Yellowstone Itinerary

Wednesday.  Tim drives to Chinle, AZ.  Dinner at Route 66 Railway Cafe, Gallup (3 out of 5 stars).  Lodging: Thunderbird Lodge at Chinle, AZ (3 out of 5 stars).

Thursday.  Tim takes jeep tour of Canyon De Chelly (5 out of 5 stars).  Drives to  Bryce Canyon, UT.  Lunch at Blue Coffee Pot Restaurant in Kayenta, AZ (5 out of 5 stars... I love this little cafe!)  Dinner at the Holiday Inn Plus Ruby's Inn, Bryce Village (3 out of 5 stars).  TIP FOR NEXT TIME:  The Canyon De Chelly tour is Amazingly Beautiful.  Come back in fall when the cottonwoods light up the canyon!

Friday.  Tim takes sunrise pictures at Bryce Canyon (temperatures under 15 degrees, and windy), and then drives to Idaho Falls, ID.  Breakfast at Holiday Inn Plus Ruby's Inn (3 out of 5 stars),   Lunch at a gas station deli south of Salt Lake City, and dinner at Cafe Sabor in Idaho Falls (3 out of 5 stars).

Saturday.  Tim drives to Bozeman, and then photographs the countryside while waiting for Kristin's flight to arrive.  Kristin arrives early evening.  Breakfast at La Quinta in Idaho Falls.  Lunch at Burger King (1 out of 5 stars).  Dinner Tim and Kristin at MacKenzie River Pizza in Belgrade, MT (4 out of 5 stars).

Sunday.  Drive to Gardiner, MT (gateway to Yellowstone).  Drive through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone (pronghorn antelope, bison, coyotes).  Breakfast at Holiday Inn Express Belgrade.  Lunch, cheese and crackers.  Dinner, frozen pizza.

Monday.  Mammoth Hot Springs, then drive through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone (bison, elk, coyotes).  Breakfast, cinnamon rolls, cereal, eggs at lodging.  Lunch, cheese and crackers, hot chocolate.  Dinner at Wonderland Cafe in Gardiner (4 out of 5 stars).

Tuesday.  Snowcoach Tour to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, with guide Gypsy (Gypsy is a 5 out of 5 guide!  We would definitely recommend this tour)  Breakfast at lodging, brown bag lunch on snowcoach, and dinner at Wonderland Cafe.

Wednesday.  Snowcoach Tour to Old Faithful.  Breakfast at lodging, brown bag lunch, frozen pizza and leftovers for dinner.  This tour is not quite as spectacular as the Canyon tour, but still a great day!

Thursday.  Drove from Gardiner to Helena, seeing Bighorn Sheep and Missouri Headwaters State Park along the way.  Breakfast at lodging, Shopping at Forever Yellowstone, Lunch at Finks Deli in Bozeman (4 out of 5 stars) and desert at Wild Crumb (5 out of 5 stars).  Dinner with Trina and Suzie (10 out of 5 stars for the amazing company!) at the Mediterranean Grill in Helena (5 out of 5 stars).

Friday.  Drove from Helena to Bozeman, seeing Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site along the way.  Breakfast at hotel, picnic lunch in the car, dinner at Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks (5 out of 5 stars).

Saturday.  Museum of the Rockies (1 out of 5 stars, mostly because of the many screaming children and their parents who refused to ask them to quiet down).  Then a nice walk at Missouri Headwaters State Park.  Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at Fink's Deli with Desert at Wild Cumb, then dinner with Jesse and Tana (again, 10 out of 5 stars for company) at Seven (5 out of 5 for great sushi).  

Sunday.  Tim dropped Kristin off at airport, then visited Little Bighorn on the way home.  

Monday.  Tim made a quick stop at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, and then made it home in time for dinner.