# Places to ride/stay around Yellowstone or Glacier Park



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

What state? I have a recommendation for the Wyoming area of Yellowstone, but I don't know any of the places in Colorado.

Oh, and I'm highly jealous. I'd love to go back to that area sometime soon!


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

either Wyoming or Montana. Honey Darling Precious says that Montana is "God's Country". He loves the Rocky Mountains.


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## gary78bronco (Jan 4, 2012)

Jackson Wy is only about a 45 minute drive from the south entrance. It is a great place to stay. If you stay in Jackson look into the bar j wranglers.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Since I haul my own horses into Yellowstone, I really can't speak for any of the guest ranches or what they offer. I just refuse to rent horses when I can ride my own. But I understand that hauling your horse from Texas up and back would add several days to your trips. 

There are concessionairs that offer horse trail rides in about 5 places within the park, as well as numerous dude ranches around the perimeter of the park.

Any of the bedroom communities will have ranches that offer a multitude of services. Jackson Hole, West Yellowstone, Cody and Gardner are just out side the gates of the park as well as communities that are little farther away such as Ashton Id. Jackson Hole is my favorite. Good airport. Good food and night life. Close access to Grand Tetons and Jackson, Snake river for white water raft trips. Horse rides, hunting, fishing, skiing in the winter. A great town.

Flag Ranch is located north of Jackson Hole between Grand Teton and Yellowstone Parks. I often trailhead off the Road that runs between Flag Ranch and Ashton Idaho. Lots of trails in that area.

Jackson Lake Lodge has horses. It is also the starting point for the Two Oceans Trail up to Grand View. It looks like much more modern Hotel than the historic hotels inside the Park.

There are several guest ranches over near Turpin Meadows along the gravel road that follows the Buffalo river. Turpin Meadows is the trail head to the most remote spot in the lower 48 states. Hawks Rest.

You can google Guest Ranches or Dude Ranches and find a long list.

Here are a couple Jackson Hole Dude / Guest Ranches

Jackson Dude Ranches, Wyoming Guest Ranch Vacations - AllTrips

This is a view off the Two Oceans trail near Jackson Lake









Crossing the Bechler River in the SouthWestern part of Yellowstone









Hope you have a great trip. You will make great memories


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

It is a 1,665 mile trip to Yellowstone from here. Gaaaaa - it would take forever hauling the horses there and back. I would love to take my boys with me but they will have to wait for another trip (LOL right now I can hear Biscuit and Sarge saying "oh thank God sister isn't trying to drag us up mountains!!")

I looked at a few nice places in Cody - it is $860 per day for both of us. That is inclusive of food, lodging, activities. I also looked up Glacier Park. Hummmm...lots of choices. Anyone else ? Anyone know anything about Glacier?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Glacier Park is beautiful, but it is not nearly as nice as Yellowstone. 

We drove out to Yellowstone Park several times. 
We stayed at the Fishing Bridge campground with our RV. What a fantastic place! It takes a good two weeks to come close to seeing the park. First off, Cody is a good place to start. You have to eat at the Erma. Their prime rib is awesome. When you go to the park, you have to see all the geysers, but that is just a start. There are horses to rent near the canyon area. There are other places too. There is a little lake in the north east corner in Lamar Valley called "Trout Lake". The trout are huge and the swim all around and laugh at your fishing lures. You could spend forever just looking at Yellowstone Lake. Jackson Hole is one of the coolest tourist traps around. You just got to go there, and take your money. Clay's cousin owns a ranch just north of the park, so we usually stay there at some point in the trip. Geez. I want to go back. All through the park you will see unbelievable wildlife. Bison, elk, moose. We saw some wolves. 

I can't imagine paying $860 per day. You surely can stay cheaper and you really will want to try out the different places. 

When I die, if I am good, I will go to Yellowstone.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Celeste,
We did go to Yellowstone about 15 years ago. Only got to spend one day there - I was actually sent there for a training session in Idaho!! 

