East entrance to YNP opens tomorrow

[codycarver]

The park service announced today that the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open tomorrow (May-4). You can expect a lot of snow but road travel will be open throughout the park. Limited services are available and the roads are subject to temporary closures. Just thought I'd pass this along.

 

[dewwood]

Thanks for the info. We are planning on being in Yellowstone to celebrate our 40th on May 28th. Do you think most roads and attractions will be open by then? Do you have any suggestions for must see or do things while we are there? We are planning on arriving before the Memorial Day weekend to secure a campsite, do you think we will have any problems finding campsites available? I was not planning on making reservations because we don't know exactly when we will arrive.

Thanks for any info you may be able to provide.

Dewey

 

[TXBobcat]

Dewwood
When you arrive in YNP that early remember the bears are just waking up and are probably very hungry...

If you see Yogie or Boo Boo tell them Hi for us....



BC

 

[codycarver]

I would make reservations if you can. When you get out of the park there are a lot of the campgrounds on the national Forest but most don't open officially until Jun 1 (at least on this side of the mountain). Roads by then should be in pretty good shape. The average elevation in YNP is north of 7,000 ft so it can snow anytime. Here is a link for road travel in Wyoming you should fine useful.
http://www.wyoroad.info/highway/webcameras/webcameras.html

If you make it to Cody look us up all are contact info is in H.O.T.E.L.

 

[codycarver]

Bob's right. There have been several grizzlies relocated around here already. However, Black Bear season opened Tuesday (outside the park of coarse). All kidding aside you do need to be aware of bear activity.

 

[gasman]

Dewey, we have found that most of the NPS campgrounds have very few sites for our longer rigs. There is a private campground that I think may be at
Fishing Bridge that has bigger sites or there are plenty in West Yellowstone and Cody. I'm sure Codycarver will know more about these. This is a wonderful time of year to see the animals.

 

[Dave49]

If you don't feel the need for camping within Yellowstone and don't mind a little drive to get to YNP then I would suggest one of two different CG's. Cody WY on the east side is worth the trip in itself. Theres a CG called Ponderosa Camp Ground on the edge of town. Great CG and good owners and workers. Clean and they bend over backwards for you. Resonably priced for that area also. Easy day trips to Yellowstone, along with going to the Beartooth Highway which is a must see. But at that time of year it may not be opened yet. Elevation is high there and snow in June and even sometimes July allthough rare. Beautiful trip though. Charles Kuralt said its could be the the best highway in the USA.

On the other side of Yellowstone in West Yellowstone you are right outside the gate to the park and theres a nice park there called Grizzly RV Park. Very nice there also.

Hope you have a great trip and most of all have fun.

Dave