Community Forums

Ron and Marsha · 02-27-2006, 05:27 PM

A couple of years ago we visited Yellowstone early in the season without benefit of reservations and had no trouble being accommodated at Fishing Bridge, but it was late in May or early June. During this time we visited Madison CG and inquired about camping with our present rig and was assured there would be no problems provided we make reservations.
Today we called for reservations and was forced to stay in Fishing Bridge because at 37foot, we were too big for Madison. Does anyone have insight into the discrepancy in what I was told 2 years ago and today?
Thanks in advance.

Ron and Marsha · 02-27-2006, 05:27 PM

A couple of years ago we visited Yellowstone early in the season without benefit of reservations and had no trouble being accommodated at Fishing Bridge, but it was late in May or early June. During this time we visited Madison CG and inquired about camping with our present rig and was assured there would be no problems provided we make reservations.
Today we called for reservations and was forced to stay in Fishing Bridge because at 37foot, we were too big for Madison. Does anyone have insight into the discrepancy in what I was told 2 years ago and today?
Thanks in advance.

Hitchhiker · 02-28-2006, 03:06 AM

I'm surprised the opposite isn't the case. When we stayed at Fishing Bridge in July '03, the sites were short, narrow, close together, back to back, and very difficult to get a 34' 5th wheel into. If it weren't for the fact we were assigned a site on the end of a row, we'd have never gotten into it.

Perhaps there were a limited number of larger sites at Madison and they're already reserved, henceforth them suggesting Fishing Bridge?

Cruzer · 02-28-2006, 03:38 AM

Madison and Canyon are both non full hookup campgrounds. Most sites are 30' but there are a few 35' sites, not as many in Canyon as in Madison though. If you want to go longer than 35', or need full hookups, Fishing Bridge is the only place available within the park boundaries.

I tried reserving in advance a 35' site in 2003 with a 33' Suncruiser but they were booked at both Canyon and Madison so I took Fishing Bridge. Fishing Bridge is a tight campground and they are packed in like sardines. It's big draw is that it has full hookups and location-location-location. The hookups are only 30 amp and the water pressure is extremely high to feed that many sites so you will need a water pressure regulator to hang on the faucet.

We went back in fall of 2004 and pre-reserved a 40' site at Fishing Bridge 6 months in advance. When we got there they said that they had no 40' sites so they tried to stuff us into a shorter one. They don't run their reservations very well and just give whichever site they want to to whomever they want to so with a longer rig you can be in trouble. We now stay in West Yellowstone at Grizzly RV and have had no problems.

Fishing Bridge is old but it's the most expensive campground they have and it's a money maker for Xantera and it books out so they won't be changeing it anytime too soon. If they'd put a nice new campground with sites more designed for today's larger RVs that would be great. Of course they'd still have to learn how to handle the reservations.

Ron and Marsha · 02-28-2006, 03:56 PM

Thanks for the ideas on the reservation system and c/g length limitations. I agree on Fishing Bridge being crowded but have found the c/g folks working the computers helpful in working the system provided there were no reservations in the system for you. If so, they had to put you where the computer indicated-at least that was my understanding the time we came in off the street w/o reservations early in the season.
It seems as if a person with a length exceeding 35 feet is limited to "regulations" and "when in Rome, do as Romans do" must prevail.

One last question though. Is the road between Tower/Roosevelt Jct and Canyon Jct still under construction and hence closed?
Thanks.

Cruzer · 03-01-2006, 06:58 AM

The Tower to Canyon Road was opened last fall. It's a nice job of repaving. However, it's still not recommended for large RVs. There are plenty of tight radius bilnd curves up on Mount Washburn and if you take a long RV up there you won't be able to keep it in your lane and may get a head-on. But it is open and great for the toad - much smoother and the huge potholes are gone now.

rogueii · 03-01-2006, 10:59 AM

We spent a week at Madison last Ausgust, I measure out at 34' 11".
Madison has no hookups. There is a good Dump station at the gate. We enjoyed this campground. We put about 125 miles a day on the Toad, doing day trips. You are about 15 miles to the West Yellowstone Gate--Cute little town

Adventurous · 04-24-2006, 10:15 AM

Cruzer...
Since you like to hang out in this neck of the woods.. what is the best way to get from Yellowstone to Glacier?????
Looking at the map there are a few different roads to drive. We still have our Adventurer(just like the Suncruiser you used to have)so you know what can go where!!!

Cruzer · 04-24-2006, 12:32 PM

All roads are good, the only road you can't take is Going to the Sun, which crosses Glacier. If you are headed to the west side take 93 north from Missoula through Kalispel. If headed to the east side either 89 or 287 are both good roads.

We always took the family in the Suburban in the pre-RV days and went up one way and back down the other. We stayed in the park at Apgar Village or Many Glacier Hotel and used Going to the Sun to switch sides mid-stay. RVs aren't allowed on G-T-S road so use US-2 to drive the RV from one side to the other. My wife and I are looking forward to doing it in the RV onme of these years. We celebrated our 25th and 30th anniversary in Yellowstone. Maybe the 35th we'll do in Glacier.

Ron and Marsha · 04-24-2006, 04:26 PM

I realize this was addressed to another but since we have traveled this park for several years perhaps our experience might be worth passing on. We find the east side, Many Glacier, to be less populated as opposed to the Apgar side, west side. If traveling from Wyoming, we always head toward Browning and then avoid Hwy 89 to St Mary, by taking hwy 464. It is not filled with all the curves and hills of 89 and exits at Babb. We were amazed at the time we saved plus less white knuckle time.

Adventurous · 04-26-2006, 08:51 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If traveling from Wyoming, we always head toward Browning </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks so much for you input!! Cruzer, You too!!!
When coming out of Yellowstone to go to Glacier do you take 89 all the way to Browning or is it better to get on I 90, pick up I 15 to 287 and then 89??
I bet you are glad to have the Banks on the V10!! (we are too)

Hitchhiker · 04-26-2006, 09:06 AM

Here's an old thread about Browning, MT that you might want a heads up on. We went through there on our way to Yellowstone in July 2003, and had no problems whatsoever.

Fred and Bonnie · 04-29-2006, 08:20 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ron and Marsha:
I realize this was addressed to another but since we have traveled this park for several years perhaps our experience might be worth passing on. We find the east side, Many Glacier, to be less populated as opposed to the Apgar side, west side. If traveling from Wyoming, we always head toward Browning and then avoid Hwy 89 to St Mary, by taking hwy 464. It is not filled with all the curves and hills of 89 and exits at Babb. We were amazed at the time we saved plus less white knuckle time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ron, where do you camp in the Many Glaciers area, when we checked out the area last year you could not get a 37' RV into the campground?

Fred

Ron and Marsha · 04-29-2006, 11:52 AM

Fred, I stand corrected by my wife. We stayed at St Mary's, once in the park itself and once at the KOA. We then drove to Many Glaciers. She remembers these things much better than me. Now that I am remembering, the KOA had several horses grazing the campground so we were rather nimble footed whenever we were walking outside.
Sorry for the misinformation.