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Old 11-27-2016, 09:06 PM   #1
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Yellowstone Tips?

I'm looking for the latest advice for visiting Yellowstone next summer. We'll be in Colorado Springs in mid-June and thought we'd take the opportunity to travel on up to Yellowstone for a few days.

Any suggestions on where to stay? Unfortunately, I don't get to fully unplug while on vacation so wifi and cell phone service are a must. It sounds like maybe West Yellowstone is my best bet?

How many days should we plan for our stay? It will be me, my wife, twin 11 year old daughters and 2 year old son.

Any concerns on the drive coming from COS to Yellowstone for pulling our Sabre fifth wheel?

Thanks in advance for the tips and advice!
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Old 11-27-2016, 09:59 PM   #2
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I haven't been to Yellowstone yet (it's on our wish list now that we got our new camper) but!!! While in Co Springs you MUST do 3 things: 1) Go to the North Pole!!! With your children the age they are, it is a must, and it is fun. 2) got to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. I have been to a lot of zoos but it is one of my favorites. the giraffes are down low, and you get to feed them, so their heads are almost level with yours. It is so cool. 3) 7 falls. A great place to see, a great place to stretch your legs.
I look forward to all the tips you get on here for yellowstone, so I can write them down for next year.
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:02 PM   #3
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If you need WiFi and cell service, DON'T stay in the Park.

Yes West Yellowstone is your best bet but don't expect good WiFi in any campground.
Most campground WiFi is lousy.

And make sure you make reservations as soon as possible.
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:20 PM   #4
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We stayed at Yellowstone Grizzly rv park in West Yellowstone last June for a week. They have device specific log ins for wifi and give you two. I ended up paying $20 extra for a third one for the week. I would rate the wifi as adequate at best. Otherwise, the park was very nice and convenient to the NP and town. We hit the weather just right in June. It was warm but not hot and at some times cool enough for a sweater. Crowds were manageable too.
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:23 PM   #5
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Greetings clange. We did two weeks at Yellowstone and Grand Tetons this past September … we could have easily done four weeks and not seen enough. September weather was still good, but the tourist crowds were pretty much gone. A June/July trip will be at peak tourism, so the park will be extremely crowded. Regardless, your eleven year olds will be awe-struck by the venture and will enjoy every moment. Cellular service is spotty throughout most of the park and WiFi is very restricted to a just a few places. The roads are a bit narrow and, in my experience, too many drivers haven't taken time to learn where their tires are on the road so they too often drive the center line rather than their side of the road. When driving, be alert, and be patient … animals often stop in the middle of the road creating long traffic lines. We usually got out each morning just before sunrise and found this usually got us to our destination before the tour buses. Generally, I think, most folks sleep in … so I'd suggest getting to bed early each evening to start your day such to arrive at your first sight as early as morning light makes practical. The natural sights and wildlife is awesome … your family will enjoy!
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:33 PM   #6
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We stayed outside of Yellowstone on the Eastside about halfway between Cody WY and Yellowstone. We stayed at a place called Yellowstone Valley inn, I believe it had Wi-Fi and was about 16 miles from Yellowstone. There are several campgrounds in Cody also that you may want to check out.
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:46 PM   #7
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About 15 minutes drive outside of the town is Yellowstone holiday RV & Marina campground. Right on the side of Hebgen Lake. It is quiet, has wifi and cell reception and the park isn't crowded and packed in like the ones closer to town. Yes, you do have a 15 minute drive to West Yellowstone but on days you want some peace and quiet you can sit on the bank behind your rv and fish the lake or hire a canoe and fish.
It has been about 4 years since we last went there but definitely worth considering.
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Old 11-27-2016, 10:59 PM   #8
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West Yellowstone, Grizzly RV is likely your best bet to have the amenities you need. Cody, WY is another option if you don't mind the drive to the East Entrance. The trip between the two is one of our favorites. We pulled a fifth wheel there several times from Cheyenne to Thermopolis to Cody. Cody may be a bit less expensive than West Yellowstone.
We've also traveled through South Entrance with our fifth wheel going to Cheyenne to Green River to Pinedale to Jackson through Grand Teton, through Yellowstone via Craig Pass to West Yellowstone.
It takes longer to drive through Yellowstone than newbies think. Plan for day trips to go to your chosen section of the park. Take picnic foods, snacks, plenty of beverages. Leave West early in the morning, plan to return in the early evening before it gets dark. Driving at night in the park can be dicey due to narrow roads, wildlife on roadway and low visibility.
We've been there 5+ times and have stayed in Yellowstone and surrounding area for 2-3 months each time. Our favorite campgrounds are Bakers Hole, Madison Junction, Henry's Lake in Island Park, ID, Yellowstone Holiday on the shore of Hebgen Lake. Just writing this makes me want to be there in June to see the baby bison, elk, bears and all the others.
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Old 11-28-2016, 08:30 AM   #9
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With just a few days to visit Yellowstone I would stay as close to the park as possible. Even so, you won’t be able to see everything. I agree with the recommendation of Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, MT and it’s just a couple of block from the park’s west entrance.

