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Yellowstone: Old Faithful visit is just the start

By WTOP Staff

ANICK JESDANUN
Associated Press

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Old Faithful likely comes to mind when you think of Yellowstone National Park. And it’s certainly worth seeing, along with other geysers. But the geysers are just the start of what Yellowstone offers: hiking, biking, camping, fishing, wildlife-spotting and more. If the park were its own state, it would be larger than both Rhode Island and Delaware. With stops along the way, it can take two full days to drive the 142-mile (230-kilometer) Grand Loop. Here are some Yellowstone basics, starting with the geysers.

GEYSERS

Most of the park’s easily accessible and most famous geysers are concentrated along a 30-mile (50-kilometer) drive in the middle of the park, from West Thumb to Madison Junction, and can be seen in a half-day.

Park visitor centers can provide predicted eruption times for about a half-dozen geysers. Some predictions are in windows of several hours, so you’ll likely spend some time waiting. Old Faithful erupts every 60 to 90 minutes. The exact timing depends on the previous eruption, so the park can predict only one eruption at a time.

Several other geysers are within walking distance, including the tiny Anemone erupting every 10 minutes or so. A few more clusters of geysers and hot springs are a short drive north along Grand Loop.

If your timing is right, don’t miss the Grand Geyser, the tallest predictable geyser in the world, reaching as high as 200 feet (60 meters) and lasting up to 12 minutes. You might have to wait a few hours, though. The Grand Geyser has been erupting every seven or eight hours, and the park’s predictions are in four-hour windows.

HIKES

The Divide hike is about 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) round trip and takes you to the Continental Divide, the line where water flows toward the Atlantic from one side and toward the Pacific from the other. There’s no sign or any other marker at the top, so you’ll have to use your imagination. The park rates the hike as moderately strenuous, given the climb of about 735 feet (225 meters).

Mystic Falls is more scenic. The start of the trail is close to the Biscuit Basin cluster of geysers, so you can get geysers and a hike both out of the way with one stop.

Give yourself at least two hours for the drive from the geysers to Mount Washburn. The trail to the top is well-maintained, but the hike isn’t for those out of shape: You’ll climb some 1,400 feet (427 meters) to an elevation of 10,243 feet (3,122 meters). There are two ways up: The longer route, from Dunraven Pass, is about 3 miles (5 kilometers) each way, but it’s less steep than the Chittenden Road option. Take the same route down; the parking lots for each trailhead are 6 miles (10 kilometers) apart.

Views along the way and at the top are magnificent. In the distance, you can glimpse Yellowstone’s version of Grand Canyon, a gorge formed by the Yellowstone River. There’s a fire lookout tower with an observation deck at the top.

Outside of visitor centers and lodging areas, Yellowstone does not have many vendors, so bring food and water on your hikes.

GRAND CANYON

Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon is worth its own visit. You have several long or short hikes to choose from, along either side of the canyon. If you’re pressed for time, drive to the Upper and Lower Falls and view the rapids before a pair of drops into the canyon. For both falls, use paved overlooks or take short hikes for closer views. Visit the Upper Falls in the afternoon for a chance to see rainbows.

WILDLIFE AND DRIVING

Yellowstone is home to bison, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, wolves and grizzly bears. If you’re looking to see a certain type of animal, ask at visitor centers where to go and best time of day. Cars stopped or parked haphazardly along a road usually means there’s something worth seeing. You can’t miss the bison herds, but for other creatures, you may need binoculars or a spotting scope.

Bear attacks are rare but especially if you’re camping or hiking, read up on bear safety: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bearsafety.htm .

BIKING AND BOATING

You can bike along the Grand Loop on your own bike or by renting one near Old Faithful. There are boating and fishing opportunities as well; permits are required.

GETTING THERE AND LODGING

Yellowstone National Park covers 3,472 square miles (8,992 square kilometers) over three states — Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. The bulk of the park is in northwest Wyoming. The park has five entrances, with gateway towns offering food and lodging.

Cody, Wyoming, is 53 miles (85 kilometers) from the East Entrance. Cooke City, Montana, is 4 miles (6 kilometers) from the Northeast Entrance. Gardiner, Montana is 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from the North Entrance. Jackson Hole, Wyoming is 57 miles (92 kilometers) from the South Entrance. And West Yellowstone, Montana is 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from the West Entrance.

The drive from the entrances to the main loop is long, so plan your access point and lodging carefully. There are nine lodges inside the park; consider switching hotels each night to be closer to another part of the park the next morning.

The park has a dozen campgrounds. Seven are first come, first served. Reservations for the others and for the lodges fill up fast: http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/lodging-in-yellowstone.htm and http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com .

Nearest airports with car rentals are in Cody and Jackson, Wyoming; Bozeman, Billings and West Yellowstone, Montana; and Idaho Falls, Idaho. If you have time, it may be cheaper to fly to Denver and drive the 550 miles (885 kilometers) to the park via Cody.

GRAND TETONS

If you have an extra day or two, visit Grand Teton National Park just south of Yellowstone. The $25-per-car admission for Yellowstone covers a week in both parks. You’ll get magnificent views of the Teton mountain range, plus more opportunities to hike and see wildlife.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit http://www.nps.gov/yell and http://1.usa.gov/1i8XDAf .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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