The place that was ca ching ca ching was pretty ritzy and all inclusive of all kinds of stuff so I understand the price. 

I was looking at going somewhere between the 10-18th. The 18th is our actual anniversary. I just got a call for a huge order due on the 20th in the morning for a job fair an engineering company is putting on at the local university. Way too much ca ching to turn down if in fact they place the order which I will know Monday morning. It is for a thousand cupcakes :shock: I hear Biscuit yell from the barn "don't turn that down Sister!!! I need a Living Quarters horse trailer!!!"

So I will figure out where and when we can go ... LOL Now I may have to put that off until spring!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

September is a great time to go. This is Morning Glory Pool at the end of the main boardwalk for geysers.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)




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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> What state? I have a recommendation for the Wyoming area of Yellowstone, but I don't know any of the places in Colorado.
> 
> Oh, and I'm highly jealous. I'd love to go back to that area sometime soon!


I also am highly jealous. Tell me where you like to go.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Wow $860 a day. For half of that I'll haul my horses up and met you.

Had no idea dude ranches had gotten that pricey. No wonder I take my own.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Painted Horse said:


> Wow $860 a day. For half of that I'll haul my horses up and met you.
> 
> Had no idea dude ranches had gotten that pricey. No wonder I take my own.


For that I would haul my boys down from Oregon!


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

LOL Ok...y'all haul...I will pay!!! 

It was $340 or so per person per day. Very very nice lodge, gourmet food, fly fishing, trail riding, rafting, yada yada yada. 

Celeste, I think that was the pool we did see. I thought it was gorgeous. Saw the buffalo, etc. I got a Christmas ornament in the show with Yellowstone on Santa's list! I collect Christmas ornaments. 

I want to go somewhere that is not musty or moldy - I will be hacking up a lung in a place like that - decent food and that certainly can be dutch oven cooking on the trail.

I told honey darling precious today I would like to take one of the overnight or several day riding trips and camp out. That is my idea of vacation. I do not like to shop or lay out on the beach. What I do like is riding! 

We talked about going back to the Caymans (my family is from there - I have tons of cousins to stay with) but Barry can't scuba dive anymore so other than to visit with my cousins and dig in genealogy, I am not interested in going! 

I am going to check out some of the sites y'all are talking about around Yellowstone. Now I have to get back to my wedding cakes.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

One thing that I will caution you about gourmet food. It is my distinct impression that the word has different definitions in the north and in the south. Some of you may find these definitions to be inaccurate, but here goes...........

Southern definition of gourmet food - you can eat it. it tastes good. (Example - fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried green tomatoes)

Northern definition of gourmet food- it is the weirdest thing we can think of. (Example - very nasty fish with pickled corn, horse radish, blue cheese, served on a tortilla................ )


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I can't speak as to whether a place has dust or not. We're in a drought and pretty much all of WY and MT is a bit dustier this year.

But, I do recommend staying at a lodge and renting horses as opposed to bringing your own. I live in WY and happen to meet people who have done it both ways. 

The downside of bringing yours is: no local vet if something happens, you don't have a farrier, they aren't conditioned to the altitude and terrain, you don't know which way to go in the few hundred thousand acres where you'll be riding, there are numerous regulations on what you can feed, where you can feed and how you can feed.

I know ranchers who take dude ranch vacations. Several couples will meet in a part of the state where they don't live and work just for a get away. They get to enjoy all the fun parts without the work and worry that most don't know is part of ranching. Plus, a cook and a pool! 

Don't discount the mountain areas beyond Yellowstone and Glacier. CO, WY, and MT have numerous other beautiful ranges. They will be less crowded and less pricey, while still providing a fantastic experience.

Have fun whatever you do.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

You will be really hard pressed to spend a night on a trail ride and NOT come home covered in dust. You just can't follow 5-6 horses down a trail with out being covered in dust. It's one of the reason cowboys wore Bandana's over their face, To keep the dust out of their nose.

