIVATE,
NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
$20 for 7 Days
$40 for Annual
2. INDIVIDUAL - HIKE, BICYCLE, ETC.
$10 for 7 Days
$40 for Annual
3. SNOWMOBILE OR MOTORCYCLE
$15
for 7 Days
$40 for Annual
4. COMMERCIAL SEDAN, 1
TO 6 PASSENGER CAPACITY
$25 + 10 per person for 7 Days
5. COMMERCIAL VAN, 7 TO 15 PASSENGER CAPACITY
$125 for 7
Days
6. COMMERCIAL MINIBUS, 16 TO 25 PASSENGER CAPACITY
$200
for 7 Days
7. COMMERCIAL MOTORCOACH, 26 OR MORE PASSENGER
CAPACITY
$300 for 7 Days
CAMPING
Bridge Bay
Campground
Reserve through Yellowstone National Park Lodges. Call:
307-344-7311 or TDD 307-344-5395. Or Online at:
www.travelyellowstone.com/camping/
For More Information on this
campground please call 307-344-7311
Canyon
Campground
Reserve through Yellowstone National Park Lodges. Call:
307-344-7311 or TDD 307-344-5395. Or Online at:
www.travelyellowstone.com/camping/
For More Information on this
campground please call 307-344-7311
Fishing Bridge RV
Park
Hard-sided Vehicles Only. Reserve through Yellowstone National
Park Lodges. Call: 307-344-7311 or TDD 307-344-5395. Or Online at:
www.travelyellowstone.com/camping/
For More Information on this
campground please call 307-344-7311
Grant Village
Campground
Reserve through Yellowstone National Park Lodges. Call:
307-344-7311 or TDD 307-344-5395. Or Online at:
www.travelyellowstone.com/camping/
For More Information on this
campground please call 307-344-7311
Indian Creek
Campground
No Reservations. First come, first served.
Lewis Lake Campground
No Reservations. First come, first
served.
Madison Campground
Reserve through Yellowstone
National Park Lodges. Call: 307-344-7311 or TDD 307-344-5395. Or Online
at: www.travelyellowstone.com/camping/
For More Information on this
campground please call 307-344-7311
Mammoth
Campground
Open All Year
No Reservations. First come, first
served.
Norris Campground
No Reservations. First come,
first served.
Pebble Creek Campground
No Reservations.
First come, first served.
Slough Creek Campground
No
Reservations. First come, first served.
Tower Fall
Campground
No Reservations. First come, first served.
LODGING
1. Canyon Lodges
This
includes: Canyon Lodge, Cascade Lodge and Dunraven Lodge. Reservations can
be made online at: http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More
Information on this lodging please call 307-344-7311
2.
Canyon Frontier / Pioneer Cabins
Reservations can be made online
at: http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on
this lodging please call 307-344-7311
3. Canyon Western
Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
4. Grant
Village
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
5. Lake Yellowstone Hotel
& Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
6. Lake Lodge
Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
7. Lake Lodge Creek
Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
8. Mammoth Hot Springs
Hotel & Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/ For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
9. Old Faithful
Inn
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
Old Faithful Lodge
Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
Old Faithful Snow
Lodge
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call 307-344-7311
Roosevelt Lodge
Cabins
Reservations can be made online at:
http://travelyellowstone.com/hotels/
For More Information on this
lodging please call
307-344-7311
FACILITIES
Museums
MUSEUM
OF THE NATIONAL PARK RANGER
Location - About 1 mile north of
Norris Junction along the entrance road to the Norris
Campground.
Closures - Open late May through
September.
Special Programs - A small auditorium shows a
laser-disc production of the 25-minute movie, "An American Legacy," which
tells the story of the development of the National Park Service.
Exhibits - Exhibits depict the development of the park ranger
profession from its roots in the military traditions through early rangers
and to the present array of NPS staff specialized duties.
Available
Facilities - Restrooms at the nearby campground.
NORRIS GEYSER
BASIN MUSEUM
Location - The Norris Geyser Basin Museum is
located 1/4 mile east of Norris Junction just off the Grand Loop Road.
Built in 1929 - 1930, it is a National Historic Landmark.
