Kahuna

Pato, there is another, lower pass further to the south from Jackson, but it doesn't go by Grand Teton Brewing. You must have taken Teton Pass. The pass is even more exciting if you hit Grand Teton Brewing before going over the pass to Jackson.

Since several folks are coming up to the Teton area I'll make an entertainment recommendation that my Texas guests always enjoy. Just across the Teton Pass from Jackson Hole is the little town of Victor, Idaho. As you come over the pass from Jackson, one of the first buildings you encounter is Grand Teton Brewing, which makes spectacular beers and sells them onsite by the glass, growler, or can/bottle (their double IPA, Lost Continent, aka Lost Consciousness, is my favorite) Through much of the summer the Teton Valley Foundation puts on a series of outdoor concerts every Thursday night. Here is a link to the 2019 guest lineup: https://tetonvalleyfoundation.org/music-on-main/. The concerts are free, although they ask for a donation. The backdrop to the concerts is the western slope of the Tetons. You sit out on a thick bluegrass lawn (take along a blanket or folding chair, if they are available to you). Temperatures in the evenings drop off fast, so it's always fun for us Texans to sit outdoors listening to music in the summer and need to put on a sweatshirt before the concert ends. A number of food trucks sell their wares, including the aforementioned Grand Teton Brewing. It's an inexpensive evening where the kids can safely run around while the adults relax and enjoy the scenery and weather.

I just arrived four days ago in the Yellowstone area, where I have a summer cabin. Just to make everyone feel bad I'll add that I'll be here until early October. Although I'm across the border in Idaho (not far from the Johnny Sack cabin), I get over to Jackson a few times each summer. I've fished with Snake River Anglers and High Country Flies out of Jackson and Worldcast out of Driggs, ID. All were first class outfits. Since you are staying in Jackson, one of the Jackson outfitters will likely be more convenient. I've only used Worldcast for Idaho floats. I believe you previously mentioned that you emailed Worldcast for a reservation. I suggest calling any of these outfitters rather than using email. While some guides are better than others, I think you'll find that whoever you use will provide an enjoyable float. Don't worry about being a beginner. The guides are good instructors, although it would really help if you could practice with a guide or instructor on land prior to the float. Things seem to happen faster once you are on the water. Whoever you use, be sure to tell them when you book the trip that you are a beginner and whether an on-shore lesson might be available. That will help them decide where to take you fishing since some stretches are more technical than others. Also, I'm guessing that you don't have any fly fishing gear yet, so you'll need to arrange for that to be provided. You also mentioned maybe doing a half-day trip. Don't be a wuss; once you get on the river you won't want to get off that quickly. Work on your casting, watch scenery and wildlife, catch some fish and a few willows, stop for a shore lunch and a beer or two, return to the river. You'll love it. And take someone out to enjoy it with you; the boats hold two fishermen comfortably. Let me know if you have any more questions. I'm busy getting the cabin up and running, but I'll try to check this thread periodically (unless Bru transfers back to Texas).

