Yellowstone in late July.

[DerekWhipple]

Driving to Denver in July and taking a long detour to see Yellowstone. My wife and 5yo have never been. We will be staying in Silver Gate for a couple of nights. Definitely planning to spend time around the NE part of the park and hopefully see some wolves, and fish slough and/or soda butte creek. The last day we will drive South through the park and stay in Moran before going to Denver. I've never been to the southern part of the park.

Any good "must see" recommendations for a short trip? Geothermal features? I'm guessing to see anything further away from where we are staying, we'd need to get up early to beat the traffic. I also wonder if it is feasible to fish Lake Yellowstone from shore?

 

[Salmo_g]

Late July should be good in NE YNP. Enter the park for best wolf viewing results and less traffic. Expect park traffic to generally be a nightmare, so if it isn't you'll be pleasantly surprised. It used to be very feasible to fish Yellowstone Lake from shore, but that was before the lake trout ate most of the cutthroat trout. You could try it, but I don't think cutthroat recovery has progressed enough to make shore fishing a high percentage activity. I'd invest the time in Slough, Lamar, and Soda Butte. Or the main Yellowstone. My best Yellowstone experiences are always more than a quarter mile away from pavement (where the crowds are), so if your 5 yo is a hiker, you're in luck.

 

[mcswny]

more than a quarter mile away from pavement

It blows my mind how little the average American is willing to leave the pavement? Go a quarter mile? That’s barely down the block. Nah, I need to stay by my car so I can get the shot of uncle Ernie mooning the bison.

 

[Salmo_g]

It blows my mind how little the average American is willing to leave the pavement? Go a quarter mile?

Bear in mind that fly fishermen are not average Americans. I have three times encountered anglers more than a quarter mile from pavement. But one of them was from Germany, so maybe he didn't count.

 

[Stonedfish]

Bear in mind that fly fishermen are not average Americans. I have three times encountered anglers more than a quarter mile from pavement. But one of them was from Germany, so maybe he didn't count.

He's probably thinking, my 402 meters sounds a lot further than a 1/4 mile.....
SF

 

[Bob N]

If your 5 year old is fascinated by seeing fish a quick hike up to Trout Lake is worth it. Just off the NE road.

 

[DerekWhipple]

If your 5 year old is fascinated by seeing fish a quick hike up to Trout Lake is worth it. Just off the NE road.

Thanks for the reminder, I did do that hike in early July when I went about 15 years ago. Lots of big cutthroat swimming around the inlet, and some googan fishing for them behind the posted signs! We told a ranger when we got back to the road.

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

I fished Soda Butte, up by Pebble Campground. when we were there just after Labour Day 4 or 5 years ago now. Some fine cutties in there. Very fun little creek. Good luck.

Cheers

 

[jasmillo]

Another way to help beat the crowds is get out early and stay out late. Best time for fishing and wildlife viewing anyway, especially that time of year. Not only does the average YNP visitor not want to leave the pavement, they don’t want to wake up before 8 or 9 or ever miss dinner at one of the shitty vendors doing business in the park .

 

[MT_Flyfisher]

It is feasible to fish Yellowstone Lake from shore, and you can catch some nice cutthroat, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high in doing that. The wind on the lake is one of the obstacles, and it’s best if you can be there earlier in the morning or later in the evening when the wind isn’t whipping up whitecaps.

Since you’ll be driving past on your way out of the Park, here’s one place that can be more protected from the wind, and it’s also a nice scenic drive looking out over the lake, where you might consider fishing.

 

[Rob Allen]

Driving to Denver in July and taking a long detour to see Yellowstone. My wife and 5yo have never been. We will be staying in Silver Gate for a couple of nights. Definitely planning to spend time around the NE part of the park and hopefully see some wolves, and fish slough and/or soda butte creek. The last day we will drive South through the park and stay in Moran before going to Denver. I've never been to the southern part of the park.

Any good "must see" recommendations for a short trip? Geothermal features? I'm guessing to see anything further away from where we are staying, we'd need to get up early to beat the traffic. I also wonder if it is feasible to fish Lake Yellowstone from shore?

I don't have any advise for specific attractions because it's all spectacular.
I do however have advise for the park in general and that is to prepare yourself mentally.
It will be crowded, just know that going in and embrace it. Relax, and enjoy inspite of people who do stupid things, who are too slow, too impatient. People will do everything that triggers you. To beat them be prepared to laugh at the kid blocking traffic so while he picks up bison cakes and smashes them on the road or the traffic jam caused by 50 tourists taking photos of an elks butt.
Just be prepared to laugh at idiots instead of getting mad at them...
That's how you have a good trip to Yellowstone in summer.

 

[Bob Rankin]

This was July 23rd about 7 years ago on the Yellowstone inside the park on one the first pullouts from the lake. It was my second cast with a parachute Adams. Me and my Brother.

 

[DimeBrite]

Driving to Denver in July and taking a long detour to see Yellowstone. My wife and 5yo have never been. We will be staying in Silver Gate for a couple of nights. Definitely planning to spend time around the NE part of the park and hopefully see some wolves, and fish slough and/or soda butte creek. The last day we will drive South through the park and stay in Moran before going to Denver. I've never been to the southern part of the park.

Any good "must see" recommendations for a short trip? Geothermal features? I'm guessing to see anything further away from where we are staying, we'd need to get up early to beat the traffic. I also wonder if it is feasible to fish Lake Yellowstone from shore?

You are smart to be staying at Silvergate, it is much less crowded on that end of the park. Lamar Valley and surrounding peaks have excellent wolf, grizzly, bison, mountain goat, fox, antelope, viewing. Trout Lake (near Silvergate) is a short hike and very family friendly. Good bank fishing there (cutts & Kamloops) in a setting of wild flower meadows and an entertaining family of otters at the creek channel.

 

[Wade Rivers]

I don't have any advise for specific attractions because it's all spectacular.
I do however have advise for the park in general and that is to prepare yourself mentally.
It will be crowded, just know that going in and embrace it. Relax, and enjoy inspite of people who do stupid things, who are too slow, too impatient. People will do everything that triggers you. To beat them be prepared to laugh at the kid blocking traffic so while he picks up bison cakes and smashes them on the road or the traffic jam caused by 50 tourists taking photos of an elks butt.
Just be prepared to laugh at idiots instead of getting mad at them...
That's how you have a good trip to Yellowstone in summer.

My son lives in Jackson, Wy and they refer to the idiots as "tourons". You'll find them with a bison horn up their butt!

That being said...sometimes if there is a traffic jam it's due to a big mammal sighting. A good way to see bears and wolves are those pulloffs full of people with massive cameras. They want to share so just ask them what they are looking at? Take good binocs.

If you drive over Fishing Bridge stop and look down for cutts right there. My kids had fun catching hoppers and tossing them to their death.

 

[kmudgn]

Make a point to go to Firehole BBQ in West Yellowstone. Some of the best iI have ever had. Go early as they often sell out