But there is a big difference between trail dust and mold in an old motel.

Celeste fried chicken, mashed potato's, and fried green tomatos are gourmet vs grits, red eye gravy, chitlins and collards? I guess it's all in where your starting point is.

But I can't speak, Utah is famous for Funeral Potatos and Green Jello with shredded carrots.

Look at the dust coming up from just two horses


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

There is a big difference between dust in the house and dust outside! The dust outside doesn't bother me. It is household dust/dander that just sends me into sneezing fits. 

It would be such a long way to haul my boys - their comfort has to come first so they will stay home! (I hear Biscuit breathing a sigh of relief from here!) 

Hoping I can pull this together - it is late in the season to plan something like this!!!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Painted Horse said:


> Celeste fried chicken, mashed potato's, and fried green tomatos are gourmet vs grits, red eye gravy, chitlins and collards? I guess it's all in where your starting point is.
> 
> But I can't speak, Utah is famous for Funeral Potatos and Green Jello with shredded carrots.


Grits are awesome! Red eye gravy is delicious when poured over biscuits. 
You can eat collards. Chitlins, not so much. I played with my band at the Yatesville Chitlin Hoedown and the smell was so bad that it almost knocked you over. People were actually eating those things...................  

Thomaston Times - Yatesville Plans 26th Annual Chitlin 8217 Hoedown


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

When I go I stay at a guest/dude ranch about 10 miles outside of Yellowstone going towards Cody. But they are very very old cabins and the dust would be a problem. We like it there - very relaxing, but it is very rustic. I don't care for 5 star accommodations on that kind of vacation, so don't really have a place to recommend. I would think you would have better luck on the Jackson Hole side for what you are looking for, although it is quite pricey on that side as mentioned...


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Faceman said:


> When I go I stay at a guest/dude ranch about 10 miles outside of Yellowstone going towards Cody. But they are very very old cabins and the dust would be a problem. We like it there - very relaxing, but it is very rustic. I don't care for 5 star accommodations on that kind of vacation, so don't really have a place to recommend. I would think you would have better luck on the Jackson Hole side for what you are looking for, although it is quite pricey on that side as mentioned...


I'm pretty sure that I've seen the place that you are talking about. How much does it cost? And what does that include? I may try to do a trip in the next few years.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I do not like greens of any kind - ugh....it smells horrible.

Grits is my comfort food. Grits, egg, turkey bacon or sausage.....yum. 

I like staying in Bed and Breakfasts and Barry and I stayed at Swan Valley B & B in Swan Valley, Idaho years ago. It really was more of hunting/fishing lodge. Gorgeous - right on Snake River. That is when we went to Yellowstone for the day. I am going to keep looking and hopefully get to go next month. If not, there is always spring time.


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

Celeste said:


> I'm pretty sure that I've seen the place that you are talking about. How much does it cost? And what does that include? I may try to do a trip in the next few years.


Here is their website. If you like casual, rustic, and lots of activities, it's very reasonable in price. The food is home cooking and very good. We like it because the groups are very small unlike the larger dude ranches. The only drawback is the horseback riding is all guided, so you can't just ride unattended, but the scenery is fantastic and in my case I am too old to ride in the mountains alone anyway like I used to. The included activities include a day in Yellowstone, a raft ride, a day in Cody, and an evening rodeo in Cody. Again, though, it is rustic - not your big city Hilton...

Blackwater Creek Ranch - Cody Wyoming Dude & Guest Ranch - Horseback Riding River Rafting Fly Fishing Restaurant Bar Vacations


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Remember that hunting season Opens September 15th, So while guides may be slow after Labor day, because so many tourist head home to put their kids back into school, Their business picks up as hunters start to arrive for the season.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I am going to check them out. Hoping to be able to go. Every time we plan something - something comes up and we can't go!


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