Sheridan WY to Bilings MT - Yellowstone Park ?

OK folks now that Hubby is thinking about it (the first step to going to Yellowstone), now is mapping out route time.

His immediate response was Cody to Fishing Bridge UNTIL showed him the mountain terrain and the switchbacks .. even with our 3/4 Suburban and a 19 ft. Travel trailer (~5-6k loaded weight) it didn't look inviting.

Now was wondering which North route to West Yellowstone for one night (as then we would go on into Fishing Bridge Campground if can get in there).

Billings MT to Bozeman, turning at Four Corners and going down 191.

or the other options of 84 or 89 ?

We are looking at 7th thru 12th of August (if can get in those days) ..

So good to get all this advice ... and suggestions ... will certain print this out and show Hubby what we can do ... thank you everyone.

If you can't get into Yellowstone campground, we stayed on US16 west to Cody WY (neat town!) and continue 18 miles west to Yellowstone Valley Inn RV Park. Not fancy park but just 30 miles from East Entrance to Yellowstone for day trips. We then went back east on US16 to US310 north to Billings. You can also drive to the Tetons from there.

Only problem with going through Cody is that you have to pull over Sylvan Pass, which is pretty steep and high or go over Chief Joseph Highway which is pretty steep and high. I do believe that you would be going a long ways out of your way if you were to go from Billings to Cody to get into Yellowstone. Colter Bay campground does not take reservations, but the RV park does. Don't know about your needs, but the campground is great for almost any size trailer up to 35-40 feet in some pull-throughs. Your 19 footer will fit just fine. As far as getting, checkout time is 11:00 am so getting there around 9:30 or so works great for finding a spot. I recommend Jackson Lake because we have been going there, almost un-interupted, for 50 years or so. If you do stay around Jackson Lake, take the lake cruise that takes you out and around Elk Island and into the shadow of Mt. Moran, looking almost straight up about 5,000 feet. Jenny Lake is also very beautiful and offers some easy hikes around the lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Whatever you do, don't cut your time short, if possible, and see some of the best features, in Yellowstone, in the country and some of the prettiest and most majestic scenery in the country in Grand Teton.

Yellowstone is easy to get to from Billings. Just take I-90 west to Hwy 191 at Bozeman into West Yellowstone. There are no steep mountains to navigate.

When your ready to go to Grand Teton Nat'l Park (& you definitely should) you can either drive south through Yellowstone into Grand Teton or go back out to West Yellowstone and pick up Hwy 20 in Idaho to Idaho Falls, then take Hwy 26 into Alpine and Hwy 89 north into Jackson and Grand Teton. Again, no big hills.

In the Tetons, Colter Bay and Gros Ventre campgrounds (our favorite) don't take reservations and they rarely fill except on the 3-day holidays. Each one has 300 sites. There is also Colter Bay RV (which is next door to Colter Bay campground). The RV park has full hookups.

In Yellowstone, Fishing Bridge campground has full hookups and all the others are dry camping with water fill and dump stations. Madison campground is very nice and centrally located.

Here is Yellowstone's official park site for camping info, road info and what to do/see:

Yellowstone

....and Grand Teton's official site:

Grand Teton Nat'l Park
Have a great trip!

In the Tetons Colter Bay campground does not take reservations. However Colter Bay RV Park does take reservations. There are only 112 sites in the RV park so reservations should be made now.

Dunraven Pass is the only way to get from the north part of Yellowstone to the south loop, which is where most of the thermal activity is (including Old Faithful) without going thru major road construction; the road from Norris to Mammoth is being literally moved in some spots, so this "surgery" will be going on all season this year, and probably into next year. Dunraven isn't too bad - though I will admit we haven't towed over it. Take it slow & easy and the driver will have to resist the temptation to watch the scenery - and you'll be fine.

Another way to get into the park from Billings is to take I-90 west a short distance to Laurel MT, and take the exit for US 212/310. Follow US 310 south to state route 72, just past Bridger; that road will turn into Wyoming state route 120. Follow that into Cody. No high passes, just rolling countryside, quite scenic but not a difficult drive. From Cody you can drive west into Yellowstone; it's a good 1 1/2 -2 hours from Cody to Fishing Bridge.

Bridge Bay or Canyon are good centrally-located CGs inside Yellowstone. Bear in mind they do not have any hookups. If you need hookups, Fishing Bridge RV Park is your only choice within the park. As previously mentioned, you will need to make reservations as soon as possible - and it's possible they may already be booked up for your timeframe. Alternatives would be to camp between Cody and the park (which will entail quite a bit of extra driving) or on the west side of the park - Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone is good, and close to the park entrance.

From Sheridan to Billings be sure tobtake in Custer battle field.

RoadXYZ wrote:
Would like to avoid the 8K pass within the park which is spoken of in the Yellowstone's Edge RV Park site. Will look further into how to maneuver around within Yellowstone.

The only difficult pass I can think of inside Yellowstone is Dunraven Pass on the east side of the upper loop. Most of Yellowstone is in the 7-8K range anyway, so an 8K pass isn't a climb from sea level by any means.

Coming in the north entrance there is a mile or so of 6-7% grade up to Mammoth Hot Springs and another mile or two of 6-7% to get up to the plateau. From there it's hills, but no steep grades on to Madison and the Old Faithful area.

Yellowstone's Edge RV Park is 35 miles from the north entrance, so you are adding 70 miles of travel each day by staying there. IMO much better to stay in one of the reservation campgrounds inside the Park, or in an RV park in West Yellowstone.

X2 on the suggestion to include Grand Teton while you are so close. Absolutely spectacular! If you go, follow the advice to head south from Jackson to Alpine, then over to Idaho Falls. You do not want to tow over the Teton Pass west of Jackson.

I thought about and checked, Beartooth Pass is nearly 12k feet so that's not it. I remember going through a pass in the north part of the park but I wasn't towing and it didn't bother me. Post more information about the pass and I'm sure someone can tell you more.