Yellowstone/Jackson Hole/Idaho Falls trip recommendation

[7Bartman]

Hey guys, taking the wife and kids on a trip to Montana in 2 weeks. Plan is to fly into Billings and head through the Beartooth down into the Lamar Valley and hit the boiling river. Then headed up to Bozeman to the brother-in-laws house for a few days and then down to Jackson. My specific ask is for things to do with my kids in Jackson Hole and Idaho Falls. More specifically, taking them fishing (maybe a put in take place where they're pretty much guaranteed to catch a trout) and some type of mining place in either location. We fly out of SLC so if you have any interesting suggestions for a day trip there that would be good. My kids are 9 and 6 and love outdoor activities. Museums would be a no. Any suggestions are appreciated.

thanks in advance,
Bart

 

[Coach Chris]

If you're driving through Grand Teton National Park you can pretty easily access Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake for fishing.
The Snake River Dike just west of Jackson on 22 offers easy access to the Snake on either side of the Snake River bridge.
Jackson Hole Mtn Resort has an Aerial Adventure Course for kids 5 and up
https://www.jacksonhole.com/the-ropes.html
Exum Mountain Guides has climbing for families with younger kids
http://exumguides.com/ublminxportfolios/family-climbing/
We have rodeo's on Wednesday and Saturday nights at 8:00 on Snow King Ave.
Lot's of company's offer horseback trail rides near town.
I think most all the river company's offer whitewater trips for family's too.

If I think of anything else I'll post it

 

[406LIFE]

Sloghtly out of the way, vut well worth it, see the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody. You can spend all dsy there.

 

[Yettislayer]

I know you said museums are a no go, but we just got back from a similar trip, and you have got to go to the Museum of the Rockies if you're in Bozeman. What kid can resist looking at one of the largest collections of freakin dinosaur fossils? I'm 28 and was jacked the whole time, wife more so than me. National Elk Refuge exhibit was really cool as well...

I'd say it's probably good now, but you may want to call and check the status of the boiling river before you show up. It was closed about a week and a half ago, so it'd be stinky to have a day planned and then show up and not be able to get in. Too much fast water if I remember right. Real nice beach areas around String Lake (near Jenny Lake) that a lot of families were hanging out in/ paddleboarding and kayaking.

 

[bcar]

Every time we've been there we've done rafting trips on the Snake. There's a very tame float trip that even my mom could handle lol, and a more daring whitewater trip that has some fun rapids. We've used Sands Whitewater & Scenic River Trips out of Jackson. If you want to spend more time up in the park there is loads to do either through Jackson Lake Lodge or on your own, although the activities through the Lodge get to be pretty pricey but are probably worth the experience... Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner cruises out on the lake, there's a chuck wagon cowboy themed breakfast trip, a picnic float trip on the snake. Guided lake fishing trips through the marina (I think this is pretty much a guaranteed catch for good sized lake trout but pretty pricey), canoe/kayak rentals etc. A lot of people fish below the Jackson Lake damn, it's definitely not a guaranteed catch unless I just can't fish lol. And of course everything through the lodge or up in the park features the best views in the world .

I checked Sands and the Lodges websites, looks like 6 is the min. age for about every activity I mentioned above. Hope you guys have a great trip! My whole fam is headed to Jackson/Tetons the first week of August!

 

[fmnjr]

We just got back from 5 days camping on the Snake River at Palisades Reservoir. The Swan Valley, through which the river runs, is a very special and well known for fly fishing. Palisades itself is an awesome boating and swimming spot. Greys River feeds into this area also and offers some great tubing/rafting. Rapids are there but pretty mellow, we missed out on this but it should have been a higher priority.

Two years ago we spent 2 weeks camping at Coulter Bay on Jackson Lake in Grand Teton. The possibilities are great there, lots of wildlife, great hiking, swimming, SUP, fishing.....you name it. Pretty much any area around there you can rent SUPs for $40/day. Your boys will love it guaranteed, my son would not get off that thing no matter what he was offered!

If I was going back there again this time of year with 2 boys the top things on my list would be: any water activities (swimming, fishing, SUP, boating, floating, tubing), camping (what boy doesn't like it?), lots of trips to the store for ice cream (it's hot there this time of year), roasting things on the campfire (my boy told me when we burning sausages "this camp fire is just like in the old west, Dad").

They had a really wet spring in that area so the bug factor is high. Take citronella (candles and clothing patches) and Off.

 

[Jape]

They also have old west style "shootouts" in Jackson that are fun to see. Agree with Coach Chris that the aerial adventure is fun. For SLC, you can drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake, and if you want something more remote there are LOTS of trails up that canyon. Temple square in SLC is also great.