Each summer I spend from around June 1 until early October at my cabin about 11 miles outside the SW corner of Yellowstone. Both parks are fantastic and are great places to take the family. I agree with everything Chewbacca said and would add a few other considerations: (1) The Canyon visitor center is focused on the Yellowstone super-volcanoes and does a great job presenting the immensity of the eruptions compared to Mt. St. Helens. My cabin is on the side of one of the previous super-volcano calderas, so I'm always looking out the window for a pyroclastic cloud. The Old Faithful visitor center is also really good. Both centers have free films, which can be a good way to cool off on a warm afternoon. (2) One of the highlights of Yellowstone is the wildlife. Keep in mind your best chances to see wildlife are in the very early morning hours and at dusk. The animals don't like to be exposed to the heat of the sun, except for the bison, who don't have a choice. If you do any backcountry hiking away from the crowds, take bear spray and keep it handy (not stuck in a backpack). I think I saw a place last month next to the Canyon visitor center that rents the cannisters. Otherwise they cost around $50. Either the summer of 2016 or 2017 a guy got killed and partially eaten by a mother grizzly and her two cubs a short distance from the Canyon visitors center, so, while unlikely you'll even see a grizzly in the park, the precaution is no joke. People are attacked by grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem each year. I own "Death in Yellowstone" to scare my houseguests upon arrival, but I haven't had to read it - I just read the newspaper. In 2018 there have been two bison attacks and two elk attacks in Yellowstone (in Mammoth Hot Springs - don't walk between a cow elk and her cute baby for a better photo angle). The bears so far are being held scoreless. (3) Traffic is going to be bad in the parks, which is another good reason to drive around very early and very late, and hike in between. Or buy some drinks at the upstairs bar at the Old Faithful Inn and watch the geyser from the upstairs deck. Although you have a pretty good outline to cover both parks in the brief time you have, I'll throw out another back-up plan, if you get sick of the hordes of tourists. The entire Yellowstone ecosystem is really pretty and has a lot to see. My property, for example, was originally slated to be part of Yellowstone NP, but economic interests (probably timber) had the proposed park boundary moved before the park was established, so there are some really nice sights near my place. So here are a few places convenient to West Yellowstone (within an hour drive), where I think you are staying, that will be away from the hordes, but worth seeing: Wade Lake and Cliff Lake (next to each other), Big Spring and the Johnny Sack Cabin, Sawtelle Peak (connects to Mt. Jefferson by a nice, alpine trail, albeit through prime grizzly country), Upper Mesa Falls (with a nice visitors center), Lower Mesa Falls, Cave Falls and Bechler Falls (these last two are actually in the SW corner of Yellowstone NP, but can only be accessed by car by driving in on a short road poking in from the SW side of the park). Some of these sights are accessed by a (US Forestry Service) gravel road, which is common up here, so don't lose your nerve when the pavement ends. If you are out west of Yellowstone, a nice restaurant/bar is located at Trouthunter located in Island Park, Idaho. (4) The geology of this area is fascinating, so if you get a chance to attend a ranger geology talk, go check it out. If you have any specific questions, post them here and I'll check back from time to time. I've got a group of friends and family arriving from Austin the first week of August for a visit. My copy of "Death in Yellowstone" is already on the coffee table for them.

I spend summers about two hours south of Big Sky in Idaho (it was 11 degrees in West Yellowstone a few days ago BTW), and drive through Big Sky about once each summer going to visit Bozeman. I can vouch for Rainbow Ranch Lodge and Buck's T-4 for some good food. Buck's T-4 is the restaurant at a Best Western Motel of all things, but has a fine dining restaurant and bar. They have a separate menu in the bar area (you may have to ask for it) that is designed for the locals, so fishing guides can come in for a few beers and a less expensive meal. I haven't eaten at Rainbow Ranch in a long time, but it was definitely fine dining and very good. We got trapped in the restaurant for a while because a moose was roaming the parking lot and it wasn't safe to wander out there. We aren't in Austin anymore! I've only stayed at Big Sky once, and that was for a ski trip. It looks like you have a pretty good line up of activities, but I would add hiking, if you enjoy that sort of thing. There are lots of good trails in the area, or so I am told. Regarding Yellowstone, be prepared for a lot of traffic. It really pays to suck it up and get there as early in the morning as possible. There can be lines of cars just to get into the park, then increased traffic the longer you wait. Also the animals tend to be more out in the open in the early morning, and then again at dusk, to stay out of the sun. We were in the park a week ago and it was already surprisingly busy. Lots of baby bison (they're born burnt orange)! Aside from all the natural wonders in the park, I would advise making a point of looking around the Old Faithful Inn, the largest log structure in the world. There is a free hosted tour of the inn that doesn't take long, but gives you a view of how the park and the inn functioned back when it was served by stagecoaches. It's also fun around happy hour to hit the upstairs bar and sit on the deck to watch Old Faithful do its thing. There are also very good visitor's centers at both Old Faithful and at Canyon. They are both worth touring, but the one at Canyon focuses on the super volcano activity that has taken place in Yellowstone. It'll make you want to haul ass out of there.

