Yellowstone Trip Planning

[hamm2018]

During the time we spent there this summer, we did NOT take the 3500 Ram dually into the park. Every trip we rode the Spyder. So much easier to park and to get around.
We even rode the Spyder down to the Grand Tetons from West Yellowstone.

[UTTransplant]

As others have said, Yellowstone is BIG! There is a lot of driving involved if you want to see the entire park. I have no idea what the road situation will be next year after the catastrophic floods, but staying in two different spots is a good idea to minimize travel time, but it might take more than a week. Fishing Bridge is fabulous, but hard to get. Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone is also great but really expensive. There is an RV park in Gardiner that makes traveling to the northern sections a lot easier. It used to be called Rocky Mountain, but I think they changed the name. A bit tight, but nice enough. If you can fit in Mammoth NPS campground (no hookups though), that is a great place too. Hard to get reservations though.

My best recommendation is get to the entrance early, like 5:30 or 6:00 am early. By 7:00 there are lines, and by 10:00 you might wait for an hour to get in. Parking lots get full and the place is crazy. Go early, hit the spots that will be crowded, then go home for a nice lunch and nap. Come back into the park at 3:00 or 4:00 pm when the crowds go away. Bring a nice dinner and eat it at a picnic spot while you enjoy the park. The days are long.

[tmw188]

Good advice.

[Jkjavelin]

We went to Yellowstone last June and stayed at Wapiti Campground of the Shoshone National Forest for about a week. Nice campground, $10/night with electric using the Geezer pass. It's about 22 miles from the east entrance. Just before the park entrance is a lodge/restaurant that has an excellent breakfast! There was virtually no line at the entrance most days for us.
The 2nd week we stayed outside of the south entrance at Headwaters Campground, a typical overpriced, privatized National Park campground, but convenient.

JK