Yellowstone 2016 campground experiences

I was concerned too about my three kids being bored or needing things like a pool on the first family trip to Yellowstone. Mine were 5-10 at the time.

Didn't need the 20+ videos packed, etc. Yellowstone was all the entertainment they needed. If you can do without hookups, I highly recommend Madison. Much closer than West Yellowstone (traffic), nicely wooded, and the gentle Madison river is right next to the campground to play next to.

A couple days we came back early just because they wanted time at the campground.

Perhaps its because my kids had grew up tent camping and enjoyed the campground exploration, that they did better?

I don't really think you need a pool for the kids to have a great time. You'll find yourself away from the campsite for 8-12 hours every day anyway. One can swim in a pool many places in the US, but the hot springs, geysers, thermal features and wildlife make for an amazing experience unlike anywhere else.

If you want to take one day to swim, do a search on "Boiling River Swimming Yellowstone". Hike just over a mile into a stretch of the river where you can soak/swim where the cool waters of the river mix with thermal waters. Way more cool than swimming in a pool anyway.

The reason for few pools is probably the short length of the season. Having spent seven weeks in the Yellowstone area in June and July, as we usually do, there are very few daytime hours I'd be in the pool let alone evening temps. The parks for the most part are empty during the day due to the touring and activities available in the park itself.

scottykrug wrote:
This is exactly the information I needed. Thank you. Sounds like we need to break up the trip between several places rather than one all inclusive. We have 10 days to play with and have the ability to mix it up.

Thank you!

Scott,

Let me add to the confusion. Let’s make the TRIP a bigger part of the Vacation experience and not so much the Camp Ground, IMHO. (I say this because I’m still a Kid, at heart) What I see in 10 days – Denver – Yellowstone – Kids – (my minds says the same as you – they will need a Pool (river/stream) and they will need a few days to just Chill).

But……… I also see so much more opportunity in the drive. (You do have to get there and then back to Denver) – so my 10 days --
1. Wind River Canyon (CG on the River just outside Shoshoni)
2. Cody (CG in town, no pool walk down to River, skip rocks and wade) – Buffalo Bill Museum
3. Yellowstone – Old Faithfull - and surrounds
4. Yellowstone Lake – the Falls
5. Hot Springs – a couple of Hikes – some Wild Life then out to the Tetons (other than a day on the Lake/Water the kids will hardly notice those Magnificent Rocks)
6. Jackson – then follow the Snake River toward Alpine, WY to a couple of good
7. CG’s on the River. (Think of this as a pool) Then down to
8. Dinosaur NM (what kid would miss this) Green River, another Pool
9. Then down to the Colorado River (another CG on the water) and
10. Home.

So the negative in this is “You” – spend a lot of time setting up and breaking down the campsite - while the kids get out of the truck and stretch their legs, and get the ants out of their pants. (If you think about it and I’m sure you have, you can get pretty good at this and it will only entail about 30-40 minutes total) This will require a lot of different moves and CG’s but you will be driving somewhere, the difference is you will be pulling the Trailer on some of it.

The POSITIVE is the kids never get bored – they are not so antsy in the truck, as the drives are shorter and the rewards are more often. The only long drives are the first and last day (maybe the drive from Alpine – Snake River CG to Dinosaur but to see real bones they can’t wait)

Sorry I can’t give you more advice on CG’s but I’ve never in 50 years had a CG as a destination, a waypoint, yes, but other than Golden Clear Creek, (Granddaughter live in Superior) I never have really had much of a memory for a CG.

Hope this just gives you a little more to think about – the Kids are going to love the trip, (no matter what you do) -- once after hiking up into Maroon Bells, with the Aspen Golden and the sky as Blue as I‘ve ever seen, I asked the GD’s what they liked the most about the day’s hike “skipping Rocks in the Stream” so I am starting to “Get It”. I understand that this is a hectic pace and not for everyone, (the kids can handle it, actually like it) so it is just a suggestion and if you could add a couple days it would be even more fun.

BOL,

I've been to YNP and the Tetons several times. For medical reasons, I need at least electric and prefer FHU with cable and WIFI. So its the Virginian for the Tetons and Grizzly for Yellowstone. Too much wasted driving time when trying to see both parks from the same CG.
The trick to avoiding the long lines when entering the parks is to enter early in the morning. Most new visitors don't arrive until later in the day, after driving from their last CG. And the parks themselves are less crowded before school is out for the summer or after school starts again in the fall. For the OP, that ship has sailed. You're bringing your kids with you, so expect bigger crowds.
And be sure to visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. There's an admission fee, but it isn't real expensive and its as close as you ever want to be to either animal. Its fun to watch a grizzly test a newly designed bear box, where your food would be safe. They don't use a key. They use a large boulder to break it open. Neatness doesn't count. And the small admission fee is used to ship grizzlies that continue to return to the area to zoos around the country. Ranchers that live in the area really don't want to feed their cattle to the bears, and a slow cow is just too tempting a target.

Since you're taking the kids, my recommendation would be Grizzly RV in West Yellowstone. Close to the park and TONS of stuff for the kids. We had the grandkids with us and as much as they loved Yellowstone and the animals, they couldn't wait to get back to the campground. Check it out!....Dennis

tsetsaf wrote:
I view this is the bible of campgrounds All of them for you to see

Just looked at that. Really lacking in content. I'd suggest looking at RVparkreivews.com instead. Much more content.

Colter Bay Village RV Park in GTNP. You are 5 miles from Jackson Lake Lodge that has an pool you can use.

The Tetons would definitely be in the mix.

This is exactly the information I needed. Thank you. Sounds like we need to break up the trip between several places rather than one all inclusive. We have 10 days to play with and have the ability to mix it up.

Thank you!