Flagg Ranch Review Needed

[Chasmorgan]

Planning a late season trip to Yellowstone and find many spots in the park close about mid September. That leaves Flagg Ranch and Colter Bay on the south end of the park. Anything you can tell would be appreciated!

[maxandgeorgia]

Charlie, we have stayed at Flagg Ranch twice when visiting both Teton and YS parks, and we will stay again when we return. It is very big, many sites, and many are close together, but most sites have shade from tall pines and some privacy with shrubs. The selling point of Flagg for us is that it lets us have a central base camp accessible both to Teton to the south and YS to the north. The camp offers a good restaurant for easy breakfasts if heading out early or dinner if you come dragging in from a busy day touring. The gift shop is very good, a decent store for groceries and miscellaneous, and fuel--all available. It's not a "wilderness" experience, but it is easy and provides what you need without tripping out of the parks for supplies. When we were there, a young black bear visited the lodge, kept folks indoors or in their cars in the parking lots for a while until FService staff lured it away--interesting and exciting, but then, it's Yellowstone! If we were focusing just on Yellowstone, we'd stay at campgrounds at the north or west entrances: Yellowstone's Edge or Madison River Campgrounds-both excellent, if at a little distance from the park. Since you are visiting late season, I'd imagine that the crowded conditions at Flagg and park sites will not be so annoying. Enjoy your trip! ~G

[Pacerized]

We've stayed in most of the campgrounds in Yellowstone, Flagg Ranch, and Colter Bay. If you don't have to have power I'd take Grant Village in Yellowstone as my first choice. If you have to have power, or Grant Village isn't open, I'd go with Colter Bay over Flagg Ranch. Colter Bay is much more wooded then Flagg Ranch and offers more of a wilderness feel then Flagg Ranch. We stayed at Flagg Ranch in the middle of an 11 night trip to the area with the idea that this would give us time to recharge our batteries and take care of laundry. The area is wooded but it still has a parking lot feel to it. For the price I would have expected a few amenities such as a pool. It does offer a good proximity to both parks but they're only about 20 miles apart anyway. We were very happy to only spend one night there and move on to Grant Village. That's just my take on it though and everyone likes to camp for different reasons.
Charlie

[Chasmorgan]

As it turns out both will be closed when we are there! Both close 9/26. Looking at Snake River KOA as the only altenative. Thanks for your help!