Yellowstone / Grand Teton area, Oct 5-9

[rad.travel.dad]

Looking for anything near Yellowstone Oct 5-9. 2 adults 2 kids (ages 1 and 3) so a studio or 1 bedroom would be fine.

I know this area is always particularly impacted with reservations, thought this might be worth a try. Thanks in advance!

 

[rad.travel.dad]

Does anyone have availability at the Worldmark by Wyndham in West Yellowstone?

I'm still interested in any other resorts as well, thanks!

 

[DaveNV]

I just looked at WorldMark West yellowstone. There is nothing available during that week, in any size unit.

Dave

 

[chellej]

You can book directly with Timbers at Island park for that time period. Timbers is 22 miles from West Yellowstone

https://direct-book.com/properties/timbersislandpark?locale=en&checkInDate=2021-10-05&checkOutDate=2021-10-09&items[0][adults]=2&items[0][children]=2&items[0][infants]=0&currency=USD

 

[jules54]

We hv stayed at Timbers Several years ago. That 22 mile drive is very nice and goes by very quickly.

 

[Bunk]

At what point in October is it usually too cold to go to Yellowstone

 

[rad.travel.dad]

At what point in October is it usually too cold to go to Yellowstone

I mean, at whatever point you yell “mercy!”

We’re expecting 50 degree temps during the day and low temps at night. Really looking forward to a break from our 100 degree days in Southern California. Probably no snow unless the temps dip.

 

[DaveNV]

At what point in October is it usually too cold to go to Yellowstone

I think it depends on what the weather does. The Google Weather folks say the daytime high in October can be to about 50, but lows to about 25. Not terrible. But if the weather turns, and it snows? All bets are off.

Dave

 

[CO skier]

We’re expecting 50 degree temps during the day and low temps at night. Really looking forward to a break from our 100 degree days in Southern California. Probably no snow unless the temps dip.

Your expectations are "reasonable." Last year, highs for October 5-9 at West Yellowstone were in the upper 60s (maybe unseasonably warm?)

Weather in October 2020 in West Yellowstone, Montana, USA

Weather reports from October 2020 in West Yellowstone, Montana, USA with highs and lows

www.timeanddate.com

A week later, a cold front must have moved through and temps were 20 degrees cooler, with highs in the upper 40s and 50s -- what you are expecting.

A bigger concern than the weather might be what services are still open in Yellowstone in early October. Most of the restaurants have closed, so bring your own lunches and plan on a restaurant in West Yellowstone or cooking dinner back at the condo. Super Valuable info on that here:

NPS - Page In-Progress

www.nps.gov

On the very, VERY plus side of the equation, the uncertain weather and limited services at Yellowstone in early October definitely cut down on the tour buses and outrageous crowds seen in summer season.

Always good advice: Spend a few hours on the internet well before your vacation to plan what you want to see (no way to see everything or even 25% of Yellowstone in a few days). Leave at or near dawn if you want to find parking at crazy busy places like Grand Prismatic Spring or Morris Geyser Basin. Lots of parking at Old Faithful, so the time of day you are there will not matter; work that into the busy park hours of 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Same with the Yellowstone Falls area.

Perfect for October would be a trip to Lamar valley arriving within a couple hours of sunset to definitely see a lot of buffalo and maybe see the wolves (ask a ranger at the Albright Visitor Center in Mammoth Hot Springs where to look - rangers at Old Faithful might know, too). Upper Lamar valley is about a 2.5 hour trip from Island Park, but you could try spotting wolves in Upper Lamar valley until near sunset and still make it back in the dark to Island Park for a later dinner. While nothing as spectacular as the geyser basins, Lamar valley was a very pleasant drive away from the crowds (we saw a momma bear and two cubs just south of Mammoth Hot Springs on the way to Lamar valley), and we were rewarded with sighting the wolves on our trip in 2016.

 

[rad.travel.dad]

Your expectations are "reasonable." Last year, highs for October 5-9 at West Yellowstone were in the upper 60s (maybe unseasonably warm?)

Weather in October 2020 in West Yellowstone, Montana, USA

Weather reports from October 2020 in West Yellowstone, Montana, USA with highs and lows

www.timeanddate.com

A week later, a cold front must have moved through and temps were 20 degrees cooler, with highs in the upper 40s and 50s -- what you are expecting.

A bigger concern than the weather might be what services are still open in Yellowstone in early October. Most of the restaurants have closed, so bring your own lunches and plan on a restaurant in West Yellowstone or cooking dinner back at the condo. Super Valuable info on that here:

NPS - Page In-Progress

www.nps.gov

On the very, VERY plus side of the equation, the uncertain weather and limited services at Yellowstone in early October definitely cut down on the tour buses and outrageous crowds seen in summer season.

Always good advice: Spend a few hours on the internet well before your vacation to plan what you want to see (no way to see everything or even 25% of Yellowstone in a few days). Leave at or near dawn if you want to find parking at crazy busy places like Grand Prismatic Spring or Morris Geyser Basin. Lots of parking at Old Faithful, so the time of day you are there will not matter; work that into the busy park hours of 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Same with the Yellowstone Falls area.

Perfect for October would be a trip to Lamar valley arriving within a couple hours of sunset to definitely see a lot of buffalo and maybe see the wolves (ask a ranger at the Albright Visitor Center in Madison Junction where to look - rangers at Old Faithful might know, too). Upper Lamar valley is about a 2.5 hour trip from Island Park, but you could try spotting wolves in Upper Lamar valley until near sunset and still make it back in the dark to Island Park for a later dinner. While nothing as spectacular as the geyser basins, Lamar valley was a very pleasant drive away from the crowds (we saw a momma bear and two cubs just south of Madison Junction on the way to Lamar valley), and we were rewarded with sighting the wolves on our trip in 2016.

Thank you for all of this info! I’m definitely a planner, already mapping out what we will and won’t focus on over our 3 days in the park. We will have our 3 and 1 year old daughters with us so we know there are things we just can’t do with them and we’re fine to leave things for a future trip.

We are used to the NP game, packing in lunches and not relying on their services since they can be few and far between at all the parks. We will absolutely plan accordingly.

Thanks again!

Daniel

 

[oneohana]

I mean, at whatever point you yell “mercy!”

We’re expecting 50 degree temps during the day and low temps at night. Really looking forward to a break from our 100 degree days in Southern California. Probably no snow unless the temps dip.

We were there the first week of Oct. 2019. Park closed for 1 1/2 days due to snow.

 

[Passepartout]

There is not much open this year in the park due to labor shortage. Even in West & I.P., eateries are closing early and dark a couple days a week.