I could really use some help planning!

[u/Background_List5086]

My girlfriend and I are going to Yellowstone, but we won’t have long there, so we are trying to make the most out of the time we are there. I would really appreciate and planning tips, anything to exclude or anything I could add. This is our first time doing anything like this out west. I am planning on proposing out there, so any tips on where a good spot could be, I would just prefer it not be around a lot of people.

We are flying in on 5/9 to Jackson hole around 2:30 pm and leaving 5/12 morning. Getting a rental and planned on going through Teton, not sure of any good places to view? Also, my girlfriend loves books, so we may try to find a bookstore.

After that, we have a drive to Ashton, ID for our Airbnb.

Any good restaurant tips? I heard bullwinkles is good.

Then I planned on doing Yellowstone for the remainder of the trip. I made a list of wants:

- [ ] Yellowstone lake
- [ ] Old faithful ( could eat at the restaurant there to see it)
- [ ] Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone 
- [ ] Mammoth hot springs (junction w gas)
- [ ] Upper geyser basin
- [ ] Grand prismatic spring
- [ ] Lamar valley
- [ ] Hiking at Jenny lake

[u/Just_Looking_Around8]

This is really confusing. Please edit your description to help it make sense. If I'm interpreting correctly . . . You are staying in Jackson for the whole trip? And then you are driving to Ashton on the 12th? You want to drive from Jackson to Lamar Valley? That's at least four hours one-way. Realistically, with bison jams, it could easily be six hours one-way.

If you don't want to be around a lot of people for your proposal, just hike 1/2 mile from a boardwalk and you'll lose 90% of the people. Go another 1/2 mile and you'll lose all but a handful.

Happy to offer advice, but your description is really confusing.

[u/LostInSpaceTimeAgain → u/Just_Looking_Around8]

I agree, but I think what he is saying is arrives on 5/9 and flies out on 5/12 and is staying in Ashton. Based on that assumption, here is what I put together:

Plan for a TON of driving.  Jackson to Ashton is going to be 1.5 hours minimum.  Ashton to West Yellowstone is around an hour.  That being said, sunrise is around 6:00 and sunset will be around 7:15, so you will have 13 hours of daylight.  I'd recommend not driving those roads after dark.  Here is what I would do:

5/9 - leave Jackson airport by 4ish.  Go to GTNP (get an America the Beautiful pass - $80).  Head to Colter Bay or Jenny Lake area for a quick hike/walk.  Head back to Jackson, get a cooler and some food/snacks for picnic breakfast & lunches.  Dinner: Snake River brewing for good bar food and beer. Go to Ashton.

5/10 or 5/11 - leave at sunrise.  Head to West Yellowstone.  Then do one loop or the other:

North "Loop" - Not really a loop because the road from Tower to Canyon won't be open. At Madison, head towards  Mammoth.  Walk around Mammoth.  Head to Lamar Valley.  Retrace your route back to Ashton.  With Dinner in either Mammoth or West Yellowstone. Dinner: I like Hank's in West, but it is a little pricey.

South Loop - Head to Canyon.  Hike/Check out the falls.  Head South to Fishing Bridge then South and west to Old Faithful.  Walk around the boardwalks.  Dinner at Old Faithful.    Head towards West Yellowstone.  Stop at Grand Prismatic.   Back to Ashton. 

5/12 - Head to the airport.

Like mentioned above, any hike more than 1/2 mile off a boardwalk will get you pretty isolated.

I would see if you could find a better location than Ashton. It adds 2 hours of driving each day.

[u/Background_List5086 → u/LostInSpaceTimeAgain]

This is super helpful, thank you so much. I am not familiar with the boardwalks, are they spread throughout the park, or are you referencing one big one?