Yellowstone Questions
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Forum Name: Camping Adventures
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4315
Printed Date: 19 May 2024 at 6:10am
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Topic: Yellowstone Questions
Posted By: JKPOD
Subject: Yellowstone Questions
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 5:25pm
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Hello,
New members here. Our hope is to take a 3 week trip out west in Sept to Yellowstone with our little dog. We have never been there before. Can any members weigh in with good our bad reviews of campsites within the park or just outside the park? Or any books or publications to read? We are newbies inour new RP-172.
Thanks!
John & Kathy M. ------------- 2014 R-Pod 172 2007 Ford F-150 |
Replies:
Posted By: geelse
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 7:09pm
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JKPOD,
Visited Yellowstone in July of 13 for a few days. Stayed at koa outside west entrance. Easy in/out and close to park but away from crush. Don't forget your senior pass if you are a senior, big savings. Found the northern routes most pretty and animal sightings. Touch bases if you need more info. ------------- See America First 2013 R-POD 177 HRE 2005 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab George and Linda |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 8:35pm
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We camped in the park when we visited a few years ago and liked all the sites we used. No hookups in the park, and at the time we were camping in a van and didn't need any. I don't recall showers in the park, but there may have been in the major tourist areas. We stopped first at Old Faithful, and it is so built up it was like being in town. I was ready to go. A few miles away we smelled rotten eggs, took a little side road and started seeing some of the most beautiful geothermal elements imaginable. I will go back in a heartbeat. Beautiful sights, lots of critters, and great fishing. What more can you ask for? ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Kokopod
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 8:47pm
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The best way to see Yellowstone is from within. There are a lot of wonderful campgrounds, but many are first-come-first-serve. Making reservations would be best. Going online is the best way to gain information. Plan to pick two or three as your base camp throughout your stay (remember, the park is huge and speed limits slow). If you don't want to rough it, the KOA in Cody is about one hour from the east entrance. It's a beautiful KOA, and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody is a must see (you can easily spend two days just in the museum). There's a KOA right outside of Jackson (about 15 minutes to Jackson and then another hour or more to Grand Teton and then to the south entrance to Yellowstone - our favorite entrance). This KOA is right on the Snake River, and Jackson is another place you could spend a day or two. Staying at either of the KOAs I mention would put a real burden on you as far as using them as a base camp - way too much travel time to and from (and traffic can be bad). What it all boils down to is how many days you will actually be in the park and which direction you'll be entering. Try to stay inside and see it all. Being from Wyoming we're very proud of our beautiful treasure! You'll love it. ------------- 2017 Jayco Melbourne 24k 2013 Premier 19FBPR Formerly-2013 R-pod 177HRE 2011 Dodge Durango Love a good road trip |
Posted By: PanamaMitch
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 10:19pm
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We're heading out there in late June in our 176T. There are 12 campgrounds in the park. You can make reservations at 4 of them. One of them, Fishing Bridge Campground, has full hookups. There are showers there too, but it will cost you 2 or 3 dollars. Campsites run about $22 per night except at Fishing Bridge. It's just slightly higher there. September in the park means it will be quite chilly, especially at night. Make sure your furnace works really well. Be prepared for the possibility of snow. Remember, you'll be very high up in the mountains. ------------- R-Pod 176T + Jeep Wrangler Unlimited |
Posted By: RPodWeGo
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 10:51pm
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PanamaMitch is quite right. Gonna be chilly nights. You'll see lots of wildlife as the animals are migrating down from the higher country. Not sure when the Elk Refugee begins to fill though like Yellowstone the Tetons will be awesome. ------------- RPodWeGo RPod 177 04 v8 Toyota 4Runner |
Posted By: podrunner
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2014 at 11:35pm
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We visited Yellowstone this past September and had a great time, We were there the 3rd week of September and many areas were closing that next Monday. It was definitely cold at night, but warmed up nicely during the day. Coldest night was 23, although the pod water system suffered no ill effects. Crowds were definitely much smaller than in the summer. Like others have said, the wildlife is more active in the fall and we saw lots of most everything including grizzly bears. We stayed at Grant Village and had reservations, the campground was less than 1/2 full. Grant village fee does include 2 showers each day at a very nice shower house. The Fishing Bridge campground does have full hook ups and is in the park. Only problem is that it is basically parking lot style camping and the sites did not have fire rings or tables. It had snowed the day before we arrived and there was still snow in the shadows, so you can expect snow anytime in September. The snow quickly melted off. Do not miss Grand Teton Park on your way in or out. It was an awesome trip.
