Different question about Yellowstone

[ddndoug]

I haven't seen this one asked yet...

For the veterans of Yellowstone,... Would you feel comfortable taking a Jeep with a soft top into the park for sightseeing? What about no top?

Doug

[Horsedoc]

StarkNaked nailed it. Watched ravens unload a couple's picnic supplies while the guy and lady walked down to the river. It was as if these things were watching for the couple to move and they moved in. Pulled stuff out on the table and even opened containers that were in the basket. Thugs apparently had a lookout, because they flew off before the couple got back from the river. These things are pretty smart for sure.

[TheAmRheins]

StarkNaked wrote:
The ravens are smart enough to open backpacks and will ransack anything they can open. Once again, no food left in the vehicle, even while you're just out walking the boardwalks.

Agree with this! We watched a couple of ravens unzip duffle bags in the back of a pickup while in Yellowstone. They flew off with the snacks they found inside. Our ranger guide said it happens all the time.

[kcmoedoe]

Funny, no one has mentioned Yellowstone's most vicious creature, the Culicidae. For the non-PHDs and Google Challenged, that is the mosquito. One of the funniest scenes I have personally encountered in Yellowstone was being behind a Jeep when stuck in a Buffalo Jam. It was in the perfect spot, a low, wet area on a calm day. You could see the black cloud descending upon us all. For me, a simple push on the power window buttons prevented the inevitable draining of all my bodily fluids. For the Jeep, not so much. They were apparently very ill-prepared and were tearing apart that jeep looking for anything to cover their exposed flesh. (I though about tossing them a can of OFF, but hey, Mosquitos got to eat too. Circle of Life and all)

[Ski_Pro_3]

Ravens are the biggest problem with critters. I've ridden motorcycles in Yellowstone on several occasions and they have stolen everything from my gloves to the key right out of the ignition while I was removing my helmet!

I did have some excitement with a buffalo when the traffic was stopped and the big boy decided to cross right where I was. (Guess he didn't see me or something) This guy decided the traffic was took thick and came right at me to cross the road. Other cars and RV's too packed nose-to-tail to get through. I couldn't move fast enough, so I just froze there. Some kid in an RV in front of me, sticking his head out the window, took a photo. Wish I could get a copy of that!



While rain can be an issue, it's usually short lived and easy to duck under a tree and just enjoy being in Yellowstone!! (Here I am watching some elk on the other side of the Yellowstone River as DW and I wait for the rain shower to pass)

[StarkNaked]

The ravens are smart enough to open backpacks and will ransack anything they can open. Once again, no food left in the vehicle, even while you're just out walking the boardwalks.

[ddndoug]

jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

The question was pertaining more to animals while sightseeing, but also with the thought of parking it during the evening. We have reservations at Fishing Bridge, and from what I understand no soft sided RVs are allowed due to bear activity.

All of the comments and suggestions about food wrappers and coolers left in the Jeep are all welcome and make plenty of sense.

Doug

[Trackrig]

ddndoug wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. They are all in line with what I was thinking, but not having been there before I didn't want to do anything to put my family in danger.

Trackrig - What time of the year were you there?

Doug

We were mid May last year. In lots of places on the southern end you couldn't see over the snow banks from the jeep. If you wanted a picture of the rivers in the canyons, you had to park and climb up the snowbank.

Bill

[jason4598]

We went last July. We experienced a hail storm, we would not have enjoyed being topless.

[wing_zealot]

Since bison traffic jams are very common, I think this could end up with a bison getting very up close and personal.

[johntank]

jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

This, I have ridden my MC in Yellowstone many times with the weather (rain) the only down side of the day.

Have fun and enjoy Yellowstone topless.

[2gypsies1]

Driving through would be no problem. Parking it overnight? Well...we were in the Smokie Mtns. with a convertible and the next morning we had bear prints over the top of it. Luckily, it must have been a small black bear.

[dewey02]

Matt_Colie wrote:
We were there late last summer. I had hoped to drag an aged Tracker out there, but it didn't want to go. If I had had it, I would have put the top down and driven all over the park. The only thing you would have to be careful about is leaving anything like food in it. Fishing Bridge does not allow soft campers. We saw elk and bison up close. (Got stuck in two bison jams.) Also saw wolves, but not up close and did not see any bears at all.

Drag the Jeep.

Matt

To the OP: No need to be worried about wolves.
Wolf-human attacks are almost non-existant. Something like 3 in 50 years.
I live in N. Minnesota. Lots of wolves here (more than anywhereelse in lower 48) and no-one is afraid to go out in the woods because of wolves. If you are talking about a soft top vehicle, you clearly will not be going into the back country with it. Just follow the parks rules and as others have warned about food, and you will be fine.

[toedtoes]

Bionic Man wrote:
I think a convertible would be close to ideal for Yellowstone. Keep food out of your car, and you are likely fine. That should be your rule even if you take a hard top. I have seen bears get into regular cars when they smell food.

Bears also will get into cars if they SEE a cooler. They've learned that coolers contain food. So make sure any cooler used during a day drive is moved out of the jeep at night.

[jmtandem]

Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???