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Old 01-06-2010, 06:52 PM   #1
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Yellowstone and Tetons Camp Options

Wanting to stay at Bridge Bay but was told that no trailers wider than 8' or longer than 20' allowed. A web page says Total length of TV + Trailer =40'

No electric there so generator seems a good idea. Like the idea of being in the middle of the park and not driving in/out from West Yellowstone or Tetons.

Understand that Fishing Bridge is just a parking lot so what are the best options and/or sites you've found?

Also planning on the trip over 4th July week. Are fires allowed but no fireworks show?

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Old 01-06-2010, 07:05 PM   #2
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A quick search will give you all the information you can take on the subject. Short version= within the park some of the campgrounds are run by vendors and some by the park service. The vendor run ones are more packed, have a few more services, cost more, and can be reserved. The park run ones are more spacious, have fewer if any services, can not be reserved. The vendor run sites allow generators, park service run sites tend not to. You can go to the Yellowstone site and compare the campgrounds using the campground table. Fires are subject to burn bans, it just depends on conditions. Fireworks, forget it.

Personally, I avoid the vendor sites and hit the park service run sites.

The 2010 park trip planner

the campgrounds table
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Old 01-06-2010, 07:26 PM   #3
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Jackson Hole has a wonderful Fireworks display!!! It should, it is the richest county in America! So it maybe worth staying at Jenny Lake Camp Ground (Grand Teton NP) on the 4th, besides it is right at the base and the view is the top 10 of all the NP camp grounds! As far as camp fires it is all based on fire conditions in and out of the parks that time of year. Yellowstone, is very busy during the 4th and only two camp grounds have reservations in the park, Fishing Bridge and Madison Junction. Fishing bridge is cool to stop and look at the giant cut throat trout, but the camping there is like Walmart parking lot! Madison Junction is fare, it does set in great area! You are 14 miles to Norris (many people miss Norris I would put it on a must see) and 16 miles to Old Faithful (Old Faithful Lodge must see). The best remote and grandest of all camping in the Park is the Northeast entrance, first come, it is very hard to get a site!

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Old 01-06-2010, 07:26 PM   #4
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Here is a photo of Fishing Bridge campground. The sites are close together but the full hookups are nice. We were there in late September and there was hardly anyone there...maybe 3 or 4 trailers in our entire loop (F loop). I imagine it can get pretty crowded in the summer.
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Old 01-06-2010, 07:31 PM   #5
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When it is real busy...two trailers share a pad... So your right on top of each other! September is the very best time of the year to see Yellowstone!

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Old 01-06-2010, 07:52 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RichHog View Post
Wanting to stay at Bridge Bay but was told that no trailers wider than 8' or longer than 20' allowed. A web page says Total length of TV + Trailer =40'

No electric there so generator seems a good idea. Like the idea of being in the middle of the park and not driving in/out from West Yellowstone or Tetons.

Understand that Fishing Bridge is just a parking lot so what are the best options and/or sites you've found?

Also planning on the trip over 4th July week. Are fires allowed but no fireworks show?

Thanks
Richard
Bridge Bay will take big rigs, no problem unless all the spots are full. We were there in 08 with our 29 ft. We were 45' and they do ask overall length when you register. Don't expect a scenic spot but it's better than the Fishin Bridge parkin lot. Madison looked nice but we didn't have a chance to camp there. IIRC, all of the Vendor run campsites will take reservations.
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Old 01-06-2010, 07:57 PM   #7
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When it is real busy...two trailers share a pad... So your right on top of each other! September is the very best time of the year to see Yellowstone!
That is true for part of the campground but the loop we were on were single sites only. Also, Jenny Lake campground at Grand Tetons is tents only according to the NP website. We stayed at Signal Mountain at the North end of Jackson Lake in Grand Teton and it was a decent spot with nice views. Here's a pic...
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:00 PM   #8
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So it maybe worth staying at Jenny Lake Camp Ground (Grand Teton NP) on the 4th...Todd
Keep in mind that Jenny Lake is a no-trailer campground and usually is full by 10:00AM
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Old 01-06-2010, 08:12 PM   #9
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Keep in mind that Jenny Lake is a no-trailer campground and usually is full by 10:00AM
Signal Mountain rocks, put a gun to my head if you want me to go to Lizard again.
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Old 01-06-2010, 09:28 PM   #10
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Bridge Bay

So can you fill up water tanks with a hose there, or do you have to carry it in Jerry cans? Had to do that in Colorado last summer. Then there was the time we filled up the tank but couldn't pump it out as the battery wasn't charged and no electric so we carried a full load halfway back to Texas
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Old 01-07-2010, 08:27 AM   #11
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Here's a picture of our site at Bridge Bay in 2006 (pre-Airstream). It was completely surrounded by pines and very private. I was really impressed. The larger units are in a more open field and there were some huge 5th wheels and Class As when we were there. I have a photo of a buffalo walking through the campground that shows the larger sites but I can't find it. If they do have a size limit it may only be for certain loops.
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Old 01-07-2010, 09:33 AM   #12
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Between Teton and Yellowstone is a large campground with full facilities, store, restaurant, gas, etc.: Flagg Ranch. We stayed in July and the place was full, but our site was wooded, offered some privacy in the middle of many people and vehicles. Besides the convenience of all the amenities there, one of the prime values it has, to me, is its location squarely between the two parks. Being day trippers, we could be located centrally and get out each day to what ever place we wanted. We prefered this over camping north and touring Yellowstone from there and then relocating south to enjoy Teton. Just a suggestion... ~G
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Old 01-07-2010, 10:01 AM   #13
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Further thoughts...

