GTNP & Yellowstone NP Camping

[kd9877]

Would it be beneficial to camp inbetween these parks in order to see them both and only relocate once?

[moparman06]

By al means stay at each NP. It will save you a lot of driving and time you could be enjoying the parks.

[Itching2go]

jkjenn wrote:
I spent several days at Madison last year and then moved down for several days at GTNP. I would suggest splitting it between parks at the very least. I would consider splitting your time between the east and west sides or north and south sides if you plan to stay for more than 3 days.

X2. In our case last summer, it was four nights at Colter Bay (Grand Tetons), 3 nights at Madison (Yellowstone), and another 2 nights at Fishing Bridge (also Yellowstone). We're not a big fan of Fishing Bridge as the sites are quite close with no picnic tables or fire rings, but it is a good base for the east side of the park. This arrangement worked very well for us.

[jkjenn]

I spent several days at Madison last year and then moved down for several days at GTNP. I would suggest splitting it between parks at the very least. I would consider splitting your time between the east and west sides or north and south sides if you plan to stay for more than 3 days.

[4runnerguy]

vjoek wrote:
We were in a tent trailer back then and options on campgrounds were linmited because of the soft sides. With our current rig...not so much.

:h

The only limitation on tent trailers, tents, and other soft sides is Fishing Bridge, which only allows hard sides but also has FHU. Otherwise, every CG is open to all.

[vjoek]

We've done Yellowstone twice and still need to go back, because we didn't see it all. Next time I want to spend a week in Grand Teton and two weeks in Yellowstone. We were in a tent trailer back then and options on campgrounds were linmited because of the soft sides. With our current rig...not so much.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

We were in GTNP & YNP for 10 days in 2007. We stayed at a campground in West Yellowstone for 3 nights, Colter Bay 3 nights, and Bridge Bay 4 nights. That way we could see the west and north side of YNP, the east and south side of YNP, and some of GTNP. My only regret is that would couldn't stay longer. YNP is the size of Rhode Island and you can't get anywhere fast. We sat in one bison jam for over an hour. And we nearly had a head-on collision with a bison bull one night as we drove back from Canyon. If I hadn't caught the brief red flash of his eyes in the headlights, DH would have driven right into him. We immediately stopped as we didn't know exactly what we saw, but we know it wasn't normal. In a minute or so this big behemoth walked past within 6 inches of our car. It was like having the Titanic pass you.

Even with staying in 3 different places, it was a lot of driving. We are not hikers, due to mobility issues, but we visited a LOT of thermals and saw a lot of animals. We took picnics to several picnic areas and put our feet in the Yellowstone River. The best thing we did was at Old Faithful. We got there about 20 min after it erupted, so it was going to be about an hour until it erupted again. We took the kids over to the Inn and got some ice cream cones. We took them up to the second floor deck, which overlooks the thermal area, and broke out the playing cards. Before we knew it, an hour had passed and Old Faithful let 'er rip. Best seats in the house!

[jalichty]

I think it depends on your priorities. We use Colter Bay campground, not the RV park, and dry camp. We then spend most of our time fishing on Jackson Lake, right next to Colter Bay campground. When we want, we get in the car and sightsee both Grand Teton and Yellowstone. It's about 45 miles, one hour, from Colter Bay to the south entrance to Yellowstone and there is a lot of scenery on the way there. Once there, there is a lot of scenery going to the loop you want to see that day. We generally go around Yellowstone Lake and up to Canyon then over to Norris, down to Old Faithful and back to the FW. We usually get up pretty early, 6:00 or so, have breakfast, make lunch and then we go. After doing the lower loop, we get back to the FW around 6:00 or a little later for a late dinner, remember it doesn't get dark until after 8:00 pm or later during the spring and summer. Then, if we want to do the tour again, we do the same thing, bypass as much as possible the lower loop and go to Norris, Mammoth and back over Dunraven and back to the FW. I'n not saying this is ideal for seeing either park, but that's basically what we do, and have done for over 20 years of taking our FW to Grant Teton. By the way, sightseeing around Grand Teton is terrific as well, especially early in the morning and later in the day. Also take the Moose/Wilson road to see the latest addition to the Park, Laurence Rockefeller Reserve, which has a nice visitor center and a great little hike to the old family compound at Phelps Lake. They have taken it back to nature, removing over 30 buildings and it is very hard to see any evidence the buildings were there. Grant Teton is a lot easier to sightsee in with fewer people and less mileage to see most of it.

