Pulling 5th wheel through Yellowstone

[rgstarnes]

I am visiting Yellowstone this month and wanted to know if pulling a 39 ft 5th wheel was OK on HWY 14/16 (on the East side) through the park up to Gardiner, rather than going around the North on I-90?
I am staying outside Yellowstone in Gardiner and then West Yellowstone for a week at each.

[Ron_Nielson]

No problem at all. Just did that a year ago in the opposite direction.

[rgstarnes]

We have made it to Buffalo, Wy, and will be leaving here in two days headed for Gardiner. We are not going to go through Cody and the East Entrance. Since we will be in Yellowstone for two weeks, we will do day trips out.
We will leave the Tetons and head for Denver. has anyone driven to Rawlins on 26 and 287 from Coulter Village. Would like to know how the roads are there for pulling a 39 ft 5er.

[RAS43]

rgstarnes wrote:
The question I would have for the 212 section is availability of diesel fuel stops that I can get the truck and unit into to fuel? will stop halve way on that trip and make it a two day drive from Wall to Gardiner also.

That is about a 200 mile stretch with a couple of small towns that have small fuel stations if at all.

[WrightOn]

As a first time "mountaineer," I had no problem making the trek from Buffalo to Cody. We stayed a couple days at Cody and took in the rodeo (a must!) and drove the Chief Hwy and Bear Tooth (without 5'er). Stop at the top of the pass for a picnic lunch overlooking a tremendous view.

Crossing the Big Horns wasn't a problem for this first timer. All the advice told me to take your time going up and gear down (2nd gear) as you go down. I do not have an exhaust break - another suggestion but one I did not chose to install.

Crossing the Big Horns is a great view. Enjoy the trip! I'd do it again tomorrow if I could.

[sadiesassy]

We just finished a similar trip .
We stayed in West Yellowstone at Grizzleys - on the edge of town. You can dry camp at some of the camp spots.

We were fishign so we were spending more time north of there on the GAllatin. Which if you came in via Bozeman - you follow the river all the way.
I alway hear you never want to be Gardinier and have a repair problem.
Think I would take the east entrance before Gardiner.

When we were there we were in the NOrth east section and the north. SO the north section was under construction and the North east section has some higher passes to go over. More curves.

If you go in through West Yellowstone they have I believe 5 lanes to get in/ pay fees. If you have the Senior pass or prepaid ticket - you can use the far left lane - which moves quicker.

If in Yellowstone and you want to see Old Faithful - check on line for the phone number to call when the next expected eruption is expected vs driving there and finding out it just finished erupting. It was erupting about every 90 Min.

We left and went out the south gate on the Sunday after July 4th. We expected heavy traffic. about 9:00 Am we sailed through the park - most of the traffic went north and we headed south.

FYI - We went through the South Entrance - Think it was about 11:00 Am. The traffic coming from the south ( To get in the park) was a mile long. and not moving much.

We traveled to the Tetons and Jackson. We stayed in Jackson ( Bring your credit card) Nice place . We stayed at the Virginian RV PArk - Clean park. (PLeas note - many GPS units send people about 13 miles away - so make sure yo have the address and/ or use the GPS coordinates. Highwayy 22 I believe is 10% grade over the Tetons.

We went south to Moab ( Arches NAtional Monument) - Which was a blast - we rented a 4WD Jeep and did abunch of back country travel.

We also hit Mesa Verde in Colorado.

Grand Canyon:
There are several options for the South Rim. You could stay in the Grand Canyon Trailer Park. Wall to wall trailers - but it is nice - you are close to the shuttles and trams. So you do not have to drive in the park . Realy nice.

What ever you do - do not stop at the McDonalds in Tuscyon. Think the prices are 3x normal.

You could stay in Williams Az. We have tried two of the RV parks there. Actually liked it better than Grand Canyon - probably because you can eat / drink at many restaurants . Nice town. You are about an hour from GRand Canyon. And even then there is a parking lot that allows you to get on the buses. SO you do not have to drive every where.

North Rim - is about a mile higher in elevation than south rim. Cooler (Open 6 months of the year). . There are RV parks but I do not have experience with them. Will go this fall. I would check on where the RV parks are - We were at Jacobs lake the other day and they had a sign for RV park - Have no idea what it was like.

Options for traveling: 1. You can go in through Kanab Ut from the north or from the east via Lees Ferry ( Which you take 89A north out of Flagstaff. )

Hope this helps.

[rgstarnes]

The question I would have for the 212 section is availability of diesel fuel stops that I can get the truck and unit into to fuel? will stop halve way on that trip and make it a two day drive from Wall to Gardiner also.

