Yellowstone info

[dryfly]

Planning a 2019 trip to Yellowstone. Due to large area of the park and always crowded conditions, it's a little overwhelming.

First, I'd like to avoid a little of the crowds by going early or late in the season. What would be the earliest or latest time of the summer a trip could be planned without running into bad weather?

Second, which entrance to the park should I start looking at to find a campground with hookups? I'm pulling a 32' fifth wheel so looks like CG's inside the park may be an issue.

Would appreciate your ideas.

[RGar974417]

We went in mid May of 2016.It was a great time.Weather was high 50's,low 60's during the day.At night it dropped down to the high 30's. Crowds were light. We stayed in Madison Campground in the park. It doesn't have hookups but generators were allowed. It saves a lot of time staying in the park.Not everything is open, but there's enough to make to worth while.I would suggest eating at the Inn at Old Faithful. The lobby is something to see.The food is good and prices are reasonable.I would suggest buying books on Yellowstone. That way you would know what to expect.

[dodge_guy]

I hate to say this because I love Yellowstone, but Grand Teton was my favorite. I could’ve spent a week there.

[2gypsies1]

We've stayed many times IN Yellowstone with our 40' motorhome - in the dry campgrounds such as Mammoth (our favorite), Madison and Bridge Bay. We've also stayed at Baker's Hole national forest campground just outside the west entrance.

Here's some good information on all the roads leading into the park:

http://www.rvtechmag.com/travel/4_yellowstonebyrv.php

Definitely go into adjacent Grand Teton Nat'l Park. Both are completely different in looks and things to do. Awesome trails of all abilities. Taking the gentle float trip in the park down the Snake River and you might see a moose in the water with you. We did!

All national parks have an awesome web site with lots of good information on things to do, camping, special alerts, road repairs, etc. Explore the site thoroughly when you're planning. Here is Yellowstone's:

https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm

[Braces]

Don't overlook The Grand Tetons NP. Great scenery and critter watching too. Gros Ventre campground is a large cg with big sites but only about 35 have electric. There is a dump station and water available. The office people there were the most helpful we have experienced anywhere. Also only 15 - 20 minutes to the town of Jackson which is very interesting. Too far from YNP for day trips but GTNP is good for several days itself. Gardiner Mt. is only 5-10 minutes from the north gate of YNP and has a couple of good commercial cgs.

[dryfly]

richardcoxid wrote:
Some general information about YNP (some items apply to GTNP also)

Great information! This kind of info perfect for planning trip.

[ppine]

One of the best things you can do in Yellowstone is pack a dinner that you can have late and stay out past dark to see all the wildlife. I like Lamar Valley because you can usually find some wolves to watch chasing the bison around.

[richardcoxid]

Some general information about YNP (some items apply to GTNP also)

YNP is about 45 miles E/W and about 65 miles N/S (2.2 mil. Acres total). The figure 8 loop road inside the park is about 140 miles around. The lower loop is 96 miles and the upper loop is 70 miles around and yes, it is bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Whatever time that you think you will need to see YNP you better double it, or to say it another way is that you will see one half as much as you planned on in the allotted time. The Bison think that they own the road (they do!) and will slow down the traffic to walking speed or all stop for 1/4 mile or more blocking both directions of travel, the thermal attractions also tie up traffic and with a 5 month long summer tourist season that coincides with a 5 month long road construction season and a 45 MPH radar controlled speed limit it will take about a full day to see each loop and then you will only see the main attractions. In addition to the occasional construction delays they will also sometimes close whole sections of road (for uninterrupted night construction) between 10 PM and 8 AM in the morning, if you are running late and get caught at night in the wrong area it CAN be a LONG way around to your CG! (The entrance stations will have current construction information or go on line to check it out)

Then there is the elevation- YNP ranges from a low at Mammoth- 6239 ft to 7784 ft at Fishing Bridge or higher if you go hiking and there are passes on the grand loop road that are close to 8000 ft or so! Drink plenty of liquids and pace yourself when walking.

