A reader writes: I am looking for a good plan while in Yellowstone, entering at the West Entrance. We are staying two nights at Old Faithful Inn, two nights at Canyon, and heading to Jackson for two nights. We would like a plan that is not totally hectic, would like to do some easy hiking, a boat ride on the lake, horseback riding. Can you help?

Of course! Four nights in Yellowstone National Park and another two in Grand Teton National Park sounds like the perfect amount of time to spend on the road: It will allow you to see a lot of the Park without killing yourself. The pleasures of Yellowstone National Park are best when savored slowly, with plenty of time for reflection.

We'd recommend the following activities:

Horseback Riding
Though there are other corrals and private horse-tour operators in Yellowstone National Park and the greater Yellowstone area, our favorite is the Roosevelt Corral. Roosevelt is the only part of Yellowstone where you can feel like you're back in the Wild West; the rugged terrain of the area and horse trail makes for a perfect ambiance. You can take a one- or two-hour horse ride from the Roosevelt Corral. One-hour rides (for $37) are offered throughout the day beginning at 9:45 a.m., while two-hour rides are offered at 12:15 or 12:45 for $56, depending on which day you visit. Combine a horse ride with lunch at the Roosevelt Lodge Dining Room, where the Wild West theme is continued with a menu heavy on smoked meats and other hearty fare.

If you don't want to drive up to Roosevelt there are horse corrals at Canyon and Mammoth as well.

Hiking
The geyser fields around the Old Faithful Inn are among the most known and unknown hiking areas in Yellowstone.

How can they be unknown? Because most people stick to the main trails in the geyser basin and don't venture forth to the more lightly traveled areas. Case in point: Most people turn around at Morning Glory Pool and head back to Old Faithful Inn. Not always a bad plan, especially if they're at the end of a longer walk.

But the area past Morning Glory Pool is fascinating in its own right, extending almost a mile to Biscuit Basin. Because most folks stop at Morning Glory Pool, you'll have the trail to yourself. Though there are several pools and geysers along the way, there are highlights: Atomizer Geyser and Artemisia Geyser. Atomizer Geyser takes its name from the apparatus on the top of a fragrance bottle that dispenses a fine mist; this geyser is known to spray a fine mist from a single cone during major eruptions. If you're lucky you'll see one of these major eruptions, which are unpredictable, fly 50 feet high, and usually occur twice a day. Artemisia Geyser is named for the sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) found mostly in the valleys of Yellowstone National Park, as the geyserite on the edge of the pool is the same green seen in the sagebrush. Farther down the trail Baby Daily Geyser erupts fairly often. Keep on the path to hit the underrated Biscuit Basin.

By the time you hit Biscuit Basin and come back to Old Faithful Inn you're put together a hike approaching four miles -- and a fairly easy one at that.