July trip to the Yellowstone/Grand Teton

[Jeff1959]

Planning a trip to Yellowstone mid-July, and campgrounds to stay away from or reccommendations? How are the KOA's in the area?
Full Hook-ups! Thanks

[HookMeUp]

I would suggest Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone.

[Hutch333id]

Last June we stayed at the Yellowstone Marina and RV resort. It's about 15 minutes outside of Yellowstone but on the edge of Hebgen Lake. We booked a lakeside site (P11) and had fantastic views. The staff are friendly and the campground very quiet. The sites are big rig friendly and all full hook up. The washrooms and showers are immaculate. Wherever you stay, I would recommend bringing as much food and fuel with you as possible. The gas stations keep their prices high and there is only one grocery store in town that is also on the expensive side.

http://www.yellowstoneholiday.com/accommodations/

http://www.yellowstoneholiday.com/co.../site-map.html

You can rent boats from here to go onto the lake but we took our inflatable kayak and had a great time.
If you do go and leave the trailer unattended, make sure your awning is rolled in. The winds get up very quickly with little to no warning.

[cookie12]

Last summer we stayed for a week at Yellowstone's Edge RV Park. Sites were extremely clean and level. Host upon pulling in came out and greeted me despite the fact they were very busy. Ten minutes later upon checking in he escorted us to our site. It is a short ride to Livingston and also to the west gate at Yellowstone. Also 15 mins away is a hot spring that we checked out and went for a dip. There is a river that runs along the backside of the park. Alot of people were fishing however I was not. Yellowstone was our stop on the way back from Seattle and then we went onto Glacier. We loved Glacier so much that we have booked 2 weeks there this July. Have a great time!

[BigBaron]

If you haven't made reservations already you won't get a spot inside the park. There is only one "CG" inside the park with hookups. "Fishing Bay CG" I think.
A person on another forum always recommends to stay outside Yellowstone. He likes staying at the Tetons. He knows that area like the back of his hand.
CAUTION - Rival forum alert!
Great Western Excursion by Unstable Tripod

[dcheatwood]

[QUOTE=BigBaron; There is only one "CG" inside the park with hookups. "Fishing Bay CG" I think.[/QUOTE]



that would be fishing bridge

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[BigBaron]

Yup, that's the one. I can't wait to go back to Yellowstone!

[Blackrock]

KOA south of Livingston Mt. is a nice place. The KOA south of Jackson WY. is way overcrowded. Grant Village in Yellowstone is nice but has no hookups, stayed there in 09'. Stayed in the Jackson KOA in 09' and was a good place but in 12' they had jammed in a bunch of big cabins and makes for a tight place. Was dusty,noisy and busy when we were there last.

[f5moab]

If you can get by with just electricity, there is a forest campground, Wapiti, West of Cody, East of Yellowstone's east entrance, that offer electrical hookups.

Facility Details - WAPITI CAMPGROUND, WY - Recreation.gov

[fbconsults]

Originally Posted by cookie12

Last summer we stayed for a week at Yellowstone's Edge RV Park. Sites were extremely clean and level. Host upon pulling in came out and greeted me despite the fact they were very busy. Ten minutes later upon checking in he escorted us to our site. It is a short ride to Livingston and also to the west gate at Yellowstone. Also 15 mins away is a hot spring that we checked out and went for a dip. There is a river that runs along the backside of the park. Alot of people were fishing however I was not. Yellowstone was our stop on the way back from Seattle and then we went onto Glacier. We loved Glacier so much that we have booked 2 weeks there this July. Have a great time!

Where will you be staying in Glacier? We will be there the last part of June, and haven't decided where to stay yet.

Thanks, and Happy Trails, Forrest

[cookie12]

Originally Posted by fbconsults

Where will you be staying in Glacier? We will be there the last part of June, and haven't decided where to stay yet.

Thanks, and Happy Trails, Forrest

We are staying at Mountain View RV Park. It is a relatively new park and we drove by it last year. It is 14 miles from Kallispell (Costco for groceries) and 4 miles from Whitefish. It is 24 miles from West Glacier entrance and 6 miles from the Big Sky Waterpark in Columbia Falls. It is basically in the middle of all we want to see and do. They said they dont spend the money advertising as they are always full and therefore without a website or advertising can offer the lowest weekly rates of any RV park. We looked at alot of RV parks and with the money we save can do other things instead. Google maps has some pictures of it.

We stayed last year at Glacier Haven RV Park (Essex) and would not recommend it. Although it was clean I have to tell a story about it. So we get there and level up the 5th wheel. Hook up electric and about to attach water when the whole ground starts shaking. I am like what the the hell and its getting louder. My wife looks at me and I jump in the back of the truck and then I hear the horn. Right on the other side of the thick trees is a train track that hugs the mountain side. Went through a little path and see the locomotive firing through. You would never know that the tracks are RIGHT there. So I asked the the manager how often it comes through and he says every once in awhile. WELL it comes through about every 2 hours and in the middle of the night. A guy nearly craps his pants everytime. Its about 30 yards from the park and needless to say I had some pretty wild nightmares and did not sleep a whole lot. Also the wifi was terrible and kept dropping or was terribly slow. It is also a drive to anywhere.

