Planning Yellowstone/Teton Trip (from Iowa)

[IA-Outdoors]

We're beginning our plans for next year and we've settled on YNP and possibly Teton NP. Right now thinking 5 days in YNP and 2 days in TNP. Does that sounds about right?

Regarding YNP, looks like Fishing Bridge is the only in-park option at YNP with full hook-ups but curious if there are others adjacent to the park that folks would recommend. We're thinking we'd stay in one campground while at YNP but should we consider splitting time from east/west side of the park? I know some of this also depends on attractions we plan to visit so any input there is appreciate as well.

As far as Teton NP goes, haven't thought that far ahead but I'll have the same concerns (where to camp, attractions).

I know this is a broad post but, again, we are just getting started so if there are resources on YNP or TNP you recommend I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance!

[bstar1952]

We hear that YNP is a little less crowded in mid-September so we're heading out after Labor Day from the San Antonio area. Will stop in the Badlands for 4 days on the way. One neat place we're looking forward to seeing on the way to the Badlands is the original Cabala's in Sydney, Nebraska where we'll do an overnight, that Cabala's has a full hoop-up RV park. Then on to Cody staying @ Absaroka Bay RV for 3 days. Looking forward to touring the world class museums there. Then to Fishing Bridge for 2 days and Rustic Wagon RV in West Yellowstone for 5 days. We'll do a day tour (or 2) down to the Tetons. Not to concerned with the state of Fishing Bridge as we consider any RV park "an adventure" and trust me, we stayed in some real crapholes. Going home via Las Vegas to donate any left over vacation money..... For any of you military folks, Desert Eagle RV at Nellis AFB in Vegas is a very nice park. Anyway to the OP, have fun planning your trip and safe travels. Google Earth is your friend in trip planning.

[allen8106]

We were there this past June/July and stayed at Buffalo Crossing RV Park in West Yellowstone. We drove through the Fishing Bridge campground one day while touring and both exclaimed we would not stay there. It's too jam packed like sardines for our tastes.

[peirek]

We are heading out on Friday. :B 4 nights at Bridge Bay, 4 nights at Madison, and 4 nights at Colter Bay RV. This will be our 5th visit to Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

We have stayed at Fishing Bridge in the past and it is survivable if you need/want full hookups. Much prefer Bridge Bay which is only a short drive away. It did come at the expense of a generator and extra battery but is much quieter and private. Yes there is little time spent at the campground. However, when we do, FB is not terribly desirable for us.

The recent closure of the Yellowstone South Entrance is looking to alter our entrance plans. It may also alter our plans when going from YS to GT, but we will play it by ear.

Yes hit the roads before sun up and beat the crowds for sunrise photos, wildlife, and hiking opportunities.

[Army11Bravo]

Colter Bay has two camping areas. The RV Park with full hookups and the village campground that is more primitive. Both good choices depending on your needed amenities.

We were just at the St. Mary KOA and yes, it is a little tight. But I wouldn't consider it the same as Fishing Bridge. We stayed at Fishing Bridge knowing it was close quarters because we like to have full hookups dispersed between our boondocking campsites, and it was a great place for laundry and public showers.

[wjlapier]

I'm glad someone posted this. We too are going to Yellowstone and the Tetons, but by way of Glacier National Park. We aways stay at the St Mary KOA near GNP, so we have an idea of the layout of the campgrounds and know which site we prefer to request--the KOA is great about granting the site you want if ti's available.

My question for those who have stayed at the Grizzly RV campgrounds, are you as fortunate to request a site and get it if you reserve early enough? Any suggestions on campsite you like and why? Looking at Google map I see many great possibilities so maybe just roll the dice and see what we get? Pulling a 30' TT with long bed 1 ton--if that means anything.

same for Colter Bay.

FWIW, some would say the St Mary KOA is like a parking lot. We don't mind the close quarters though, but think we will pass on the Fishing Bridge campgrounds since it looks even tighter and I don't mind the drive in and out of the park--do it all the time in Glacier.

[DeanRIowa]

Last year from Iowa, we did Black hills Area(4 days), Yellowstone(7 days), Grand Tetons(2 days), and Thermopolis(2 days).

We did 7 days at Fishing Bridge and I really enjoyed not having to drive in and out of the park daily, and it was very empty in the park till about 9:00 am, so it was great alone time. However if I had to do it over again I would probably do 5 days at Fishing Bridge and 2 days in West Yellowstone. 2 days in West Yellowstone would have allowed for easier access to some places on the West side of Yellowstone, and after 5 days at Fishing Bridge, we needed to do some shopping in West Yellowstone anyway.

Dean

[dodge_guy]

I agree with all the above. Next summer will be my first time. Figured time spent seeing/doing things rather than driving more is time well spent. I did some research and the time from west Yellowstone to the falls was near an hour on a map. It would likely be longer with summer traffic! Now I can plan 1 day for each of the 3 loops and we'll see the last loop on our way to the Tetons. Like I said its my first time, so this makes sense to me right now, but next year I will really be able to tell how well my thought process is.

