Community Forums

CNYRVer · 04-24-2013, 05:25 PM

Hello there fello Rver's
Has anybody stayed at Fishing Bridge RV park inside yellowstone national park? if so was it a good or bad experience? I booked like 3 days there for this coming Aug. when my wife and I take our cross country road trip. The reviews I read were good but now Im seeing others that dont speak or rate the rv park very well. I guess there are issues with the sites being tight, and the sever connections being almost as high as the rv's connections causing flow issues.
I would greatly appreciate any and all information good or bad any of you have on this place so if I have to I can cancel and make reservations elsewhere before its to late. Thanks to all that reply

Mike & Debbie Mizgala

BFlinn181 · 04-24-2013, 05:43 PM

Fishing Bridge is an older designed park, not able to handle the longer rigs of today. It is right in the park though, that counts for a lot in my book. Best place outside the park would be Grizzly in West Yellowstone. Canceling at Fishing Bridge will be no issue, I'm sure, lots of folks try for there. Fishing Bridge only allows hard sided campers because bears can be an issue. They are very strict about not leaving things out on picnic tables. Also no fishing allowed on fishing bridge, again because of bears.

CNYRVer · 04-24-2013, 06:11 PM

I dont think I'll have an issue with my 27 ft class C, I picked that place because it had hook ups. What Im concerned with is am I going to have to unhook my RV to go see the sites? were not towing a toad on this trip. Although I didnt see anything on the website I just assumed (my 1st mistake) that attractions would be near by. if I have to unhook and drive all over to see the sites & attractions I may be looking to stay elswhere. Thanks for the reply.

MIke

BFlinn181 · 04-24-2013, 07:03 PM

Yellowstone is huge. You'll be close to Lake Village at Fishing Bridge, but it'll be 6 miles to Mud Volcano, 38 mi to Old Faithful, 16 miles to Canyon, 49 miles to Mammoth Hot Springs. And so on. You will need a car, you could rent one in Cody, Jackson, or West Yellowstone or Gardiner. Caution on Dunraven Pass (upper east side loop road) It's been improved but still causes white knuckles for those not accustomed to switchbacks and drop offs.

jwyoming · 04-25-2013, 12:31 AM

You will need to unhook to see the attractions. Why not spend a few days at the different campgrounds such as Grant-Canyon-Mammoth and Norris. No hookups but water and dump stations.

CNYRVer · 04-25-2013, 02:56 AM

Thanks Bflinn181,
for the info on Dunraven pass we had that kind of driving experience going up Mt Washington in NH. It had my knuckles white but my wife was scared to death, we turned around about 3/4 the way up.

JMonroe · 04-25-2013, 08:27 AM

As stated, Yellowstone is huge. You'll either have to unhook, or rent a car.

We stayed at Fishing bridge some years ago. It is old and tight, but a great central location for exploring the park. You'll have no difficulty with your 27' motor home there.

Grizzly is always given as "the" place to stay in West Yellowstone, and it is a beautiful park, but while there the campground is all you'll see. We couldn't get into Grizzly when we made a last minute decision to go to Yellowstone last year and ended up at Yellowstone Holliday. Ask for a lake front site and you'll be looking across a beautiful lake at the mountains on the other side. It is about 15 miles from the gate (Grizzly is about 2 blocks from the gate).

CNYRVer · 04-25-2013, 02:41 PM

Well I decided to cancel my fishing bridge reservation and stay someplace else, a small family owned place called Pony Express Rv park located in west yellowstone right outside the park entrance! . Its a small family owned place and they also own a few other places to stay as well as a car rental place and they will bring the car to me. From what I can tell theres no alot of info on the RV park but it has hook ups, showers, wifi and within walking distance of shops & resturants. I think it will work out great as a basecamp. Thanks for your replies.

mike & debbie

DebbieMH · 04-26-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CNYRVer

Well I decided to cancel my fishing bridge reservation and stay someplace else, a small family owned place called Pony Express Rv park located in west yellowstone right outside the park entrance! . Its a small family owned place and they also own a few other places to stay as well as a car rental place and they will bring the car to me. From what I can tell theres no alot of info on the RV park but it has hook ups, showers, wifi and within walking distance of shops & resturants. I think it will work out great as a basecamp. Thanks for your replies.

mike & debbie

I will be interested to see how you like it. We are in the process of planning a Yellowstone trip for next summer.

