Community Forums

whipskipper · 02-10-2014, 10:44 AM

Hello we are planning a trip through Yellowstone this summer we are starting in Oregon we want to travel through Yellowstone from west entrance through the park and head to mount Rushmore then on to Minnesota. Is this route ok with a 35ft class A towing a car? How long can I expect to get though the park.

Thanks

jackfish · 02-10-2014, 12:10 PM

A 35' Class A towing a car will be able to navigate all of the main roads in the park. It will take three and a half hours to drive through the park, longer during peak season. However, it would be a shame to go to Yellowstone and not stop to take in the sights. You could camp in one of the fine campgrounds and go sightseeing in the park in your toad.

RWeigant · 02-10-2014, 12:19 PM

Did that last year and found that by the time we got to Old Faithful, that the road going east was closed. So, we had backtrack and head north around the northern loop back towards the east entrance. Bad idea. The road is very narrow and slow. It took us 5 hours and there isn't much to see.

Fred and Bonnie · 02-10-2014, 12:51 PM

If you worry about road conditions, check the parks website for road conditions. Staying on the "Grand Loop" will provide a good two lane road. I don't like the roads going north to Gardiner or Cooke City off of the Grand Loop.

You can download Nat'l Park maps, giving you additional info.

Fred

whipskipper · 02-10-2014, 01:48 PM

Thanks guys I am most concerned about steep grades and narrow roads. So it sounds like the grand loop will work for us. I plan to stay one or two nights in Yellowstone looks like fishing bridge RV park is a good base camp. We might camp out at grizzly rv park the night before entering park. we are moving from Alaska to florida and this is just a stop along the way. We want to check out mount Rushmore also so I thought heading from Oregon through Yellowstone then mount Rushmore and on to florida. I just don't want to have issues holding up traffic on steep grades towing it can get stressful at times with a line of cars behind me. I have a winnebago 35J with workhorse chassis 8.1 vortec allison trans should be no problem for power. How long of drive from west entrance to east entrance?

ernest917 · 02-10-2014, 03:21 PM

Grizzly RV park is a great park.... We stayed there 5 nights last summer... Great location - about a half mile from west gate into the park.... We went into the park every day in our toad and drove all over the park sight seeing.... Also spent two nights in the park at Bay Bridge RV park... We were in a 40' class a pulling a Mini Cooper.... One word of advice - make reservations !!!!! Especially close to and in the park.... We stayed at Fishing Bridge back in 2011 and really didn't like it ... It's like camping in a parking lot with RV's right on top of each other....

I'd also like to suggest Mt. Rushmore KOA when you get to SD .... We stayed there also and it was one of the nicest CG's we've stayed in...

ernest917 · 02-10-2014, 03:36 PM

Me again - let me give you one word of sage advice.... Enjoy your trip and don't worry about backing cars up as you deal with the grades... I decided I was going to take my time going up and then coming down the numerous grades we encountered.... I made a point of taking care of the brakes and transmission on my coach .... I used my engine brake and selected the gears I needed to either climb or descend the grades... I always used one gear lower going down than I did going up...

If I lined up cars , then I lined up cars. When the opportunity presented itself, I'd pull over and let them pass ... We experienced many 9% grades on our 4K mile trip and never overheated our brakes or our transmission.... Realize thus - you won't be the only RV having the same issues you will be having and most everyone has the patience to wait ... Those that don't - poop on them ...

caheath · 02-11-2014, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whipskipper

Thanks guys I am most concerned about steep grades and narrow roads. So it sounds like the grand loop will work for us. I plan to stay one or two nights in Yellowstone looks like fishing bridge RV park is a good base camp. We might camp out at grizzly rv park the night before entering park. we are moving from Alaska to florida and this is just a stop along the way. We want to check out mount Rushmore also so I thought heading from Oregon through Yellowstone then mount Rushmore and on to florida. I just don't want to have issues holding up traffic on steep grades towing it can get stressful at times with a line of cars behind me. I have a winnebago 35J with workhorse chassis 8.1 vortec allison trans should be no problem for power. How long of drive from west entrance to east entrance?

Fishing Bridge is cramped... barely room to put out slides and certainly no room to relax. There is also a dry-camping campground in the park. That's where I'll stay next time. Recommend you make reservations.

bluepill · 02-11-2014, 02:35 AM

West Yellowstone KOA is one of the nicest RV parks we have ever been in. Easy access for our 58 foot combined rig.

Gormleys · 02-11-2014, 07:30 AM

Don't forget to stop in Jackson Hole on the way out of Yellowstone. Also, Custer State Park near Mt. Rushmore has wonderful campsites.

Rich and Cork · 02-11-2014, 08:40 AM

You will also want to plan to stay in Cody and spend the day here:

Cody Firearms Museum | Buffalo Bill Center of the West

This place is awesome!

whipskipper · 02-11-2014, 11:27 AM

Thank you all for the info for now I plan to stay the night in west yellowstone at the grizzly campground or the KOA then cruise through the park the following day and end up at the ponderosa in Cody WY. Then head to mount Rushmore KOA the following day. Anyone have any suggested camp spots for a one night stay between Oregon Coast and West yellowstone I except to take two days to get to yellowstone. So we will probably be staying somewhere in Idaho. From Mount Rushmore we are headed to Minnesota another 2 day trip.

Thanks again for all the great info.

larryb484 · 02-17-2014, 09:10 PM

Look up a campground in Mountain Home Id, very clean and very reasonably priced for what is there. wide and long concrete lots.Just off hwy too
Enjoy your travels.!!

gottawonder · 02-17-2014, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich and Cork

You will also want to plan to stay in Cody and spend the day here:

Cody Firearms Museum | Buffalo Bill Center of the West

This place is awesome!

A giant +1 on a full day in Cody. Museum is open during the summer from 8am to 6pm and your admission is good for 2 consecutive days. It's hard to take it all in in one shot. Nice to go for a while, grab lunch, stretch out on the grass in the city park under a giant shade tree, then go back to the museum after some fresh air. They also have a rodeo every night during the summer. We hang out in the Big Horns off to the east, and we used to go to Cody for a couple nights for meals we didn't cook and laundromats. The museum is world class, and if you're a gun buff, the firearms exhibit alone will chew up 3 or 4 hrs.

Gottawonder