Yellowstone

[ray@cuttingedgeproducts.net]

I will be going to Yellowstone with my wife and three kids in about three weeks. Any suggestions on where to camp (40 ft MH) or where to go?

[tbutler]

Hello Rayinnc,

Our preference for parks while visiting Yellowstone has been West Yellowstone, MT. There is a top quality park right at the park entrance, Grizzly RV Park. There is also a KOA in West Yellowstone. We stayed at Lionshead which should now be KOA. It is about 7 miles from the park entrance. Staying in or near West Yellowstone has you near food and groceries, etc.

We have also stayed in Grand Teton National Park but Yellowstone would be a longer drive from there. Grand Teton Park RV Resort is right on Jackson Lake at Coulter Bay and a beautiful wooded campground. The Tetons also have plenty to be seen. You will be just south of Yellowstone and it can be a base for exploring the southern part of Yellowstone.

You haven't given us your interests, history, geology, wildlife, hiking, boating, fishing or just general travel. What ages are your children? There are some great hikes in Yellowstone that will get you out away from the general tourist population but I wouldn't recommend them if you children are very young. We purchased a small yellow book that listed about 40 of the best hikes in Yellowstone. It was only a few dollars, written by a park naturalist. It described the hikes in terms of difficulty and what you could expect to see. I highly recommend this for an activity if your children are old enough. You are in bear country and small children can be a concern when hiking away from the populated areas. Also if your children are small, keep a tight watch on them when visiting the geysers and thermal areas as many of these areas have only a thin crust of material over pools of boiling hot water. A small child can dart off a boardwalk and be in bad trouble in a flash.

Big wildlife, elk and bison are abundant in Yellowstone. You will likely see some moose as well. You don't have to look for them, look for the traffic jams. You will see people who have no concept of a wild animal and will get way too close to animals. Most get away with it but once in a while somebody finds out how fast a bison or bear can move. The results are not pretty.

The thermal areas are all worthwhile. Some have geysers which erupt on varying and sometimes unpredicted schedules. It is a treat to get to see a geyser when you are only one of a few dozen people watching. Yellowstone is a huge and very beautiful park with a little something for everyone.

Give us a little more information, tell us how long you plan to stay, where are you coming from? Do you have a toad? The better we know you and your family, the better your answers will be.

[kalynzoo]

We enjoyed the Grizzly RV park at West Yellowstone. It is a private campground, just outside the park entrance, one block outside the small town of West Yellowstone. Walking distance to town and restaurants and Wildlife museum. Fully paved, and grassy parks, no pool (at least not then) and full hookup. We prefer private campgrounds in our travel, just our thing. There are four loops through Yellowstone. Plan a full day for each loop if possible. Being able to leisurely tour at 25mph, stopping for every animal (lots of animals) and stop at every pullout, as every fumarole is different, educational, a nice walk, and beautifully colored. Just to the south of the East entrance to Yellowstone is a swimming hole, so bring suits. The water in this swimming hole is a place where volcanic hot mixes with river cold, to make the water just right. It is usually crowded, but worth the stop. It's a great trip, we hope to make it again soon, this time with the grandkids. Happy Trails.