Yesterday we booked Canyon Lodge for this summer, but when I called to check on something I was told the road to the north of this hotel up to Tower Junction will be closed in August. So if you want to see Lamar Valley you will have to drive all the way around (back over to Mammoth) to get to the Canyon area. I am posting this as a warning so you can plan your trip accordingly---I didn't know and now I have to change our plans and the rooms are mostly sold out. I was not happy about the $426 that we were going to have to pay at Canyon lodge (for the cheapest available space for 4 people) but now I have to change our plans. If you are booking this hotel/cabin I would suggest you ask them to check the road closures around this hotel.

We stayed for 3 nights at the beginning of July inside the National Park and are a retired couple. Booking In and Booking Out was very easy and although there is only internet access in the foyer of this main building, really the Park is so awesome it was lovely to be mostly ‘disconnected’ from our devices & we could still contact family etc back in the UK. The accommodation is just around the corner from the main building and there is ample parking and lifts to all floors. For us, it was definitely an advantage staying in the Park as it maximised the time we could spend inside Yellowstone, especially as it would have been tiring after a full-on day to have then travelled say a minimum of 60 miles back to accommodation outside the Park. From Red Lodge, Wyoming we travelled the Beartooth Highway (a magnificent, must-do drive) and entered Yellowstone by the Silver Gate at the North East Entrance, which is a quieter entrance to the Park. It is about 50mls from Silver gate to Canyon Village and the speed limit throughout the Park is 45mph. It took longer than an hour for us to get there as there was so much to stop and see on the way, like Bison, Elk, scenery. The rooms at Canyon Lodge are fairly basic, but clean and comfortable with table and chairs, microwave, fridge & own bathroom. Yes, the rooms are expensive for what you get if you compare it to a hotel elsewhere, However, to be immersed in the location; to have the spectacular view from our top floor window; to be able to go out late at night and very early in the morning to soak up the sights and see the wildlife was worth every penny – book well in advance as they are snapped up quickly – we booked 9 months ahead and it’s just as well we did! Canyon Lodge Village was quieter and seemed less “touristy” than the other areas within the Park. It suited us better than the other accommodations such as at Old Faithful, or Mammoth Hot Springs where the streets were very congested, and it seemed ideal as a base for exploring throughout the Park area. There are retail outlets and food places at Canyon Village but, as other writers have noted, all restaurants in Yellowstone are expensive for what you get and you have to book at some of them. For us, the food was less important than the Park experience so we were happy to buy sandwiches, hotdogs, snacks, fruit, microwavable food, etc from the well-stocked shops in the Village and available at other locations in the Park – or take food with you. Note: there are plenty of toilet stops throughout the whole park and paths suitable for disabled access and wheelchairs at the major sights and at the Villages. The roads were not nearly as congested as we expected and with careful planning we arrived at busy carparks before the crowds, eg. at Grand Prismatic Springs and Old Faithful - both of which were mesmerising in the early morning light. There are very strict stopping rules for the roads to avoid jams and for safety when in the presence of bears, bison, Elk, etc. and on the whole people observed these rules - but of course there are always some foolish drivers who think the rules do not apply to them!

Good: 1. One of the best location. All the attractions are almost same distance. 2. Decent food options. 3. Big grocery store and Gas Station Bad: 1. Not very clean like when we checked in our rooms were not cleaned properly. 2. You need to spend some time to find parking location during summer times.

Staying here was expensive but worth it for being in the park. It made it easy to get to things, we had buffalo crossing the road in front of us as we left the hotel. There are lots of inexpensive dining options. The rooms are really nice, but at a price. if this is a once in a lifetime trip its worth the splurge,

A few points before I get into the details. First, despite my lackluster rating for Canyon Lodge, I highly recommend staying in the park. Secondly, I understand there are operating and logistics challenges for a lodge operating in the middle of a large national park. Third, minimal access to wi-fi and lack of TV is understood and were not factors in the overall rating. Now, the reasons for my rating. My biggest complaint related to the restaurants. The only restaurant that had any appeal was a cafeteria that, remarkabledly, offered only four options for dinner (Chicken fried steak, rotesserie chicken, ribs and fake meat.) Breakfast options were no better. Moreover, the portions were tiny. For example, a scoop, not a bowl, of oatmeal was $4.95. There were no refills on coffee that I was aware of. On the final day, I learned they would give you more food if you asked. It got to the point that I drove to West Yellowstone to eat dinner, which is about an hour away. The room was ok. I could not change the temperature in my room. Fortunately that was not a problem because the daytime temperatures were in the 60s and the room was only a little bit warm. I suggest you stay on the top floor. I was on the first floor and whenever people walked around in the room above me, it was very loud. Also, their talking was muffled. I lucked out that there was only one night that I had somebody above me and they did not stay up late. I would not tell a prospective traveler not to stay here. Rather, I would recommend they manage their expectations. You are not going to get value when staying at Canyon Lodge. The good news is that the experience of visiting Yellowstone far surpasses any disappointment from paying extravagantly for basic food and lodgings.