Since you are coming from the Colorado Springs area I recommend coming in the south entrance to Yellowstone so that you will drive through Grand Teton NP. It’s a shame you have so little time because Grand Teton NP is worth at least a couple of days.

Another option for wifi and cell phone service is Gardiner, MT which is just outside the north entrance to the park. There are two RV parks in the small town of Gardiner. I haven’t stayed at either one so I can’t make a recommendation of one over the other. The north entrance is where the iconic Roosevelt Arch entrance to the park is located.

Tips: On cool mornings the hot springs and geysers produce a lot of steam so I recommend visiting them later in the day for optimal viewing. Use the early mornings for animal viewing, visiting the waterfalls, or hiking. I also recommend a drive through Hayden Valley to see large heads of Buffalo and a chance sighting of a bear. If you stay in West Yellowstone the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is worth a visit.

Must see in no particular order.
Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin.
Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin.
Hayden Valley.
Artist Paint Pots.
The Mammoth Hot Springs area (Elk hang here).
Even the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn is worth a visit.

I don’t agree with those that recommend staying in Cody, WY because of the distance to the east entrance. Staying in Cody is at least a 2 hour round trip every day. That’s two hours that could have been spent in the park. Keep in mind that Yellowstone covers 3500 square miles so you’ll want to optimize the amount of time you have to visit the park.
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Old 11-28-2016, 09:25 AM   #10
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With just a few days to visit Yellowstone I would stay as close to the park as possible. Even so, you won’t be able to see everything. I agree with the recommendation of Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, MT and it’s just a couple of block from the park’s west entrance.

Since you are coming from the Colorado Springs area I recommend coming in the south entrance to Yellowstone so that you will drive through Grand Teton NP. It’s a shame you have so little time because Grand Teton NP is worth at least a couple of days.

Another option for wifi and cell phone service is Gardiner, MT which is just outside the north entrance to the park. There are two RV parks in the small town of Gardiner. I haven’t stayed at either one so I can’t make a recommendation of one over the other. The north entrance is where the iconic Roosevelt Arch entrance to the park is located.

Tips: On cool mornings the hot springs and geysers produce a lot of steam so I recommend visiting them later in the day for optimal viewing. Use the early mornings for animal viewing, visiting the waterfalls, or hiking. I also recommend a drive through Hayden Valley to see large heads of Buffalo and a chance sighting of a bear. If you stay in West Yellowstone the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is worth a visit.

Must see in no particular order.
Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin.
Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin.
Hayden Valley.
Artist Paint Pots.
The Mammoth Hot Springs area (Elk hang here).
Even the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn is worth a visit.

I don’t agree with those that recommend staying in Cody, WY because of the distance to the east entrance. Staying in Cody is at least a 2 hour round trip every day. That’s two hours that could have been spent in the park. Keep in mind that Yellowstone covers 3500 square miles so you’ll want to optimize the amount of time you have to visit the park.
Agree except from the experience of traveling through Yellowstone from ID to Cody many times during the year to visit friends in Cody, it is about 3 hours round trip between Cody and Fishing Bridge and that is not counting the crazies trying to get Selfies with Bison, or the people not used to driving on narrow curvy roads or the large under-powered motorhomes or trucks/minivans pulling trailers way too heavy for the vehicle chugging up Sylvan pass. (Last year I was behind a loaded Chrysler Minivan pulling a large high wall popup and I thought I was going to retire a second time by the time we made the top of the pass, and then he kept his foot on he brakes all the way down the other side of the pass.

As for cell service there are place you can get a signal with Verizon. This map show where the cell areas are in the park, but there are only nine cell sites serving the entire park and only five or six are actually in the park, and with the number of selfies sent the system does get overloaded at times.



But in the future it might get better....
Yellowstone considering additional cell towers | Wyoming News | billingsgazette.com

Yellowstone's cell phone coverage grows despite plans to limit it | The Salt Lake Tribune
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Old 11-28-2016, 09:56 PM   #11
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Wow! Lots of great information. Thanks for all of the good tips. Now to make our plans... Getting awfully excited just thinking about it!
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Old 11-29-2016, 07:32 AM   #12
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Since you are coming from the Colorado Springs area I recommend coming in the south entrance to Yellowstone so that you will drive through Grand Teton NP. It’s a shame you have so little time because Grand Teton NP is worth at least a couple of days.
My post was somewhat misleading. The route I would take to Yellowstone from Colorado Springs would be I-25 to I-80 into Rawlins and then hwy 287 through Lander and Dubois Wyoming to hwy 191 and then north. This route doesn’t take you through the entire Grand Teton NP but it will give you some spectacular views of the mountain range.

