Please Suggest! Yellowstone...

[3mtnlabbie]

My family is planning to leave in about two weeks to head to Yellowstone from Colorado.
Please give us suggestions on:

1. What to do
2. Where to stay
3. What to expect
4. How long to stay
5. Supplies we will need

Thanks a bunch in advance!

[narcodog]

I try to buy my supplies in Jackson before hitting the YNP much cheaper. Smith grocery has good prices and has a deal on gas if you get a rewards card. The gas in West is not cheap, usually 25 cents more per gallon than anywhere else. Island Park, Ennis, Gardener and Big Sky all have lower prices.

[scottandgaye]

We go every year with a 34' fifth wheel. We make reservations at Madison the year before, but then move to the first come, first serve sites at Norris campground. Madison refunds our unused nights.

That being said, during mid-week, Norris will fill up by mid-morning on most days. We have friends who are camp hosts at Indian Creek and that campground usually fills after Norris. BUT, it does not allow generators AND the new rule this year is that your entire vehicle length (tow vehicle and camper) must be less than 35'. But it is a quiet campground, closer to Mammoth and then from there on to the Roosevelt junction and the Lamar valley. It is however, a bit far from the thermal features south. Maybe 45-60 minutes to Old Faithful from there.

Hope this helps.

Scott

[Dick_B]

Did you search this Forum for Yellowstone? Lots of previous posts. Search the results for `campgrounds' or `tours' or `activities' or `hiking' etc.
We stayed at Grizzly in West Yellowstone.

[Drbolasky]

I'll second what kknowlton said about supplies - take LOTS of your own food, etc. and stock up that pantry before you get into the park. Even basic groceries in the YNP "trading posts" are very expensive and you'll not find much in the way of variety of brands and/or sizes.

Fuel - there's nothing you can do about that. We traveled over 300 miles within the park in just three days so you'll need to gas up in YNP. Grin & bear it.

Clothing - layering - yes. The weather in very changeable throughout the day. On our second day we went from bright sunshine to hailstorm. It gets cold at night, even in July. Be sure you have warm clothing, blankets for the beds and your LP supply is sufficient.

What to do? I think the better question is deciding what you have time for and what you'll have to put off for a future visit! The famous attractions are a must - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful. We rented a motorboat and went out on the lake for a couple of hours. Cost was reasonable (in 2004 dollars, $37 an hour) and we had a blast.

There are thousands of geysers, hot springs, and the like. Ones that stand out in my mind are Artists' Paint Pots, Mud Volcano, Dragon's Mouth Spring. Enjoy & safe travels.

[CORNFED__5-0_]

We got spots at the Red Rock RV / Campground in Island Park by Henry Lake. Very nice ( arrived today) and is about 25 min from the west gate. Now we are YS veterans and wanted something new. We have stained in the park and in West Yellowstone at the KOA and the Grizzly..... It is best to stay in the park if you can because it will save you a few hours of driving every day. Just to get in and out of the park. Fishing Bridge is full hook-ups but hard side trailers only.

We always carry a propane grill so we can pull over any place we like and tail gate. The food in the park is expensive crummy and the places are crowded..... Cook a burger or dog roadside and look for things others drive past.

Take a chill-pill, you will need it. People will stop any place they see an animal and you will too...

Google Yellowstone and go to the site that has NPS in the web address. It will have a plan your trip section. Click it and it will take you to the reservation page. You can see what is open or call for cancellations.

Enjoy the park, we do.
JMHO

[danager]

I returned form Yellowstone last week. I planned this nearly 5 months in advance. We did speak with several people who were able to find accommodations for one or two nights, mid week, with little notice. We drove from Mt Rushmore to West Yellowstone. It is the best place to stay, if not staying in the park. When I do this trip again, I WILL stay in the park. From our site in West Yellowstone KOA, to the nearest point of interest in the park, was a 30 minute drive. Keep in mind, each subsequent day, the destinations get further away from the origin... The services in West Yellowstone were great. They had all the tourist stuff. I found decent prices on groceries and fuel.

4-5 days is probably what you will want to budget to get to most of the spots throughout the park. We did dinner at Old Faithful Inn, was great! We hiked to most of the "scenic overlooks" to escape the huge crowds that travel in large packs in the middle of the day. Some of the sights have horrible parking or access, we drove by and planned our return for later in the day when the crowds would be smaller. I also gauged the length of our stay based on the interest and energy level of my three kids. They each had their own interests and could only out up with so much driving, parking, hiking, watching steam... The info sessions, movies and exhibits at the various visitor centres are a great way to break up the day. There really is enough variety to cater to most people's wants.

In terms of what to bring, I would pack clothing for three seasons. We had everything from cold temps at higher elevations to impromptu rain/hail storms to 90+ degree heat. Lots of sunscreen is a must! While I found the flying pests to not be an issue at most places, as soon as you are off the beaten path, they find you. I was without bug repellant one day, not again after that though. Be prepared to stop and drive slowly through the park. You hear about it, and can see the videos pasted on Youtube. I can tell you, it is very real. People will park in the road, get out to take a picture.

[kknowlton]

Holy cow, 2 weeks and you don't have reservations already?

Where to stay: With a popup, you have a little more flexibility, as long as you can do without hookups. Nevertheless, at least half of the campgrounds inside Yellowstone take reservations (through Xanterra.com) and are likely to be full. The first-come, first-served campgrounds (check Xanterra for the list) will probably be full by midday. You can stay outside the park - there are some nice national forest/national park campgrounds (no hookups) in the Tetons if you're coming in from the south. If you're coming in from the east (Cody), be aware that Cody itself is a good 2-hour drive (one way) from the Yellowstone Grand Loop road (which is where you need to be). Plan on a minimum of 3 full days in Yellowstone to just skim the highlights; 4 or 5 days better, especially if you want to include the (next-door) Grand Teton National Park. (One entry fee of $25 per vehicle covers both parks for a week. Keep your receipt.) Most convenient place to stay outside the park or if you need hookups is in West Yellowstone, which is, as it sounds, on the west side of the park. Grizzly RV, two different KOAs, some smaller private campgrounds, and Henrys Lake State Park (Idaho) are decent choices. Call ahead NOW to reserve a site. I strongly recommend you check rvparkreviews.com for information on CGs, and do a search for "Yellowstone" on this site for "what to expect."

Briefly, what to expect - lots of driving, 45 mph or less, beautiful scenery (much milder & less spectacular than Colorado), high altitude (most of the park is 7500 feet or higher), lots of wildlife (especially bison), some of which will be right alongside the road or even on it, none of which is tame. Thermal features (geysers, hot springs, etc.) in many areas of the park, but concentrated in a few areas. Also expect lots of fellow tourists everywhere.

Supplies: bring clothes for layering; bring rain gear - the park has been wet this year & is often cool at night. Cameras & binoculars for sure. Re: food - there are restaurants (pricey), hot dog-burger-ice cream places (not all that cheap) and cafeterias in the park at the major lodging areas (Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake, Mammoth, Grant Village). Yellowstone General Stores often have small grocery stores (very pricey). West Yellowstone has a couple (pricey) small grocery stores. Cody has a Walmart.

What to do: Sightsee. Depending on your family's interests, there are some activities offered in & around the park, such as horseback riding, scenic boat tours, fishing (Wyoming licenses required, but short-term ones are not terribly expensive), hiking. Be sure to check with the rangers before you hike, as there are some restrictions and some very important cautions you will need to know about. There are also other activities outside the park - the Cody rodeo, a brand-new rope climbing/zipline park in West Yellowstone, the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone - lots more. Swimming, TV and Wifi connections are rather limited in the area.