Any Wyoming tips?

[glen1971]

This summer, we're going to do about a 10 day trip through Wyoming at the beginning of June. We're thinking of a loop from Yellowstone, to Jackson, Rock, Springs, Cheyenne, Casper snd Sheridan. We'll take a couple days in Yellowstone, Jackson and Cheyenne.

Does anyone have any tips things to see? Roads to avoid? RV parks that are decent? Ones to avoid? I see the prices in West Yellowstone have gone up since we were last there.

[Guspech750]

I’d say hike, hike and hike more in the Tetons.
I’m partial though.








We did stay a night in one of Wyomings deserts. That was amazing.

[glen1971]

Guspech750, those pics look amazing! We're hoping to put a few miles on our hiking boots on this trip.

[jbflag21ds]

The drive from Ten Sleep to Buffalo on 16 is amazing. Some grade, switchbacks and lots of no cell coverage areas but the views are awesome. I wish I had more time to stop and enjoy it when I drove it last year. Not familiar with 14 though going to Sheridan.

Cody has the Center for the West museums (can do it all in a few hours) and the Buffalo Bill Dam (I am an engineer so that stuff interests me). You probably driving through there anyway going between Yellowstone and Sheridan. The campground at Buffalo Bill State Park, if you can get reservations now, is nice and quiet but limited hookups depending on which area but almost all sites are pull off type.

Going to hit Frontier Days in Cheyenne in July?

Wheatland (couple hours north of Cheyenne) has Lewis City Park with 6 donation based hookup sites. Power at each site with a place to fill fresh water and a donation based dump station across the street. Use a pressure regulator if you flush there, the pressure without is insane. Great spot for an overnight but it can fill up fast.

[OldGal3]

I also traveled 16 last year and really enjoyed the drive, stayed in Thermopolis and visited the Wyoming Dinosaur Center - one of the best dino museums so far. On a 2017 trip I spent a few days in Cody and 2 full days at the Center of the West. There are 5 museums all interconnected and included in the admission (which is good for 2 days).

I've also taken 14 from Ranchester (just above Sheridan), then switched to 14a on to Cody. 14a is not recommended for RV's , but you can stay on 14 through Shell Canyon and get to Cody, amazing area. 14a was quite a trip in a car back in the 1970's.

A nice RV park in Buffalo is Indian Campground, stayed there twice last year. Avoid anything in Gillette, WY (check reviews and you'll see why).

Stayed at the KOA in Rock Springs - it worked for an overnight. Hwy. 191 is good 2 lane road - I tend to stay off Interstates when I can. You are covering a lot of miles in 10 days so maybe plan to go the fastest route?

Prices have gone up everywhere it seems - fuel changes from state to state depending on their taxes. Enjoy your trip.

[PodGeek]

Not sure the Rock Springs-to-Sheridan portion of the trip will be particularly exciting (I've been all over Wyoming). I'd stay in the NW part of the state (Big Horns, Wind Rivers, etc), and be sure to experience the Wind River gorge and that Dino museum in Thermopolis. We stayed at the Eagle RV Park just south of town and it was good.

[glen1971]

Thanks for the input! It is greatly appreciated.

A few years ago we went to Mount Rushmore, via Sheridan and East, then came back through Casper to Thermopolis to Cody and Yellowstone. It was a great trip.

I had some time today and made our reservations in Great Falls, then on to West Yellowstone, Dubois, Rock Springs, Cheyenne. Casper, Sheridan and Helena. So far everything but one is booked. We'll be there at the beginning of June, so no Frontier Days this trip. I'd like to go back at some point and see how much the show has changed in 30 years.

Site prices were up there, with about $735 for 9 nights. 2 more nights to follow, so still pretty decent.

[ppine]

Some good comments here. Forget about places like Rock Springs and Casper. Most of the best places in Wyo are in the western half. Besides the obvious like the NPs and Cody, I like the Bighorn Mtns and the small towns in the vicinity. Thermopolis is an interesting stop. Sheridan is one of the great western towns. It is a great state to just wander around. Concentrate on the western half, especially the Nw quarter and you will have a great time. I have been going since 1969 and used to live in Laramie.

[PodGeek]

Originally Posted by ppine

...Concentrate on the western half, especially the Nw quarter and you will have a great time.....

Wow...someone actually agrees with me!

[glen1971]

Originally Posted by ppine

Some good comments here. Forget about places like Rock Springs and Casper. Most of the best places in Wyo are in the western half. Besides the obvious like the NPs and Cody, I like the Bighorn Mtns and the small towns in the vicinity. Thermopolis is an interesting stop. Sheridan is one of the great western towns. It is a great state to just wander around. Concentrate on the western half, especially the Nw quarter and you will have a great time. I have been going since 1969 and used to live in Laramie.

Thanks for the comments! We're gonna spend a few days in the NW corner of the state, then do the loop through Cheyenne. It's been about 30 years since I was there, and my wife has never been. We're both looking forward to it!

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by glen1971

This summer, we're going to do about a 10 day trip through Wyoming at the beginning of June. We're thinking of a loop from Yellowstone, to Jackson, Rock, Springs, Cheyenne, Casper snd Sheridan. We'll take a couple days in Yellowstone, Jackson and Cheyenne.

