Yellowstone area update

[rfloyd99]

We are headed to Grand Teton/Yellowstone from Spearfish, SD on Friday, 8/6. I'm aware this may be the worst time of year to visit, but that's just how it worked out. I've gotten conflicting reports about crowds and campsite availability lately. We have a 27' TT, and can dry camp if necessary. Staying outside the parks is okay.

Has anyone been there lately?

[agesilaus]

As I mentioned above we went to the Bechler entrance this year in July. The road was still in awful condition, 10 miles of washboard and potholes. But the falls are spectacular, the campground was about half full and the skeeters are still there at night and mornings. Cave Falls USFS cg is right on Falls river. The river is wide and covered with rapids at the cg. But I think this area is on our do not return list because of the road in. If you are hikers this is a spot you want to visit, once anyway.



I've wanted to visit this entrance for years. And last year we we at the entrance to the Ashton Tate road starting at the Flagg Ranch there is a small one ranger station out in the parking lot and I asked about the Bechler entrance station and was told that it had been closed for several years. The rangers at Bechler were surprised to hear this....heh

[katleman]

agesilaus wrote:
The road to Bechler is ten miles of extreme washboard BTW but the Cave Falls CG is good and the falls and trails excellent.

While planning our third Yellowstone visit in 2009, looked at the park maps and noticed an entrance we’d never been to, in the SW corner, Bechler. Why not give it a try?

The worst washboard I have ever driven. After a couple miles, considered turning around, giving up. But figured it can’t be this bad the whole way. Yes, it’s that bad all the way.

The scenery is worth it, and Cave Falls CG is right on the river. Did think it was odd that we were the only people at the CG in mid June, until we saw how thick the area was in mosquitoes. Clouds of them, never seen so many, not even in Alaska. Had to bribe my youngest to run out and get the campground registration slip. To this day, it’s the only CG I’ve stayed overnight and did not get out at all to enjoy the site.

Drove up to Cave Falls, ran up to the falls (alone, no other takers) took a couple photos and ran back. Spent the rest of the night swatting mosquitoes let in.

Would like to brave that road again, but NEVER in June.

[agesilaus]

Carabelle boondocking site 15.5 miles north of Gardiner has excellent verizon/visible and my hotspot was good enough for videos. No WiFi of course tho

[bobsallyh]

John Burke. nice without the tour busses. Love Bakers Hole, spent 16 days there over the 4th of July. The old story there is "you snooze you lose"!

[rfloyd99]

OP here. Change in plans, we now have to have a usable internet connection on Monday, so will be going somewhere else for the next few days.

Thanks for the responses, hopefully someone else will benefit.

[John_Burke]

Bakers Hole 3 miles north of West Yellowstone is nice. Some electric and some not. First come first served, if getting there 9-10am you can usually find a spot.
Rainbow point a little father north has first severed and reserve able, some electric and some not. Last 2 miles are rough road but ok if going slow.
I was in Yellowstone 10 days ago. Crowds were about the same as other years Just US residents but still lots more campers because of the virus.
Keep checking the reserve line every few hours and good chance of getting lucky, I did for both Yellowstone and Rainbow Point and got sites at both. People still cancel. I got my site in Madison campground 6 days before we left.
Very few seen to take precautions for the virus seriously, not many mask but where they are required. We were carefully and kept a few feet between us and others. No issues other than I dislike crowds. Wasn't for grand kids wanting to go there I would not go.

[agesilaus]

" general level of crowds within"

We haven't spent much time in Gardiner before but it seemed to be busy when we were there, inside the park to--it is always crowded in the park from June thru October, as I said the crowds did not seem to be any worse than usual. But usual means a mob scene.

Don't know about private cg but the West Yellowstone and Gardiner areas were very busy and we got a 'cg full response' to a request for and overnight spot at a cg 40 miles from West Yellowstone and the very out of the way cg we did find a spot at was almost full.

[rfloyd99]

OP here. Thanks for the responses. Apparently there are several first come, first served NFS campgrounds outside the park. as well as commercial RV parks outside the park. That's what I was looking to find out about, as well as general info about crowds and traffic within the park. I guess I could have been more specific in my question.

I spoke with a friend who was in Y'stone last week who said the park did not seem crowded, although he had no info about RV options.

Any info about the outside the park options or general level of crowds within is still welcome.

Thanks!

[agesilaus]

YNP CG open

8 actually closed 4 open, scroll down that page above. Your chances of finding an open spot are essentially zero.

[JAC1982]

I believe 7 of the campgrounds in Yellowstone are closed right now. Going there in the summer without reservations even in a "normal" year is brave. Going this year is beyond brave... good luck.

[rexlion]

Freecampsites dot net might be a helpful site to look at, if you haven't already done so. When winging it (no reservations), it's good to have a backup alternative or two in mind within easy driving distance.

[Lwiddis]

No reservations for Yellowstone. Going anyway. That’s a strong constitution!

[Thermoguy]

rfloyd99 wrote:
We are headed to Grand Teton/Yellowstone from Spearfish, SD on Friday, 8/6. I'm aware this may be the worst time of year to visit, but that's just how it worked out. I've gotten conflicting reports about crowds and campsite availability lately. We have a 27' TT, and can dry camp if necessary. Staying outside the parks is okay.

Has anyone been there lately?

You don't have reservations? Wow, I would think it would be pretty much mandatory to have reservations at a national park, 6-8 months in advance. We did Yellowstone 4 years ago, started looking in April and the only week we could get reservations was the week of July 4th, everything else was booked up. That was inside the park, I didn't want to deal with the gate every day.

[Two_Hands]

We were there the day before yesterday. I have never seen it so crowded. Every campground was full. We stayed in Gardner, Montana at the Rocky Mountain RV Park. It was excellent.