Yellowstone
 

Hi,

Was looking for some advice on a 2 week Yellowstone/Grand Teton Trip. My husband and I are planning on taking our trailer and camping for 2 weeks in the above areas. We want to hike, fish, river raft, etc. I am just wondering if there is any place we can stay the whole time and still get to both parks or if we need to move around. My husband does not like to stay 2 days and then have to move and then do it again so I'd like to only move once or twice at the most. Are we better off inside a park or outside? Can we stay a week and then move?

We are planning on either going early June or early Septemeber. Any thoughts on which time is better?

Looking forward to all responses, thanks!

Do you want electrical hook ups? If so, then Fishing Bridge RV is the only campground inside Yellowstone that has hook ups and you will need to reserve a spot as early as possible. The spaces are close together and from what I've seen, more asphalt than woods.

If you don't want electrical hook ups, then there are several campgrounds in the park and you can stay 14 days in one campground. I like Madison Campground because it's located near the geyser areas. You can make reservations at many of the campgrounds inside the park. We've made Madison our base for a week on several different trips with our tent-trailer and travel trailer.

In the motorhome it's so easy to move so we usually stay in more than one location. I'd suggest making at least the one move down to the Grand Tetons. It's kind of a long day's drive back and forth and you won't want to do that to many times.

If you decide to stay at a private campground outside the park, then I'd suggest finding one in West Yellowstone because that's the closest entrance to the park and the geyser areas.

We've been to Yellowstone the first week of June and the park isn't crowded yet and we had perfect weather. The ranger said that most people don't show up until mid-June. I haven't been in September.

Let me know if you have more specific questions about the campgrounds inside the park.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/services/campgrnd.htm

September in Yellowstone? Deserted, relative to spring and summer; the weather is often gorgeous.

Hi Utahtea,

Thanks for the response. I was thinking a week at a campground in West Yellowstone and then a week at Flagg Ranch with is close to GT NP and the south entrance to YS. Should we be able to get to all of the things we want to in those places? We were planning a week in each spot. We want to hike, bike, fish, boat, and river raft so hopefully that will keep us busy. Electricity is not such a big deal as we have a generator but if we are not in a place that has a water and sewer hook up then we will have to move just to empty and refill tanks.

By the way, do you know of any areas close to these parks where you can ride ATV's? Don't have to bring but thought it would be fun if there was anyplace to ride.

Thanks again and look forward to your response.

Heidi

Heidi,

I forgot about dumping...it's been over 10 years since we had a trailer! If we were really careful and took showers at the park then we could last 5 days without having to move the trailer. Other years we did have to hook up and go dump. With the motorhome we move it almost daily so we could just dump as needed.

I've never camped outside the park. I think I'd lean towards one more day at Yellowstone and one less at Grand Tetons because Yellowstone is such a large area and you're going to want to cover it all.

I don't know about ATV rentals, but my gut tells me you're probably not going to find them in the parks.

Utahtea

Hi Utahtea,

I figured if we camped at West Yellowstone we could hit all the things we wanted to in the north and central part of Yellowstone and then when we move South we can do Grand Teton and the southern part of Yellowstone. I don't mind moving but the hubby gets irritated and then that's no fun. I think I found places to ride the ATV's too and if we stay right outside the park that will work better. I am just wondering if these two locations are the best? Also, what are the things at both parks that we must see?

West Yellowstone will be a good base for seeing the Old Faithful area, Norris Geyser Basin, Upper and Lower Geyser Basins, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Roosevelt area and even Tower Falls. If you have time and if it's open, drive the Beartooth Highway (hwy 212 out the northeast entrance). It was closed this year do to mud slides and is suppose to open next year.

From Flagg Ranch you can do the West Thumb area, Yellowstone Lake, Mud Volcano, Hayden Valley and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

I know that on the map, Old Faithful doesn't look that far but it's a real slow drive from Old Faithful to the West Thumb area.

I haven't spent that much time at the Grand Tetons but make sure you ask the rangers where the moose are being spotted and then stay until dusk to see them!

Utahtea

Thanks Utahtea, I think I will go ahead and book camping in West Yellowstone and Flagg Ranch. I appreciate your input!

Hi Utahtea,
Our family is also planning to visit Yellowstone next summer and are renting a house in West Yellowstone for six nights. We definitely want to drive over to the Beartooth Highway (if it's open) and wonder if you know how long a commute it will be from West Yellowstone? It really sounds like a "must see" so I don't mind if it takes the whole day to go and return but wondered if you could give me an idea of how long the drive is over to it, along it and back. Thanks for the input!!

In 2000 when we did the Beartooth Highway we had spent the night in Red Lodge and you won't have to go that far. We made several stops on the Beartooth Highway and even cooked breakfast...we were in our motorhome and had this FANTASTIC VIEW! We stopped at Tower Falls and did a little walking at Mammoth Hot Springs area, camped at Madison but also went into West Yellowstone late afternoon. We only did one way, but driving in the motorhome is a lot slower than a car and you can do some of the other areas like Mammoth on another day. I'd say you could do it.

Utahtea

Be warned!! there is major construction on the Beartooth Hwy this year into next--check out the highway dept. before you go.

If you would like to see the mud slide information on the Beartooth go www.mdt.state.mt.us/travinfo ...under Travel Alerts click on Beartooth Pass...

hklukas

If your DH wants to fire up the ATV's and you feel up to it you may want to stay a night or two in the Cooke City area, 3 miles east there is a nice NFS CG, Soda Butte. Across the road from the CG there are some old loging roads, I have seen several ATV's and other 4WD vehicles using them. Another couple of sites you may want to check out are www.rv.net/forum, www.fs.fed.us and www.recreation.gov ... We have traveled to the Yellowstone area many times and the NE corner and the Lamar Valley is our fav-o-rite part of the park..

Thanks Red Rock, I will definitley check out those web sites. No one has said too much about the weather but I think we have decided on the frst 2 weeks in September. Hopefully the weather will be good.

We have camped in the area in Sept, it can get a little "cool". Have seen the water in the cooler freeze. One good point, the crowds will not be there.