Custer to West Yellowstone

[RSiemer]

-Ditto re: museum in Cody. Allow 2 hours.
-Ponderosa CG in Cody is centrally located and easy in/out.
-There are a couple of CGs near east entrance, Three Mile Creek and Eagle Creek.
-Don't know your plans but we toured the park in the toad.
-We found the most animals in the Lamar Valley but hitting early or sunset is difficult. A spotting scope would have been useful but we found people eager to share.
-Historically the Roosevelt Tower was worth seeing and found a herd of elk nearby.

[Ed Perkins]

Regarding your 6 year old granddaughter, while at Rushmore in Rapid City, pack a lunch and take her to Bear Country. She will love it !!! It’s a drive through animal park. We really enjoyed it.

[idahodave]

I've lived in Driggs for over 20 years, and you have received some good advice.

I'd strongly recommend for you to have reservations if you plan to stay anywhere around YNP or GTNP. Summer crowds are overwhelming the whole area.

Colter Bay is a great location, and if you are coming from West Yellowstone I'd drive through YNP and out the south gate.

Teton pass, HW22, is long and steep, but I've been over it a number of times in my F-550 super C flat towing a JLU. If you try, watch the transmission temperature.

[crazylady]

We went thru Wisconsin thru Minnesota to SD to Custer. We did our own tour of the area before heading to Yellowstone. Because I wanted to keep this under 3 weeks I planned a 3 day tour of Yellowstone and it was a blast. We saw everything. Then we headed to Glacier where we spent 4 days and also went thru a tour group as well. Not sure were you are heading after that but if on a time constraint I highly suggest a tour group so you can see everything and avoid parking and the crowds. We also learned things that we probably would have missed. Sadly my mother who went with passed away 2 years ago and I hang on to those memories. Good luck.

[Joyce M]

Granite Hot springs, the 11 mile road towards the springs is all boon docking areas..Not that far from Jackson Hole..And just a swell pretty area.
Have Fun!

[crazylady]

We stayed at the KOA outside of Yellowstone. Space was good if I remember correctly. If I am unsure of a campground I go KOA. No problems so far. Good luck. I loved the Tetons. Beautiful area.

[Fanrgs]

We love Colter Bay! Get up very early for sunrise photos of the Tetons with Jackson Lake in the foreground. Also walk the shoreline away from the campground to see if you can find a moose (possibly with calf) wading in the shallows along the shore. They also rent canoes there, if you have time to explore the lake away from "civilization".

A suggestion for the trip from Custer since you don't mind mountain driving. Take US 14 or even 14A, from I-90 to Cody. Spend a night on top of the Big Horns at the USFS Sibley Lake campground. Beautiful, long, well-spaced, private sites, W/E available, clean vault toilets, and some great hiking and fishing. Probably our favorite USFS campground in the Rockies (and we live in Colorado with hundreds of scenic ones!).

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by Fanrgs

We love Colter Bay! Get up very early for sunrise photos of the Tetons with Jackson Lake in the foreground. Also walk the shoreline away from the campground to see if you can find a moose (possibly with calf) wading in the shallows along the shore. They also rent canoes there, if you have time to explore the lake away from "civilization".

A suggestion for the trip from Custer since you don't mind mountain driving. Take US 14 or even 14A, from I-90 to Cody. Spend a night on top of the Big Horns at the USFS Sibley Lake campground. Beautiful, long, well-spaced, private sites, W/E available, clean vault toilets, and some great hiking and fishing. Probably our favorite USFS campground in the Rockies (and we live in Colorado with hundreds of scenic ones!).

Man this is making me wish I had allowed even more time!!!! Looks nice, and I checked on a site, which they have for only 1 night. I was planning to hit 26 and go in that way thru Dubois based on earlier feedback, but would you advice going into W.Y. via Cody? Was also thinking of a stop at Thermopolis. So much to do and so little time, dang!!!

PS how tough is 14? How would it compare to RMNP roads\grades?

[inkahauts]

One quick thing to add about Cody.. they have a nightly rodeo in the summer. So do the museum and the rodeo.. both are excellent.

[ernest917]

We arrive in that area 5/15 and will set up camp in the Gros Ventre NP CG where we’ll be for 8 nites... Since it’ll still be chilly when we arrive, we’ve opted for a site with electricity... We LOVE this CG - this will be our 10th time there....

From there we move north 30 miles to Colter Bay RV Park where we will be here 4 nites with FHU’s.... We then move over to Colter Bay CG for an additional 5 nites. We were able to get a site with electricity here as well..

Traveling north for about 20 miles we set up camp in the Headwaters CG at Flagg Ranch for 4 nites... (our 10th time here also) We use this CG as our home base to explore Yellowstone NP (it’s only 1.5 miles from the south entrance)

On 6/5 we drive thru the park and exit thru the West Gate... Our destination is then Rainbow Point NFCG just outside West Yellowstone, MT... We have a beautiful site with electricity for 10 nites...

After that we drop south to Grandview NFCG in Ashton, ID where we’ll be for 8 nites...

Once we leave there our trip continues over to Crater Lake, then Mt Rainer and on to Glacier NP...

One important bit of info - at every single one of the above mentioned CG’s we were able to use our Senior Pass which allowed for massive reduction in fees!!!

Didn’t mean to go on and on but if you dig you can find camp sites in most of these - I use Recreation.gov which allows me to make reservations 6 months in advance....

[426smartin]

In 2018 we stayed at junipercampground.com 4 days in Idaho about 50 miles from Victor,Its on the Ririe Reservoir. 25.00 a night FHU 50 Amp drive thru! Big sites. About hour and half to Jackson--just drive the toad not MH over the mountain!

