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RVcrazy's avatar
RVcrazy
Explorer
Jul 21, 2014

Tetons from Lander WY on 26/287?

We are new at this with this rig. Anything we should know about on this route? We are hoping to get in Coulter Bay & then W Yellowstone. Unofrtunately, we didn't know our timetalbe enough to make advance reservations. Wish us luck! Thanks.

10 Replies

  • Togwotee pass is awesome! We usually overnight in Lander and then start out early for Teton/YNP. The views are truly a sight to see. You start to see the Tetons rise up out of the ground and they just get bigger and bigger! I've been this way many times and it never fails to stun me! Have fun!
  • Colter Bay RV park is usually sold out months in advance. Colter Bay Campground currently has 338 sites. As of a couple of days ago they had not filled but got very close. Colter Campground has no hookups but does have flush toilets, water and dump stations.
  • I would assume that couples comment was mainly in reference to travel inside and close by the park itself. During the summer tourist season there can be major traffic jams inside the park and many folks stopping in the middle of the roadway to get a picture of the first elk or bear they've ever seen.
    Driving from Saratoga, Wy to Colter Bay in 6 hours is very doable, assuming there's no major accident, construction or wildfire along the way. The choice of whether to drive 6 hrs a day or 3 hrs a day is a personal choice that depends on your circumstances & preferences. Those on a limited vacation time trip usually need to cover more miles per day than those of us lucky enough to be on a fulltime vacation. If you have the time, a stop in Lander can be very interesting with the indian reservation and Wind River mountains nearby. Years ago when I was teaching mountain climbing, I spent a whole summer in Lander working for an outdoor school based there.


    Horizons28 wrote:
    We too are curious about this route. We will be in Saratoga, Wy first, then we head up to Colter Bay Village. When I mapped this leg out, it came to 305 miles, or 6 hours according to our GPS.
    We met a couple coming back from Yellowstone who advised us to allow 50% longer driving times than expected in this area. If this means our 6 hour drive will take 9, then we are tempted to overnight near Lander then make the rest of the trip to Colter Bay the following day.
    This is our first trip in this area. Anyone driven from Saratoga to Colter Bay in one day? Was it too much?
  • Horizons28 wrote:
    We too are curious about this route. We will be in Saratoga, Wy first, then we head up to Colter Bay Village. When I mapped this leg out, it came to 305 miles, or 6 hours according to our GPS.
    We met a couple coming back from Yellowstone who advised us to allow 50% longer driving times than expected in this area. If this means our 6 hour drive will take 9, then we are tempted to overnight near Lander then make the rest of the trip to Colter Bay the following day.
    This is our first trip in this area. Anyone driven from Saratoga to Colter Bay in one day? Was it too much?


    We drove from Colter Bay to Devils Tower out 26 in one day last week on our return trip from Yellowstone. You do need to allow for the extra mountain time driving. Colter Bay RV was a great campground.
  • Horizons28 wrote:
    We too are curious about this route. We will be in Saratoga, Wy first, then we head up to Colter Bay Village. When I mapped this leg out, it came to 305 miles, or 6 hours according to our GPS.
    We met a couple coming back from Yellowstone who advised us to allow 50% longer driving times than expected in this area. If this means our 6 hour drive will take 9, then we are tempted to overnight near Lander then make the rest of the trip to Colter Bay the following day.
    This is our first trip in this area. Anyone driven from Saratoga to Colter Bay in one day? Was it too much?


    would enjoy the trip more by over nighting in lander. also past lander the scenery improve and would enjoy it more.

    lander to colter bay is fare trip in a day any way. pulling an trailer or driving an rv.

    i think you are wise to consider a stop off.
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    We too are curious about this route. We will be in Saratoga, Wy first, then we head up to Colter Bay Village. When I mapped this leg out, it came to 305 miles, or 6 hours according to our GPS.
    We met a couple coming back from Yellowstone who advised us to allow 50% longer driving times than expected in this area. If this means our 6 hour drive will take 9, then we are tempted to overnight near Lander then make the rest of the trip to Colter Bay the following day.
    This is our first trip in this area. Anyone driven from Saratoga to Colter Bay in one day? Was it too much?
  • Henry's Lake has electric & water hookups, dump station and a somewhat Spartan showerhouse. Fantastic 360-degree view! Can be windy. No shade. It isn't large, so sites may or may not be available.

    Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone has gotten our vote multiple times. Very manicured, but certainly convenient, has FHUs, can accommodate big rigs but also welcomes popups & tents, and rates are competitive with other private CGs outside Yellowstone.
  • We drove 26/287 from Lander to Jackson Hole back on May 30th. As already mentioned, it's a gradual climb. The descent is a bit steeper, but not bad at all. Lots of snow on the way up to the pass when we went through. Both Brooks Lake and Falls Forest Service campgrounds were still in accessible due to snow.

    Also an X2 on Gros Ventre campground. We spent 9-10 nights there during the last two weeks of June this year.

    If you can survive without FHU, there's Baker's Hole campground just 3 miles north of West Yellowstone. They had some electric sites. There's also Henry's lake State park some 15 miles or so west. Not sure whether they have electric sites. Red Rock RV Park, also near the lake, has hookups.
  • If you can't find a site at the Colter Bay RV Park or Colter Bay Campground, you should be able to get a site at the Gros Ventre Campground. It is dry camping, but I like it better.
  • From Lander, 26/287 is a good road and very popular summer route to the Tetons. It will be a long gradual climb up to the continental divide pass between Debois & Moran, then you drop down into Jackson Hole Valley.
    Getting a space at Colter Bay mid summer without a reservation can be an issue. If you arrive after school starts back up then it shouldn't be a problem.