Parking a Truck Camper at a Tent Only space in Yellowstone

[jimh406]

Can I park a Truck Camper at a Tent Only space in Yellowstone? There are some spaces marked as Large Tent Only but with 2 vehicles, for instance.

As far as Yellowstone is concerned is my Truck with Camper a vehicle? 🙂 Has anyone used one these Tent Only spaces in Yellowstone with their Truck with Camper?

[stevenal]

I put the camper on and double checked the registration. Still says passenger vehicle.

[toedtoes]

As soon as you put your TC on your truck it is an RV. You drive into a campground with your truck & TC and you fall under the rules of an RV. If you can get your TC into the campground without a vehicle, then you can argue that it isn't an RV.

As has been said on this thread, some campgrounds will allow TCs and/or other RVs to use tent only campsites. Other campgrounds will not allow TCs and/or other RVs to use tent only campsites. Every campground, camp host, ranger, etc., interprets the rule differently.

[Wanderin_fool]

Looks nice! Thanks for the report. Maybe the camper vs tent will slow down a bit,,, LOL

[stevenal]

Vehicle: a thing used for transporting people or goods, especially on land, such as a car, truck, or cart.

Nope, doesn't fit. My TC has no wheels like a car truck or cart, so it can't possibly be an RV or any other type of vehicle.

I'd sure like to hear of someone actually being thrown out. TC-ing since 89, and never had a problem yet.

[toedtoes]

It's not ReserveAmerica that establishes the definition of "tent only", it's the agency that owns/runs the campground. Some campgrounds will agree with you that a TC can stay in a tent only site - others will toss you out because you're an RV.

[stevenal]

In my experience "tent only" at Reserve America and elsewhere means no hookups, exactly what I want with my TC. Look at the maximum vehicle length to make sure you fit.
To those who say that only means only, I ask: What site do I use if arrive in a in a passenger vehicle and wish to unroll a sleeping bag on the ground, both tent-less and RV-less?

[jimh406]

We just got back, but I thought I'd show you the difference in the three spaces we had. I hope to post a bigger recap later.

Bridge Bay - We liked walking the loops a lot. You can see a tent just off the left of the front. No shade on this one. They call it a pull through, but it's more of a pull off. 🙂



Grants Village - there were some back in spots. That little red spot to the left is one of the tents from our neighbors that had two small tents and two Harleys. No other vehicles.



Fishing Bridge - this is similar to the spots you see along the interstate as you can see. The roads were curiously really potholed. I found it funny that the one with the full hookups and more expensive was in worse shape. Not a problem ... just an observation.

[jason4598]

jimh425 wrote:
Can I park a Truck Camper at a Tent Only space in Yellowstone? There are some spaces marked as Large Tent Only but with 2 vehicles, for instance.

As far as Yellowstone is concerned is my Truck with Camper a vehicle? 🙂 Has anyone used one these Tent Only spaces in Yellowstone with their Truck with Camper?

We did just that last july for 4 nights

It was the only site available when we arrived.

The campground host said it was ok.

We unloaded the camper, the truck just fit with it on the site, if it hadn't we could have parked the truck somewhere else.

[dave17352]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

dave17352 wrote:

Boatycall wrote:
Uhh boy... ok, I did... Twice. Not at YSNP, but here locally at Mt Rainier Nat'l Park. In both cases, the RV parking was full, and my truck/TC easily fit into the parking spot of the first-come first-serve tent area spot I found, so i parked there.

I then proceeded to put up a small 2-person tent I keep with me.

Both occasions, nobody said anything, and in fact, on one of the times I shared coffee with the people next door to me the following morning.

I think if you do/or are able to park in a tent space, respect the peace and quite the tenters came for -- No generator, no roof air, tv, radio, leave outside lights off, etc.

I agree with this.

"Tents only" rules are yet another example of stuff that was just made up for no reason. Can't imagine a Park Ranger actually enforcing such a rule. They have such a reputation for being lenient on rule after rule. And why not run your generator, your television, your roof air and turn on your outside lights? Any prohibition against those activities are just a bunch of rules like the tent only rule and should actively be disregarded.
If people would just take the initiative to take what they want, and not only what some bureaucrat decided they should have, the world would soon be a better place. I mean, why should a tent camper have a site free from motorhomes, fifth wheels and the like. If you can drive your rig in, you should park it wherever the heck you want. And who needs roads, a good 4x4 pickup in low range should get you where you want to go. Also, if you should encounter a fire ban during your stay, just cut down a few trees and light them on up. The park has billions of trees and no one will miss one or two. There is an entire infrastructure built to battle wildfires, so no one can say they don't plan for them. No big deal if one gets started from your campfire.

JEEPERS WESTERN YOUR FUNNY

[billtex]

FWIW; we have camped at many NP’s and SP’s (Yellowstone included) with the TC and have been offered tents sites at times when available. There have been other times that we have made advance registrations on-line and tent sites were the only remaining options. If available we would choose an RV site first, out of courtesy and because they are usually larger. 2 weeks ago at a small NF campground, the large RV sites were all occupied by tenters…and there were plenty of tents sites open! (We nabbed the last remaining RV site).
Outside of walk-in sites, tent sites would include parking for at least one vehicle-which is exactly what the TC is. The truck and TC take up no more parking space than a pickup. We don’t run a genny, and don’t leave outside “scare” lights on. We have camped next to rowdy tenters and quiet RV’ers you didn’t even know were there. And vice versa. The vehicle is no indication of the manners inside! We have offered hot coffee to cold/wet motorcycle travelers in a tent, and cold beer to Foreigners touring in a VW bus. Courtesy with the Ranger at check-in, and with the neighbors, goes a long way. We have never been asked to move from any sent…tent sites included. We try to keep a small/quiet footprint.

[bka0721]

Deb and Ed M wrote:
IMO, if I'm allowed to camp with the tenters, I will try as hard as possible to be "one with their world".

Sage advice.

Jim, when are you heading to Yellowstone? Shoot me a PM, if you would like.

b

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

There's a different "aura" with tent camping, than with RV's in general. It's QUIET (assuming we're talking about outdoorspeople gathered, rather than a Frat Party). You can hear a Loon crying in the distance, mice scampering in the woods, along with a myriad of other forest sounds. There's no slamming doors, TVs/radios, A/Cs, etc.

IMO, if I'm allowed to camp with the tenters, I will try as hard as possible to be "one with their world".

[Buzzcut1]

back in the 70s we were several hundred tent campers strong in upper pines campground in Yosemite along with a smattering of RVs much drinking was had that evening. Quiet hour started at 10pm. It was November and there was snow on the ground. At 2am a Class A fired up his generator waking up everyone. A knock was made on his door and it was explained that quiet hour started at ten and to shut it off. His response was FU we are cold in here. That was relayed in a loud voice to all the other campers along with lets flip him over. The gathering crowd had that A rocking and up on two wheels before the genny was shut off to loud cheers.. the A drove off shortly there after.

Much better to follow the rules and be nice to your neighbors.

[trailgranny50]

Wide range of responses at both extremes and everywhere in the middle. Our theory, with no reservation just pulling up to gate ask for a space, understand that if they say you can park in a tent space one night be thankful, if they are full move on. Start looking earlier, call ahead, plan more carefully. There is the other end of the spectrum where RV campers want to add a tent in an RV space and that doesn't always fly either. We are not big planners so take what we can get, or are willing to take any available if we run out of hoped for options sometimes no matter the reason. Parks and campgrounds aren't responsible for our poor planning or daily issues. We try to treat our hosts as we would like to be treated.