[Oakman]

Originally Posted by Jeff1959

Planning a trip to Yellowstone mid-July, and campgrounds to stay away from or reccommendations? How are the KOA's in the area?
Full Hook-ups! Thanks

The KOA in West Yellowstone is OK but I think it’s rather pricey. Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park would be a better choice in my opinion. Grizzly is just three blocks from the west gate of the NP and it has a cheaper nightly rate. The only negative I have for Grizzly is wood campfires are not allowed.

As Blackrock mentioned, the Jackson Hole/Snake River KOA isn’t recommended, short and narrow sites. A great choice for visiting the Tetons is Colter Bay Village RV park (full hookups) within GTNP.

Another campground to consider is Headwaters Lodge and Cabins at Flagg Ranch. It is located between GTNP and YNP. This used to be known as Flagg Ranch RV park. It’s been a number of years since we stayed there and they are now under new management so you might look at recent reviews of this park before you book it.

There is also a KOA in Cody, WY but that is WAAAY to far from the national parks for daily commutes.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by HookMeUp

I would suggest Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone.

X2 - Grizzly RV Park

[bitNine]

Went to Yellowstone a few years back, and had a blast. We stayed in Grant Village, which was really nice. It was completely full, but we didn't really notice once we were at our camp site. The only park with full hookups doesn't allow fires, so you have to decide whether or not you want to have a fire, or utilities.

Yellowstone is very strict about many things. Most notably, any food left out that can attract bears. They are also sticklers for leashes on dogs. I got fined because my dog was sitting next to me on the ground sleeping, not on a leash. I got warned the previous day because I had him on a leash and he was tied to the picnic table. Not sure if it was just that one ranger being a total ass, or if everyone is that way. I finally figured out that they don't care if your dog is tied to your camper. It was frustrating.

The other thing that frustrated the hell out of us was that there's literally nothing inside the park. We went fishing and caught a couple fish, then I realized I had forgotten a nice fillet knife, and didn't have anything to really fillet the fish. We searched endless stores from near our camp to by Old Faithful and anywhere else we could go. Nobody had anything. We ended up destroying the fish with what he had, and probably only got about half of what we would have gotten with a proper knife. There's plenty of food inside the park, but not everything you might be looking for. I was surprised how difficult it was to find certain things there.

Aside from that stuff, we had a great time, and didn't get to see half of what we wanted to see. Enjoy!!

[Oakman]

You bring up a good point about pets, bitNine. Here are rules concerning pets if anyone is planning to go to Yellowstone in the near future.



1. Pets are prohibited in the backcountry and on trails and boardwalks for the following reasons:

Yellowstone National Park is a designated natural area where wildlife are free to roam undisturbed. Park visitors should be able to enjoy native wildlife in their natural environment without the disruption of other people's pets.

Pets occasionally escape from their owners. Domestic animals generally lack the ability to survive in the wild.

Yellowstone is bear country, and domestic animals (especially dogs) and bears are traditionally antagonists. A loose dog can lead a bear directly back to you.

There is a strong possibility that your pet could become prey for a bear, coyote, owl, or other predator.

There is a possibility of exchange of diseases between domestic animals and wildlife.

Thermal areas pose particular hazards to pets. Boiling water in pools and thermal channels can cause severe or fatal burns if your pet decides to take a drink or go for a swim.

2. Pets may accompany you in the front country areas of the park.
This includes any areas within 100 feet of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds. Pets must be kept under physical control at all times - caged, crated, or on a leash not to exceed six feet in length.

3. It is prohibited to leave a pet unattended and tied to an object.
If necessary, pets may remain in your vehicle while you are viewing attractions near roads and parking areas. However, we care about your pet's well being. Be sure to provide sufficient ventilation for its comfort and survival.

Pets running at large may be impounded and the owner charged for the care and feeding of the animal. By law, any domestic animal observed by authorities to be molesting or killing wildlife may be destroyed if necessary for public safety or the protection of wildlife.

4. Pets should leave no traces other than footprints.
The owner is responsible for clean-up and disposal of all pet feces. Please be thoughtful of other visitors as well as your pet.

[f5moab]

Number 3 does say unintended and tied to an object.

I have camped in quite a few National parks (in the west), personally know some park rangers (primarily Canyonlands and Arches). I personally have never had a problem with the dog tethered to a 20 foot cable, so long as I was outside with the dog. And the rangers I know do not have a problem so long as they dog is tethered and you are with the dog.

But check first with one of the park rangers (either LE or Park) to find out how close they enforce the rules and regs.A few years ago, when tent camping in Yellowstone, they had no problem with the dog tethered, but it was attached to a D-ring on the Hummer; not a picnic table.

Last year in Glacier, they had no problem with the dog on a 20 foot cable, while I was outside with it, or even when I was setting up the trailer or tearing it down to leave.

"By law, any domestic animal observed by authorities to be molesting or killing wildlife may be destroyed if necessary for public safety or the protection of wildlife."

Another warning is, in the west a rancher has the legal right to shoot your dog if it is molesting, harassing their cows. But more importantly, the local animal shelter here gets dozens of calls a year about someone's very well behaved dog that suddenly took off to chase a rabbit, squirrel, or other animal, and has never come back. And usually, they are never found. So I always tell people when I come across them in the field, it may be legal to have the dog off leash, but beware, even the best trained dog may take off and never return.