Good luck! It sounds like you are set to have a great time whatever you choose.

The volume of the flow wouldn't be a particular problem for the FlyCraft up to a point. I don't know how much experience you have on the oars, but I am pretty much a novice and would be hesitant to get on any river large enough to suck the edge of the boat under in a whirlpool. I've experienced this as a passenger on both the Colorado River (in the Grand Canyon) and on the South Fork of the Snake River in Idaho. That is spooky water to me and would seem like a suicide mission if I were to try it in the FlyCraft. An experienced rower might be fine with it, however. On the other hand, the Texas rivers you mentioned would be perfect for the FlyCraft, assuming you aren't getting into a patch that is very technical with lots of large rocks that you need to wrap around. The great part of the FlyCraft is that even if you hit a spot in a river that looks above your skill level or exceeds the boat's capability, the rig is light enough that two people can just pick it up and carry/drag it around the obstacle. An even slightly larger raft will require you to walk (or rope) it through he rapids, which is not always a safe alternative. Finally, the Lake Fork of the Gunnison doesn't sound like an overwhelming river in terms of flow. Here are some shots of my home waters in Idaho (henrysfork.org) by comparison. However, I checked out some photos of the Lake Fork online and there are definitely some stretches pictured that would exceed Class II designation, so you would need a broader raft to handle them, if you planned to fish through those kinds of stretches.

I've had a FlyCraft for a couple of years. My wife and I use it for fly fishing in the Yellowstone area, mainly the Henry's Fork. The narrow beam is no problem whatsoever for casting; the footing up front is adequate and stable. Moreover, when landing a fish, the side of the boat is within reach without climbing around. The only problem we've encountered with the narrow beam is that the oars are hard to balance - too much of their weight is outboard. FlyCraft exchanged our oars for a slightly shorter oar, and that helped somewhat. We could also counterweight the oars to get a true balance, but that defeats our goal of having a lightweight rig. By the way, this balance issue is only a problem for my wife; she lacks the upper body strength to row for long without getting tired. She also could just be playing me so she gets to do all the fishing, while I get stuck on the oars. Now I'm starting to get pissed off! The raft and frame are really well made and assembly/disassembly are a breeze. We usually just keep it partially inflated in our garage, then inflate it before hitting the road, slide it up on the top of our Expedition luggage rack and strap it down. I should add that we are both in our mid-60s, so I'm pretty confident that even Millennials could handle this raft. For really long trips the raft rolls up into a lightweight, compact bundle that I can carry solo. The frame and oars also breakdown so the whole rig easily fits into the back end of the Expedition. We added the transom and third seat just in case we bring along a kid sometime. The transom also allowed us to add a small Honda engine, which we really haven't had much success with so far (the prop gets wrapped by grasses in the lakes and loses power, so you get to row back in). One criticism I have is that the seats could be lot more comfortable. They are hard and don't drain or breathe. There are a lot of much nicer, adjustable mesh kayak seats out there now and I wish FlyCraft would move in that direction. I would adhere to the Class II rapid limit, but that covers a lot of water in the West. If you check some of their videos, you'll see that they go through some pretty good rapids, but they sure as hell aren't dropping off waterfalls. Anyway, I find it difficult to control the drift of my dry fly when screaming like a little girl. If heading into more difficult/technical water is your thing, I would look for a bigger raft. The FlyCraft certainly handles big water, just not big rapids. I've seen several other folks with FlyCraft rafts on top of their vehicles when driving around the Madison River, Henry's Fork, Hebgon Lake, etc. and always ask how they are enjoying their raft. I've never heard anything but rave reviews.