3 weeks in Yellowstone/Grand Teton

[Olive]

I have 3 weeks next May/June to spend in these parks. I will be coming from the east (Gillette, WY) in 36"DP w toad. I appreciate suggestions on best route to see these parks. Should I stay on east then south then west? North then west then south? You get the idea. This will be my first time to this area. I will be heading to Utah from there.

Thank you in advance.

[Cousin Ed]

From I/25 take 16 to Worland then Greybull and then 14 to Cody. After Cody 14 into Yellowstone. It gets steep but nothing scary.

[docj]

As someone who has been to Yellowstone/Teton a couple of times, my primary comment is that you can't appreciate how huge Yellowstone is until you've been there. You definitely can't do justice to both parks unless you relocate at least once during your stay.

There are lots of nice RV parks in West Yellowstone which is a great location for touring the park. A couple of years ago we stayed at Yellowstone Grizzly and it was very nice.

As for the Teton area, if you're looking for camping with hookups, IMO the best bet is the concessionaire-operated campground at Colter Bay. It puts you right in the middle of Teton NP, only a short walk from Jackson Lake. Your MH will fit fine there; we got our 40' DP into it without any problems.

Of course, you'll get many, many other opinions as to what people think is best.

[Lt Dan]

I agree with Joel about Colter Bay. It was one of my favorite stops and we were able to see a lot of the park from there. We've been four times so didn't do much of the west side on that trip. When we go back, I definitely want to stay in West Yellowstone. Below is the view at Colter Bay about 100 yards from our site and the black bear was next to the road close to Mammoth Hot Springs. Joel is correct about the size. On our first trip, we drove almost 500 miles inside the park and still didn't see everything.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Cousin Ed

From I/25 take 16 to Worland then Greybull and then 14 to Cody. After Cody 14 into Yellowstone. It gets steep but nothing scary.

From Gillette on I-90 you could follow the above.

Or.... If staying in the northern part of the park you could come in from the north via I-90 at Livingston. You could stay in Gardiner, MT if you need hookups just outside the park entrance or Mammoth campground in the park. This is a favorite of ours and getting there early morning we've always gotten a site. No hookups. No reservations. This way you can easily explore the northern part of Yellowstone and do the drive with your toad up to Cooke City and beyond to Red Lodge, Montana for awesome views. I'd recommend staying in the park for the best experience. Then to explore the southern part move down to Fishing Bridge RV.. if open ... and it will have hookups. They've been renovating so it was closed this summer. Madison campground in the park (no hookups) would be another good place. . Then head to the Tetons driving through the park using the south exit of Yellowstone.

If you need hookups then Colter Bay RV in the Tetons is the best place. If you don't need hookups we love Gros Ventre campground in the park. Grand Teton won't seem as crowded as Yellowstone and it's different in looks and things to do. It's a more laid back type of place..... awesome hiking, leisurely boat tour down the Snake River to see moose, hopefully. Restock groceries and fuel in the busy town of Jackson - big grocery stores.

We've done these parks many times with our 40' motorhome.

Here's a good explanation of all the roads going into Yellowstone:

http://www.rvcruzer.com/ystonervroutes.php

Of course, refer to the official national park websites for excellent information on things to do, special alerts, road closures (there is always one in the park) and a good map of the park.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/index.htm

[2cyber71]

Are the roads open in Yellowstone in May?
I know the main road in Glacier opens July 1st

[groswald]

Do you have reservations? If not, you may be disappointed. Assuming, that is, that you intend to stay in improved campgrounds.

RV parks in the region tend to fill up a year or more in advance. If you haven't already booked sites, start now! Cancellations do occur, so keep looking even if everything is currently showing full.

There's no wrong way to do Yellowstone and the more time you have the better it gets. 3 weeks is a great amount of time and you'll be able to see everything. Regardless of how you get there and leave, do take the time to check out all of the entrance roads. They are all quite different and each has its own unique character.

Do plan on crowds and lots of rude people. It seems to go with the territory.

If you're physically able, try to get away from the major attractions, their parking lots, and herds of people. Often just a short hike will get you away from the crowds and give you an entirely different perspective on the park's features. A kayak tour of Yellowstone lake is wonderful. We've done it a couple of times in our touring kayak; the West Thumb geyser basin is really cool from the water. You can go on a guided tour in rented kayaks so you don't have to have your own.

There are lots of little side roads. Don't miss 'em! You'll need a toad as many are not accessible to motorhomes.