------------- 2010 R Pod 151 2017 4runner 2006 Honda Metropolitan |
Posted By: Kokopod
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2014 at 2:25pm
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Yes, Yellowstone gets cold in September. The earlier in September you go the better. With any national park, we always try to go as late in the season as possible to avoid the crowds. Anytime after Labor Day is pretty good in Wyoming, mainly because it starts to get chilly. ------------- 2017 Jayco Melbourne 24k 2013 Premier 19FBPR Formerly-2013 R-pod 177HRE 2011 Dodge Durango Love a good road trip |
Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 1:41am
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We also have stayed at the KOA in West Yellowstone, but in a cabin. Close enough to the park, but now with the pod, I'd try to get reservations inside the park. There are quite a number of RV parks in West Yellowstone. Great KOA in Greybull WY, about halfway between the Black Hills and Yellowstone. Cody would not make a great base for Yellowstone, unless you want to drive about an hour each way to the east entrance. So much to see in the park! ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |
Posted By: wingnut2312
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 7:22am
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What does "KOA" stand for? We are also looking to go and would like to stay in the park. ------------- 2014 rpod 182G Ford Expedition |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 8:35am
Kampgrounds of America. They are a commercial campgrounds franchise, usually, if not always, with just about all of the amenities, and hookups. Great, if that's what you like. To me, it's kind of like going to Italy and eating at a Red Lobster. If you do want hookups though, check carefully before making reservations at National Park campgrounds. Many, if not most, have limited hookups, if any at all. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 10:10am
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KOA's vary widely in their amenities. If you have kids, sometimes the hookups and pool make all the difference in the world. They also tend to be family friendly. Not all privately owned parks are for kids. Depending on your destination, a private park might be your best option. But look into county/state/national parks if they're available. Yellowstone's parks are worth the stay if you can get one. ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 5:59pm
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Our first destination camping trip in our van was at a KOA, and we found that the whole park was paved. No grass, no trees but a great lodge with shower rooms and such. We have used them a couple of times when on the road and they have been fine, but not where I would like to spend any real time.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: GlennZippy
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2014 at 10:24pm
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We go to Yellowstone a lot as it's only 10 hours or so away. http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.565156,-110.366056&spn=0.00876,0.021136&t=h&z=16 - Fishing Bridge Campground does have hookups but you are stacked in there like logs. If you like to spend much time just outside your trailer then you might not like it there too much. We are currently tent campers (still trying to convince my wife that the r-pod is doable), but we have seen a number of the campgrounds. Very close to Fishing Bridge is http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.540079,-110.42985&spn=0.017527,0.042272&t=h&z=15 - Bridge Bay Campground . If you can get a site in the treed area it can be quite nice, but the field has many more sites and is pretty much wide open. It's close enough to the Lake area to make it easy to slip into the Hotel for dinner. They also frequently have music in the Lake Hotel lobby right around dinner time. You are close enough to the Fishing Bridge area to shower if you want. http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.644674,-110.865741&spn=0.008748,0.021136&t=h&z=16 - Madison Campground is another good option, but it is not nearly as central as the Bridge Bay area. Any services are at least 30 minutes away. http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.644674,-110.865741&spn=0.008748,0.021136&t=h&z=16 - The http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.736552,-110.481906&spn=0.008734,0.021136&t=h&z=16 - Canyon Campground is another good choice for central camping. The lodge is a bit dated but has been undergoing renovations in the last couple of years. There are good laundry and shower facilities near the campground. I prefer these over the Fishing Bridge area. There are also some fantastic things to see very close to the Canyon area. You will pretty much have to get a reservation. http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com - www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com is the site for that. You can request a site if you call in but there is no guarantee that you will get it. You are more likely to get a spot in the trees though if you ask for one. One thing to note: Many of the lodges shut down very soon after Labor Day, so services could be a little limited after that. Some of the campgrounds will also shut down at that time. Website I found helpful for picking out a site is http://www.campsitephotos.com - www.campsitephotos.com . I also use Google Maps to help with picking a site out. As far as books go, http://www.amazon.com/Yellowstone-Treasures-Travelers-Companion-National/dp/0970687338/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1389669471&sr=8-6&keywords=yellowstone+guidebook - Yellowstone Treasures is great. It's a good general guide to the area. If trails are more your thing then http://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Guide-Yellowstone-Day-Hikes/dp/1560371579/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1389669551&sr=8-7&keywords=yellowstone+guidebook - A Ranger's Guide to Yellowstone Day Hikes is hard to beat. For sure, try to bring in as much of your food as you can. It gets pricey if you are always eating at the vendors in the park. Make sure to bring a cooler for days out. Having as much time as you are planning will let you take it nice and slow. The busy times are from around 10:00-4:00. If you get out before or after that you will find it more enjoyable. As someone mentioned, the Old Faithful area is quite built up and is pretty