YellowStone NP

HookMeUp · 01-31-2008, 03:32 PM

Trying to plan a trip to Yellowstone. My wife and I did a 2 week National Park trip when we were still dating back in July 2002 and yellowstone was one of them. Now that we have a camper we would like to go again. Anyone stay at the fishing bridge camp area or the KOA in West Yellowstone? Any comments on either or other camp grounds in the area?

NDJollyMon · 01-31-2008, 04:52 PM

We've camped at Fishing Bridge RV park. It's the only place inside the park with full hookups. If you need all the hookups, it's fine. It's more like a parking lot full of RV's, and it's kind of expensive compared to others. It's right across the road from Lake Yellowstone, which is nice. It's not my favorite campground...but it makes a great Home Base. There are much nicer, more spacious, and more scenic campgrounds...but not with hookups .
Fishing Bridge RV park is also in the heart of Bear Country...and I believe it's actually fenced in if I remember right. Wildlife will still enter on roadways, however. There was a large moose being chased right through the campground by a group of kids when we were last there. The little ones were yelling, 'horsey! Horsey!'

Like i said...great place if you NEED hookups.
I love YNP, let me know if you have any other questions.

Oakman · 02-01-2008, 07:22 AM

I could kick myself for not taking time to drive through the Fishing Bridge CG. Some people hate it, others love it. The next time we go to Yellowstone I will be taking a tour of that CG so I can form my own opinion. We always stay at Madison CG without the hookups.

If you plan to stay outside the park you might take a look at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, Montana, it's only a couple of blocks from the park entrance. That's where I would stay.

The KOA is 6 miles from the park so every day you will not only have the drive over the same roads getting to the park exit, you still have the six miles to the campground.

I am green with envy that you plan to go to Yellowstone. We won't be able to get back there until next year.

fire4034 · 02-01-2008, 08:40 AM

Has anyone done "Bear World", and is it worth the stop? We will be taking our 5 1//2 year old daughter and 8 year old son on the trip. Also if anyone could offer their opinions on "don't miss" sites and activities at yellowstone and even the surrounding few states as we are making a 2-3 week trip out of it from Illinois.

Thanks, Frank

NDJollyMon · 02-01-2008, 04:00 PM

Don't miss:
IN PARK
The Geyser Basins
The Wildlife...everywhere.
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Upper & Lower Falls
Lake Yellowstone
Hike some backcountry

OUT OF PARK:
Grand Teton NP...of course!
Bighorn Mountains, WY
Custer Battlefield, MT
River Rafting!;

Dizzy-Dick · 02-01-2008, 05:04 PM

I loved Yellowstone, but I have to admit, the last time I was there was 1959 with my Uncle in has Airstream. I don't imagine much has changed, except I hear the fire damage is still noticable.

Will want to hear all about your trip when you get back.

Happy camping

Dizzy-Dick · 02-01-2008, 05:07 PM

OH, I forgot to mention. The fixhing was great!!! Had to chase the bears off, they wanted all I caught. The Yellowstone river was quite productive and those cut-throat trout were mighty tasty. Back then, all they would hit on was a small black dry fly.

You got to fish the river.

Oakman · 02-07-2008, 10:04 PM

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD.

Yellowstone is synonymous with beauty and wildlife. When visiting the park you must keep your eyes on the road while driving. It is very easy to get distracted by all there is to see. As you can see in the picture below, the driver of this car failed to do so.

I took this picture at the Madison Campground in Yellowstone. Apparently the driver was distracted by the Elk or Buffalo and failed to notice that the road narrowed and was lined with boulders. I was amazed that he was able to drive the car that far on top of the rock. Three of the four wheel were completely off the ground.

A tow truck came by about an hour later but he told the driver that he couldn’t move the car until a park ranger had made out a report. It was two hours later that a park ranger showed up. Funny thing, after the tow truck removed the car from the boulder, the ranger made the man roll the rock back to where it originally was.