Depending on the winter there will likely be snow, and potentially a lot of it, in some parts of the park. Especially the high-altitude bits in the northeast section. Night's and early mornings should be cold and potentially freezing. Days should be cool, but anymore you never know. Pack winter and spring clothing.

Above all, go slow and enjoy. It's an amazing place. We go every few years, and every trip has been wonderful.

Regards,

Randy

[RoadEyePie]

We're staying at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park next summer. Tried to book a site at Colter Bay but was told they were booked through September for an RV site. So you better call soon to see if you can get a spot. I've stayed there before and was very disappointed that we weren't going to get to return. Those two parks cover a huge amount of territory, so be prepared to do a lot of driving and expect a lot of traffic so the driving will be mostly slow at those times of the year. But well worth it.....possibly my favorite N.P. so far.

[Olive]

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I know I may be too late to make reservations but am fine without hookups so if I am unable to make reservations will try the dry camping parks.

[RoadEyePie]

Originally Posted by Olive

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I know I may be too late to make reservations but am fine without hookups so if I am unable to make reservations will try the dry camping parks.

I think you'll be able find plenty of sites at the Headwaters Camground

[Ivylog]

With 3 weeks I would spend some time in the Red Lodge area and then the Lamar Valley area. West Yellowstone has several public first come CGs (no reservations) that I’ve always been able to get into, even last summer. Between Ystone and the Tetons is Flagg Ranch CG that lets you do both parks.
Gross Ventre nearer Jackson is a 300 site no reservations Public CG. Get in line before 8 AM and you should get in. Going to the overflow area for one night will let you get in the next day.
Highway 22 out of Jackson is not recommended although with a exhaust brake and using 2nd gear it’s doable.

89 south to Bear Lake is a scenic drive and then a good climb to Logan and then to SLC instead of going west to I-15.

[twogypsies]

In the Tetons there is Gros Ventre and Colter Bay (next to the RV park) campgrounds for dry camping. Both have 300 unreservable sites and if you get there in the morning you'll get a site. They rarely fill completely. If you're lucky, Gros Ventre also has about 20 electric sites. Ask and you may secure one.

[allenb12]

We stayed at Headwaters and were happy with it.

[SomeDay]

Originally Posted by Olive

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I know I may be too late to make reservations but am fine without hookups so if I am unable to make reservations will try the dry camping parks.

Many folks chose to stay outside the NP's where it's quieter, and just go in during the day to visit various parts as and when. If you are into boondocking, like we are, there are several options with hundreds of sites located off dirt roads. We enjoy the research and planning stage and use Motor Vehicle Use Maps for a specific NF. Then we will google earth/satellite view, and often times can see other rigs our size in the picture to get a comfort feel.

Bridger-Teton National Forest, Shoshone National Forest, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, and Custer Gallatin National Forest, surround Yellowstone’s boundaries.

You can also check out Freecampsites.net, Campendium and Ioverlander.com for places folks have reviewed/stayed boondocking around Yellowstone and GTNP. You'll also get an idea where there is cellular service from these reviews.

If your comfort level is more to organised CG's. This was taken direct off the USDA's website:

Campgrounds Near Yellowstone National Park
Looking for a campground in the Greater Yellowstone Area, without the crowds? All the following Gallatin National Forest Campgrounds are within 35 miles of Yellowstone National Park and offer great camping in rustic settings

Off Highway 89, North Entrance to Yellowstone
Eagle Creek Campground : 2 miles
Timber Camp Campground : 9 miles
Bear Creek Campground : 9.5 miles
Canyon Campground : 16 miles

Off Highway 212, Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone
Colter Campground : 7 miles
Soda Butte Campground : 6 miles

Off Highway 191, West Entrance to Yellowstone
Baker's Hole Campground : 3 miles
Rainbow Point Campground : 10 miles
Lonesomehurst Campground : 12 miles
Cherry Creek Campground : 14 miles
Spring Creek Campground : 18 miles
Cabin Creek Campground : 22 miles
Beaver Creek Campground : 24 miles
Red Cliff Campground : 35 miles

As had been mentioned before with 3 weeks to spend (do try to visit Cody!), you should try to locate yourself in at least 3 different locations/entrances to enjoy. GTNP is beautiful in it's own right and there are awesome boondocking areas where you wake up to heavenly views and wildlife each morning, again without the crowds always.

Enjoy, breathe and savour - don't rush the magical moments there. We've done YNP & GTNP 3 times over a quarter century and never tired of their awesomeness.

Happy Travels.