CG outside Yellowstone

There are also a couple of closer CGs at Garnier, MT, just outside the Roosevelt Arch entrance (Park Headquarters and Mamoth Hot Springs).

FUH, overlooking the Yellowstone River.

A couple of days in each of the five main areas of the park is not enough.

djcjc wrote:
Wife has fianlly decided and so am planning a trip to Yellowstone this summer. Looked at a couple CGs one in Cody WY and one west of Cody. They have full hookups which is what we prefer. Would these work as a base camp and then drive to and thru the park for a few days to see the sites. Have a 33 ft TT and Ram Dually. This is what we did last year camped in Deadwood and drove to different areas of the blackhills for day trips.

If I were you I would think about a 2 night stay at Cody to see the sites there, then would go through Yellowstone NP and find a park in the West Yellowstone Mt. area, think there are around 7 or so within 10 miles of the west entrance with Grizzly being the best in my opinion.

Whatever time you think that you will need to see Y’stone NP you better double it!

Remember that Y’stone Park itself is about 50 miles E/W and 70 miles N/S (2.2 Mil Acres) and the Grand Loop (figure 8) road is about 140 miles around. With a 45mph speed limit (radar controlled) and the thermal attractions and the Bison think that they own the road they will sometimes back up traffic for 1/4 mile or more and the altitude (Canyon Area is 7918 ft, Old Faithful is 7365 ft and Mammoth Area is ONLY 6239 ft) it will take a full day for each loop.

When walking take it easy, carry/drink lots of water as it can be very exhausting, then you will only see the highlights. If your luck is like mine I guarantee that Old Faithful will have gone off just minutes before you arrived and will have to wait about another hour and 10-15 minutes for it to go off again kill time by walking around the upper geyser basin. When you are at Old faithful be sure to go into the Old Faithful Inn and look up when inside. When in the visitor center, Inn, Snowlodge etc they will have a sign displaying approximately when the next eruption will occur (+ or – about 10/15 minutes)

We have lived about 110 miles from the West Y’stone entrance for 50 years and go there a couple of times each summer and I still haven’t seen everything yet.

We day trip it to Old Faithful a couple of times every summer just to have lunch in the Old Faithful Inn. (the O/F INN is highly recommended to see)

All the above information to one extent or another goes for GTNP also.
In Jackson

The Bar J Chuckwagon dinner/show in Jackson is high on our list. We see them 3-4 times every summer! Get RESERVATIONS and be there EARLY to pick up your tickets! Tim, their fiddle player has won the Idaho State fiddle championship 8 times and the US open championship 2 times!
http://www.barjchuckwagon.com/Chuckwagon.html

I'll vote for Grizzly RV also. We stayed there twice and will again should we go to Yellowstone again. Less than 2 minutes from the park entrance. Lots of good restaurants in town all walking distance. We've never felt that driving an hour to see certain parts of the park were all that big of a deal. It is such a thrill driving through there that an hour passes pretty quickly.

IMO, there is no ideal place to stay in or around Yellowstone. Everything CG in the area is a compromise of one kind or another. You have to do your research and decide what you want you want most and what you are willing to compromise on.

Fishing Bridge in the park would be my first choice and if not available then Grizzly in West Yellowstone.

Boy, parking on the downside of Sylvan Pass makes for a beautiful, but long, commute each day you want to go into the park. I would echo the folks who suggest trying to find a campground or park in Yellowstone. It will probably take you over an hour to get into the park from the Valley RV Park and at least an hour to get back to your trailer. However, that's not really too bad as you would enter Yellowstone at a junction that will allow you to tour each of the loops and see some wonderful scenery. Just take it easy and enjoy your trip, don't worry about the time. And, by the way, make sure you take time to go see the Buffalo Bill Museum. It is a wonder and will take you at least one full day to go through it all and enjoy it.

We have stayed at Yellowstone Valley RV Park west of Cody and Grizzly in West Yellowstone. We also thought Fishing Bridge was too tight for us. Just our opinion. We personally love the long drive in. There is so much to see and the wildlife/views don't just begin at the entrance. It does take a lot of your time up, so if you are short on time, or if this is your first visit, then Fishing Bridge would probably be the best bet for you.

Ditto Yellowstone Valley Inn RV Park. Easy drive to Yellowstone or back into Cody. Not a fancy park but all you need. They have a restaurant on site.

Fishing Bridge had several sites for your size RV earlier this week for this summer.

Here's the park's site for camping in the park. Fishing Bridge has full hookups and in my opinion, is the best place to stay.

Cody is a long drive to tour the park day after day. Consider dry camping in the park, too.

Yellowstone's Campgrounds

Here are some pictures of Fishing Bridge. I don't consider it to be a 'parking lot' like some folks say.

Fishing Bridge RV

Information of Fishing Bridge