annoying. Jump on that very early and plan to be gone from the area by noon. It would be wise to invest in or borrow a good pair of binoculars or even better, a decent spotting scope. There are plenty of chances to see wildlife, but many times the animals are very far off. Most people are kind enough to let you steal a look through theirs, but I personally got tired of asking. When you do stop for wildlife, make sure you get COMPLETELY off the road. The rangers can ticket you if you don't, although it's not too common. Since you are going to be in the area, I'd highly recommend that you go down to Grand Teton National park as well. It's not too far, but best to plan a couple of days so you are not having to do the trek back and forth. If you are looking for other areas to see, check out Flaming Gorge national recreation area along the border of Utah and Wyoming. If you want to go further north then Glacier is fantastic, but would be a whole lot colder at that time of year. ------------- 2010 R-Pod 152 |
Posted By: mtbmitch
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 10:25am
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If you want to avoid the crowds and visit a place on par of better, check out Stanley Idaho. ------------- enjoy the fresh air |
Posted By: GaRedneck81
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 6:16pm
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Great info GlennZippy ! Thanks. ------------- GaRedneck81 USN Retired RP-172 |
Posted By: GlennZippy
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 7:25pm
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No problem... An I can echo the above recommendation for Stanley, ID as well... been there twice!It's about 5 1/2 hours west of Yellowstone and is a great place with some amazing vistas. Of course, moth times we were there, fires were in the immediate area so air quality varied from HORRIBLE to awesome. ------------- 2010 R-Pod 152 |
Posted By: mtbmitch
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 8:55pm
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mid July is the perfect time there. We had some big fires the last 2 years so hopefully not this year. Weather is nice till about early Sept. Then the lows will dip down into the 20's. ------------- enjoy the fresh air |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 9:24pm
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Does Stanlley have the geothermal elements?
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: mtbmitch
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2014 at 11:25pm
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There is a fantastic hot springs on the road to Grand Jean. This is west of Stanley about 25 miles. Sunbeam Hot springs is about 10 miles east of Stanley. There are many free pubic hot springs here in Idaho. ------------- enjoy the fresh air |
Posted By: GrandPod
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2014 at 6:25am
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In June of 2012 I spent 6 days turning Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP. We had 2 snow days June 2 and 6th.
Stayed at a state park in Idaho called Henry's Lake. Only a 15 minute drive into the West Yellowstone entrance. Great state park for Fishing and it had a local Cow Moose and her Calf. Also saw a herd of Big Horn Sheep at this park. Yellowstone is fantastic in June due to smaller crowds. Going back this year and will stay in the park at Fishing Bridge Campground also 3 day in Grande Teton NP. 
------------- Tom and Linda R-Pod 177 Southwest Florida |
Posted By: headcold
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2014 at 2:10pm
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Yellowstone Park is in my backyard (45 minutes by truck and Pod). All of the campgrounds are quite nice, worth your stay, but require reservations. I don't particularly like Slough Creek Campground, but there is some great fishing on Slough Creek if you are willing to walk upstream several miles. Carry bear spray on your hikes and don't even think of getting close to buffalo unless you are two steps or less from your car. The KOA is West Yellowstone is acceptable, but West Yellowstone itself is a crowded tourist trap in high summer season. Don't forget about all of the very fine Forest Service campgrounds scattered across the immediate vicinity of Yellowstone Park. Those are your best bets, with or without reservations. |
Posted By: JKPOD
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2014 at 2:58pm
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hello everyone, thanks so much for all the info on my questions! Please keep more info coming!...Headcold, great to talk to someomeone who lives near Yellowstone. We are torn between staying at Fishing Bridge and a rv place in a west yellowstone RV park. I understand that both places are just like a parking lot. This is ok for us because we plan on being in the park all the time and will come back to the pod basically to sleep. We dont want to do much cooking...just want to eat mostly fast food for dinners. I understand youre saying that West Yellowstone is a tourist trap...but I figure it probably has a couple of fast food places? I have another question for you. Where would the closest large airport be to yellowstone. My oldest daughter lives in California and is planning to meet us in yellowstone and stay with us for 5 or 6 days. I may have to drive to an airport to pick her up, so, staying at Fishing Bridge or West yellowstone is a big decision for us. Any suggestions would be appreciated! ------------- 2014 R-Pod 172 2007 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2014 at 3:07pm
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We were there two summer ago. There was an overpriced McD's. Saw many local eateries. We shopped at the two grocers in town. There was a greater variety of food and shopping choices in Cody on our trip last summer (we were just passing through) but a farther drive into the park. If you're picnic people, you can find adequate choices at the grocers and avoid the cooking. ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |
Posted By: headcold
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2014 at 3:44pm
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JK Pod: I would fly into Bozeman, MT (my town) which is served by most of the major airlines in this part of the West. Your daughter probably can catch a direct flight from LA of San F. to Bozeman, but Alaskan airline routes through Seattle, I believe.