Does anyone have any tips things to see? Roads to avoid? RV parks that are decent? Ones to avoid? I see the prices in West Yellowstone have gone up since we were last there.

Other than YS to Rock Springs sounds like your loop is all interstate and with only 10 days and allowing for the extra day stays mentioned seems you won't have time for any extra stops.

[MevetS]

Being June, you may want to keep aware of road conditions. https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm
Depending on the weather and snow accumulation, June may result in higher elevations not being plowed.
Many years ago, I recall that the road from one of the Northern entrances had just been plowed. Had a full size van back then, the snow was over the top of the roof along some of the plowed sections. That was in June.

[glen1971]

Originally Posted by MevetS

Being June, you may want to keep aware of road conditions. https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm
Depending on the weather and snow accumulation, June may result in higher elevations not being plowed.
Many years ago, I recall that the road from one of the Northern entrances had just been plowed. Had a full size van back then, the snow was over the top of the roof along some of the plowed sections. That was in June.

Thanks for the heads up and the link!

[glen1971]

Originally Posted by bubbles

Other than YS to Rock Springs sounds like your loop is all interstate and with only 10 days and allowing for the extra day stays mentioned seems you won't have time for any extra stops.

The joys of work getting in the road of a holiday. Essentially we're spending 2 nights in Yellowstone, 2 for the Grand Tetons and 2 in Cheyenne.

[wheelin14]

The wagon wheel ruts and initials carved into the stone from the Overland trail settlers in Guernsey, WY are very unique. Doesn't take long to visit, but definately unique.

[ppine]

Cheyenne is an interesting town but a long way from anything. If it were me I would save the those 2 nights and use them around Cody instead. I lived in Laramie and worked out of Cheyenne.

If you are going to the area around Guernsey, then don't miss Ft Laramie and Register Cliff.

[jlynn721]

Originally Posted by glen1971

This summer, we're going to do about a 10 day trip through Wyoming at the beginning of June. We're thinking of a loop from Yellowstone, to Jackson, Rock, Springs, Cheyenne, Casper snd Sheridan. We'll take a couple days in Yellowstone, Jackson and Cheyenne.

Does anyone have any tips things to see? Roads to avoid? RV parks that are decent? Ones to avoid? I see the prices in West Yellowstone have gone up since we were last there.

If you have camping reservations, it’s a cinch. If you don’t, things can get a bit troublesome finding campsites depending on the month you will be traveling.

That said, I spend 3-5 months in Wyoming every summer. I have never had reservations (outside of one trip to Yellowstone), but I don’t try to camp in Yellowstone or Grand Teton. I mostly boondock in the Big Horn Mtns where there are less people.

There are some Forest Service and private campgrounds all around the park. I have often stayed between Cody and Yellowstone and take day trips into the park.

Cody is a cool town with a great museum, good food, great little breweries. A great day trip (make a gig circle is the Beartooth Highway up to Red Lodge, MT and back to Cody. You can spend days in the Big Horns, and not be too far from the Black Hills and Devils Tower.

[fanrgs]

I didn't see anything about the type of RV the OP has. If anything diesel with an exhaust brake, do not be afraid of US 14A through the Bighorns. Beautiful drive with one of our favorite USFS cgs anywhere--Sibley Lake. It has 30A electric, water, clean pit toilets, beautiful lake, hiking trails through big conifers, long campsites with tables and grills, but no dump. Highly recommended for a 2-3 night stay.

Casper has an excellent National Trails Museum that requires a couple of hours to visit. The Oregon-California-Morman Trails all passed through Casper. The WWII Heart Mountain Japanese "Relocation" Camp is located just NE of Cody. It has a very informative museum about this dark chapter in US history.

[MikeMacBodie]

If you are coming into Jackson Hole from the West on Highway 22 be careful. It is a really long STEEP run. My front rotors were red hot

[ThruHiker]

Originally Posted by MikeMacBodie

If you are coming into Jackson Hole from the West on Highway 22 be careful. It is a really long STEEP run. My front rotors were red hot

THIS! I was going to say the same thing. What kind of rig do you have? We took our 5er up out of Jackson into ID. That is not too bad; you go up the WY side of Teton Pass, steep but with our diesel pulling our smaller 11000 lb 5er no big deal. We spent a few days in Tetonia, ID, did Yellowstone via the West entrance, had a great time. Yellowstone was, frankly, way too crowded, but unfortunately we hit it 4th of July week so that was on us. It was pretty much bumper to bumper, hopefully you’ll have a better visit in June.

The day before we left, folks in a Class A next to us said they were headed to WY… and specifically not taking 22. We did, and… my conclusion is the WY side is A LOT steeper than the ID side. IDK if the rotors were red, but it was the only time I could smell them during a ten week trip from NH to Yellowstone and back, which included CO, UT, WY, MT, the Dakotas… you get the idea LOL. Yeah, exhaust brake helps but that downslope way overpowers it.

Also, we stayed at the Rock Springs KOA and it’s crowded but was fine. It’s not fancy but they were nice and we had no problems. KOA, standard stuff. There is a ghost town, old abandoned mining tow, about 80-90 miles away from Rock Springs, we went and liked it. Longish trip, but it was worth it.

You’ll have a great trip, I loved everything west of the Mississippi.