Moon Yellowstone and Grand Teton: Including Jackson Hole (Moon Handbooks)

Comment: Yellowstone is so immense and I was concerned I would never find a book that would help me see the park in the three days we were there. This book definitely helped. It is descriptive and lists the areas of the park in a way that even a rookie traveler can follow. I highly recommend this book.

Comment: Overall, the best books I have found on the parks. All of the Moon books, however, are best for mainstream American tourists. They point out high points, attractions, accommodations, routes, hours of operation, etc. Where I found the books to be woefully short is on camping and hiking information. The maps to the campgrounds were weak at best, not mentioning exact mileage to each from main intersections, etc .... mostly, campground specific maps did not exist. The books also did not make mention of some critical info. as to what goes on with staffing and campgrounds in the OFF season in these parks! For example, I was in Yellowstone and the Tetons in the 3rd week of May -- with tent camping being my accommodation of choice. The books did not indicate that the Parks are not fully staffed prior to Memorial Day, and that a true MAJORITY of campgrounds are shut down. Park staff are also running at a rate of - I am guessing - less than 25%. The place was a ghost town ... next to impossible to find rangers for the purpose of asking questions, getting directions, etc. In fact, both parks' ENTRY GATES were unstaffed after 4 p.m., and the more remote entryways in Yellowstone were completely unstaffed 24/7. Signs were posted to drive on thru (guess they figure if you are silly enough to mix with hungry grizzly moms this time of year, that you are on your own? :-) ). Also, camping ground signs were posted at deserted entryways indicating which grounds were open, closed and full or with vacancies (again, they were mostly closed, as there were only THREE open May 25th). This made for hairy circumstances in trying to find, then set up a tent. The Mammoth Hot Springs campground, for example, was full over 48 hours in advance - something I must admit I found to be a surprise in the OFF season. Signs posted at unstaffed entryways were not *accurate* in revealing vacancies. One had to drive to the camp office to find out (also, those were deserted after 4 p.m.) ... with only 3 grounds open in the park, and one of the 3 being 65 miles away, I ended up driving outside the park and finding a quiet spot, then sleeping in my truck the first night! ... But, it is a matter of supply and demand. With only 3 grounds open in the parks, they are going to be full! The flip side of the glorious off season, of course, is the abundant wild life one WILL experience! I enjoyed precious moments and spectacular views of bears, buffalo, pronghorn and elk. The biggest plus -- every species bore their newborns at their sides. Despite logistical difficulties, I will be better prepared and will go again that time of year in a heartbeat (4WD recommended, there is still a lot of snow and road closings during this time). Enjoy your time in one of our greatest American National Parks!

Comment: The contents of this book are good, put it's very poorly manufactured. After reading it for about an hour, it came unglued at the spine and pages started falling out.

Comment: This guide is very useful in general terms, especially for lodging, restaurants and other activites in these areas. However, there are better guides to take you through Yellowstone Park and all it has to offer.

Comment: We are currently planning a trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton and this book has been invaluable in helping us figure out how to make the best use of our time without breaking the bank. It's great.