I recommend that you get up EARLY, leave the CG and be back by 4 or 6 PM have dinner and be sitting in your recliner drinking a cool one when your neighbor drags himself back to the CG at 8-10 PM. Remember that from mid May to mid July in YNP the sun doesn't set until about 9:30- 9:45 PM then there is a long twilight.

Cell Phone Service- Only at the major visitor centers, otherwise spotty to non-existent!

Clothing- Especially in the early or late season it is not unusual to have a 30 or even the occasional 40 degree temperature change throughout the day. Dress with easily shed layers of clothing. Also dress in bright easily seen clothing. I am sure that we all have been to a sporting event, parade or Disney World etc. and we blink our eyes and our partner/child has disappeared. My DIL was born and raised in HI, you guessed it, every Xmas, b-day or Father's Day I receive a Hawaiian shirt. One of them is shiny black with 4-5 inch dia. bright flowers. Not many of them in Wyoming and in YSNP, that is what I wear. If your partner has on a Violet blouse and a Orange scarf with a Pink hat I guarantee that she will be the only one within the boundaries of either NP. It can save you a few anxious moments.

Water- Now I will have to contradict myself, at the altitude of YNP yes, drink lots of water! HOWEVER, be aware that the flush toilet restrooms are are in the major tourist areas- Mammoth, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, Lake Hotel, Bridge Bay, Grant Village, Old Faithful, Madison Junction etc. The geyser basins and other thermal attractions areas only have pit toilets. I have seen the pit toilet line (2 rest rooms) at the lower Geyser Basin 25 or more feet long (bless the tour buses) So be smart about drinking your water and use the major tourist area R/Rs before leaving the area! I.e. “Never pass up a flush toilet!”

Sun- At YSNP altitude the Sun is intense (uv)have and apply sunscreen, wear that old floppy wide brim sun hat, wear Sunglasses!

If your luck is like mine Old Faithful will have just erupted when you get there and you will have up to a hour and 10 to 15 minutes wait for the next one. Tour tour the O/F Geyser basin while waiting. O/F INN is a must see, reportedly the largest LOG building in the U.S. (Meals in the O/F dinning room are “OK” also.

We have lived about 110 miles from West Yellowstone, MT since 1964, go to YSNP 3-4 times a summer (normally before Memorial Day and after Labor Day) and haven't seen it all yet! So don’t be discouraged that you didn’t have the time to see all of it. Just plan on coming back another time!

I honestly don’t mean to scare or discourage you but to give you a heads up as to what to expect! After all there was 4.1 million visitors in 2015! As far as I know we didn’t lose one of them. Except those who by their own stupidity step off the board walks into BOILING HOT water and ignoring the warnings about the WILD ANIMALS! That is called purifying the gene pool!Early in the summer of 2017 a foreign visitor stepped off a boardwalk into just a few inches of hot water. He walked about 100 yards (according to the newspaper) broke thru the crust and parboiled himself. The park service decided not to try to retrieve the body! Between the temperature of the water and the acidity of it the body would just fall apart when retrieving it, as well as being dangerous to the rangers. Of course a few Bison fall in every winter also.

Note I have seen on this blog and others about folks “day tripping” from YSNP to GTNP, it is done all the time (myself included) however remember this is BIG country and with the speed limits, animals and thermal attractions you will NOT come close to a 60- 65 MPH average. From the West Thumb Area, Grant Village Visitor Center (extreme S/E corner of the lower loop road) to Jackson, WY is about 80 miles with Coulter Bay being about 1/2 way then from Grant Village you have to add the distance to your CG it will be a Long days trip!

A point of Coulter Bay (in GTNP) clarification- there are two (2) CG’s at Coulter Bay, One, the “Coulter Bay RV Park” a full service “RV Park” with FHU’S that takes reservations. The other is the “Coulter Bay Campground “ has no hookups and doesn’t take reservations. Both have about 300 sites and are located basically across the road from each other.

Also in GTNP be sure to see Jenny Lake, the water is swimming pool clear! You almost feel like you are in space when you are on the boat dock and you can see the rental boat shadows on the bottom of the lake!