Don’t get me wrong, Cody and Thermopolis Wyoming are worth a visit but there just isn’t enough time to see everything worth seeing in Wyoming. One thing I’ve wanted to do and never took the time to do it is visit Fossil Butte National Monument and then dig for fossils at the Warfield Fossil Quarry.

I love the scenery and wide open spaces of Wyoming. FYI, Wyoming is the least populated of the 50 states.
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Old 11-29-2016, 09:07 AM   #13
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We are heading up to Yellowstone next May and will be staying at Fishing Bridge RV campground in the park. After that it is off to Bozeman to visit family. I can't speak to staying outside the park but it is bear country up that way so be prepared to have to put away things like grills or outside stoves after each use. Also be ready for slow going on some of the two lane roads that lead to the park due to cattle drives. We've had to wait more than once as herds get moved between summer and winter pasture areas.
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Old 11-29-2016, 10:39 AM   #14
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the yellowstone holiday resort on hebgen lake has good wifi and cell reception , the grizzly is a nice park not sure how good the wifi is there .the westgate koa has all the amenity's also . nice park but tight spots . the yellowstone holiday has nice sized spots you can pick up a few ota tv stations also , it's about9 miles from the west entrance . plenty of fishing right from the park . don't pass up quake lake and the visitor center there . a great history of the 59 quake well worth the stop . if your going to stay in town the the grizzly is the place . the best restaurant is the Buffalo or bullwinkles . i prefer the buffalo
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Old 11-29-2016, 12:11 PM   #15
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You might try tripadvisor.com for info also. They have a very active forum.
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Old 11-29-2016, 12:53 PM   #16
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We have had good luck with the KOAs outside West yellowstone (there are 2)
Last stayed at the one closer to the park 2 summers ago. Wifi was ok.
We've found that If you get to the park at first light (before sunrise) you can do the loop in a couple of days without rushing. your pace will slow as more come into the park. Don't return to the trailer until you are done for the day.
you can work in some short hikes here and there, especially the lower falls (from either side of the canyon, although the classic shot is on the south side), and Old Faithful. Traffic can be dismal in the afternoons especially if the buffalo are holding things up (but you get real close views as they amble past the car). If you have more time, write down what piques your interest and return to explore more.

And no, 2 days isn't enough, but sometimes it is all you have.
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Old 11-29-2016, 01:38 PM   #17
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one recommendation i have for Yellowstone is pack a lunch. Its a huge park, it can take 2-3 hours to get to some parts from others. you don't want to spend your time going back to the camper for meals. If you like seeing the animals , you may want to take your breakfast and supper too
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Old 11-29-2016, 09:13 PM   #18
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My post was somewhat misleading. The route I would take to Yellowstone from Colorado Springs would be I-25 to I-80 into Rawlins and then hwy 287 through Lander and Dubois Wyoming to hwy 191 and then north. This route doesn’t take you through the entire Grand Teton NP but it will give you some spectacular views of the mountain range.
Thanks for the advice on the route - I was wondering what the best path might be. It looks like 191 takes you right through the park, but it sounds like the roads are fairly narrow through the park. Is 191 a decent road to take while pulling a fifth wheel?
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Old 11-29-2016, 09:19 PM   #19
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one recommendation i have for Yellowstone is pack a lunch. Its a huge park, it can take 2-3 hours to get to some parts from others. you don't want to spend your time going back to the camper for meals. If you like seeing the animals , you may want to take your breakfast and supper too
We usually head back to camp to eat, but it sounds like that would be an inefficient use of time. Probably a great idea to pack both lunch and dinner!
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Old 11-30-2016, 09:45 AM   #20
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Thanks for the advice on the route - I was wondering what the best path might be. It looks like 191 takes you right through the park, but it sounds like the roads are fairly narrow through the park. Is 191 a decent road to take while pulling a fifth wheel?
That’s the route I’ve taken when going to West Yellowstone, MT. and in my opinion is as good or better than any other route. You will encounter traffic in Yellowstone, especially near main visitor areas like Old Faithful. The earlier you can get into the park the better traffic wise.

I completely agree with Mountaindream’s advice of packing a lunch, it will definitely optimize your time in the park. FYI, there are restaurants in Yellowstone such as those at the Old Faithful area, Canyon Village, Fishing Bridge area, Grant Village, and other locations.

This discussion of Yellowstone has gotten me thinking I need to visit it again. A few pics from the area.

This photo is on the route I mentioned. There are a few scenic pullouts that can be used for potty breaks. We carry about 10 gallons in the fresh water tank for toilet flushing purposes.
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This is one of my favorite pics taken in the Grand Tetons.
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This is a photo of Old Faithful taken from the Observation Point trail.
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This is a photo of Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon area of Yellowstone.
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