Zion NP FJR & Yellowstone Rant

[apostate1300]

LINK: FJR @ ZION NP PHOTO

Zion is one of the nicest National Parks IMO.

Much better than the bombed-out post-apocalyptic look that Yellowstone offers for twice the price and ten times the hassle. Yellowstone tested my patience immediately after entering the park with a 1/2 hour construction delay and 7 miles of slippery dirt and gravel just inside the Cody entrance.

And don't get me started about Yellowstone's buses, and f****** morons who block the road to take pictures of COYOTES! :-( :-( :-(

IMO, STAY AWAY FROM YELLOWSTONE for the next 10 years until it re-grows. Then it might be worth the hassle...

MJD

 

[Geezer]

It's been a few years since I went into Yellowstone. Went in from the Cody entrance and they were working on the road most of the way in. At the time it was a single lane and we had to queue up for a guide vehicle to lead us through. They must work very slowly.

 

[SkooterG]

In a past life, I lived 3 hours away from Yellowstone. I went there a few times and enjoyed it, but also experienced the copious amounts of freaking morons who have to stop and block the road for a sighting of any type of wildlife, be it squirrel or moose. Those buses aren't much fun either.

What I found was that just a bit south of Yellowstone, at Grand Teton National Park, is a great National Park experience. Great views. Not as much traffic. Not as big as Yellowstone with the variety, but simple and sweet. Can't wait to get back there.

 

[twowheelnut]

What I found was that just a bit south of Yellowstone, at Grand Teton National Park, is a great National Park experience. Great views. Not as much traffic. Not as big as Yellowstone with the variety, but simple and sweet. Can't wait to get back there.

Thanks, skoot!

Note to O'vale and MadMike.

 

[worldbound4now]

LINK: FJR @ ZION NP PHOTO

Holy crap man... downsize that pic. Otherwise I couldn't agree more about yellowstone vs Zion. The best part is that the entire southern half of Utah should be a national park. It's that impressive.

 

[FJRocket]

They still working on that road inside the east gate? Sheesh!! That thing was gravel when I went through it LAST summer on the way to Reno. Fortunately for us, we were about the first one's in the park when it opened and went right through behind the follow me. Then it started raining.

No buses, but despite the BIG SIGNS (especially in the construction zone) that say DO NOT STOP, ********* still did, and of course that ***** up the entire train of cars behind the one lane follow me... for 7 miles. If I had a rock, I'da beaned the morons who just jam the brakes and get out to take a pic. What friggin idiots.

Next time I go through, I'll check the construction notes just before departure, then be at the gates when they open.... the gates on the other side of the park away from the construction zones.

WBFN is right about southern Utah. That entire end of the state is just fabulous.

 

[twowheelnut]

WBFN is right about southern Utah. That entire end of the state is just fabulous.

GUNNY! :dribble:

 

[twistedcricket]

but if the pic is downsized you can't see the other bikes coming up the hill in the background. :blink:

Sweet pic!

 

[HaulinAshe]

Okay, here's my question...

I have never seen Yellowstone Park. Been all sorts of places in the US, but never Yellowstone. Should I endure the morons and other tourist hazards as we pass from Denver to Canada (prior to WFO), or should I accept that Yellowstone is better visited in a bus with other morons???

Inquiring Redneck minds want to know!

 

[FJRocket]

Okay, here's my question...
I have never seen Yellowstone Park. Been all sorts of places in the US, but never Yellowstone. Should I endure the morons and other tourist hazards as we pass from Denver to Canada (prior to WFO), or should I accept that Yellowstone is better visited in a bus with other morons???

Inquiring Redneck minds want to know!

Oh, you SHOULD go. Just use a different gate. Check their website and try to go around the construction if possible. Get there very early, head straight for Old Faithfull. Then go to the Lake Lodge for lunch... or picanica basket (look out for Yogi!). It's definitely worth the trouble.

I don't know if it was the heat wave that was out west (not in Yellowstone, though), the price of gas, or the fact that it was raining most of the day. Maybe it was because we were there on a Tuesday. But it really wasn't all that crowded the Tuesday before WFO last year. We just blew through on the way down to Nevada. Still, I don't think you can traverse the park without blowing at least a half a day, maybe more. If you see the sites, you can easily stay a full day or more. The other thing about the park being so "empty" was that the lake lodge had rooms and cabins available! Had I known that, I would have tried to stay right in the park! VERY COOL!

I liked it, and might go through again this year. Probably go through the NE gate and skate out the west side, though this time. Depends on where the construction is and how the traffic is. Getting out through the Tetons in the afternoon (and sunshine!) was easy and not crowded at all.

We didn't have much of a bus or construction delay, but we had TWO buffalo delays. One was a herd and the other was an elderly bull on his last legs walking down the middle of the road. I thought it was a bear at first so I stopped way back. Once I saw what it was, we "tiptoed" around it. Good day not to have "Harley pipes". The buffalo roam free and seem to be pretty tame, but I still wouldn't mess with them.

And I HAVE been chased by a bear in the park before, so keep your eyes open!

 

[CAJW]

LINK: FJR @ ZION NP PHOTO
Zion is one of the nicest National Parks IMO.

Much better than the bombed-out post-apocalyptic look that Yellowstone offers for twice the price and ten times the hassle. Yellowstone tested my patience immediately after entering the park with a 1/2 hour construction delay and 7 miles of slippery dirt and gravel just inside the Cody entrance.

And don't get me started about Yellowstone's buses, and f****** morons who block the road to take pictures of COYOTES! :-( :-( :-(

IMO, STAY AWAY FROM YELLOWSTONE for the next 10 years until it re-grows. Then it might be worth the hassle...

MJD

Can't believe they're STILL working on the east entrance road. Spent the better part of an hour last summer sitting on a fairly steep slippery (read gravel & mud) downhill section with 5 riding buddies in a thunderstorm downpour watching the touristos sitting in their cages eating snacks snickering at us. The park was nice as was Bear Tooth Pass, but if heading through Utah, Bryce Canyon, IMHO is one of the highlights of the state. https://www.utah.com/nationalparks/bryce.htm

 

[apostate1300]

LINK: FJR @ ZION NP PHOTO

Holy crap man... downsize that pic. Otherwise I couldn't agree more about yellowstone vs Zion. The best part is that the entire southern half of Utah should be a national park. It's that impressive.

Just go up to my FJR page at https://www.krystalmonolith.com/fjr1300/ for downsized pics!

MJD