Well, for what it’s worth, if you’ll be camping and hiking, chances are good that nobody else around you will smell any better than you do
I don’t know the facilities at Yellowstone but there no showers at the Jenny Lake campground in Grand Teton, so we had to drive to another campground (also in Grand Teton) that did have pay showers. I think we just paid a couple dollars each. Not every day, maybe twice during the time we were there. Anyway, I imagine there are similar facilities in Yellowstone.
Cool, thanks! Even if I don’t stay at a shower place, chances are I can drive in to take one. My research project is in paleontology and we will be digging, so I more than likely will be very dirty. My clothes will be filthy by then, too. Nothing wrong with looking like/smelling like you’re homeless, I guess.
As long as it is pretty, I don’t care. Especially if I know I can probably get a campsite.
I think that there are pay showers at Old Faithful somewhere. My google-fu tells me that there is an “accessible” shower in one of the unisex bathrooms at Old Faithful Lodge. I think there are other showers there, too…this just happened to be a page about accessibility for the handicapped.
There are also pay showers at Canyon and Grant Village campgrounds. I don’t think you need to be staying at those campgrounds to use these.
There is a “swimming hole” along Firehole Canyon Road (a one-way scenic route near Madison Campground). No nudity or soap allowed, but the swimming is great, so that’s a way to wash some sweat off you. This was essential last year during record-high temperatures.
There are still lots of payphones in the park. If it’s a toll-free call, you can dial it for free.
That is going to be my route to Glacier later this summer after visiting some friends in Missoula. After reading this thread, I am thoroughly convinced to drive Going to the Sun Road, which is something I would have perhaps dismissed before (we are mostly interested in getting out and hiking, and some of the less crowded/developed areas of the park). Man, I can’t wait!
You’ll be happy you’ve chosen Yellowstone for this trip. Remember, it’s still June which means plenty of snow still in the high country. Going to the Sun road is still closed and really, that for me is the highlight of the trip.
Yellowstone will have more to see down in the lower elevations.
Since yer into digging, you may want to check out what eons of water can do to limestone and visit the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Haven’t been back in a couple decades, but some of my most memorable times were associated with the caverns.
A very strange spring in the US for sure. Go for Yellowstone just because it is one of the the most unique parks you will ever see. Walk around the Basin. Bring water though.
It is a long hike but well worth it.
There’s another one near the north entrance to the park. I checked GoogleEarth and came up with these coordinates:
Park your car at 44:59.55N/110:41.49W - about a 2.5-mile drive south of the Gardiner park entrance on Rte 89.
Walk south from the parking area to 44:59.14N/110:41.36W - about a half mile along a path near the Gardiner River.
The swimming spot is at a place where the outlet from a hot spring flows into the river. The hot water is dangerously hot, and the river is too cold. But where they mingle is great - you can find just the temperature you like.
This place is known to many locals, but AFAICT is not mentioned in any Park literature - you have to be told about it. As noted, the hot water is potentially dangerous. They could easily shut this down, and there are good reasons why they might. But as of my last visit (I think in 2006) it was still open.
Been to that one, too. I’d consider that one more of a hot spring–I remember it was quite warm. IIRC (it’s been a loooooong time) that one is more of a place to soak. There used to be another place sort of like it on the Madison near Madison Campground, but I went last summer and found it clogged with algae and posted as no swimming :(.
The one I’m talking about is just warm enough to be swimming-pool temperature, so not dangerous in that respect. There is a current, though, so if you are not a strong swimmer, don’t go out too far. (This is the reason my parents claim they never took us there as children. I had to discover the place myself when I was an adult.)
If you like hot springs or swimming, Bozeman Hot Springs is worth a visit. It is along highway 191 just outside of Bozeman in the area known as Four Corners. (191 is the road to West Yellowstone). They’ve taken the naturally-heated water and blended it with cold water to make many different pools for whatever temperature you prefer. They also have a health-club type area now, too–when I frequented the place in the '80’s, it was kind of a dump, but they’ve really fixed it up and added an outdoor pool. There is a KOA campground next door, too.
