Yellowstone in July

[Units]

In early July I will be taking the wife and young’n
to Yellowstone national park. I’ll be towing my TT from South Ms, right at 2000 miles one way depending on which side we attack the park from. The wife and I have done tons of reading on the park and would like to know if anyone has been there, where did you stay, that sort of thing. Probably will shoot over through Texas and north through Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. Anyone live that way and what roads would you recommend I stay away from? Was thinking about trying the rv life app for camper navigation, anyone use that at all? @AH64ID i believe i’ve seen you say something about going there once. I’m open to suggestions and experiences. Before the tow police get involved, not my first time pulling my camper long distance. 1st time in that part of the country.

 

[kirk-35]

We were actually planning the trip in June. I have reservations at Yellowstone Holiday RV Campground, but I think we've decided to cancel and go next year. We could only get the site for three nights and I don't think that is long enough. I haven't stayed there before, but it looks like a nice campground and is only 15 minutes from the west entrance.

We'll be going to the Badlands again instead. I'd recommend heading up through Missouri and taking the trip across South Dakota on I-90, lots to see there, Badlands, Deadwood, Mt. Rushmore and much more. We've been several times and love it. I usually stop around Branson, MO on day 1 (long day), then somewhere in Nebraska on day 2 and Interior SD on day 3. Its about 11 hours from Interior to Yellowstone.

 

[AH64ID]

@Units we love the park and have been 7 times with the kids.

I highly recommend camping in the park (my parents bought their first camper 3 weeks after our first Yellowstone trip in 2011 because they got tired of the drive from West Yellowstone into the park to meet us daily). Canyon is our favorite campground, followed by Madison and Grant. You may have to get creative on your truck/trailer lengths. We book the 40’ spots and my truck is 20’ and so is my trailer…. Wink wink. Never had a problem fitting with 3 different LB trucks and 2 different 30’ trailers (TT and 5th wheel).

Once in the park just make a plan. Old Faithful, Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, Grand Canyon, Grand Prismatic, Mammoth, hikes, etc. We did a boat tour on the lake once, it was fun but not worth repeating.

Every trip we see Old Faithful, one or both of the
Valleys where the bison are, the Grand Canyon, do hikes. Lots of time driving, but it’s worth it.

Depending on how old the young’n is the license plate game is a blast on long road trips and in the park.

We like to do lunch at any of the picnic areas. Someone simple sandwiches, and sometimes we break out the two stroke margarita maker and the portable Traeger.

The Junior Ranger and Junior Scientist programs are really fun for kiddos.

Getting into the park from the SE the S and W entrances will be your best bet for easy towing. E might be okay too, but N will be out of the way and NE isn’t great with trailers.

You really can’t go wrong. Take good binos and take your time. Just enjoy the scenery, wildlife, and the tourist show.

When we left the park after the first trip in 2011 we had really enjoyed it, but didn’t anticipate going back for many years. That changed quickly when the kids (1,3,5 at the time) didn’t stop talking about it. We went back in 2012 , then every other year for a while. And recently we’ve done Memorial Day and Labor Day.

This is the first time we haven’t had plans to go back since 2011, but I doubt that lasts long as we’re thinking about a winter snowmobile trip in ‘25, if it’s not too late to book it. Time to get researching.

 

[CortexM0]

The family and I went to Yellowstone last July. This was one just one of many stops in a multi-week camping trip. This was intended to be the highlight of the trip, and we had a longer stay planned there than anywhere else. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, it was amazing. The hot springs and geysers were unlike anything I've seen before. But, it ended up being one of our least favorite destinations on our journey. This was the most constrained I have ever felt outside of a major city. We were glad we went, but by day 3 we were ready to get out of there and actually ended up leaving early.

We stayed at Fishing Bridge RV Park. Nice park, right in the middle of Yellowstone. But hard to get reservations if you don't plan way ahead.

We came in on the south side, and left to the east. No problem with roads other than the insane traffic and some road construction on the south side.

Speaking of traffic, plan to visit any of the popular sites either very early in the morning or late in the evening. They will get very, very busy. In the middle of the day, don't be surprised if a 15 minute drive ends up taking 3 hours. Then once you get there, spend 45+ minutes trying to get a parking spot. And the 3 foot wide side walk, that they call a trail, is filled with thousands of people and only moves as fast as the slowest person.

Amazing place! Well worth going. But the touristy spots can get very busy, so plan accordingly.

 

[dieselscout80]

The park is amazing I went there first in the late 1970s and have visited multiple times over the years to include last July. It helps to grow up where it can be a day trip (long day trip though).

I will say the best time would be after 1 September.

Memorial Day weekend and earlier is cool and still snowy.

I hope you have an awesome trip to the park.

