Yellowstone?

Nomad

May be meeting up with my brother and his wife in Yellowstone shortly. They decided they needed to get out of Dodge for a couple weeks so short notice. I know nothing about traveling/camping in that area at all, have never looked into it.

I can dry camp or boondock. They aren't set up for that yet. But, we don't need to be in the same campground, just general areas.

Any tips, tricks, locations would be greatly appreciated.

jdargis

National Park, August open house, free entry for all, 25th through 28th. Be aware!

RZRBUG

It will be crowded.  You will be lucky to find a vacancy in campgrounds with hookups.  However, I have read that there are cancellations almost every day, so check every day.  Should not have problem finding a spot in primitive campgrounds.  I got a spot at Bridge Bay about mid afternoon - no reservation.  It was full by dark, however.

If you enter through Cody, WY, there is Buffalo Bill State Park just west of town that has some pretty campsites.  Vault toilet and showers in one of the two campgrounds.  Need bug spray.

cbarnhill

Omg. I'm headed to Yellowstone myself in a few weeks. We're doing grand Teton for 3 nights and Yellowstone for 3/4. Most CGs inside the park are first come. The only one with hookups is fishing bridge $50. You can reserve. 3 miles away is bridge bay CG-no hookups but flush toilets, drinking water, dump. Can be reserved. 

Mike_in_Atlanta

We were just at Grand Teton and Yellowstone.  We managed to get a campground spot in Grand Teton at one of the first-come-first served campgrounds by getting in line early (before 8 AM). Since these campgrounds don't allow reservations there will always be a spots opening up as people head home.  We found staying in a National Forest campsite just outside of the park allowed us to get into the park early enough to get in line.  For Yellowstone, we spent a week with family outside West Yellowstone by staying at Henry Lake State Park in Idaho (but check reservation there first)   We ended up doing lots of driving though to see the park.

mike

jcfaber1

My wife and I go there frequently.  We like the campground at Tower falls the best so far.  Tower falls is an easy place to get into Lamar valley where we love to watch the wildlife.  It is up a hill and out of the way of the main crowds yet if you need a bag of ice it is just down the hill.  It is also close to Roosevelt Lodge so if you want to treat yourself to a meal and have a beer on the front porch you can easily do that too.  It also does not have any big rigs and no hookups.  It is a little more out of the way than some of them.  Plan your arrival to any campsite before 10AM as they tend to fill up by mid day.  We have stayed Pebble Creek but is more open and exposed.  Slough Creek can have nasty horse flies as they allow horses in the area.  During the summer of 14 we watched a pack of wolves take a coyote at Slough Creek.  If you can get past the crowds, it can be a fun place.  Do spend an evening enjoying the lodge at old faithful.

Verna

My sister actually got two nights at a campground near Yellowstone Lake (obviously reservable) by checking online and making the reservation as soon as she saw the vacancy. When she came back from Alaska, she stayed at a KOA in West Yellowstone (the larger of the two) and she liked it. 

sabel

PIXLated,
We camp there all of the time. Best place I've found is actually about 25 mile east of the East Entrance at a National Forest Campground called Wapiti. 41 sites, some are reserved and have electric. It's about 28 miles west of Cody on US14.  Get there early and they always seem to have availability.  
Good luck inside the Park.

Nomad

Thanks everyone - Good resource for anyone headed that way.
Brother must have hit a no cell zone so don't have a clue where they are or headed.

jcfaber1

The park is huge so staying outside of it may add a lot of extra driving.  There is little or no cell coverage in the park either.

Roadie_O

We leave in just over a week, and have spots at Henry's Lake in ID. 

Allie

I had a spot with a 13' Scamp at Fishing Bridge a few years ago.  Very nice.  Make sure food is well locked--BEARS.  Staying in Yellowstone saves alot of driving.  It is big enough on the inside.  If you have a chance, sign up for the cowboy dinner.  They take you out in buckboard wagons, do a nice steak dinner, have a feller with a guitar singing cowboy songs.   Have a good time.  it's beautiful there.  Beware of the Buffalo, they hog the road.  Give them all the room they want.

rfuss928

We have visited Yellowstone several times and have probably stayed in all the campgrounds in the park at one time or another.
Fishing Bridge (no fishing allowed!) is nicely central in the park and saves a lot of driving and time.  It is sort of an RV parking lot but we're not at Yellowstone to hang around the campground!   Late in the season you will probably be able to get a site there by arriving before noon.  Canyon Village or Norris are also good locations - better availability but no hook-ups.
Have fun!  There is no other place that compares anywhere in the world
Bob





Fishing Bridge Campground - 2013

ericnliz

Nice shots, Bob!
 Pxl, remember what I told you about the bears, no huckleberries in the pockets, and make a lot of noise. [I carry a walking stick with a whistle] Now the bison are a whole different story. Enjoy Yellowstone, and say hello to Yogi and Booboo! Oh, and be nice to Mr. Ranger 

Nomad

Not going to be doing much hiking - bad knee/hip. Luckily doesn't bother much till I hit the quarter mile. Then I'm done though. Kind of limiting in a lot of nifty places :-(

ericnliz

PXL, I can relate, relate. Bad knee since I was 28, hips, recent, and ouch! Still try to get out and get it done though. Found swimming helps a lot!

Nomad

Cause of mine...Guy fell asleep, missed a curve. Unfortunately I was in the curve. Was headed out on a photoshoot at 4:30 in the morning for sunrise shots. Was a beautiful sunrise, saw it out the medivac windows. Luckily just leg, knee, hip injuries.

Verna

PXLated, could you please date your photo so I won't jump to conclusions??!!!

ericnliz

PXL,OUCH! Mine was a blown hydraulic line on the crane in the back of my truck...1,600 lbs of mining tire in my lap pronto with no warning at all. Lucky I'm still here to tell about it, got all but my right leg out of the way. Put a piece of my thigh bone clear down to my ankle, so, looking at that photo I can really relate. Travel on as best as we can, and keep a good sense of humor to boot!

ericnliz

Verna, I'm pretty sure that photo was a past accident for PXL as I was just chatting with him here not long ago! Thanks for your concern though, you scared me until I went back a looked at the posted times. PXL, speak up buddy!

Verna

Thanks, Eric.....hey @PXLated, give us an update, please. Is this today or the accident a few years ago?

ericnliz

Verna, no problem, and again thanks for your concern. Alright PXL, chime in before we have to do CPR on Verna!

Verna

Is this better, Eric?

ericnliz

Whew, Yup!

jdargis

Verna, that is a 2 dr TJ Wrangler Jeep.  PXL is driving a 4 dr JK. Wrangler now.  Guess it is the picture of his Jeep he was in,  causing his permanent injuries.

ericnliz

jdargis, You're absolutely right. Thanks for chiming in though!

Verna

Yes, you are right!  His is a 4-door now. 

Verna

Lesson to us: if you show an accident picture of your vehicle or a previous one, please date it!

ericnliz

Hard lesson learned, but I agree! Both of us probably should have been a little more careful about the conversation. Thanks Verna!

Nomad

Sorry - was explaining why I don't hike - That was 2008 - Delayed my gypsie adventures 3 years.

Nomad

No cell service, moochin off some remote satellite wifi so probably won't hear much out of me for a bit - I can hear the clapping from here :-)