Yellowstone

[HornedToad]

I'm planning a trip to Yellowstone in May to support my daughters quest to visit all 50 states before she turns 30. The main objective of the trip is to stay the night in Idaho, Montana & Wyoming while experiencing Yellowstone National Park. After reading a thread on this forum about traveling to Alaska, with several post recommending you should fly up and rent an RV... My plan is to fly into Bozeman to shave several days of driving off the trip and use the gas money saved towing mine up to rent an RV.

It looks like there are several nice RV Parks in Idaho west of Yellowstone, too many campgrounds in the park to consider, and a few to the north in Montana.

I would appreciate any feedback from those who have been, about the places to stay and the things to do, so we can have reservations and an itinerary in advance.

Thanks!

 

[wdk450]

There is air service direct to West Yellowstone Montana during the summer months. I don't know about RV rentals there, though. The Idaho border is just about 7 miles West of West Yellowstone. If you follow that road West Then go on a connecting highway South you can get to Jackson Hole going around the West face of the Grand Tetons. I did that trip stopping at the giant springs pond that is the headwaters of the Snake river. going through Jackson Hole and then up through Yellowstone back to my site in West Yellowstone.

 

[Gaffer]

For this trip, you might want to motel camp. You can have weather issues at that elevation in May.

 

[MTPockets]

Been to Yellowstone many times from April to October. We spent one entire summer Camp Hosting near Cody, WY at Buffalo Bill State Park April thru September, about 30 miles from Yellowstone East entrance. Yes, Yellowstone can have lots of snow and closed roads in May... We loved Cody, WY.

 

[HornedToad]

I picked early May to maybe beat the crowds before school let out... sounds like I need to look at the summer months.

Bill your loop hits up a lot of popular landmarks and I’ll want to include it on my route.

Thanks for the 411.


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[wdk450]

BTW,
I pulled into West Yellowstone Montana a day late due to mechanical problems enroute from California, on the Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day Weekend 2013 from the Idaho side. 30 degrees outside, light snow when I pulled in. Light snow for 2 days, then it warmed up. Yellowstone's ground surface was fascinating to look at in this light snow cover. There were large areas by the roads with no apparent geothermal features that were devoid of the snow cover the rest of the area had.
I was still able to get a spot in Baker's Hole US Forest Service Campground near the Yellowstone Airport that is first come, first served (no reservations) on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. This park honors the Federal Senior's pass for camping fees (something like $15 a night with electricity only- fresh water for tanks available). The pass also paid my admissions to Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks.

 

[mlpeloquin]

I picked early May to maybe beat the crowds before school let out... sounds like I need to look at the summer months.

Bill your loop hits up a lot of popular landmarks and I’ll want to include it on my route.

Thanks for the 411.


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My wife and I, in our old class C, went the second week of June. Snow on the side of the highway five feet deep, but we in the med 60's. It warmed up over the week we were there. Note that we diverted to Yellowstone do to six feet of fresh snow falling in Glacier National Park. Saw more Buffalo than you could count along with a lot of other wild life in the park. My sister went just after the fourth of July. She didn't even see a bird! So I would go just before most of the schools let out.

 

[CDreadytogo]

I live in Cody and yes you can face some weather in May but in the mountains it can happen anytime. The reduced crowds make it worth it. Depending on when in May some of the campgrounds will not be open.


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[HornedToad]

We scratched May and are booked in mid August with a Cruise America RV flying into Boise on SW for 1/4 the cost of AA into Bozeman. Only plan so far is to pass by Craters of the Moon on the way to overnight in Idaho Falls on the Snake River and enter the parks from the south.

Do I need to try and make reservations ahead or just see where I wind up each day? It seems like most camp grounds do not take reservations?

Recommend campgrounds?

Is it worth the drive to Little Big Horn?

What are the best scenic stops?




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[WBG]

We scratched May and are booked in mid August with a Cruise America RV flying into Boise on SW for 1/4 the cost of AA into Bozeman. Only plan so far is to pass by Craters of the Moon on the way to overnight in Idaho Falls on the Snake River and enter the parks from the south.

Do I need to try and make reservations ahead or just see where I wind up each day? It seems like most camp grounds do not take reservations?

Recommend campgrounds?

Is it worth the drive to Little Big Horn?

What are the best scenic stops?




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I would recommend you get reservations. It is summer (almost) after all. If you stay at the KOA at Craters of the Moon (very much worth visiting) take a close look at the restrooms before you consider using them. When we were there, we found black mold everywhere.
Safe Travels and have a great time.

 

[HornedToad]

The RV rental worked out great and we had a fantastic trip through Yellowstone!!!

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[SLO]

The RV rental worked out great and we had a fantastic trip through Yellowstone!!!

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Nice pic. There’s nothing better than that.


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