It's been recommended we go to Gros Ventre when we briefly visit GTNP. Ya, it's too short but it's what I have to work with. We are staying a week in West Yellowstone. We know both sites are first come first served and we've visited the NPS webstite which says Colter may fill up in the afternoon where as Ventre might fill up in the evening. We can dry camp in our 29ft Montana with no problems, minus generator but w/solar. We'll arrive on Monday 30 May and depart Wed 1 Jun for West Yellowstone.Given locations, would it be best to try Colter and then, if Colter is full, head to Gros Ventre? If you had to give it odds, what are the odds of getting a tire in Colter?

digoddenYou might get different input from others but I do not believe that you will have a problem getting into Colter Bay. We were there four years ago and Colter Bay opened Memorial Day Weekend. Yes we had reservations but the park was not full. It was only about 1/3 full. You are there at a good time as the schools in that area do not close until late June. It is beautiful country and we had snow on May 1. Colter bay is nice with a nice restaurant as well as a nice little grocery store. Enjoy

I do not think you will have any problems that time of year. I have been to GV a number of time (not on July 4th) and have never had any problems. Snow could be a problem. I was there on 5/17 and had one day of snow in which YS was closed for about 4 hours until they could clear the road.

Just posted in your other thread about Gros Ventre, so won't repeat here.I doubt that you would have any problem getting a site at Colter Bay campground (not the RV Park) at the end of May. Since you are heading up to Yellowstone after a few days, it would save you miles of towing to stay at Colter Bay.That said, don't miss seeing the Tetons in their glory by driving the TV south to Jackson Lake Junction then turn left over the dam and on to Jenny Lake using the inner Park road. Great views of the mountains driving in that direction! Have lunch on the upper deck at Dornan's just over the river from Moose and then head back north on route 191 to complete the loop.

In general. I liked Colter Bay more, having stayed at both. On a side note(this won't affect you) but prior to entering the actual National Park(gated entrance), I had disconnected my toad so that when getting to Colter Bay CG I had easier driving of the MH. They person at the gate would not let me through as a single unit....I had to pull through the gate, hook my car back up to the MH in her view and drive off only to stop again 100 yards down the road to un hook again. Rules are Rules I guess! Anyways...Have a Great time at both The Grand Teton's and Yellowstone.

Colter Bay campground is nice, with a good village nearby. BUT...the campground is enclosed with trees. No view of anything but trees and other campers. So I like Gros Ventre better because it isn't so closed in around me. Maybe I'm a bit claustrophobic :)

Colter Bay and Gros Ventre | Good Sam Community

Jim_Shoe
Explorer
May 05, 2016
When I was there several years ago there was Colter Bay CG with no hookups and Colter Bay RV Park with hookups next to each other. I was just passing through TNP so I didn't get a good look at the sites.
I was pulling a Jeep Wrangler toad behind my 'C', so it stayed at the Virginian in town with FHUs while I visited in the Jeep. LOVE the Tetons. There's something very calming about the place.
CloudDriver
Explorer
May 04, 2016
jalichty wrote:
However, I will say that I have never seen moose in the Colter Bay campground, ever. We saw two one day in the Gros Ventre campground and they came within five feet of the entrance door to our trailer, what an experience. Probably won't see that in Colter Bay, in 50 years or so, we never have, although we have seen a lot of deer and some foxes, etc.

With the exception of Bison, in our experience animal sightings in Grand Teton and Yellowstone are pretty much a result of being in the right place at the right time. The more time spent in the Parks, the more likely it becomes to see wildlife.

We always stay at Gros Ventre and can pretty much count on seeing Moose either in the campground of along the Gros Ventre River south of the campground.

Bull and two Cow Moose in Gros Ventre campground, Sept. 2007

Bull and two Cow Moose along Gros Ventre River, June 2014

Cow Moose in Colter Bay campground, June 2005. (Guess we got really lucky to see that one.)
2gypsies1
Explorer III
May 04, 2016
If you want to check out the town of Jackson and the great Visitor Center, Gros Ventre is closer than Colter. If the lake is important to you than Colter is best.
jalichty
Explorer
May 04, 2016
We have been going to Jackson Lake for about 50 years, the last 10 or so we get up there an average of three weeks a year, June, July and August usually for a week at a time. We couldn't get into Colter Bay one year as they had the sites for larger models shut down for water main work. Went to Gros Ventre and didn't like it as much as Colter Bay. The views of the Tetons are pretty majestic, but not as close as Colter Bay and to get to Jackson Lake is about a 45 minute drive from Gros Ventre. Since we fish most of the time while there, this was a major inconvenience. Colter Bay has a check-out time of 11:00 in the morning and we have found if we show up around 9:30 to 10:00 we almost always are able to get the site(s) we want, even though we can't reserve. As far as trees, unless you spend all your time in the trailer, you get to see some of the most spectacular views in the world just outside the campground. Colter Bay also has two places to dump and get water for your trailer as well. And you are 45 minutes closer to Yellowstone in Colter Bay than in Gros Ventre. In addition, Colter Bay has a pretty good general store and two restaurants along with a visitor center and a marina where you can catch a cruise boat for some time on the lake. However, I will say that I have never seen moose in the Colter Bay campground, ever. We saw two one day in the Gros Ventre campground and they came within five feet of the entrance door to our trailer, what an experience. Probably won't see that in Colter Bay, in 50 years or so, we never have, although we have seen a lot of deer and some foxes, etc. As you can see, I am a big fan of Colter Bay but Gros Ventre is pretty good, just not my cup of tea.
tsetsaf
Explorer III
May 04, 2016
The signs are complete BS. We stayed two years ago over 4th of July... no reservation and choice of campgrounds and sites. None were completely full our entire stay... except Jenny Lake that is. Then again we had fallbacks if all else failed and spent one night at Atherton info will set you free ;)
greyhook
Explorer
May 01, 2016
We arrived to Colter Bay in late July at night. Didn't have a problem finding a spot. Couldn't see the Tetons when we parked but we woke up to a great view. It was also a short walk to the shore of Jackson Lake. Loved this CG.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Apr 27, 2016
TexasShadow wrote:
Colter Bay campground is nice, with a good village nearby. BUT...the campground is enclosed with trees. No view of anything but trees and other campers.
So I like Gros Ventre better because it isn't so closed in around me. Maybe I'm a bit claustrophobic :)

X2

Even with our 40' motorhome we've never had problems getter a site. The electric sites are for handicapped and if they're not used you can use them.

If you're coming in from the north, try Colter Bay first. If coming in from the south try Gros Ventre first.
bukhrn
Explorer III
Apr 26, 2016
Have never stayed at Colter, but loved Gros Ventre, D loop actually has electric hookups. This was our site, 169 in D Loop
TexasShadow
Explorer II
Apr 26, 2016
Colter Bay campground is nice, with a good village nearby. BUT...the campground is enclosed with trees. No view of anything but trees and other campers.
So I like Gros Ventre better because it isn't so closed in around me. Maybe I'm a bit claustrophobic :)
Acampingwewillg
Explorer II
Apr 26, 2016
In general. I liked Colter Bay more, having stayed at both. On a side note(this won't affect you) but prior to entering the actual National Park(gated entrance), I had disconnected my toad so that when getting to Colter Bay CG I had easier driving of the MH. They person at the gate would not let me through as a single unit....I had to pull through the gate, hook my car back up to the MH in her view and drive off only to stop again 100 yards down the road to un hook again. Rules are Rules I guess!

Anyways...Have a Great time at both The Grand Teton's and Yellowstone.