Either way it will be a great trip and I can't wait to do it!

[Gsetter]

The drive times in Yellowstone are very long. I would be kicking myself if I came in from the east and passed FIshing Bridge to trudge all the way to West Yellowstone to camp at Grizzley with only 4 days to spend. Towing the TT around will be difficult so stopping sooner rather then later would be a benefit. If you can take more time then absolutely travel to Grizzly and commute to the park each day, so you have a 30 minute drive to the loop, its lovely scenery. Also, a park about 30 minutes north of Gardiner is very nice Yellowstone Edge. Great scenery right from camp. Unlike many I have taken longer trips to Yellowstone and prefer a nice camp and spend time there. If I had a smaller rig I would stay in the park at places like Madison and Canyon and just boondock. Yellowstone is a fabulous place.

[dodge_guy]

Rangerman40 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
Fishing Bridge can't be called a parking lot with all the surrounding trees. We've seen a lot worse in private parks.

Dubois and the Cody area is really too far out to do a relaxed trip to the parks. But that's just us.

http://www.yellowstone.co/maps/fishingbridge.htm

http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/fishing-bridge-rv-park/

I agree completely. Dubois is almost an hour from Grand Teton, and Cody is an hour to The East entrance of Yellowstone, but 2hrs to the loop.

Fishing bridge is tight. I could touch my slide and my neighbors slide without fully extending my arms.... And my truck was 3 feet from my steps. But it really doesn't matter because you are gone for so much of the day your camper is really just a place to sleep when you are in Yellowstone.

Yep, that is why I chose FB. That would be like going to Disney World and sitting at the campsite all day.

[Rangerman40]

2gypsies wrote:
Fishing Bridge can't be called a parking lot with all the surrounding trees. We've seen a lot worse in private parks.

Dubois and the Cody area is really too far out to do a relaxed trip to the parks. But that's just us.

http://www.yellowstone.co/maps/fishingbridge.htm

http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/fishing-bridge-rv-park/

I agree completely. Dubois is almost an hour from Grand Teton, and Cody is an hour to The East entrance of Yellowstone, but 2hrs to the loop.

Fishing bridge is tight. I could touch my slide and my neighbors slide without fully extending my arms.... And my truck was 3 feet from my steps. But it really doesn't matter because you are gone for so much of the day your camper is really just a place to sleep when you are in Yellowstone.

[2gypsies1]

Fishing Bridge can't be called a parking lot with all the surrounding trees. We've seen a lot worse in private parks.

Dubois and the Cody area is really too far out to do a relaxed trip to the parks. But that's just us.

http://www.yellowstone.co/maps/fishingbridge.htm

http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/fishing-bridge-rv-park/

[Rangerman40]

We did this trip in July with a few differences. First of all you will be driving right past the Rapid City/ Custer State Park/ Black Hills area which I think is a must see. It was arguably my most favorite part of the trip. We stayed at Fishing Bridge for 4 days and that was just enough time to drive the "figure 8" and hit all of the high points.... Zero hiking. Keep in mind from the east entrance to Fishing Bridge is 53 miles.... You most definitely want to stay in the park or you will be driving a ton more than you are already going to. If I had to do it again I'd stay at Fishing Bridge for a few days to explore the lower loop and then move up toward Mammoth Springs/Gardenier for the top loop. It takes forever to drive around the park with a max speed limit of 45mph. Colter Bay is where you want to stay in the Grand Tetons. It's literally a 2min walk to Jackson Lake, and very convenient to everything else. We stayed for two nights there and if I didn't have to go back to work I would have stayed for a couple more.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

Another option would be to go to The Tetons first. We loved the KOA in Dubois WY (neat small town). You could then backtrack to US 20 up through Thermopolis to Greybull then over to Cody WY. If you don't want to drive to Dubois, there is a campground in Riverton and you can drive to the Tetons from there. We stayed at the Yellowstone Valley Inn between Cody and the East Entrance to YNP. Not fancy but full hookups. Easy drive to YNP. You can also drive back into Cody to visit the Buffalo Bill Museum. There are also state parks between Cody and the East Entrance to YNP. Limited full hookups but beautiful parks.

[Bumpyroad]

Army11Bravo wrote:
.

Camping inside the parks has the advantage of time. When we have camped in West Yellowstone, it took an extra 30-45 minutes just to get into the inner roads to start our day and tacked on 30-45 minutes to get home to our campsite at night. We prefer to be in the action inside the parks.

yep, just read that post from the person who got tired of driving who stayed in west yellowstone. out of curiosity did a google earth of the trip from wy to the park and it seemed like it would get old quickly. much rather stay in the park itself, but I did not go to Yellowstone for the "camping" experience, I went there to see yellowstone. if I wanted to "camp" I could have saved thousands of miles of travel and gone local. yes, FB is a big parking lot, so what?
bumpy