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Recommendations Utah/Idaho/Wyoming for Overnight

tgibbs

Active Member
Hey all, the wife and I are headed from so cal (F70) to Johnson County (BYG) which is middle of Wyoming. We want to leave early Saturday and find a spot to overnight and spend a relaxed afternoon and Sunday morning somewhere around northern Utah/southern Idaho or maybe even southern Wyoming area. We are flying the Lancair so not too excited about grass unless its a long field and has gas and a hotel for the night. Any recommendations on a good spot to stay with something to do for a few hours? We don't need to be to BYG until 2-3 in the afternoon so we have some time to burn.

This is of course pending weather. Anyone have any insights for weather around that area this time of year? Is hail an issue at all at BYG? Going to be tied down for a week. I haven't tried to find a hangar yet, its a small airport so not holding a lot of hope there.

Thanks all for helping out an all glass guy! I love this forum, haven't found anything even close for Lancairs so I tag along here with the hopes of building a rocket some day :D
 
Go to Afton Wyoming in the Star Valley. That is where Aviat is located, and it is a scenic mountain valley with lots of outdoor stuff to do and Afton is a nice little Western tourist town that you can walk around and see (within walking distance of the airport).
 
Some Ideas

Well I go through that area still but I now come from Arkansas so my orientation is different. But when I was based at John Wayne I flew up there a few times. Unfortunately my info is not current.

A place we liked was Bryce Canyon. Very long good runway with a unique hangar built during the depression in the 1930s as I recall. The lodge in the park picked us up at the FBO and took us back after our stay. Motor tours were available at the lodge and they had a good restaurant/dining room in the Lodge.
Call ahead of course because things do change especially in these times.

We landed at the big airport at Salt lake City once and taxied to the FBO on the east side with no problem. Full services available there for sure and local attractions.

The big restricted area between Salt Lake City and Wendover needs to be avoided.

Bob Axsom
 
My choices

I would suggest you consider
Driggs - glider rides, rent car to drive into Tetons

Idaho Falls - hotels along river will come get you

Jackpot, NV - gamble or just set by the pool

Afton - have stopped for fuel but not spent the night,
Beautiful valley

West Yellowstone - little farther north but rent a car and
Spend afternoon in park

Have fun
 
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West Yellowstone(KWYS) is great.
They have a pilot's campground on site with hot showers. You park your plane and they have wagons to unload your gear & bring it right to the campground.
Great hospitality. It's only 2 miles from the Yellowstone west gate.
They have bikes to take the paved trail into town.
 
West Yellowstone(KWYS) is great.
They have a pilot's campground on site with hot showers. You park your plane and they have wagons to unload your gear & bring it right to the campground.
Great hospitality. It's only 2 miles from the Yellowstone west gate.
They have bikes to take the paved trail into town.

Second vote for West Yellowstone. We have camped, hiked , and backpacked out of there two summers in a row.
 
Pinedale is the place

Afton is a nice place. Driggs and West Yellowstone are, too, but they are pretty far out of your way. Pinedale, however, is right on your route. Long runway, lots of hotels, and a few decent places to eat (for a town of 1400). Emblem aviation has rental cars. I would call ahead on both the hotel and rent cars, as they are often sold out. The weather here and Buffalo has been thunderstorms lately, but is expected to clear up in the next few days. They have had hail recently in Buffalo, so a hangar wouldn't be a bad idea. If you really want the hangar and Buffalo doesn't have anything, they have space up at Sheridan. If you decide on Pinedale take a drive up to Elkhart park. It's a 10-12 mile drive out of town with some nice scenery.
 
Wyoming

Afton, Wy in the Star Valley gets another vote from me. Cheap fuel a few miles north at Alpine, Wy. 46U (AirBoss fuel). Can't complain about Driggs, Id, West Yellowstone either. I spent one night at Vernal, Ut. (KVEL) airport car, good services, several motels to choose from, and dinning isn't bad either.
Have a fun, and safe trip.
 
Pinedale would be a good spot like Dave said. Easy, cars, hangar, food, etc. Fall colors just starting, so a drive up to Elkhart along Fremont lake is gorgeous.
 
I would suggest Jackson Hole,, the leaves are changing and the town is getting quiet from a busy summer tourist season. Probably the most beautiful airport in the world to land at.....

I am a bit biased though.
 
Jackpot, Nevada does have the advantage of a well maintained runway, and a hotel, restaurant........... that you just walk too, next door.
 
Oh yeah, Jackson's pretty....as long as Jeff's not around.

Hmmmmm..

Just this week he donated to me and the experimental community the use of his private secure hangar to use for the NTSB investigation of N820RV. He also loaned me Jackson Hole Aviation's huge construction Gehl lift to go out to the crash site and remove the wreckage and transport it to that secure and heated hangar. I just have spend dozens of hours of my time to recover the wreckage and assist in the investigation and not once has Jeff asked for compensation for his part in helping out a fellow pilot. I did transport the entire mess over to my property since it was starting to smell up the hangar and I am storing it free to help the family get through this sad time in their life...

Further details are here..... http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63468

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63537..

I all the years I have had dealings with him , he has been nothing short of a pilots best friend.... YMMV..
 
Driggs You'll have trouble leaving.....

I would suggest you consider
Driggs - glider rides, rent car to drive into Tetons

Idaho Falls - hotels along river will come get you

Jackpot, NV - gamble or just set by the pool

Afton - have stopped for fuel but not spent the night,
Beautiful valley

West Yellowstone - little farther north but rent a car and
Spend afternoon in park

Have fun



Don't go to Driggs, ID you will never leave and make it to you destingation. Good resturant and small air museum on the field. Sit on the patio for lunch and watch planes with a backdrop of the Tetons.
 
Awesome! Thanks for all the suggestions! I have a list. The weather is going to dictate where we land but if I have my way Pinedale and Afron both look like excellent spots to stop.

I will make sure to let you guys know where we stop. Should be a fun time and good to get away for a while.
 
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