Amazingly there was little damage to the car and the driver was able to drive away. By the way, it was a rental car.

catmom · 04-12-2008, 02:35 PM

We stayed at the KOA in West Yellowstone quite a number of years ago. Yes, there is the drive into town and then into the park, but it's not an unpleasant one, and if you want hookups & can't get into FB, it's not a bad choice. Indoor swimming pool, if that's important to you, and the (terraced) sites along the hillside in the "back" of the CG have a nice mountain view. If you don't mind a clean CG with no shade and paved sites, check into the Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone - it gets good reviews, and may cost less than the KOA.

eandsphotography · 04-13-2008, 04:18 AM

One day this is my dream trip. i live in East Tennessee so it's just a little too far for a 2 week vacation. i'm thinking at least 3 preferable 4 weeks to do the trip and really enjoy it. It'll be a long time from now when i can get that kind of time off of work though. I'll tell you,i'm jealous of the people that can do this full time. i'd be in heaven just traveling the country with no particular place to be or time to be there. i used to drive a truck over the road for a while and I got paid to see most of the country and was able to go to some pretty nice places. Denver, California, Niagara Falls, all up and down the east coast but it's just not the same as doing it cause you want to.
it's funny how life gets in the way of your plans. Some days i'd like to just give it all up and just walk away from the daily routine and really live.
If any of you have ever seen the movie,"into the wild", you'll know what i'm talking about. For those that havent seen it, I think it will change your way of thinking of how we live our lives.

**KyDan** · 04-13-2008, 06:53 AM

I agree with others, Fishing Bridge is OK if you want full hookups.
No camp fires allowed there.
No soft side trailer allowed there due to bears.
That means if you have a canvas slider, you can't slide it out.
The pay showers were immaculate and cleaned twice a day.
It's a parking lot with trailers literally almost touching but it is
sorta "centrally" located in this HUGE park.

Many folks don't realize how big YNP actually is.
We used the CG as a home base and rode to a different corner
of the park each day.

Reservations are absolutely necessary in season and must be made
several months in advance.

Happy Camping!!

NDJollyMon · 04-13-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eandsphotography

One day this is my dream trip. i live in East Tennessee so it's just a little too far for a 2 week vacation. i'm thinking at least 3 preferable 4 weeks to do the trip and really enjoy it. It'll be a long time from now when i can get that kind of time off of work though. I'll tell you,i'm jealous of the people that can do this full time. i'd be in heaven just traveling the country with no particular place to be or time to be there. i used to drive a truck over the road for a while and I got paid to see most of the country and was able to go to some pretty nice places. Denver, California, Niagara Falls, all up and down the east coast but it's just not the same as doing it cause you want to.
it's funny how life gets in the way of your plans. Some days i'd like to just give it all up and just walk away from the daily routine and really live.
If any of you have ever seen the movie,"into the wild", you'll know what i'm talking about. For those that havent seen it, I think it will change your way of thinking of how we live our lives.

I like the movie. I don't see myself walking away from life (as I know it) anytime soon. I like to be alone sometimes...but not often. I'd go nutty as squirrel dukie!

New2ROO · 04-13-2008, 11:08 AM

Yellowstone, we did it last year as a family... kids 4 and 7. Tons of wildlife to see. Buffallo everywhere, even in the road with INSANE people gong near them. Sulfer, exploding holes in the ground

everywhere...rotten eggs, as my kids would call it. We even saw a pack of wolves, elk galore and beware, an overturned trailer from not watching the road, sharp drop offs along the sides of narrow road. Tons of traffic. We stayed in west yellowstone and hoteled it. (no trailer then)
Sorry to admit it but I can only take so much scenery and 2 days in the park was enough for me. A must is CODY, WY to the east, Buffalo Bill Historical Museum. The alternate route from Cody to Sheridan on highway 14 (?) is unreal. STRAIGHT UP and curvy but unbelievable. Elk and Moose and no one around. Then if you are heading there in July, a must is the Sheridan WYO rodeo. Awesome small town rodeo with National Champions... and I am not a cowgirl.
In the other direction, hit the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Mighty hike up a hill to get to them in the heat but well, well worth it! Bozeman, MT is also a treasure with a great Dinosaur Museum, the Museum of the Rockies.
By the way, there is a webcam of Old Faithful that shows it going off, you can get online (we have verizon broadband wireless) and see when the next shoot will happen without getting there and waiting 90 minutes for the time to come. (Can you tell I have ADHD?)

hunt4240dw · 04-16-2008, 09:44 AM

We are planning a 3 week trip from Memphis, TN. We will stop Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil's Tower, and Cody. We will spend a week in Yellowstone and then head home via Grand Canyon way. At Yellowstone, we are staying at Wagon Wheel Camp ground in West Yellowstone. Full hookups for $36 a night. I have been told to be prepared for all weather conditions which at a moments notice.

David

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