Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Old Faithful Village
Lodgings
NOTE: There is no overnight camping in the Old Faithful area.
There are four types of lodgings at Old Faithful, all needing to be reserved well in advance (see
“Hotels and cabins” in the Travel Tips for details):
•
Old Faithful Inn,
the most interesting (with both inexpensive and expensive rooms)
• he
Snow Lodge,
completed in the summer of 1999, with the most modern accom-
modations
• he
Snow Lodge cabins,
comfortable and modern
• he
cabins
behind the
Old Faithful Lodge,
some of which lack private bathrooms
Confusingly, but in keeping with early park concessionaires' idea of a lodge,
Old Faithful
Lodge
itself has no sleeping rooms at all. Instead, it was built in the 1920s as a spacious re-
creation hall with a great view of the geyser. Modern needs have dictated that the space be
divided for use as a cafeteria, gift shop, desks for cabin rental and activities, a large lobby, and
several small snack shops. Showers are available at the lodge even for people not staying in the
cabins.
You can find seven cafeterias and restaurants at Old Faithful. In addition to those in the
inn and lodge, the Snow Lodge has one grill and one family-style restaurant, and both general
stores have small food-service areas.
Old Faithful Inn**
Reservations to stay in Old Faithful Inn must usually be made several months in ad-
vance, but occasionally a room becomes available close to the time you need it. Whether or
not you stay in the inn, you'll enjoy seeing it, both inside and out. This National Historic
Landmark is a wonderful example of early twentieth century western American architecture.
The inn was built in 1903-4, at a time when visitors were increasingly complaining about
the lack of a good place to stay at Upper Geyser Basin. Before that time, most stagecoach tours
of the park could allow only half a day here. Coaches stopped at the popular Fountain Hotel
and at Lake or Canyon the following night.
Thirty-year-old architect Robert C. Reamer situated the building so that arriving visitors
could easily witness an Old Faithful Geyser eruption. For geyser watching he also provided a
second-story veranda, extended out over the new porte cochere in 1927. Reamer chose native
rhyolite for foundations, lodgepole pine for decorative details, and wrought iron for the lobby
clock and door hardware, all worked on the site.
