arches to yellowstone

In Yellowstone, they try to get a few roads open by mid-April, but if you want to see much, you'll need snowshoes or Yaktrax. My mother used to work at the old Hamilton Store by Old Faithful and she'd often get up there in mid to late May with snow six feet deep. The CG's around Flaming Gorge won't be open in mid-April and snow will still be piled around there, also. They'll have camping at Dinosaur NM and snow shouldn't be an issue that time of year. It can be hard to imagine, but winter lasts until May (or later) in many mountain ranges in the west.

BTW, make sure you have your reservations in hand for Arches. April is a very busy time there.

Keep checking the Yellowstone web site for updated road information:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm

Definitely check to see if routes within Yellowstone (& CGs nearby) are open. Still getting snow there, and sometimes the park isn't fully plowed until May.

Road Phantom wrote:
We are planning a trip from Arches National Park and flaming Gorge, Wy., and ending up in Yellowstone. Looking for affordable overnight camping at state and county Parks along the way, either in Northeast Utah or SW Wyoming along rt. 191. We have a 31 ft fifth wheel and need good access roads. We are leaving Arches around the second week of April. If Yellowstone is unpassable at that time we will head east from Flaming Gorge. Any ideas for cheap overnights in that region?

If I were leaving the area of Moab and headed to YNP I'd be sure to visit these waypoints;

To start I'd head out Rt 128 towards Colorado, likely stopping in the Colorado National Monument - from there to Dinosaur NM and the Green River then on up to Flaming Gorge, after visiting the Gorge, head around the West side to the Marina CG's great location and you might even catch dinner, from there up to Alpine on the way to Jackson and the Tetons before getting into YNP (might be smart to make a phone call just to be sure all is open) Do your loops in YNP then head out to Cody then Down to Thermopolis and the Wind River Canyon and Shoshoni before heading home.

Sounds like a great trip,

For cheap overnights I use Wal*Mart.

BOL,

from Flaming Gorge to Yellowstone through Rock Springs to Hoback Junction to Jackson, etc... there is a Fed campground about 20 miles west and north of Pinedale, out in the middle of nowhere, right on the Green River. Water and dump station.

April is a little early for many government campgrounds. You might try this website.
There is a forest service campground just north of West Yellowstone.
Us Campgrounds