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I was thinking, on my Zephyr trip this summer, that it would be great if I could take a bus detour to Yellowstone Park and see it for a couple of days. But I haven't been able to find a Greyhound bus that goes to, say, Gardiner MT or another place right by Yellowstone. Does anyone have any ideas? I am not interested in renting a car and not interested in those week-to-10-day bus tours (would cost too much, and take too much time away from the rest of of my trip). Thanks!
mikesmith Member # 447
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Too bad on the car thing.
My wife and I arrived via Amtrak into SLC and rented a car from the airport at 2:00 am and drove to the Mammouth area of Yellowstone. We had plenty of sleep on the train and arrived at Yellowstone early, so we could spend 3 whole days there.
sojourner Member # 3134
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The problem is, my driving skills are poor, and I wouldn't enjoy trying to drive in a strange place, especially a strange hilly place! My husband is completely uninterested in doing these long train trips with me, ditto my sister and friends--sometimes they will fly out and meet me, but that can be tricky logistically. Anyway, I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable driving with many of them either. I'd rather be on a train! or bus if I must.
There is one bus tour out of SLC to Yellowstone but I don't know how reliable the company is. I wouldn't want to book a 5-day train layover in SLC counting on a 3-day Yellowstone tour and then have the tour cancelled. So, maybe I will spend time in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe and forget about Yellowstone, but I'd really like to see Yellowstone if there's a way to do it, and being in SLC seems like a good time to try.
mikesmith Member # 447
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In my opinion, everyone should see Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon at least 2 times. The first time is jaw-dropping time; the second time is absorbing the grandeur of each place.
I recommend making it work somehow, so you could see Yellowstone.
The roads between SLC and the west entrance of Yellowstone are pretty good, but the roads within the park are not, and the buffalo think they "own" the roads in there, so there is the danger of hitting one of them as you round a curve...
MontanaJim Member # 2323
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Greyhound used to stop in west yellowstone, but doesnt anymore.
im sure there is some tour group out of bozeman or billings that offers tours of yellowstone.
maybe you can stop by my mothers place in Livingston and she can give you a personal tour?
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Too bad AMTRAK discontinued the North Coast Hiawatha to Livingston, Montana (north entrance to Yellowstone) back in the 70's.........
MontanaJim Member # 2323
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i should add the closest stop for greyhound these days to yellowstone is bozeman or livingston (my hometown).
MontanaJim Member # 2323
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you are right on that one, RRRICH. Now Amtrak doesnt go to my hometown, and i have to take a bus over 300 miles to get to the nearest amtrak station. doesnt stop me however, and i look forward to riding amtrak for over 10,000 miles in December!
btw, i was on the last hiawatha out of livingston in 1979. I can only barely remember it, as I was only four years old at the time. my mom, brother and i took the last train to billings where my dad picked us up to take us back home.
sojourner Member # 3134
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To get to Bozeman or Billings, I'd have to take a bus from some Amtrak stop (probably Salt Lake City), so I'd rather just take the tour from Salt Lake City (which is enough bus riding already). That seems to be the only place where Amtrak stops that has a tour to Yellowstone. And remember, I absolutely don't want to fly or drive.
My problem is, I don't know how reliable the tour out of Salt Lake City is--and their cancellation policy is rather intimidating (you lose your money if you cancel any time within 30 days). Does anyone have any ideas on where I can find out about the reliability of a small bus tour company? And where maybe I could get some kind of insurance for this bus tour, the way people do for cruises? Thanks so much.
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