 

[cj8rockcrawler]

If you can't get a site in Yellowstone. There are several in Grand Tetons and the area in between the two parks. When we went several years ago, the main RV park was closed for remodeling for the season and ended up in Grand Tetons with full hookups vs. Electric only in most of the sites in Yellowstone.

 

[Units]

I don’t know who’s more excited, me or the kiddo! Lol. Thanks everyone for the input so far, keep it coming, we will take all suggestions under advisement. So far it looks as if all the in park sites are booked, the “box” on our camper is 28’ so smaller spots are out of the question. Going to look at some places outside but not too far from the park.

 

[Units]

@Units we love the park and have been 7 times with the kids.

I highly recommend camping in the park (my parents bought their first camper 3 weeks after our first Yellowstone trip in 2011 because they got tired of the drive from West Yellowstone into the park to meet us daily). Canyon is our favorite campground, followed by Madison and Grant. You may have to get creative on your truck/trailer lengths. We book the 40’ spots and my truck is 20’ and so is my trailer…. Wink wink. Never had a problem fitting with 3 different LB trucks and 2 different 30’ trailers (TT and 5th wheel).

Once in the park just make a plan. Old Faithful, Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, Grand Canyon, Grand Prismatic, Mammoth, hikes, etc. We did a boat tour on the lake once, it was fun but not worth repeating.

Every trip we see Old Faithful, one or both of the
Valleys where the bison are, the Grand Canyon, do hikes. Lots of time driving, but it’s worth it.

Depending on how old the young’n is the license plate game is a blast on long road trips and in the park.

We like to do lunch at any of the picnic areas. Someone simple sandwiches, and sometimes we break out the two stroke margarita maker and the portable Traeger.

The Junior Ranger and Junior Scientist programs are really fun for kiddos.

Getting into the park from the SE the S and W entrances will be your best bet for easy towing. E might be okay too, but N will be out of the way and NE isn’t great with trailers.

You really can’t go wrong. Take good binos and take your time. Just enjoy the scenery, wildlife, and the tourist show.

When we left the park after the first trip in 2011 we had really enjoyed it, but didn’t anticipate going back for many years. That changed quickly when the kids (1,3,5 at the time) didn’t stop talking about it. We went back in 2012 , then every other year for a while. And recently we’ve done Memorial Day and Labor Day.

This is the first time we haven’t had plans to go back since 2011, but I doubt that lasts long as we’re thinking about a winter snowmobile trip in ‘25, if it’s not too late to book it. Time to get researching.

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Man, that 2stroke blender is gnarly. Is that real or just a photo op? From what we’ve read it seems we may come in from the west. There is a little place called Madison Arm resort, looks kinda off of the beaten path, which we like vs domino row campsites. Good looking family btw.

 

[AH64ID]

Man, that 2stroke blender is gnarly. Is that real or just a photo op? From what we’ve read it seems we may come in from the west. There is a little place called Madison Arm resort, looks kinda off of the beaten path, which we like vs domino row campsites. Good looking family btw.

It’s real. Don’t use it too often, but it’s fun.

 

[ppine]

I have been going since 1955. I love the Park, but now the summer time is really crowded. Remember this suggestion. Pack a tailgate dinner for your family and stay out in Lamar Valley until after dark. You can do some traveling around. Find the people watching wolves with telephoto lenses. In low light drive under the speed limit. It is the American Serengeti. The people mostly go home and the animals come out. Be really careful driving back to your camp and go under the speed limit. Bring binoculars.

 

[Docwagon1776]

I try to avoid Nat'l Parks in the peak season, especially now, but get sometimes you have to travel when you can. *IF* you can go in September, for example, crowds are lower, weather better, wildlife more active, etc.

Most of the advice I'd give is covered, but off the top of my head:

1) If you stay outside the park, don't be in a rush to enter. The gates will be very crowded, but later in the morning the crowds are more dispersed. People seemed to enter early and leave early.

2) The last few eruptions of Old Faithful are much much less crowded. People are already tired and have left.

3) Try to stay in different areas over the course of a longer trip. This may be different with your RV since you'll probably not want to move it constantly, but it's a *big* park and it takes a lot of time to go from one side to the other, especially with wildlife in the road and tourists stopping due to the same. We stayed in Silvergate, MT for a few nights, West Yellowstone a few nights, and inside the park a few nights. This made it much easier to see different things on different days without a ton of driving and bison-jams.

4) Hit Grand Tetons as well if you have time and like to hike. Very very scenic park.

5) Cody is a fun day trip if you want to do some non-park stuff for a day and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is worth the time. https://centerofthewest.org/

 

[Units]

Thanks for the information fellas. We’re 4 weeks out and counting. Will definitely take all advisement seriously. Totally stoked. I’ll post some stuff about the trip when we get back.