Hello friends. We're from Portland but are in New Mexico with my family (wife & 11 yo kids). We have a 35' class A towing a car. Our schedule is a bit unpredictable but at the end of July we'll be heading back to Portland. We typically drive through Moab, SLC, Boise to get home. We are considering a drive through Yellowstone. My questions:Is it even possible to visit Yellowstone on short notice? Is it too crowded to bother? Zero chance of finding a place to park/camp w/ a 35' Class A?What would you see if you only had an afternoon or a day or two to visit?Is it possible to just drive through and see a few things and then camp outside the park?We did a similar sort of excursion last summer at the Grand Canyon. No reservations. Found a RV campground in Williams and then drove into the Grand Canyon for the day. That worked fine for us, but I am familiar with that area.I realize more time is required to fully appreciate a location like Yellowstone, but schedules sometimes don't afford us many days to play. Thanks all!

Yellowstone is incredibly popular, and while camp sites IN the park do occasionally come open due to somebody canceling, I wouldn't count on that. There are campgrounds in West Yellowstone as well as between the Grand Tetons and the south entrance to Yellowstone that might be a much better bet. In late July, Yellowstone is going to be packed to the gunnels. I wouldn't even try to drive the entire rig through it. Land outside and take the car.While there are way too many very fabulous sights to see for a single afternoon, Old Faithful, the Inn there, and the geysers and hot springs around it are where I'd go if all I had was one afternoon. It is possible to spend the entire day there, wandering around seeing incredible things, eat lunch, and minimize your time wandering slowly down the road, as the traffic congestion will have you doing, no matter your plans otherwise.

I've heard that it is booked solid during the summer months and I've been told if you really want to see Yellowstone, you need more than just a day or two. I have 3 places I want to RV before I die and Yellowstone is one of them. The Oregon coast and the Grand Canyon are the other two and I am planning 10 days to 2 weeks for each trip.

Call some campgrounds. There are lots in West Yellowstone. It will be crowded, but It's Yellowstone!

Try to get a site at Grizzly RV Park, perfect for you rig, call now.

You can drive thru and see a lot of the features. In a car. But many of the parking areas to see those features are small and tight. Some have RV parking. Some don’t. Likely as not the RV spaces will be occupied by cars. But that time of year they will all be crowded and very difficult for a large RV. I would try West Yellowstone for 2-3 nights and drive the toad to sightsee.

If I have a day or two to visit Yellowstone..,.

Lexx
Explorer
Jul 07, 2018
Getting off the beaten path is a worthwhile exercise if you can do it. Otherwise you really can see a lot of stuff just driving the two loops.

IMO Old Faithful is over-rated and not worth the time if you're in a time crunch. The crowds and wait made it decidedly unappealing to me.
2chiefsRus
Explorer
Jul 07, 2018
RedJeep wrote:
OP here with an update. Turns out we have a couple more family members going with us. More folks in the RV than can fit in the toad so it looks like the RV will be our toad. ??

I appreciate all the advice so far!

It has been a while since our last trip there (we have spent more than 5 weeks at Yellowstone in total) but if I recall correctly, I would avoid driving the rv in the north east corner of the park because the roads were pretty narrow in the section north of the Canyon on the east side. Maybe that section has been made wider since we have been there. The Canyon section itself is my favorite part. The Canyon Section really is one place that you need to be able to park and get out of the RV to see.
GeoBoy
Explorer
Jul 07, 2018
RedJeep wrote:
OP here with an update. Turns out we have a couple more family members going with us. More folks in the RV than can fit in the toad so it looks like the RV will be our toad. ??

I appreciate all the advice so far!

You can rent a car in the town of West Yellowstone. If you stay at Grizzly RV Park the car rental for the extra people would be convenient.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 07, 2018
RedJeep wrote:
OP here with an update. Turns out we have a couple more family members going with us. More folks in the RV than can fit in the toad so it looks like the RV will be our toad. ??

I appreciate all the advice so far!
In that case rent a car so that everyone can have a good experience assuming there are 2 drivers.

Or check to see if there are any tours offered.
Braces
Explorer
Jul 09, 2018
If I had 3 nites I would come in through Grand Tetons staying at Gros Ventre CG where you can almost always get a site. Spend the rest of the arrival day in the Tetons and part of the next day and then drive to West Yellowstone or Gardiner and stay in a commercial CG. Probably can't get" in the park" reservations this late but get as close to Lamar Valley as possible and make a long (daylight to dark)day your last day in Lamar Valley area to see wildlife and ride up toward Beartooth Pass to see the great scenery and eat lunch in the little sidewalk cafe in Cooke City. Research the route from Tetons north to see where road construction is lightest on the YNP website. It will be about a 4 - 6 hr drive from GT to north YNP.Use your toad as much as possible to be able to park at parking lots or pull off the road for bear or bison jams. If you really want to see critters there are some really good guides that can help you in Gardiner area. Price maybe about $400 day. Cara McGarry (check spelling) was super nice and knowledgeable and showed us much more than we would have seen on our own even though we have our own scopes and binocs and have been there a few times. We have seen the geothermal sites several times but like the critters better. You could go by Old Faithful and through a lot of the geothermal area on the trip north from GT. Try to add another day and make the GT part of the trip a full day on the second day.. Research both parks and try to have ideas as to what you want to see.
Braces
Explorer
Jul 09, 2018
Addition to previous post. RENT ANOTHER CAR to do the Tower- Lamar Valley - Mammoth area, your coach will severely handicap you. Any more specifics please ask. HAVE FUN.
Kavoom
Explorer
Jul 14, 2018
I agree on avoiding the coach as your "toad." You can do it, but the traffic jams are a real bear (usually caused by a bear) and your big rig will just add to the jammed up mess. People lose their minds when they see wild life. They park anywhere including in your way right in the middle of the fricking road and so you can't get by them and because of your size no one can get by you and so on.

It is so weird to see how people act. Crazy people. And why Montanans wait till the tourists are all gone... PLEASE...don't be one of them.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 14, 2018
Our biggest "bear jam" was a buffy sleeping on "his" road. We stayed in the car enjoying the scenery. Also wondered if he might decide to skewer one of the tourist out taking pictures!
Kavoom
Explorer
Jul 28, 2018
CA Traveler wrote:
Our biggest "bear jam" was a buffy sleeping on "his" road. We stayed in the car enjoying the scenery. Also wondered if he might decide to skewer one of the tourist out taking pictures!

You should follow them at 1 mph on a snowy road in January for 30 minutes in the dark on the hilly part out of Mammoth. As you finally inch by one or two they give you a dirty look and you know all they gotta do is swing their head and you gotta call State Farm...

My favorite way of dealing with them is the way they do it in Custer State Park in South Dakota. The ranger comes driving around all the stopped traffic in his pick up and runs right at them stepping on the gas and honking the horn. A couple turned to face him and he just backed up and came at them again, honking his horn and they all got out of the way quickly. They appeared to know the drill was my impression.

I guess the National Park Service is more "respectful.' We were laughing our behinds off in SD. Very efficient and didn't seem to really affect the Buffs except for their dignity.

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