Like I said, I prefer the campgrounds run by the NPS. I personally like Indian Creek, Tower Falls (although it is tough to get a site good for a camper), and Slough Creek.

If I were going to stay in one of the vendor run sites, I would most likely choose Madison as it is well situated.

The strategy I use when staying at the park is to spend a couple days camped somewhere in the south or mid-park area, and then a few more days in one of the more northern campgrounds. Its a huge park and you can loose a bunch of time driving across it trying to see it all from one campground. For my money, I think you are better off taking a migrate through the park approach.

On another note all together, if you have control over when you go, I would give some thought to going some other time. I have been in June, July, August, and late Sept-early October. Mid to late June is nice, everything is open and the crowds are not to bad (in Yellowstone terms anyway). July and August are high season and the park is pretty much a Chinese fire drill. Late Sept is a wonderful time in the park; the cooler weather makes the thermal features much more dramatic as the steam lingers longer, the crowds are MUCH smaller, and the elk are in rut. The rut is neat since you will hear them bugling constantly and you might get to watch the bull elk sparing (along the Madison is the prime spot to see this).

If you do go in the peak season, remember a couple things. First, most of the tourist wont get out of camp before 10 and they will be back by 4. This is a good thing, you want to be out at dawn, back at 11 for lunch and a nap and back out around 6 or so. Why? That is when the wildlife are out and about. At mid day when the crowds are at their peak, the wildlife will be at their least active. Also, no matter how packed the roads are, if you get off on the trails, you will find you are pretty much off to yourself. I am sure I will have more thoughts at some point.
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Old 01-09-2010, 04:57 PM   #14
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Yellowstone in a Week?

Anybody out there that have a plan of the best things to do in Yellowstone in a week, such as: Day 1 go to Old Faithful, Day 2 go to: and so on.
It seems that without a plan then there's a lot of driving from point to point and backtracking. We'll probably stay at Bridge Bay
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Old 01-09-2010, 05:15 PM   #15
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Go see the Grand Canyon and Artist's Point and go see as many thermal walks and springs as you can. Pack food in the truck and be prepared to stop and spend lots of time as wildlife and scenery will catch your fancy. Get a fantastic meal in the big lodge in Grand Tetons or at Old Fathful and be amazed at the huge old timber built interior. Go to Oxbow, Snake River and Signal Mountain. Watch for wolves at Lamars Valley. Buffalo will surely stop you as might elk or even an occassional bear and moose sighting. I may have twisted up some names but that is basically what I remember.

We liked staying outside at Edge of the Park in Livingston but that is a long drive and we stayed at the old KOA in Moran Juction when visiting Grand Tetons. But staying at Fishing Bridge was ideal for saving time and gas and getting right to sightseeing. The roads are long. Go to Jackson Hole for a fun day or evening of tourism and good food and drink.

You can order day trip booklets in advance and be looking them over according to length and difficulty. I think we did a couple of hikes, one around one of the Grand Teton Lakes and another near the elk refuge and Jackson Hole entrance. Wish I was going back soon!
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Old 01-09-2010, 05:49 PM   #16
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Just an FYI. I have been researching a Yellowstone trip for August and found out there will be no electric at Fishing Bridge in 2010 to cut costs and because the wiring needs to be replaced in the park. We are at a loss. We are going to spend a week at Custer State Park and then on to Yellowstone. Now looking at places in Cody around the East entrance. Any suggestions?
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Old 01-09-2010, 08:41 PM   #17
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It looks like we are headed that way in Aug also....
sounds like the start of an informal Caravan...
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Old 01-09-2010, 09:58 PM   #18
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Reservations ay Bay Bridge and Tetons

If you reserve a camp site say at Bridge Bay or in Grand Tetons, do you get a specific site reserved or is it a place and then you have to stake out what's available upon checkin? If we're traveling with another trailer we would want two sites together so can we reserve it that way. Or is it first come first served, even with reservations. Other thing is if we drive from Denver to Yellowstone it's a long day at least 10 hours so we'd be getting there late.
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Old 01-09-2010, 10:08 PM   #19
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If you reserve a camp site say at Bridge Bay or in Grand Tetons, do you get a specific site reserved or is it a place and then you have to stake out what's available upon checkin? If we're traveling with another trailer we would want two sites together so can we reserve it that way. Or is it first come first served, even with reservations. Other thing is if we drive from Denver to Yellowstone it's a long day at least 10 hours so we'd be getting there late.
Tetons/Jackson has some private CGs that you can reserve.
If you are coming from the west, there is a nice KOA in West Yellowstone which is a small town on I-15. That puts you right at the west entrance to Yellowstone.
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Old 01-09-2010, 10:18 PM   #20
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We stayed at a great campground about a 10 minute drive from the west gate of Yellowstone this year called RedRock RV. It's privately owned and the owner takes substantial pride in the place. Sites were spacious and the view was to die for. Even full, this place feels not too busy. It's about 5 miles off the main drag and so you have to want to go there.
Very close to Henry lake if you fish, and you can drive into Yellowstone easily. We will be going back. Highly recommended but not very big - you need reservations. Despite the link name they allow trailer and even tents. RedRock RV Park Home Page for Motorhome and Fifth-wheel travelers
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