We're planning our first trip to Yellowstone with the family (4 kids ages 9-16) for the last week of July. We have a 30' TT (hitch to bumper) paired with an Expedition (18'). Looking to settle in a centrally located campground but a call to Xanterra told me Canyon is already booked for our size rig. Madison is still a reservable option, but not as central as we'd like for our base camp.So, I'm considering the following plan. Arrive early on a Tuesday morning from the north to get a spot at Mammoth. Spend a day on the north side of the park. Then try for Norris on a Thursday or Friday early morning. Do you think we can leave our trailer in Mammoth, drive to Norris to get a large enough site (leave wife and kids and a few chairs in new site) and go back to get the trailer? I'd hate to pack up and then spend the day roaming Yellowstone for a campsite. Thoughts? Am I crazy? Or should I take the safe bet and reserve at Madison?

YES!:) Packing up, closing up, loading and hitching up that many times is not my idea of fun, but what do I know:) I am sure you know that you are visiting Yellowstone at the peak of the RV and tourist season. Would not consider the trip without guarantied reservations. IMHO

Here's my $0.02 on the subject.According to the Yellowstone website, Norris has 111 sites, with only two of 50 ft and five of 30 ft. IMO you would be very lucky to have someone leave one of those sites on the day you want to arrive and also be there before someone else gets the site. There could be ten other folks waiting for a site when you arrive and you get skunked.Also, IMO Madison is better located than Norris for the thermal areas of the Park. Norris is pretty much hot springs with a few geysers and IMO much less interesting than the thermal areas south of Madison on down to the Old Faithful area. Lots of geysers and other thermal features at and around Old Faithful.We have stayed at Norris on two occasions, including last year, but we are always there in early June when it's less crowded (we have never been there in July).My suggestion would be to reserve at Madison so there is no worry about getting a place to stay. I also suggest trying for Mammoth for a few days so you can visit the Lamar Valley, which is the most remote road-accessible part of the park. Large herd of Bison there each time we have visited. You can always make a day trip from Madison to the Yellowstone Canyon to see the falls.

You are going to drive from MO to Yellowstone with 4 kids and not have reservations. :H

We were there last year in late June. I would no go back without reservations. You might be able to find something outside the park without reservations. But that's not for me.

We took our truck camper to Yellowstone and Grand Teton in 2014 the week after July 4. We had no reservations, we planned to stay at Lewis Lake and Tower Falls. It worked out but we arrived early in the day, middle of the week and got the last site at Tower Falls. I don't know much about the bigger campgrounds.

Yellowstone in late July with no reservation--Am I crazy?

Powerdude
Explorer
Dec 14, 2015
You can get snow in Yellowstone in July.

Last time I was out there we tent camped, no reservations, and it was freezing cold July 4th weekend. Place was pretty full.

I would not do it in an RV without reservations. Why waste the gas and the trip for a frustrating experience?
jalichty
Explorer
Dec 10, 2015
The Colter Bay Campground does have one loop with about 10-12 electrical hook-up sites, originally set up about three years ago for folks who needed electricity for disabilities like sleep apnea, etc. The reserve a few of them each day for the disabled, but sometimes a person can get in them if they try had enough. We got in one two years ago when camping with our son, his wife and four grandkids without any disability. There are no water or sewer hook-ups at the campground but there are two different dump and water places that are very easy to use. I do think the the Gros Ventre campground electric sites fall under the same situation as Colter Bay. We usually camp at Colter Bay at least three weeks a season, usually one week each in June, July and August.
OutdoorPhotogra
Explorer
Dec 10, 2015
Here is a link that I found quite helpful in planning my trip in 2014. It's a family travel blog. She has mutiple itineraries including if you only have 3 days.

YNP Iteneraries
littlemo
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
I don't understand why some of the folks on the forum think a 30 ft TT and toad is a "large rig". We have stayed in YNP with 34ft 5er and 1 ton dodge dually and did not have any problems.

I would probably go ahead and get reservation at Madison or one of the CGs for a couple of days and visit the areas near there while scoping out what part we wanted to see next then get reservations at another area.

DO NOT try to stay outside the park as it is a Long, long drive into the park to whatever area you are seeing that day. Some people will tell you that the Northwest entrance from West Yellowstone is just a short distance and they are correct, but that is just the Entrance. It is not close to the attractions.

I would not pull the trailer somewhere and leave the wife and kids somewhere else. You have no idea how big YNP is and it would take you at least half a day to do that. What a waste of great sightseeing time.

Anyway, have a great time!
bikendan
Explorer
Dec 09, 2015
enblethen wrote:
Looking at home page photo they have electric, sewer and water.Colter bay

that's the RV Park, not the regular campground, which has no hookups.
donkeydew
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
glad you found your "sanity " enjoy your trip
richardcoxid
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
The Colter Bay RV PARK has full hookups and takes reservations.

The Colter Bay CAMP GROUND is dry camping with NO hookups and no reservations.

Enterances are about across the street from each other.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 08, 2015
Looking at home page photo they have electric, sewer and water.Colter bay
bikendan
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
CloudDriver wrote:
Don't know whether the Colter Bay Campground has an electric loop as we have only stayed there a few times. If you need FHU, Colter Bay RV Park is the best choice, but you need to reserve ahead.

Unless there has been some changes, Colter Bay camground has no electric loop. It's all no hookups.
They do have some "No Generators Allowed" loops.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Dec 08, 2015
X2 on the Ponderosa Campground for Cody. It's within walking distance of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, about 5-6 blocks. As a heads up, the last time we stayed at the Pondersoa, they didn't take credit cards, just cash and checks.
There are two other private campgrounds several miles away on the east side of town and Buffalo Bill State Park campground on the reservoir about 5-7 miles west of town. Stock up at the WalMart on the west side of town before heading for the higher prices and less selection in Yellowstone.

Another X2 for the Gros Ventre Campground, our favorite for the Tetons. In addition to the water & dump at the entrance, there is now one loop with electric hookups. Don't know whether the Colter Bay Campground has an electric loop as we have only stayed there a few times. If you need FHU, Colter Bay RV Park is the best choice, but you need to reserve ahead.

If you need to restock while in the Tetons, there are two full size supermarkets at the southern end of Jackson, an Albertsons on the left and a Smiths on the right a mile or so further south.