Community Forums

seeg · 07-27-2018, 09:36 PM

On our annual trip we opted to stay in a couple of National Park campgrounds. We stayed at Gros Ventre and Colter Bay in Grand Teton NP and Trailer Village in Grand Canyon. We were assured our 45 foot coach would fit in all 3 campgrounds. At Gros Ventre we were crammed into a 43 foot spot, Tight going in and even tighter exiting our loop. I had to back up to get between two trees, but no damage. Colter Bay required a sharp left to enter our loop. I thought we were going over as the driver side rear wheels fell into a hole on the sharply banked turn. I believe that's where we bent the DS mounting bolt on our mud flap. At Trailer Village at the Grand Canyon I couldn't exit the campground w/o scraping the sides of the coach despite driving down the middle of the road and lowering the coach. The damage is all repairable but from now on I'll pay the price for a private CG and drive a little more in the toad to see the sights. These CG's simply weren't designed for big rigs.

ronlin11 · 07-28-2018, 12:42 AM

Dan,

Been to the Trailer Village twice and never had a problem. Was there this month on G row with no problems entering or exiting. Parked the car right next to the rig. Where were you parked??

seeg · 07-28-2018, 05:03 PM

M loop, second site in. My problems were with the exit road. Narrow and the trees on the border weren't trimmed.

Matt D · 07-28-2018, 05:20 PM

I’m really sorry to hear that. We’ve been to both Gros Ventre and Colter Bay without issue. We were in our 40’ Phaeton at the time. That coach didn’t turn as tightly as our Entegra does.

Parking in the trees at Colter Bay was a bit technical. We precision parked with a tree between the slides.

Heck, we even parked at Fishing Bridge and that was before the renovations.

We’re tentatively thinking of going next year.

-Matt

MRUSA14 · 07-28-2018, 06:25 PM

HOW did you fit a 45 footer into Fishing Bridge? Is there a trick to it? Would you do it again?

Matt D · 07-28-2018, 07:16 PM

Marc we took our 40’ Phaeton in there. Length wasn’t an issue, width was. I think we had about an inch or two between the extended slides and the trees.. VERY tight.

It is THE location to be centrally within the park. We are discussing going back next year. Overall, Grizzly in West Yellowstone was the most enjoyable place to stay.

-Matt

MRUSA14 · 07-28-2018, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

Marc we took our 40’ Phaeton in there. Length wasn’t an issue, width was. I think we had about an inch or two between the extended slides and the trees.. VERY tight.

It is THE location to be centrally within the park. We are discussing going back next year. Overall, Grizzly in West Yellowstone was the most enjoyable place to stay.

-Matt

Yes I know it is the best location in the park. Are you saying you plan to take your 45 footer there? I didn't think it would fit. As for width, why not extend just 2 slides on one side of the coach?

Matt D · 07-29-2018, 06:04 AM

Marc, I just learned Fishing Bridge will be closed for the ‘19 season, in part to add a section for coaches over 35’.

If we go in ‘19 we will most likely split our time between Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone and Colter Bay or Gros Ventre.

-Matt

MRUSA14 · 07-29-2018, 08:59 AM

Thanks for your reply Matt. I was at Colter Bay about 10 years ago and loved it. But getting my then 40 foot coach in and out was a big hassle due to the many ungroomed trees. Now I have a 45 and it is a foot taller. Do you feel you can enter/exit the sites at Colter Bay without scratching the paint on your Aspire?

Saltydog44 · 07-29-2018, 07:33 PM

Our friends got several racing stripes at Colter bay and had to borrow a saw so they could exit the site. It was a great park but very few sites work for our coaches

Matt D · 07-30-2018, 06:52 AM

At Colter Bay, and many other parks I think ease of entry and exit is entirely dependent upon whether or not they’ve kept the trees in check.

Believe it or not, our second site at Tiger Run required that I tie back some limbs to avoid damaging the paint.

Back to Colter Bay, it is one of those places where it is certainly sketchy in a rig as large as ours. We were last there 4 years ago and I didn’t feel it was really difficult except parking in the site, which required a 27 point turn to get situated.

I just looked and a popular review site for CGs no longer lists the FHU portion of Colter Bay as suitable for a big rig.

My fall backs are Gros Ventre, get there really early and enhance your choices.

By far our best CG was Grizzly at West Yellowstone. FHU and a really nice park located in a town with everything you need and a short drive to the west entrance of the park.

There is a nice park in Dubois, WY I want to try. At 72 miles to the South Entrance, It’s a bit far to day trip the park.

There are a few boondocking CGs within the park, but I recall almost all of them had length limits excepting our sized coaches.

-Matt

hdgoldie · 07-30-2018, 07:46 PM

We just left the park in Dubois - Longhorn Ranch - and the sites are HUGE. We are traveling with a 42 RBQ and a 44B. I think we could have parked both coaches in one site - they were that long. And 40+ feet between the two sites. We had planned on visiting the Tetons from there but the road construction near Jackson's airport was so bad (we waited 30+ minutes to get through the one lane road) that we just stayed in Dubois and enjoyed their Friday night rodeo and art galleries. The park is gravel but not too dusty and the Wind river runs behind the big rig sites we had. We'll go back if we get out this way again. Sites 32, 33 and 34 are the best in the park. We couldn't get both coaches into Grizzly (and that was making reservations for this week in early February) so we are at the West Yellowstone KOA. Leveling was a bit of a challenge but doable and the deluxe sites are long enough with a concrete patio, picnic table and wooden swing. Paved roads but gravel sites. Not too many 45' in here (they're probably all at Grizzly) but we do have a Prevost down the road from us.

grindstone01 · 07-30-2018, 08:00 PM

I always walk the campground or any area that I'm concerned about getting into. If it looks too tight, I won't try it, I don't care what anyone else says otherwise. I learned that the hard way, trust your instincts. I know where my rig and my skills are capable of getting into better than anyone else.

Razorrick · 08-01-2018, 09:30 PM

We went to coulter bay last summer and were assured our 45’ motorhome would fit. Never again. Neighbor had to tie a rope to one large branch and pull back so we could get in with minor scratches from others. I will not be back. Very difficult to find big rig space. Grizzly in West Yellowstone and Yellowstone edge in Garner are best bets