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by ernest917

We arrive in that area 5/15 and will set up camp in the Gros Ventre NP CG where we’ll be for 8 nites... Since it’ll still be chilly when we arrive, we’ve opted for a site with electricity... We LOVE this CG - this will be our 10th time there....

From there we move north 30 miles to Colter Bay RV Park where we will be here 4 nites with FHU’s.... We then move over to Colter Bay CG for an additional 5 nites. We were able to get a site with electricity here as well..

Traveling north for about 20 miles we set up camp in the Headwaters CG at Flagg Ranch for 4 nites... (our 10th time here also) We use this CG as our home base to explore Yellowstone NP (it’s only 1.5 miles from the south entrance)

On 6/5 we drive thru the park and exit thru the West Gate... Our destination is then Rainbow Point NFCG just outside West Yellowstone, MT... We have a beautiful site with electricity for 10 nites...

After that we drop south to Grandview NFCG in Ashton, ID where we’ll be for 8 nites...

Once we leave there our trip continues over to Crater Lake, then Mt Rainer and on to Glacier NP...

One important bit of info - at every single one of the above mentioned CG’s we were able to use our Senior Pass which allowed for massive reduction in fees!!!

Didn’t mean to go on and on but if you dig you can find camp sites in most of these - I use Recreation.gov which allows me to make reservations 6 months in advance....

Sounds like an awesome trip\schedule. Wish I had your planning skills. I too use my SR Pass and u r right, it saves bit time.

I will check out some of these CGs as well.

update: checked and enough days availability, bummer.......

[Fanrgs]

Originally Posted by rfg9585

Man this is making me wish I had allowed even more time!!!! Looks nice, and I checked on a site, which they have for only 1 night. I was planning to hit 26 and go in that way thru Dubois based on earlier feedback, but would you advice going into W.Y. via Cody? Was also thinking of a stop at Thermopolis. So much to do and so little time, dang!!!

PS how tough is 14? How would it compare to RMNP roads\grades?

.
The intersection of US 14 and US 14A has a big sign with flashing lights warning drivers of 10% grades and tight curves, with advice that certain vehicles should take 14, not 14A. We towed our fifth wheel down 14A with no problems. But we used our Ram's automatic diesel exhaust brake and lower gears all the way to the bottom. We saw several gas MHs stopped at pull-outs to cool their brakes and transmissions. If you have a good exhaust brake/jake brake system that you used at RMNP, you should have no difficulty. And there are several pull-outs to use for cooling down or photographing the scenery to the west.

If you do use US 14 instead, Thermopolis is a 71-mile detour (about 1.5 hours) south from Greybull. Then you can head directly to Yellowstone through Cody or Grand Teton through Riverton. Either route has good roads, but the Riverton route is more scenic, especially over Togwotee Pass, and takes you directly to Moran Junction and Colter Bay. US 14 to US 20 to US 26 is a pretty roundabout way to get to Yellowstone, but there are a lot of great sights along the way. You can can shorten the drive by using US 16 from I-90 to Worland, but the views in the Big Horns are not as scenic.

Of course, if you skip Cody, you miss the incredible Buffalo Bill Museum of the West, where we have spent an entire day and that was not enough time. So, choose your route based on your major interests--spectacular scenery (Big Horns, Tetons, Beartooths), Western culture and history (Cody), hot springs pools and dinosaur museums (Thermopolis), plus Yellowstone! Guess we are luckier than most because we can see it all multiple times, having lived in Colorado for 60 years (me) and all her life (my wife).

PS -- If you really want spectacular views, take US 212 from Cooke City to Red Lodge (without the motorhome!) over Beartooth Pass.

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by Fanrgs

.
The intersection of US 14 and US 14A has a big sign with flashing lights warning drivers of 10% grades and tight curves, with advice that certain vehicles should take 14, not 14A. We towed our fifth wheel down 14A with no problems. But we used our Ram's automatic diesel exhaust brake and lower gears all the way to the bottom. We saw several gas MHs stopped at pull-outs to cool their brakes and transmissions. If you have a good exhaust brake/jake brake system that you used at RMNP, you should have no difficulty. And there are several pull-outs to use for cooling down or photographing the scenery to the west.

If you do use US 14 instead, Thermopolis is a 71-mile detour (about 1.5 hours) south from Greybull. Then you can head directly to Yellowstone through Cody or Grand Teton through Riverton. Either route has good roads, but the Riverton route is more scenic, especially over Togwotee Pass, and takes you directly to Moran Junction and Colter Bay. US 14 to US 20 to US 26 is a pretty roundabout way to get to Yellowstone, but there are a lot of great sights along the way. You can can shorten the drive by using US 16 from I-90 to Worland, but the views in the Big Horns are not as scenic.

Of course, if you skip Cody, you miss the incredible Buffalo Bill Museum of the West, where we have spent an entire day and that was not enough time. So, choose your route based on your major interests--spectacular scenery (Big Horns, Tetons, Beartooths), Western culture and history (Cody), hot springs pools and dinosaur museums (Thermopolis), plus Yellowstone! Guess we are luckier than most because we can see it all multiple times, having lived in Colorado for 60 years (me) and all her life (my wife).

PS -- If you really want spectacular views, take US 212 from Cooke City to Red Lodge (without the motorhome!) over Beartooth Pass.

Booked a night at Sibley lake. 14 didn't look that bad, just a lot of long grades, but not a bad road at all. Think I'll pass on 14a for now. Heading to Cody for GD so she can see rodeo. Now I am at a decision point....sounds like best entry is from 26 and not 14. Not sure which way I will choose.

I checked out beartooth, and you are right its awesome. Reminds me of view down on Telluride from Black Bear trail. Sounds like a ride on 212 is in our future (jeep with top down).

Choices, choices......