Closures -
Open from late May to early October. 05/26/2001 to 09/30/2001 - Ranger
in area from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. 10/01/2001 to 10/08/2001 - Ranger in area
from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Exhibits - Exhibits on geothermal
geology, Norris Geyser Basin features, and life in thermal areas
featured.
Available Facilities - Seasonally, restrooms (near the
parking lot) and book sales.
Ranger Stations
BRIDGE BAY
BACKCOUNTRY OFFICE
Location - South of Lake Village on the Grand
Loop Road, adjacent to Yellowstone Lake
Special Programs - OPEN
SEASONALLY ON A VARIABLE SCHEDULE - Backcountry, fishing, and boating
permits are available, as well as general park information.
CANYON
BACKCOUNTRY OFFICE
Location - The Canyon Visitor Center and
Backcountry Office is located 1/8 mile southeast of Canyon Junction in the
Canyon Village complex.
Special Programs - OPEN SEASONALLY ON A
VARIABLE SCHEDULE - Backcountry, fishing, and non-motorized boat permits,
and first-aid assistance are available here.
Available Facilities -
Restrooms, exhibits, book sales, backcountry permits, and nearby gas,
food, lodging, and general store.
GRANT VILLAGE BACKCOUNTRY
OFFICE
Location - 0.75 miles from the Grant Village Junction on
the road to Grant Village.
Special Programs - OPEN SEASONALLY
ON A VARIABLE SCHEDULE - The office is near the gas station and Hamilton
Store. Backcountry, fishing, and boat permits are
available.
Available Facilities - Seasonally - Nearby gas, food,
lodging, and general store.
LAKE BACKCOUNTRY OFFICE
Location
- In the Lake Village Area on the Grand Loop Road approximately 1.5
miles south of Fishing Bridge Junction.
Special Programs - OPEN
SEASONALLY ON A VARIABLE SCHEDULE - Backcountry, fishing, and boating
permits are available as well as general park information.
Available Facilities - Nearby clinic, gas, food, lodging, and
general store.
MAMMOTH BACKCOUNTRY OFFICE
Location - The
Mammoth Backcountry Office is located in the Albright Visitor Center at
Mammoth Hot Springs, five miles south of the North Entrance and at the
northwest corner of the upper loop of the Grand Loop Road.
Special
Programs - Backcountry permits, non-motorized boating permits, fishing
permits, and general information are available.
Available
Facilities - Restrooms, exhibits, book sales, and (seasonally) nearby
gas, food, lodging, and general store.
OLD FAITHFUL BACKCOUNTRY
OFFICE
Location - On the Grand Loop Road 16 miles south of
Madison Junction across the west parking lot from the Old Faithful Visitor
Center
Special Programs - OPEN SEASONALLY, SUMMER AND WINTER, ON
A VARIABLE SCHEDULE - The combination ranger station, backcountry office,
and clinic are located across the west parking lot from the visitor
center. Backcountry permits, fishing permits, non-motorized boating
permits, and first aid are available.
Available Facilities -
Seasonally - Nearby restrooms, exhibits, book sales, gas, food,
lodging, and general store.
TOWER BACKCOUNTRY OFFICE
Location
- Immediately west of Tower Junction.
Special Programs -
OPEN SEASONALLY ON A VARIABLE SCHEDULE - The Tower Ranger Station
issues backcountry permits, fishing permits and provides general park
information.
Available Facilities - Nearby restrooms. Seasonal
gas, food, and lodging.
Visitor Centers
1. ALBRIGHT
VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
Location - The Albright Visitor
Center and Museum is located at Mammoth Hot Springs, five miles south of
the North Entrance and at the northwest corner of the upper loop of the
Grand Loop Road. See our online map for details at:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/orientation/index.htm
Special
Programs - Film and video presentations are shown every half hour in
summer and on request in winter. Films include The Challenge of
Yellowstone (25 min) on the history of Yellowstone and the evolution of
the national park idea, and Thomas "Yellowstone" Moran (12 min) on Moran's
contribution toward the establishment of Yellowstone National Park.