When in the Jackson area I highly recommend seeing the Bar J Chuckwagon dinner show! If you go, MAKE RESERVATIONS and BE THERE EARLY TO PICK UP YOUR MEAL TICKETS/ TABLE SEATING ASSIGNMENTS! They seat you by when you show up to get your tickets NOT by your reservation number. Tim, their fiddle player has won the "Idaho state old time fiddle contest 7 times and the US open fiddle championship twice". If you decide to go you will sit at picnic type of bench seats/table, they get pretty hard, I recommend that you take along a blanket/pads to sit on. We day trip it there 2-4 times every summer just to see them! Disclaimer- We have no financial or other interest in the Bar J only that it will be the best $$ value for your money for your trip! Check out their website.

http://www.barjchuckwagon.com

Also in Jackson check out the “COWBOY” bar, the bar stools are saddles and check out the # of Silver Dollars imbedded in the bar. The Wort Hotel Bar (just around the corner from the Cowboy Bar) also has Silver Dollars imbedded in the Bar

[ReneeG]

dodge guy wrote:
Coming in from Cody there were a few campgrounds along the river. Looked like a beautiful setting. I believe one of them has electric hookups. I’m sure it’s the same all along the perimeter of the park!

Wapiti is one that has electric sites.

[kedanie]

Fishing Bridge RV Park is the only campground inside Yellowstone that has hookups. Unfortunately, Fishing Bridge will be closed for the entire 2019 smmer camping season for a much needed renovation and site improvements.

With the closing of Fishing Bridge, camp sites will be harder to find in 2019. This will take away around 350 camp sites per day. Reservations will be a must and the first come first serve campgrounds will be packed. Not too many options for those who may want to drop in unscheduled. I’m sure the commercial campground operators in West Yellowstone will be delighted as they also will be packed full.

Keith

[dodge_guy]

Coming in from Cody there were a few campgrounds along the river. Looked like a beautiful setting. I believe one of them has electric hookups. I’m sure it’s the same all along the perimeter of the park!

[NEOK]

We stayed at the west Yellowstone KOA night before last (9/5/18). It's a very large park with a part of site sizes only about 6 or 7 miles from the West entrance to Yellowstone. This would be a very convenient place to stay and make trips into the park. Yellowstone was still crowded but I'm sure not as bad as it would be in the summer.

[ReneeG]

dryfly wrote:
Thank you for the suggestions. I especially appreciate the recommendations for camp grounds. It looks like many of the CG's in the park and surrounding NCG's or FS are first come only. This makes it tough if you are driving a long distance and not sure of getting a site.

I think I'm going to try for the first week of Sept next year. Based on what I've read the crowds may be a little smaller, but I guess it's going to be crowded anytime except winter.

Yes, the FS CG's are FCFS - so what we've done and we've never been disappointed, we book a spot at Grizzly RV, then the next morning, we drive over to Baker's Hole FS CG (our favorite), leaving our FW at Grizzly, drive around, find a spot, pay for it, put a tag on it, then drive back to Grizzly, get our FW, and back to the CG. We first go to the host and find out from them which sites will be clearing that morning. Of course, the hosts tell us, but with the note that they can renew last minute.

[Jayco-noslide]

Worked at YNP 3 summers near the north Gardiner entrance at Mammoth area. Any day of the year can be long sleaves or a dusting of snow because most of the Park is around 8000 ft. I don't think I would go much before June unless you like jackets. Unfortunately that's too late to beat school getting out. We worked into Oct. and never had snow at our campsite in Gardiner but that's lower than most of the Park. Also, some places will close for the season during Oct. We've found recently that a lot of people go during Fall. I would just go when you prefer, plan, reserve and don't worry about crowds. Maybe you know there is only 1 campground within the Park with any hook-ups; Fishing Bridge(expensive and very busy) but some are so great it's worth dry camping. Gardiner has 2 private campgrounds, West Yellowstone and Cody also. All expensive but with hook-ups.

[rvshrinker]

We camped at fishing bridge and liked that we saved so much driving time every day. Sites are tight and not scenic but convenience was great.