[CloudDriver]

rgstarnes wrote:
I looked at the maps, and think the best is to do 212 and then I90 to Livingston, and down to Gardiner. Since we will be there for two weeks, I will then drive the truck around in the park or take the tram and not deal with the construction and/or steep areas while I am pulling the unit. I think it may also keep the wife from having a panic attack as well.
Thanks for all the good advise.
Would still like to get info on the Badlands and Grand canyon also. We are staying at Sleepy Hollow at Wall, and will definitely do the Wall Drug.

You probably already know this, but just before you get to the junction of route 212 and I90 you come to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, an interesting stop.

Most folks do the Badlands as a drive through. There are hiking trails there but it gets very hot in the Summer and there is no shade. Make sure you have adequate water if you do hiking.

When you leave Grand Teton, go south out of Jackson to Alpine, then west to Idaho Falls to pick up I15. Don't take route 22 west out of Jackson - 10% grades and sharp curves over the Teton Pass.

[northmeck0255]

jab764 wrote:
US 212 is Bear Tooth Pass. It is a top ten scenic route for motorcyclists and consists of 82 full turns and 19 switchbacks. Top of the pass is at 10947 feet. Weather conditions can be extreme, it was closed on 7/28/15 due to icy conditions. I rode it last year on my motorcyle at the end of June and there was still 2 feet of snow at the top. Not sure if I would take my 35 foot 5th wheel over it. You might want to Google Bear Tooth Highway. Enjoy Yellowstone, it is beautiful.

Please heed this advice!

[bigdogger]

jab764 wrote:
US 212 is Bear Tooth Pass. It is a top ten scenic route for motorcyclists and consists of 82 full turns and 19 switchbacks. Top of the pass is at 10947 feet. Weather conditions can be extreme, it was closed on 7/28/15 due to icy conditions. I rode it last year on my motorcyle at the end of June and there was still 2 feet of snow at the top. Not sure if I would take my 35 foot 5th wheel over it. You might want to Google Bear Tooth Highway. Enjoy Yellowstone, it is beautiful.

The section of 212 they would be driving is NOT the Beartooth Highway. It is a lonely section of almost straight and flat road from Belle Fourche South Dakota to Garryowen Montana. It travels mostly through Crow and Cheyenne Indian reservation lands. The section known as the Beartooth Highway runs between Cooke City Montana and Red Lodge Montana. That section of Highway 212 is further west than the section they are considering.

[johntank]

CloudDriver wrote:
One additional thought - If you do come in the east entrance, turn right at Fishing Bridge then left at Canyon and right at Norris to go up to Gardiner.

If you go straight at Canyon, you will have a steep climb to Dunraven Pass, then a steep descent with a few sharp curves down to Tower Falls and then on to Mammoth. The road between Tower and Mammoth is narrow in spots with curves and IMO not big rig friendly. Definitely not my wife's favorite road in our 24 ft Class C.

X2

[jab764]

US 212 is Bear Tooth Pass. It is a top ten scenic route for motorcyclists and consists of 82 full turns and 19 switchbacks. Top of the pass is at 10947 feet. Weather conditions can be extreme, it was closed on 7/28/15 due to icy conditions. I rode it last year on my motorcyle at the end of June and there was still 2 feet of snow at the top. Not sure if I would take my 35 foot 5th wheel over it. You might want to Google Bear Tooth Highway. Enjoy Yellowstone, it is beautiful.

[rgstarnes]

I looked at the maps, and think the best is to do 212 and then I90 to Livingston, and down to Gardiner. Since we will be there for two weeks, I will then drive the truck around in the park or take the tram and not deal with the construction and/or steep areas while I am pulling the unit. I think it may also keep the wife from having a panic attack as well.
Thanks for all the good advise.
Would still like to get info on the Badlands and Grand canyon also. We are staying at Sleepy Hollow at Wall, and will definitely do the Wall Drug.

[rgstarnes]

Thanks for all the comments. Will review them in front of a map, and then decide. I guessed that a lot of folks had blazed the trail already this year, and would have good advise.

Again thanks

[TGPILOT]

When I was there a few weeks ago the RV's were going through the construction, just go slow. Grizzle is way to expensive for what you get, try and get in at Bakers Hole three miles North of W. Yellowstone. 33 sites have 50 amp service, other 40 or so are generators. Make sure your holding tanks are empty when you go in and full on water, which you can get at the entrance.

Great campground and a great place to stay.

[northmeck0255]

Yeah, we went "out and around" to avoid Dunraven and Mt Washburn.