Wyoming 2013 PLANS

So we will have a total of 9-10 nights, and I'm trying to plan out campsites kind of grouped together.

(1)

The first 2-3 nights I am planning on us staying at Granite Creek.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/btnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=71637&actid=29

It's the raddest campground, right next to the Gros Ventre Wilderness (pronounced grow-vahnt), Granite Creek runs almost literally through camp, there's Granite Creek Falls just up the road past the river where there are natural hot springs pouring down the canyon, and further up the road is Granite Creek Hot Springs, a USFS-run site that is awesome and beautiful.

Granite Creek is pretty close to Jackson and the Hoback River and the Snake River, tons to do from here, including hanging out in Jackson. I recommend we stay 3 nights, but we'll have to talk about it depending on how much time we want to spend in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. The sites are first come first served, so Amy and I may try and go up a day early to make sure we get sites.

(2)

The next 3 nights or so we will camp in Grand Teton.

There's the huge Gros Ventre Campground at the south end of the park that has like 300+ sites and rarely fills. It's not the greatest site, a little drier and exposed, but easy to get to, most of Grand Teton's bison are nearby, among tons of other things (the pretty Gros Ventre Creek runs through camp). We might want to start here.

In Grand Teton we will want to explore a lot, our favorite stop the Menors Ferry General Store, Jenny Lake, Mormon Row, Kelly Warm Springs, Colter Bay, Lupine Meadows, hikes, backpacking? I'm open to suggestions.

Grand Teton can get REALLY crowded. It can be frustrating. But it's still awesome.

I am thinking our last night (or two) at Grand Teton we try to get sites at Lizard Creek Campground, north end of the park. It is small, forested, beautiful, right off Jackson Lake (you can walk down to it). Plus it's close to Yellowstone, so the travel up there will be shorter. Also, it's close to Colter Bay, which has a great native american museum we will want to check out.

(3)

The last nights will be in Yellowstone. We have spent lots of time in Yellowstone, the southwest quadrant--geyser country. I know that area well, but we have actually never camped there, or ventured beyond, so I know a little less about it.

Of course we will want to see Old Faithful and walk around Geyser Hill, lots of coolness here. The other geyser basins are very close and fewer people. We'll want to see Grand Prismatic Spring, the Fountain Paint Pots, walk around West Thumb (of Yellowstone Lake), maybe even Black Sand and/or Biscuit Basins, play in the warm Firehole River.

After that, I don't know the sights quite as well, but we def want to see Mammoth Hot Springs, go to the north part of the park to try and see some grizzlies, see Yellowstone Falls and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

We could backpack/long dayhike to a wilderness geyser basin (no boardwalks! no crowds!) at Shoshone Lake! I want to hit hot springs, at least the ones in the Rockefeller Parkway (between the two parks):

http://www.jacksonholewy.net/nature/area_hot_springs.php

Here are supposedly some good places to camp in Yellowstone:

http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-the-five-best-places-to-camp-in-yellowstone-sidwcmdev_159352.html

Please offer up any suggestions. Esp for the Yellowstone portion. Anyone doing any reading? I have quite a few books and am going to start going at it. Let's talk more soon.