I haven't seen this one asked yet... For the veterans of Yellowstone,... Would you feel comfortable taking a Jeep with a soft top into the park for sightseeing? What about no top?Doug

Em, rain is almost always a possibility, thundershowers in the summer also.Not having a roof would be, ah, wet.

ddndoug wrote:I haven't seen this one asked yet... For the veterans of Yellowstone,... Would you feel comfortable taking a Jeep with a soft top into the park for sightseeing? What about no top?Dougwhy wouldn't you?convertibles are great in the summer

I don't see a risk for game viewing and transiting through the park with or without a soft top.We just got back from a month in Africa with many hours and days in soft topped safari vehicles. We had stealthy hyenas, aggressive hippos, charging elephants, and a pride of lions surrounding us in the dark. The top was for sun protection. but also for concealment. We were told by the guides that people in the vehicle are not recognized at predator or prey if they are not moving or making identifiable noises. A silhouette or loud voice is recognizable, changes things, and was not permitted.We were told by the rangers in YNP that bison are comfortable with people in vehicles, but have issues with people walking near them.

I'd use my Jeep topless there if it wasn't raining or cold. When we were there it was too early in the spring to have the top off of it - there were still some nice snow berms.Bill

The only concern I would have is with bears. If you park any vehicle anywhere in Yellowstone with a soft top, hard top or no top, you run a statistical risk of a problem. Lower that risk by not leaving ANY food or even food wrappers in your car and you should be ok. I know someone in Colorado who left an empty fast food bag in his car in the hot sun. You should have seen what a little black bear did going after the smell! Bent back the door window frame like sardine can and totaled his Jeep Comanche. Statistically speaking the biggest danger in any national park has two legs and walks upright.

Different question about Yellowstone | Good Sam Community

toedtoes
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2015
Bionic Man wrote:
I think a convertible would be close to ideal for Yellowstone. Keep food out of your car, and you are likely fine. That should be your rule even if you take a hard top. I have seen bears get into regular cars when they smell food.

Bears also will get into cars if they SEE a cooler. They've learned that coolers contain food. So make sure any cooler used during a day drive is moved out of the jeep at night.
dewey02
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2015
Matt_Colie wrote:
We were there late last summer. I had hoped to drag an aged Tracker out there, but it didn't want to go. If I had had it, I would have put the top down and driven all over the park. The only thing you would have to be careful about is leaving anything like food in it. Fishing Bridge does not allow soft campers. We saw elk and bison up close. (Got stuck in two bison jams.) Also saw wolves, but not up close and did not see any bears at all.

Drag the Jeep.

Matt

To the OP: No need to be worried about wolves.
Wolf-human attacks are almost non-existant. Something like 3 in 50 years.
I live in N. Minnesota. Lots of wolves here (more than anywhereelse in lower 48) and no-one is afraid to go out in the woods because of wolves. If you are talking about a soft top vehicle, you clearly will not be going into the back country with it. Just follow the parks rules and as others have warned about food, and you will be fine.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2015
Driving through would be no problem. Parking it overnight? Well...we were in the Smokie Mtns. with a convertible and the next morning we had bear prints over the top of it. Luckily, it must have been a small black bear.
johntank
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

This, I have ridden my MC in Yellowstone many times with the weather (rain) the only down side of the day.

Have fun and enjoy Yellowstone topless.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
Since bison traffic jams are very common, I think this could end up with a bison getting very up close and personal.
jason4598
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
We went last July. We experienced a hail storm, we would not have enjoyed being topless.
Trackrig
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2015
ddndoug wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. They are all in line with what I was thinking, but not having been there before I didn't want to do anything to put my family in danger.

Trackrig - What time of the year were you there?

Doug

We were mid May last year. In lots of places on the southern end you couldn't see over the snow banks from the jeep. If you wanted a picture of the rivers in the canyons, you had to park and climb up the snowbank.

Bill
ddndoug
Explorer
Jan 19, 2015
jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

The question was pertaining more to animals while sightseeing, but also with the thought of parking it during the evening. We have reservations at Fishing Bridge, and from what I understand no soft sided RVs are allowed due to bear activity.

All of the comments and suggestions about food wrappers and coolers left in the Jeep are all welcome and make plenty of sense.

Doug
StarkNaked
Explorer II
Jan 19, 2015
The ravens are smart enough to open backpacks and will ransack anything they can open. Once again, no food left in the vehicle, even while you're just out walking the boardwalks.
Ski_Pro_3
Explorer
Jan 19, 2015
Ravens are the biggest problem with critters. I've ridden motorcycles in Yellowstone on several occasions and they have stolen everything from my gloves to the key right out of the ignition while I was removing my helmet!

I did have some excitement with a buffalo when the traffic was stopped and the big boy decided to cross right where I was. (Guess he didn't see me or something) This guy decided the traffic was took thick and came right at me to cross the road. Other cars and RV's too packed nose-to-tail to get through. I couldn't move fast enough, so I just froze there. Some kid in an RV in front of me, sticking his head out the window, took a photo. Wish I could get a copy of that!

While rain can be an issue, it's usually short lived and easy to duck under a tree and just enjoy being in Yellowstone!! (Here I am watching some elk on the other side of the Yellowstone River as DW and I wait for the rain shower to pass)