Tag Archive for: yellowstone national park lodges

Many ways to enjoy Yellowstone’s big anniversary in 2022

  1. 150th Anniversary: Stacey Gregory writes: “Few places stir the soul and ignite the imagination like Yellowstone National Park. For almost 150 years, this magical natural wonder has attracted people of all walks of life to its more than 2 million acres. Follow along as we uncover just how this place came to be America’s first national park – and one of the most beloved places in America.”
  2. Winter Adventures: Winter in Yellowstone delivers a more intimate experience, fascinating snowy landscapes and frosty animals.
  3. Land Adventures: Explore the incredible natural wonders of Yellowstone National Park, guided by one of the park’s knowledgeable professionals.
  4. Water Adventures: Yellowstone Lake, with 140 miles of shoreline, is home to native cutthroat trout and the non-native lake trout. It’s also a lake with lots of beautiful scenery and interesting history, and is adjacent to some of the most remote wilderness in the lower 48 states.
  5. Wild West Adventures: Experience Yellowstone the way the first pioneers did: Travel by stagecoach or horseback and enjoy a traditional cookout dinner.

Yellowstone National Park celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022; it was named the country’s first national park in 1872. Photo courtesy of Wyoming Office of Tourism

For more information on Yellowstone National Park Lodges, visit YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.

Huckleberries are everywhere in Yellowstone National Park

,

One local quirk of Yellowstone National Park is the infusion of wild-grown huckleberries into everything from milkshakes to bath salts. These tart, thick-skinned berries are a favorite of grizzly bears and tourists alike, and you’ll find huckleberry treats like jelly, gummy bears and more in gift shops around the park.

Writer Jayne Clark says: “Visitors sip huckleberry margaritas at the historic Old Faithful Inn. They pour huckleberry syrup over their pancakes at the M66 Grill at the park’s new Canyon Lodge. They snap up huckleberry lip balm at the Lake Hotel’s gift shop. They line up for huckleberry ice cream cones at Mammoth Hot Springs. Consider it the ultimate eco-friendly ingredient. But what exactly is a huckleberry?”

Get the answer and learn more about huckleberries here.

In Yellowstone National Park, wild-grown huckleberries are infused into everything from milkshakes to bath salts. Photo courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

For more information on Yellowstone National Park Lodges, visit YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.

A month-by-month guide to watching wildlife in Yellowstone

,

The wildlife show in Yellowstone is second to none, and no matter when you visit, you’ll get a front-row seat.

In June, animals of all stripes raise babies, from marmots to bighorn sheep to predators like grizzlies and badgers. In July, wolf pups venture to a “rendezvous site” where they spend most of summer with wolf babysitters. Grizzlies meander up to high mountain peaks searching for moths.

The thunderous bellows of bull bison boom as the bison rut ramps up every August, and great herds gather in Lamar and Hayden Valleys. A few weeks later, pronghorn mate. The high-pitched bugle of bull elk echoes across the land by the second week of September. Overhead, migratory hawks and eagles begin their winter travels south and west. Bears return to lower elevations.

As snow accumulates in October, male grizzlies follow wolf packs to steal a few more meals, while females search for a den location. Birds and mammals that stay the winter build up deep, warm coats. Deer and bighorn sheep are at the peak of their rut around Thanksgiving. Snowshoe hare, white-tailed jackrabbits and weasels trade their brown summer fur for coats of white.

Read more about year-round wildlife watching here.

In June, animals of all stripes raise babies, from bison to bighorn sheep to predators like grizzlies and badgers. Photo courtesy Yellowstone National Park Lodges

For more information on Yellowstone National Park Lodges, visit YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.

Yellowstone serves food that’s good – and good for the planet

,

Trout from Idaho. Bison from Wyoming and North Dakota. Beef, goat cheese and ice cream from Montana. These and other regionally sourced food products served in the dining facilities of Yellowstone National Park are bringing local flavors to the culinary forefront of the world’s oldest national park.

Today, more than 50% of the park-wide food and beverage purchases used at restaurants and other park eateries managed by concessioner Xanterra Travel Collection are categorized as sustainably produced. Xanterra’s goal is to reach 70% by 2025.

Local beverages are also well received. Xanterra serves a broad range of beers and liquors produced in the region, including Wyoming Whiskey and Backwards Distilling Company in Wyoming, Grand Teton Distillery in Idaho and Bozeman Spirits in Montana. Wyoming, Montana and Idaho are also home to some great breweries whose popular craft beers are on the menu in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone restaurants follow a simple philosophy – to provide the highest-quality food with the least environmental impact by finding products that are fresh, locally produced, organic, third-party certified and/or support sustainable farming, fishing and business practices.

More information on Xanterra’s sustainability initiatives in Yellowstone can be found here.

The dining facilities in Yellowstone National Park offer a variety of local flavors, including Milk Can Moonshine from Backwards Distilling Company in Wyoming. Courtesy Yellowstone National Park Lodges

For more information on Yellowstone National Park Lodges, visit YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com.