Planning Yellowstone/Teton Trip (from Iowa)

Just did a17 day trip from WI to Yellowstone and Tetons. We stayed at rainbow point national forest for 5 days in west Yellowstone. Fishing bridge is a great location but the campground is a parking lot and I do not regret skipping it after seeing it. It took us 30 minutes to get from the campground to the grand loop. If I were to go back I might try to get one of the other campgrounds in the park that are first come first serve and have reservations someplace else as a back up. I also might spend a few days on the north side an move down to the center for a few more. By the end of the trip I was sick of driving around the park and was looking forward to leaving. I might have felt diffrent if we were not driving so much. We spent three days at the Tetons and I could of used one more. We spent a day at sitting bull in the bighorns which was a great spot and drove through wind river which was cool and just happened to be on the way. Also hit the badlands on the way home which is a must stop if you have time. Also on the way out there we camped at Parkside in red lodge and did the bear tooth highway (did not pull the camper through it). Also worth it. We had a 34 foot tt And some of the spots were tight but we were not the only ones. The one thing I would skip is the corn plalace, Koa there was a crummy and the corn palace was lame. Another stop worth mentioning was deadwood we stayed a full day there. One last thing colter bay in the Tetons is the place to stay. The rv park has full hookups.

Stay at Grizzly RV in the town of West Yellowstone, it is very easy to go east, north and south from the campground. Don't waste a half a day moving from one campground to another within the park. Stay at Coulter Bay for the Tetons NP, very centrally located and try to stay at least 3 days there, it is beautiful.

BB_TX wrote:

IA-Outdoors wrote:
I should have noted that we have a 33ft travel trailer so apparently the only campground at YNP with full-hook up won't work since they don't take anything longer than 30ft (truck and camper)

If you look at the reservation site for Fishing Bridge, they have RV sites for 30', 35', and 40' length. Click on the pull down. That is for RV length not including truck. Make your reservations well in advance, especially if you want one of the larger sites.

Yes. I booked a 40ft site back in May for next July. And I booked Colter Bay RV Park in August for late July. You can book up to 11 months in advance at the Tetons.

Still working on where to stay in CO.

when I went to Yellowstone I stayed at Fishing bridge. didn't want to have to stay outside and drive in every day. did the north loop one day, south loop the other, and a day for misc. those showers at FB were the strongest/best I have ever taken.
bumpy

IA-Outdoors wrote:
I should have noted that we have a 33ft travel trailer so apparently the only campground at YNP with full-hook up won't work since they don't take anything longer than 30ft (truck and camper)

If you look at the reservation site for Fishing Bridge, they have RV sites for 30', 35', and 40' length. Click on the pull down. That is for RV length not including truck. Make your reservations well in advance, especially if you want one of the larger sites.

When are you going, & do you really need full hookups? Madison is a nice Campground, but no hookups, there is a VERY nice little CG on the West Side, just north of West Yellowstone, called Bakers Hole, some sites have electric, there is a water fill, but no showers or dump station,both are available in town. If you absolutely must have full hookups, most people swear by Grizzly RV Park in W. Yellowstone.
IF you are going to stay at one CG, be prepared to do some serious driving, Yellowstone is huge.
Your time is subjective 5 days + 2 days, yes that will work, but you will probably wish you had more time, our first time, we spent 9 days in Yellowstone and a day trip down to the Tetons, last year we spent 10 days in Yellowstone and 4 days in the Tetons at Gros Ventre CG, D loop has electric.

We are heading to Yellowstone Next August, 36' MH and a 40'er, We are staying at Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone, It's within several blocks to the Western Yellowstone entrance. I think we are staying 7 days in Yellowstone.

I should have noted that we have a 33ft travel trailer so apparently the only campground at YNP with full-hook up won't work since they don't take anything longer than 30ft (truck and camper)