Yellowstone - America's first national park! If you are interested in viewing wildlife up close and personal, with a backdrop of woodlands, scenic vistas or spouting geysers, you have come to the right place. Yellowstone National Park is so vast (the drive is about three hours from the northern to the southern border) that you need several days in the park just to cover the highlights. The road system loops around the park like a figure 8 so it is easy and convenient to visit the four major areas of the park.

GEYSER AREA

In the southwest corner of the park is the geyser area, that contains the beautiful and famous Old Faithful Inn, overlooking the world's most famous geyser. The Old Faithful complex offers accommodations at the Inn, the Snow Lodge, and cabins at the Old Faithful Lodge. No matter where you stay in the park you should visit the magnificent lobby of the Old Faithful Inn and have a cold drink out on the upper deck while you play cards and wait for Old Faithful geyser to explode in all its glory. If you plan to have dinner at the Inn, you should reserve this weeks or months ahead.

Pick up a book on the geyser area from one of the Visitors' Centers or order one ahead of time on the park's Web site and decide which geyser areas you want to visit. Biscuit Basin is interesting. We found a great hike leading off from the boardwalk up onto the ridge. We hiked it in the early morning and shared the path with a herd of mule deer. The Fountain Paint Pot is another popular area. I also recommend the one-hour boardwalk loop walk in front of Old Faithful Inn. Do it in the early evening for maximum wildlife viewing. The bison, deer, and coyotes often cross the path right in front of the tourists.

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS

This forested area, in the northwest quadrant of the park, contains the exciting walk up to Minerva Gardens, a waterfall of mineral and calcium deposits. Bring your camera. The view from the top is spectacular. The pretty little town is a great lunch stop.

TOWER-ROOSEVELT

This spectacular northeast area contains Teddy Roosevelt's former hunting lodge where tourists can now stay overnight, have a meal, or relax on the front porch. This is also the starting point for the Old West Cook Out. From here you can ride on horseback or stagecoach to Pleasant Valley where you will enjoy a freshly cooked meal in the great outdoors (rain or shine), good companionship, and corny cowboy songs. Like the name of the valley, it is a very pleasant experience. You should reserve this activity at the same time you reserve your lodging. It sells out months in advance.

GRAND CANYON OF YELLOWSTONE/YELLOWSTONE LAKE

These two areas in the southeast part of the park are best suited for driving and short walks from your car.

In the heart of this area is exquisite Hayden Valley where hundreds of buffalo roam.

Some very useful hints for visitors to Yellowstone:

Start your hikes and walks early in the morning. There are no crowds, more animals are visible, and the geysers create mystical clouds of steam - great photo op!

When driving in Yellowstone, whenever you see cars pulled over to the side of the road, stop and do the same thing. It is always because there is some great animal viewing.

Join a ranger-guided walk whenever you can. Information on these free tours is posted at the visitor's centers. Have your kids join the Junior Ranger Program. It will enrich your visit.

Here are some Web sites for information and lodging on Yellowstone:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/

http://www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/

http://www.travelyellowstone.com/static/1.htm

http://www.xanterra.com/properties/014A_destinations.htm

If you want to watch Old Faithful Geyser explode live, check out this site!

http://www.nps.gov/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

We stayed in a cabin at Colter Bay Village, one of my favorite areas of the park. Every evening, by an open campfire, under a moonlit sky, an interpretive ranger sang songs, showed slides and taught us a lot about the wilderness.

Here are some fun things to do in the area:

Once again, I recommend signing up for some ranger-guided walks and the Junior Ranger Program.

The town of Jackson is loaded with stores, many containing authentic western gear. Be sure to try out the saddle seats at the bar of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. They also serve great buffalo burgers.

Sign up for a whitewater excursion trip down the Snake River. This is a must.

Twice I have gone whitewater rafting with Dave Hansen Whitewater and they are excellent. My kids loved it and so did I. I recommend you call ahead for reservations and highly recommend the "Best of Both Worlds" trip even though it means getting up very early. Here is their Web site:

http://www.davehansenwhitewater.com/

Please tell them you were referred by Brenda Elwell, author of "The Single Parent Travel Handbook." I hope to work with them on some single parent family trip in the forthcoming years and I want them to know I am sending them single parent families.

For information and lodging on Grand Teton and Jackson, check out these Web sites:

http://www.nps.gov/grte/

http://www.grand.teton.national-park.com/

http://grandteton.areaparks.com/

http://www.jacksonholechamber.com/

Enjoy your trip to the wilds of Wyoming!

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