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2014 at 7:47pm
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Thanks for all the info here, we just booked 3 nights at Canyon Campground in July.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2014 at 9:33pm
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You will love it! Yellowstone is beautiful and weird at the same time, with the geothermal elements.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 11:14am
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You might want to consider a really big ice chest. We took a two week trip last summer to a few out of the way places. Stock up on all your perishables, vegetables, dairy, meat, etc. at one of the larger towns before heading to your destination. Might also want to consider buying ice in cube form and repackaging it into the bags with the gripper tops. Then distribute around the items that have to be kept cold. Nothing like trying to find something in a cooler full of very cold water. Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 11:47am
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I was very happy we could fit in Yellowstone this time around, I didn't think we would have the time. It was my favorite stop when my parents took us around the US in '86.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: headcold
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 1:13pm
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Good advice regarding carrying an ice cooler for basic foodstuffs that probably will cost less when purchased in a larger city. In terms of the Yellowstone Park area, the best food prices are found in the larger big-box stores in Billings, Livingston, or Bozeman. Jackson, WY, not so much because you are dealing with a sales tax whereas Montana doesn't have a sales tax. In our extended, multi-week trips, we always carry one or two large ice coolers with food, in addition to what we can carry in our Pod refrigerator, making us virtually self-sufficient. My only caveat with your suggestion regards ice cubes. We have found that block ice last longer, cools better, and is easier to manage than cubes. However, commercial block ice is usually manufactured from ice cubes that are pressed or frozen into blocks. Commercial blocks, therefore, don't last in the cooler as long as block ice that you make at home in your own freezer. We make ours by freezing water in empty milk cartons or even larger disposable plastic containers. Of course, having a good cooler, such as the Yeti, preserve block ice from any source longer. We found that cheaper Coleman coolers can be brought up to Yeti standards by duct-taping or gluing insulating closed cell foam insulation to the cooler sides, bottom, and top. It isn't pretty but it works.
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Posted By: GlennZippy
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 3:38pm
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We love our Yeti as well! We added a second basket to keep more stuff off of the ice. Ours acts a lot like an old "steamer trunk" in that we add stickers from places we've been and gear we buy. Techntrek: You should like the Canyon area. It's central, has some of the best sights (in my opinion) and has good services around. We've had good experiences at the lodge restaurant. On one trip, we added the phrase "after-dinner libations" to our catalog of sayings based on the menu there. The food is overpriced, but pretty much wherever you go in the park you'll find the same. The visitor center at the Canyon area is my personal favorite. The brink of the lower falls is a must see, but it is quite a hike down. It's not the down part that's hard: it's the coming back up! The power of the water through such a narrow spot never ceases to amaze me and remind me how small we really are. The Hayden Valley just south of the Canyon area is a popular area to see wildlife. You will be able to tell the people who just arrived as they will always stop to gawk at the bison. Personally, I skip them at this point: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30897171@N04/12056741763/ - http://www.flickr.com/photos/30897171@N04/12056741763/ . That was last year as we arrived... We really didn't want the company but it's kind of like that old joke about a gorilla doing whatever it wants! Anyway, back to the thoughts: I prefer Hayden Valley for wildlife. It doesn't get the crowds, and we saw MUCH more wildlife than anywhere else in the park. For example, we saw a black bear and a grizzly bear at the at the same time, not much more than 100-150 yards apart. It's also the best area to get a chance at seeing wolves. ------------- 2010 R-Pod 152 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 4:36pm
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Looking forward to it! Now we just need to plan out the final week as we head east from Yellowstone. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: bodie55
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2014 at 5:03pm
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For us it's important to bring the right 'brand' of snacks and cold meats and cheese for our picky children. You may not have that problem, but we're spoiled with access to Trade Joe's and local italian delis. You will not find Italian salami anywhere in that part of the county. Well, except at a winery we visited in the Black Hills, but I wasn't paying their prices:) American salami is not the same... Also, if you have any food items you prefer to be organic, bring some with you.
They do have a great selection of local beers, though! Always fun for us to try the local brew. ------------- Bay Area Crew 2013 178 Beach Pod F-150 SuperCrew ...sempre in viaggio sul mare... |