[Norskeman]

We did both last summer - Just too far to drive between the two. We stayed just outside the North entrance to Yellowstone and then drove up near the west entrance to Glacier. We drove 431 miles to get from Gardiner to Hungry Horse.
FROM:
Rocky Mountain RV Park & Lodging, LLC
14 Jardine Road
Gardiner, Montana 59030
TO:
Mountain Meadow RV Park & Cabins
Hungry Horse, Montana

[TenOC]

rv2go wrote:
I don't think so.
That would entail a lot of time spent traveling.
This pass Summer we spent a week at Gros Ventre Campground in the Tetons.
At Yellowstone, we spent a week at Madison(centrally located) and a week at Mammoth located at the North entrance.
Yellowstone is a huge figure 8. Just take a look at a map.

I agree

[mister_d]

4runnerguy wrote:

RFCN2 wrote:
We spent a week at Colter Bay in Tetons this past summer. A great place. Not a far drive to Yellowstone.

I guess I wouldn't call a 3+ hour round trip to Lower Geyser Basin, 4+ hours to Canyon or Norris Geyser Basin, or 5+ hours to Mammoth a "not far drive".

Unless you want to spend your vacation commuting, get a camp spot in or near each park.

x3

There is soooo much to see in each area that you'd be looking from a car window if you didn't relocate. Check my trip report link for more area info.

[Veebyes]

It never ceases to amaze at how much time & money people are happy to spend commuting at the expense of spending time at the scenic turnouts soaking everything in. Half of them don't even bother get out of their cars to take the short walk for the view that the turnout is all about. We are not trail hikers but we do have the energy to walk 5 or 10 minutes from the vehicle to get the views.

Many are like junior pilots doing touch & go's on a runway. They drive thousands of miles to get there then don't really see much.

Both Yellowstone & Grand Teton are huge. Add traffic & bison jams into time needed to get around & sometimes you wonder if a bicycle would be quicker.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

I'm sure an established base at a full facility RV park is great for folks who've been there several times and have definite plans to go to specific places.

But I've found that if I setup a base camp for an extended period - I end up burning more fuel and miles and dollars on the TV for getting around than the cost of the trip to the area.

I could easily see a first timer spending 2,000 miles or more on the road in a two week trip from one base camp trying to see the two national parks.

[happynow]

4runnerguy wrote:

RFCN2 wrote:
We spent a week at Colter Bay in Tetons this past summer. A great place. Not a far drive to Yellowstone.

I guess I wouldn't call a 3+ hour round trip to Lower Geyser Basin, 4+ hours to Canyon or Norris Geyser Basin, or 5+ hours to Mammoth a "not far drive".

Unless you want to spend your vacation commuting, get a camp spot in or near each park.

X2
Unless you have 3+ weeks to spend in the area and willing to burn time and gas, we recommend you plan to stay in multiple places in/near the Parks. You want to be close enough for the freedom to do what you want when you want. Because we stayed in Yellowstone, we were alerted to a Wolf Mama and 2 pups in the area,drove over to see the Ranger set up...they were gone from view 2 hours later.
We began most days very early, to see roaming wildlife and then great morning light photo's. Then later enjoyed evening and nightfall in each of those Parks. These times produced great memories and photo's.
Enjoy your trip!

[4runnerguy]

RFCN2 wrote:
We spent a week at Colter Bay in Tetons this past summer. A great place. Not a far drive to Yellowstone.

I guess I wouldn't call a 3+ hour round trip to Lower Geyser Basin, 4+ hours to Canyon or Norris Geyser Basin, or 5+ hours to Mammoth a "not far drive".

Unless you want to spend your vacation commuting, get a camp spot in or near each park.