Community Forums

Ontheroad63 · 12-02-2015, 09:37 PM

We are going there the end of Aug 2016 in a 35' 5th wheel. Would like to get advice from people who have been there this summer. What was good and what didn't work. Did you camp in the park or outside and travel in. Noticed our camper is to big for some of the RV Parks.

SkiSmuggs · 12-03-2015, 05:44 AM

There is only one, maybe two campgrounds in Yellowstone that actually take reservations and it is expensive! With our Senior pass, we only paid $11/day in Grand Teton dry camp 2 years ago, but Yellowstone doesn't give discounts for the reservation CG because they say it is classified as lodging because of the hookups.
Our fiver broke down and we had to cancel, but will probably just stay in Grand Teton the next time.

J Birder · 12-03-2015, 07:28 AM

There are actually 5 camp grounds in Yelloestone that accept reservations. They are Fishing Bridge, Grant, Bridge Bay, Canyon, and Madison.

Both Fishing Bridge and Grant have sites that will accept RVs of your size. The others probably don't. Fishing Bridge is a full hookup RV park, but the sites are as crowded an most commercial parks. Grant has the sites spaced a little farther appart, but does not have hookups.

I have stayed at Grant, Bridge Bay, and Canyon. They are all nice, But I prefer Canyon ecause of its location.

Outside the Park,Grizzly, in West Yellowstone is fairly close and has a good reputation. I have no personal experience with it.

Ontheroad63 · 12-03-2015, 09:04 AM

Have you stayed or have any info on Henry State Park in Idaho. It has been suggested as an alternative to staying in YNP.

Ontheroad63 · 12-03-2015, 05:34 PM

According to the website it is total length of the camper/truck.....anyway that is how I'm reading it.

oldbeek · 12-05-2015, 12:08 AM

check when the parks close. Last time I was there in sept the parks were closing for the winter.

andy29847 · 12-05-2015, 04:50 AM

We stayed in Cody at Absaroka Bay RV Park. It was OK. The people were nice, the park was clean, the utilities were good. The RV park was full everyday we were there. The camping spots are small and the setting is nothing special.

We only spent one day in Yellowstone. We left very early one morning, were in Yellowstone when the Sun came up, and played all day. We really enjoyed Cody. There are a lot of things to do in the area.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/summe...ys-260000.html

KarenS144 · 12-05-2015, 06:09 AM

Yellowstone is huge and it's slow going many times because of critters and tourists. To stay outside the park means a lot of extra driving to get to many of the main attractions. We stayed at Fishing Bridge because of its location. We were gone all day and not having much room didn't bother us much. I would encourage you to try to stay in the park!

dayle1 · 12-05-2015, 06:56 AM

We stayed at Colter Bay in Grand Teton NP and drove in to Yellowstone each day. That way we could see sights in both parks with just a single stop.

powderman · 12-05-2015, 07:19 AM

Your rig will fit in Mamouth Hot springs. No hookups, but very nice. Cody is also good. You will fit at Buffalo Bill SP. Most no hookups . those with electric are reservation. And finally Grizzly RV is very nice and very close to W entrance.

wingnut60 · 12-05-2015, 07:33 AM

We have been to Yellowstone area 3 times--stayed once at Flagg Ranch (did not like it, but close to south entrance) and other 2 times at Colter Bay (much better park, but farther from south entrance/at same time, closer to Jackson). Both parks can handle large rigs. Have not stayed inside park, nor on west side. There is a NF CG east of the east entrance with some electric hookups if that would interest you.
Joe

cj23andout · 12-05-2015, 08:02 AM

If you like to eat out, shop or have kids that like to romp, Grizzly in West Yellowstone. There is a pretty cool Zip Line park in the town. We took in the rodeo just west of town one evening. These things are easier to do if staying in West Yellowstone.

If you are the type that likes to cook your own meals and maximize your stay in the parks, I say get reservations, quick, for one of the park CGs, if you can.

We stayed at Grizzly this past summer and didn't mind the drive in. We had three days in the park, but one of those included a loop past Teton, through Jackson Hole and back.

That was a long day, but we have done that twice on two different trips. Jackson is worth the extra driving. It gave the DW a chance to shop

and we took the puppy out to dinner at Cafe Genevieve. (Parties with dogs have to eat on the porch.)

UTTransplant · 12-05-2015, 08:49 AM

We have been to Yellowstone over a dozen times, and I will second (or third) the message that Yellowstone is big! If you want to see the park, you need to be close. We generally stay at Bakers Hole, a NFS campground only 3 miles north of West Yellowstone. Very inexpensive compared to the commercial parks. Maybe a third of the sites have electricity, but the rest are dry camping (generators allowed). It is first come, no reservations, but we haven't had a problem coming in the morning to get a site. If you want inexpensive camping with reservations, Hegdon Lake is another 5 miles or so and has NFS campgrounds with reservations.

We have stayed in the park itself, and there are dry campgrounds that take reservations with a few sites that will hold your setup, but you need reservations early! I have never stayed at Fishing Bridge, but that is your only choice for full hookups.

Note that in summer you need to be at the entrance gate no later than 8 am or the lines get ridiculous! We generally try to get in by 7:30 or earlier. I prefer seeing the thermal features in the northern loop rather than the lakes and scenery in the southern loop, but that is personal preference.

My next visit is planned for mid May with a rally. We will be staying in Grizzly at Wesy Yellowstone, a first for us. Different, but probably a good idea that early in the year (we need to plan for cold weather and even some snow).

bobsharon · 12-05-2015, 09:33 AM

We visited the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Park this past spring (late May, early June); park was busy but no long lines or trouble accessing sites and the weather was great...
Agree that Yellowstone is a large park. We spent 5 days at Grizzly RV Resort at the West entrance. It is a great park with large paved sites, paved roads and easy access - although a little pricey I recommend it. We spend each day hitting a different part of the park and needed everyone of them!
We had initially had reservations at the Fishing Bridge RV park but they state that maximum length is 35ft and our traveling companion's coach was 38, so we moved to Grizzly. We did visit Fishing Bridge and found that longer coaches were there...they stuck out into the narrow roads and had orange cones set out to warn people of the intrusion. As previously mentioned they are packed in like cordwood. We did like its proximity to the center of the park. Of note, the park is adding new spaces - the work was progressing well although I don't know when they will open or if the will allow larger rigs. They appeared to be all back-in but I could be wrong.
Take the trip and enjoy, we did.