bigdogger wrote:
This may be sacriligious, but we enjoy creature comforts almost as much as we enjoy Yellowstone. We always stay outside the park, normally at Gardiner, but sometimes West Yellowstone. We do this because we like to come home after a long day and enjoy a nice meal at a decent restaurant without a 2 hour wait. We like having our cell phones work and enjoy having internet access. We like to be able to drive 1/4 mile to a grocery store and buy stuff at prices that are not totally ridiculous. Yellowstone will always involve a lot of driving, to us the amenities at our base camp are more important than saving a couple of minutes and miles.
I have only been to Yellowstone once but we did the same. Stayed in Gardiner. I cant remember the campground name but it was beautiful. I sat up on the side of a cliff (could not use an awning because of the wind) and the view was amazing. Thre real reason we did it was becuase we brought the ATV. THere are miles and miles of logging roads legal to ride outside the park which we enjoyed. It was 05 when we were there so I am itching to get back! The 30+ hour drive and the $3000 in fuel it costs me are a major roadblck however. If I had any idea how to post a picture here I would :-) Enjoy