Yellowstone with small children

My husband and I are thinking ahead to the summer of 2008. We would like to go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, probably 6 nights total. We have 4 children who will be 12, 10, 7, and 4 by then. The 3 older will be fine, but we're not sure about our youngest. Has anyone done this trip with a 4 year old? My husband and I have been to both parks before we had kids as part of a 16 day Pacific/Northwest trip, so we do know what the parks are like. But it has been so long and our perspective was very different then.

Another question, where is the best place to fly into from New York? Thanks for the help!

We don't have a four year old, but we're flying into Jakson Hole when we go to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone in June, 2007. Everyone I've asked said that was the best place to fly into. We're staying at Colter Bay Village the first night, which, from what I hear, is a real family oriented place, and might be a great place with kids.

Other places to fly into include Bozeman, Montana and Salt Lake City. Salt Lake will have the most flight options, but it is the farthest away.

As you are deciding which airport to use - based on all the feedback you will get, include the cost of the rental car as well as the cost of the air fares. You want to get an idea of the total cost of transportation and fare as well as rental cost will vary depending on where you go.
Also, go to this site http://www.yellowstone.net/forums/
it has a wealth of good info and knowledgable users.

Thanks so much for all the great information!
I'm getting the feeling that people don't do this trip with small children, since no one has commented on this.

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Originally Posted by princessesmom

Thanks so much for all the great information!
I'm getting the feeling that people don't do this trip with small children, since no one has commented on this.

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Our children are 2 and 4 and we have decided to wait until they are older to do this trip.

I would just say watch your child like a hawk or get one of the kid leashes for when you walk around the mud pots, pools, etc.

The two main reasons we have decided to wait is 1) so they will remember it and 2) concerned for their safety.

Depending on the time of year (dont remember when it is now) the mud pots can get thick and splatter the hot mud.

Hope this helps a little.

Thanks so much forthe information. We've decided to wait until our youngster is 6, which is 3 more years. We have plenty of other trips we can take in the meantime, including going back to WDW in 2 years!

I think waiting is a good idea. I just now saw this thread, and I remember going to Yellowstone a while back. I don't remember what year it was, but I think I was in high school, so it would have been late 1990s. A lot of the trails did not have rails on them, they were just boardwalks, and some of them were quite close to dangerous hot spots and things. It was beautiful, but I think it is a serious safety concern, especially with small children.