Yellowstone National Park

Book
I haven’t paddled there, but I bought the paddling guidebook last time I was out that way. I still pull it out and dream about a trip around the lake. If you haven’t bought it here’s the link to ‘Paddling Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks’ on Amazon: http://amzn.to/k7niRK



Good luck and have a great time! I’m jealous.

the book
Hi Brian, I see your name on other kayak sites quite often. I have the book you mention. It is interesting, and yes we are really excited! Going in August.

thanks
Thanks for the info. Wife was wondering about the pit toilets. That’s good. We got our campsite choices back from the park a couple weeks ago. We’re putting-in at Sedge Bay, traveling south, and exploring all three fingers. Then coming back to Sedge Bay. Staying at a few sights for two nights to really relax. Thanks again for your input.

august is good.
the end of august the bugs will die.

email me i got a lot more info for you

email
Did you get my emails? I sent you my new address.

Agongos

email?
are you sure that is the correct email??? I sent two replys and they came back as “undeliverable”…let me know if you never got any reply from me and we’ll go from there.

norm

heres some info
i cut and pasted the first response into the new email addy you gave…if its not there…check your spam box

email
Got it! Sent you one too.

make sure your food containers will
lock up the smells and plan your campsite food storage. It’s not a minor issue when in potential bear country.

$.01

Yellowstone
I’d recommend the book “Death in Yellowstone” and “Hawks Rest”.



Death In Yellowstone is a must read for anyone going to the park, with some useful insights about Yellowstone Lake in particular.



Hawks Rest is an excellent read about the back country from a ranger’s perspective.

bugs
with there still being a lot of snow in yellowstone and wet spring…

the bugs will be biblical!!! be ready for them

Yellowstone National Park
The greatest cause of death in Yellowstone Park is not the bears or hot water or lightning or avalanches………it’s Yellowstone Lake according to the book “Death in Yellowstone”.



The water is COLD (40-50 degrees midsummer) and after a few minutes in the water hypothermia sets in rapidly. Prevailing southwesterly winds each afternoon can produce waves 5-6 feet high. The park even had a park ranger die of hypothermia after his kayak capsized in 1994.



I’ve paddled Yellowstone Lake, Lewis and Shoshone Lakes……gorgeous paddling!!! Just be prepared……do your research!!!



WaterBug

Should I expect to see other parties?
I am also considering Yellowstone for a trip in the 2-3 week category. Tell me, when you have traveled the area by canoe or kayak, do you see other parties or are you buy yourself?

You will see other parties in summer

– Last Updated: Nov-03-11 2:53 PM EST –

Might have better chances of avoiding people during the off-season. At least then you won't have the big outfitter groups that book the best sites way ahead of time.

The catch is that backcountry camping permits may not be issued at certain times due to bear encounter potential. For instance, NPS won't allow camping at Yellowstone Lake before mid- to late-July many years. Maybe you could go while the bears are still denning. Just plan on being very, very cold. Water might not be open yet.

Designated sites
The fact that camping is permitted only in designated sites is a problem in bear country. Bear/human contact is significantly reduced, and bears are less likely to become habituated if you travel in areas with fewer people and no designated sites where bears find food. A trip in Yellowstone is interesting, but I think I’ll keep leaning to trips in areas were few people travel and the bears are not habituated.

habituated
Lake yellowstone is a.great destination. I spent 9 days paddling the roadless part of the lake. It is one of the remotest part of the.lower 48. We hardly saw a human the whole time. Never had a bear encounter since most are up high.eatting the good.berry crop this.year. thud are not agitated much in that part either. Don’t limit such.a.great location…elk., moose, wolves, eagles, landfill.cranes, plenty of 5- lb cuthroat trout, solitude, awesome camps and great hiking and paddling.

That does sound inviting
What time of year were you there?

Bears when boating
In all my visits to Yellowstone, whether for hiking or kayaking, I never encountered a bear in either the backcountry or the human-infested areas.



BUT I have seen their scat there. My impression is that bear encounters are more likely near the SE portion of Yellowstone Lake than at Shoshone Lake. Also at Heart Lake, which is extremely popular for backpacking.



The bear attacks that’ve made the news seem to always involve backpackers.



Could it be that they’re not quite as careful about clean camp practices as the rangers tell them to be? Hmmm!



But you’ll definitely see people in summer. Whether YOU think it’s crowded or not depends on what you’re used to. Also depends on whether the big groups (outfitters) actually occupy those sites they book so far in advance, or whether they cancel the day before due to not having enough customers to fill that trip. It’s a crapshoot, and we can never be sure if we’ll see just a couple other backcountry campers or most sites we paddle by will be occupied.

um
I was there mid august. From there to end of October is awesome…no bugs, nice .lighting, temps, few people.

Actually the.bear incidents are not backpackers at all. I’ve had a few.friends attacked and mauled. The ones in the news the.last few years are either from hunters or tourist in and around their campers such as deaths last year and the Japanese man who provoked and ran. Backpackers are usually experienced, seasoned, knowledgeable than “tourist” etc.

If you want to hike you can get away and not see anyone. Read.Doug peacock s book “grizzly years”, he spent ten years in the baackcountry and didn’t see anyone.

Google “zenfolio.com” and in search box at bottom type in my name …Norman miller…my photo albums will come up and then click on " little red canoe" of pics.from paddling ystone lake this summer

After mid-August
…is better, for sure. Bugginess depends partly on how many frost nights have occurred.



But late July was more crowded, enough so that we vowed never to go then again.



The really disconcerting thing was hearing the Sturgis crowd’s motors from Shoshone Lake. Couldn’t hear normal traffic noise, just theirs.