Different question about Yellowstone

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.

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.

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.

Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

Considering that there are a lot of tents and popup (tent) trailers there every year, why would a soft top jeep be a concern? Follow food protocols. One trip a bear attacked the popup next to us, bit the end on top and was scared off by the yelling inside but they've been known to peel off the doors of cars also. This was just after the Grant Village campground was built and at the evening ranger talk we were told the campground was built to get away from the bears at fishing bridge.

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

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.

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

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.

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