CNYRVer · 04-26-2013, 07:18 PM

Yes, it should be an interesting trip we'll be there for 3-4 before we head out to portland OR. I chose fishing bridge because they had hookups but after looking around the area there was nothing around yu had to drive everywhere. That was going to be a problemsince we werent towing a car this trip. The other place I booked borders Yellowstones boundries so you walk out your RV and the west entrance gate is right there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieMH

I will be interested to see how you like it. We are in the process of planning a Yellowstone trip for next summer.

BFlinn181 · 04-26-2013, 08:05 PM

I worked in and around Yellowstone for 20 years teaching a grad science class to teachers. Some things about Yellowstone: It seems like a crowded place when around the parking lots, but get down a trail out of sight of your vehicle and the park is still the wilderness it always has been. At Old Faithful, thousands crowd around the boardwalk around Old Faithful. Take the trail up to the Old Faithful Overlook and you might pass 5 other people on the way up the hill. Walk on the back boardwalks down towards Riverside and Morning Glory and you'll find places with few other visitors. I had a close encounter (too close) with a young grizzly along one of those boardwalks and stood with one other couple for 10 minutes watching him tear into a log one morning.

At Artist's Point, hike on up the unpaved trail to the right, it winds in away from the canyon to emerge higher up right at the edge of the 'Grand Canyon' of Yellowstone. Again, hundreds of people at the paved overlook, often no one at the place I described.

Two places you can 'legally' go in a hot spring or swimming hole. The hot spring is at the 45º parallel on the road between Mammoth and Gardiner. There is a parking lot on the riverside of the road and a trail leads to the 'Boiling River' access point where you can soak in a hot spring. It's closed in times of high water, the gate will be chained at the road. The swimming hole, with water runoff from the Midway geyser basin to temper the chill of the river is near the end of the one way road going south from Madison Junction towards Old Faithful. Follow signs for Firehole Falls. You'll find a parking lot, restrooms, and steps down to the river with a sandy bottom and fun for all ages.

At Mammoth take the walking tour of the old fort. Check out the 'Map room' in the hotel. I enjoy driving the Stagecoach Road to Gardiner -- in a car!

At Old Faithful check out the world's largest Log building, the Old Faithful Inn.

The Ranger Museum at Norris Campground is very nice, Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest geologic part of the park with some interesting geysers and fumeroles.

The Visitor Centers at Canyon, Old Faithful, Mammoth are all great, but sometimes crowded. Take a ride out the Lamar Valley for the 'Serengeti of Yellowstone,' a place to see wolves, bears, eagles, elk and moose. Stop at Roosevelt Ranger Station for latest info on where to see animals.

TN Blondie · 05-03-2013, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Fishing Bridge is an older designed park, not able to handle the longer rigs of today. It is right in the park though, that counts for a lot in my book. Best place outside the park would be Grizzly in West Yellowstone. Canceling at Fishing Bridge will be no issue, I'm sure, lots of folks try for there. Fishing Bridge only allows hard sided campers because bears can be an issue. They are very strict about not leaving things out on picnic tables. Also no fishing allowed on fishing bridge, again because of bears.

I'm just now catching up - I've got a spot for a week in September in Fishing Bridge. It allowed me to book there with my 40ft DP (one slide), and I booked it specifically because it was in the park. Sounds like you've been there. Would you say "yea" or "nay"?

Thanks!!!

BFlinn181 · 05-03-2013, 12:50 PM

40 feet is the limit. All the sites are back in only. Best to unhook toad at entrance so you don't block loop road at your site. Enjoy!

twogypsies · 05-03-2013, 03:12 PM

In my opinion, Fishing Bridge campground gets a bad rap. First, they just re-did the campsites in the past couple years. Secondly, it's not at all like some of the 'parking lot-type' of campgrounds found at West Yellowstone, etc. It has lots of trees. Also, it's in the middle of the park and you can branch out in all directions for siteseeing. Yes, they're all back-in sites but some think motorhome owners can't back in and want only pull-throughs. Having said this, we prefer some of the dry camping sites within the park but Fishing Bridge is just fine if you want hookups. Here's a link with some pictures.

Fishing Bridge RV Campground Information, Map, Pictures and Video - Yellowstone National Park ~ Yellowstone Up Close and Personal

To the OP: you stated with your West Yellowstone campground you just walk outside your RV and you're at the park entrance.....no quite so....first you have to drive to the park entrance booth. Then you'll have miles of driving just to get to the start of the figure 8 siteseeing loops. You are not going to be able to walk to anything within the park unless you just want a roadside stroll. You definitely need transportation to see Yellowstone. Have a good trip!