Most of the trail boardwalks are designed for wheelchair accessibility. A double wide stroller may not work on some but the double tandem would. Paths are wider then boardwalks so should not be a problem
Many of the trails are over a century old, so they weren't built with wheeled access in mind. Child-carrier backpacks would really extend the possible places you could explore. That's what my wife and I did with our son.
That being said, there are a lot of places you can push a stroller - most of the geyser basins have smooth paths and boardwalks, there are paved trails at Mammoth and Canyon.
As a side note, Yellowstone is nature in the raw, there are many natural hazards throughout the park and often there are no barricades to prevent curious or foolish visitor from getting into trouble. Keep an eye on your little ones, you may even consider using a harness on them.
What Eurocamper said - keep the kids in tow and don't let them wander! And I agree that double-wide strollers would be a problem, but the tandem ones might not. Most of the geyser basins, especially around Old Faithful, Fountain Paint Pots, and much of West Thumb, have paved paths and good boardwalks for nearly the entire way. Some other areas may not be as stroller-friendly.
Yellowstone is larger than several states so it all depends on which PART of the park you're talking about. there are many areas that are very accessible and many others that are difficult for a hiker in good condition. Most of the popular tourist parts are pretty well accessible to anyone.
We will be in Yellowstone for 5 days in June, with my 2 and 4 yr old girls. Are there trails/paths that we could use a double-stroller on?
Thanks.
Well, maybe some are seeing something I didn't. I don't really view much of Yellowstone as "stroller friendly."
I think it just might make you nuts. You drive from one point to another. You'd be entering your vehicle, buckling, unbuckling kids, getting the stroller(s) in and out, and gee, with super heated steam and water sometimes inches away from the boardwalks that actually are accessible. Getting off paths in Yellowstone also seems quite hazardous in many areas. I don't want to un-necessarily concern you, but there are also all sorts of untamed animals, some of them carnivores. Then there are all sorts of people. Some of them have to be nuts. Even the park rangers seemed stunned at times by what some did.
Yea, you can run a stroller along some of the boardwalks, and some are actually pretty long. Some of those long ones (and some of the short ones) also have stairs.
Then there's that potentially "active volcano" thing... (It's already active, it's just not exploding at the moment... )
* This post was
edited 05/27/08 05:24am by djevans *
We camped for a week at Yellowstone last summer with my DD15 & DS13. Christian can walk, but tires quickly so he mostly saw the park from his large transport stroller/wc.We chose not to go off-road with him, but we were able to access pretty much everything we wanted to do. There are boardwalks around most of the geysers; most have no handrails. They aren't very wide, maybe the width of an adult & a child walking side by side. There are stairs to negotiate. I would think a double stroller would be cumbersome in that situation. perhaps two small single strollers or a stroller and a backpack would be a better choice.
One thing for sure: Keep your hands on the kids at all times. It would be very easy for a child to misjudge a thermal. We even saw a mother directing her children to reach down and touch one! Some of those thermals are 200 degrees! Thankfully, that particular one was not, but I was horrified to see children splashing in the water. Just the thought of the bacteria made me shudder.
Keep in mind that the animals roam freely and are NOT tame. Don't let your kids get close to a buffalo--they are ill-tempered and LARGE. YOu don't need to be afraid, just alert. They don't sneak up on you from the bushes or anything. But children (and a lot of adults!)don't have a good understanding of how dangerous Yellowstone can be. Just be aware you are in a wilderness area where the Wild Things are.
"Those who dwell...among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."--Rachel Carson, environmentalist, 1956
We went in 2005 with our then 20-month old daughter.
I would recommend two lightweight umbrella strollers, vs. one double stroller. You will be in and out of your vehicle quite a bit, and two lighter strollers will be easier to lug around. Also, you can then go single file along the paths and boardwalks, and they're easier to lift if necessary to go up/down stairs.
We had no problem getting to anything we wanted to see with our daughter in the umbrella stroller. We stayed to the main attractions and did not go into the "back country." You may see buffalo along the road and maybe even along a trail (they tend to go where they want to go and pay no heed to people) but I wouldn't worry about running into any dangerous animals unless you do go into the back country. You will probably almost always be around other people.
We did have a harness for our daughter and I would recommend one in the thermal areas as a precaution for your 2 year old. That beautiful blue water is very tempting, even to adults. I would also recommend using LOTS of sunscreen (the sun is much stronger due to the high elevation), drinking more fluids than you think is necessary, and giving yourselves a day or two to adjust to the elevation change. Our daughter had a slight case of elevation sickness the first two days we were there. I had never heard of it until we took her to the Old Faithful clinic.
Thank you all soooo much for your responses! We are flying into Salt Lake City (elev 4300 ft), and then driving by RV to the Grand Tetons (elev 6300 ft), Yellowstone (7-8,000 ft), South Dakota and flying home to Cleveland, OH via Minneapolis. I did not consider the chance for altitude sickness, but hopefully we are moving at a slow enough pace and not going too high for that to be an issue for my girls.
I am fully aware of the wildlife in YNP and trust me, been losing some sleep over it. Hopefully w/ how much noise they make, that'll keep the wildlife away! My husband wants to sleep in a tent next to the RV and I'm already fretting about that.
I think that Minn Camping Family had the best suggestion, use two lightweight strollers rather than a heavy dual one. As pointed out, you will be making lots of stops at various sites, so convenience of loading/unloading is definitely a consideration in making the trip enjoyable. Yes, the animals in YNP are wild, but they aren't going to sneak up on you and charge or bite you. Sounds like you're pretty aware of animals, but don't lose sleep over them. Just keep an eye on the kids, and strollers are probably the easiest way to keep them in tow when you're around places that are hazardous. Your four year old will really be excited at seeing the different animals, what a treat for her! Even though your husband will be quite safe sleeping in the tent, sounds like it would be better for peace in the family to have him bed down in the RV, you will sleep better not worrying about him too. Since you're going to GTNP and YNP via Salt Lake, the elevation change will be gradual enough that your family should have no difficulties; you're really not going that high anyway. Quit worrying and prepare the family for a fun adventure that will be looked back upon with fond memories for many years. The Park Service does an outstanding job in providing a safe environment for all to enjoy. My favorite spots in YNP from when I worked there many years ago were the Yellowstone Falls, Old Faithful, Madison River, and Virginia Cascades. Enjoy your trip!
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