Yellowstone 1st trip

If you go across on I90 you have to see The Corn Palace in Mitchell S.D. and, of course, Wall Drug in Wall S.D.

Wall Drug does have good ice cream but bad parking.

We find that Fishing Bridge is the best base camp area for us. As the "Executive" stated, the park is a big figure 8 and you will spend some time going past the same places, but it can't be helped. You will be stuck unless you're towing a car.

On our last trip, we stayed a week and ended up putting 500 miles on our truck. If you stay at Fishing Bridge, take an evening or two and turn right out of Fishing Bridge and drive about 6-7 miles and there is a great turnout that people gather at in the early evening and watch the animals come out of the woods. We took our dinner a couple of times.

We also toured Grand Tetons from Yellowstone. For us, it was no big deal to drive into Jackson Hole and sightsee. When leaving Jackson Hole and heading back to Yellowstone, you'll reach the first left you can take into the Grand Tetons park, take a right instead. This is a great little loop along a river where you'll likely see Moose and more Bison. There is also an old church and a famous barn with the Tetons in the background.

You can pretty much see Teton Park in a day and even do a few hikes. We did 25% of the Yellowstone figure 8 each day and it worked out well.

Welcome to RV.Net Ultragolfer, It's been awhile since I've been to Yellowstone! I chose to take I-90 to one of the North Entrances. I went I-90 to Livingston, Montana Mile Post #333 (There is a McDonalds right where I turned off.) I traveled about 30 miles and stayed at an RV Park (right hand side of the road) on Hwy. #89 just before the bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River, into the town of Gardiner. We went in mid October all the Fall colors, snowing every night (The NPS road crew had every road plowed before daylight) lots of animals and beautiful scenery. We camped out for a week at the RV Park I described right on the Yellowstone River. And used our tow car to see all the sights all week! Hands down the most beautiful place I ever been to. Lots of Elk bulging and fighting right at the Mammoth Hot Springs C.G. Ranger Station. You will be able to get anything you need in Gardiner, Gas, food etc. Enjoy

Picture Yellowstone as the figure eight. The northern circle has the most animals and the southern circle has mostly geysers including Old Faithful. They will tell you when OF is going to erupt next so you won't miss it. Stay at Grizzly, you won't regret it. If you have kids with you, they will thank you. Shop in town and pack warm clothes..it will be cold at night..leave your rig at the campground and take the car. There's many places that prohibit RVs within the park and you'll miss lots of interesting stuff if you have to stay on the main roads.....Dennis

ULTRAGOLFER wrote:
We are new to the rv life and am going from Michigan to Yellowstone- Grand Tetons right after Labor Day. We have a 34 foot class A and looking for suggestions what to do and not to do in regards to route, campsites and attractions . Our trip will be 2-3 weeks.

Any help would be appreciated

ULTRAGOLFER,
First off, let me say welcome you to the RV World. It's a lot of fun and can be very enlightening. It surely allows for a "Portable" house, in and around this fine country of ours. Now, as for your stay in either one, Yellowstone or, the Grand Tetons, please, please take your time. So many folks have tendency to rocket through both of them. Both have so much to see and take in.

The Tetons are outstandingly majestic. I can't remember all there is to see in them but, do take your time. As for Yellowstone, in order for you to really grasp some of the best landscaping and phenomenal events and sights that park has to offer, you really should take no less than at least two to three days there.

We're the kind that doesn't need full hookups even though we've got an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330 CAT. We really don't like the hook up sights they have there because of the close proximity of each of the campers. In Fishing Bridge, it's really close. Places like Grant Village has/have large pull throughs that accommodate fairly large rigs. We were 60' long with a 34' Bounder and 16' enclosed trailer with a 5' tongue and fit in them very nicely.

But, what I'd kind of recommend is, depending on which park you approach first, say it's the Tetons, take a couple of days there. Then, move to the southern end of Yellowstone and take at least one full day in the southern end towards the middle. Then possibly move to a campground on the Northern end and cover what's available in that end.

Depending on just how much you like to walk, Yellowstone has many small trails and boardwalks to get to the astonishing guysers and phenomenal sights. Those alone will take the best part of a day or more. The eastern entrance, if I recall, has a fairly steep grade so, be prepared for that.

Just outside the western entrance is a small town of West Yellowstone. It has a fantastically well manicured, well taken care of, outstandingly clean, RV park called "Grizzly RV Park" . It's a very short drive to the entrance to the park from this RV park. And that town has some eateries, and some shops for your desire too.

So, hope this info helps some. Good luck and have fun.
Scott

Do you have a tow vehicle? If yes, establish a one or two home bases (suggest North end for animal watching, West side for Geysers and then move to Teton or Jackson for the Tetons)and tour around in the car. If you don't have a tow car, do the same exact thing after you rent a car. You will be severely tested and limited if the only thing you have to get around with is the Motorhome.

Watch for snow fall come September, it can be treacherous.

Oh yeah, it will be cold in Yellowstone, especially at night.You might even get snow going in September. They have a real short summer.

When they tell you to stay away from the animals, please listen. A lady was gored while we were there because she obviously couldn't read and comprehend.

Don't feed them.

This is so funny, my wife and I were just talking about how beautiful that trip was and would like to do it again. After the Grand Canyon.

Made that same trip a few years ago from MI. We took 3 nights to arrive on the 4th day.Came up thru the lower part of Wyoming into the south end of the park and out the west entrance to Grizzly RV Park. Very nice park and full hookups and cement pad. Walking distance to town for restaurants and souvenir shops.Minutes away from the West entrance where you can access the whole park. We stayed 5 day's there. Barely saw everything. Went out the East gate on our way to mount Rushmore. Your out there go see it too.

Absolutely for most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride once out of the tri state area. the change in the landscape is amazing. You keep wanting to pull over to soak it all in.

I arrainged for every nights stay over coming and going. Need no reservations and the travel campgrounds. We did about 6 - 7 hours a day. Never let your tank get below half !! Especially the more west you get. We did it in around 14 days.

Your gonna like it. Make sure your rigs maintenance is up to par, tires, oil change,coolant,trans, etc. When we drove out it was over 100 degrees everyday. The Dodge Ram was working on some of the grades going out to Mount Rushmore. There were some switchbacks I recall.Just went up forever & ever. Truck never went over 40 going up those, pedal to the floor just to keep it rollin.

http://www.grizzlyrv.com/

Hopefully will be a good time to visit - we are planning on being there the same time as you!