Exhibits - The visitor center (formerly bachelor officers'
quarters) now houses a museum about history: Native Americans, the
mountain men, early exploration, the Army days, and early National Park
Service. Of special note are the Moran Gallery where fine reproductions of
watercolor sketches by the painter and expeditioner Thomas Moran are
displayed, and the Jackson Gallery where original photographs by William
Henry Jackson, also of the 1871 Hayden Survey, are exhibited.
Available Facilities - Restrooms, exhibits, book sales,
backcountry permits, fishing permits, and (seasonally) nearby gas, food,
lodging, and general store.
2. CANYON VISITOR CENTER
Location
- The Canyon Visitor Center is located 1/8 mile southeast of Canyon
Junction in the Canyon Village complex.
Closures - Open late
May through early October.
Exhibits - An exhibit on the
Yellowstone Bison is the result of a cooperative effort between
Yellowstone National Park and the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody,
Wyoming. The exhibit deals with the natural history of bison and the bison
as a symbol of wildness; it also includes information on the current bison
management controversy.
Available Facilities - Seasonally -
Restrooms, exhibits, book sales, backcountry permits, fishing permits, and
nearby gas, food, lodging, and general store.
3. FISHING BRIDGE
VISITOR CENTER
Location - The Fishing Bridge Museum and Visitor
Center is located one mile off the Grand Loop Road on the East Entrance
Road. Built in 1931, it is a National Historic Landmark.
Closures -
Open from late May through September.
Exhibits - The
historic bird specimens (by Carl Russell) were installed in 1931, provide
a good overview of the birds of Yellowstone. Other displays include a
grizzly sow and two cubs and a family of river otters.
Available
Facilities - Restrooms adjacent to the parking area, exhibits, book
sales, and fishing permits.
4. GRANT VILLAGE VISITOR
CENTER
Location - The Grant Visitor Center is located on the
shore of the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake in Grant Village one mile from
the Grant Village Junction.
Closures - Open from late May
through September.
Special Programs - The movie Yellowstone: The
Unfinished Song on the 1988 fires (20 minutes) is shown on a regular
schedule throughout the summer months.
Exhibits - An exhibit
that interprets fire's role in the environment, using the fires of 1988 as
the example, is featured.
Available Facilities - Restrooms,
exhibits, book sales, fishing permits, and nearby gas, food, lodging, and
general store.
5. MADISON INFORMATION STATION
Location -
The Madison Information Station is located just south of Madison
Junction in the Madison Picnic Area. Built in 1929 - 1930, it is a
National Historic Landmark.
Closures - Open from late May
through early October.
Exhibits - Information and orientation is
provided.
Available Facilities - Restrooms adjacent to the
parking area, small exhibit area, and book sales.
6. OLD FAITHFUL
VISITOR CENTER
Location - On the Grand Loop Road 16 miles south
of Madison Junction and located only 200 yards from Old Faithful
Geyser.
Closures - Spring and Summer: Open late April through
early November. Winter - 17 Dec 2001 - Opens for winter season. Hours:
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Winter: mid December through mid March. Opens:
12/19/2001 to mid March 2002 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Special Programs -
Evening ranger-led programs are presented here during the summer and
the winter seasons.
Available Facilities - Seasonally -
Restrooms, exhibits, book sales, backcountry permits, fishing permits, and
nearby gas, food, lodging, and general store.
7. WEST THUMB
INFORMATION STATION
Location - Located just east of the junction
of the Old Faithful / South Entrance Road and the Bridge Bay / Fishing
Bridge / Lake Road. In the West Thumb Geyser Basin area on the shore of
Yellowstone Lake.
Closures - Open from late May through
September
Exhibits - Park information and small
bookstore.
Available Facilities - Restrooms nearby.
8.
WEST YELLOWSTONE PUBLIC LANDS DESK
Location - West Yellowstone
Chamber of Commerce Building at the corner of Yellowstone Avenue and
Canyon Street in West Yellowstone, Montana.
Special Programs -
Ranger led activities, talks and evening programs.
Available
Facilities - Accessible restrooms, brochures and park information,
fishing permits, and nearby activities, food, fuel, lodging, and
stores.
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