Family Yellowstone Camping Suggestions?

[chuckchili]

Looking to do a first-time Yellowstone trip this year with the family (wife and 3 kids under 13) either late May or early June. We’ll be towing the 33’ camper from the Denver area. Interested in seeing wildlife, hiking and maybe bringing the canoe for fishing. I would like the ability to make
reservations.

I know a lot of the folks on here have been and would be interested in whatever suggestions y’all have. Dates are flexible, I was thinking it might be a little less busy early in the summer.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mtmiller]

Check out Yellowstone Insider Hub on FB. Question is asked and answered often. Lots of garbage, but there will be some helpful stuff on there as well.

After a quick check, there is a Yellowstone RV Camping Group as well. Probably some valuable info there.

I sleep in the back of my pickup, so no help from me.

 

[JLS]

Pulling a 33’ camper through Jellystone with a wife and 3 kids is going to require a lot of patience. And beer.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Can be pretty wintery still, depends on the year.

 

[jlong17]

I'd suggest camping at the West Yellowstone KOA if you're pulling a camper that big. It's a really nice site, easy to get in/out with your rig, and close proximity to park entrance/hiking/fishing. If you need a few honey holes to wet your fishing line, shoot me a PM.

 

[406dn]

The reason it MIGHT be less crowded is the weather will not be early summer like. It will be the last gasps of winter in May. Also, some of the fishing in the park might not be open that early.

If you want nice weather,,,,,,, there is a reason July and August are so popular.

The advice to camp on the edge of the park is good one.

 

[Straight Arrow]

There really is no "less busy" time in Yellowstone. Go to the YNP website and you will find links to reservations, which is encouraged, esp. with a 33 footer that you will not want to tow much in the Park. I suggest securing a spot centrally, then touring YNP with a smaller vehicle.
The opportunities for viewing wildlife are abundant. Canoeing and fishing will require a registration decal for the canoe and a license to fish.
Hiking opportunities are endless; get a "Best Hikes" book and maps at any of the stores in or near YNP.
Better yet, order information, research and plan your stay. It will be much more enjoyable once you get there.
We have spent a lot of time in Yellowstone with our grandkids and just as a couple of avid hikers, canoers, and backpackers, so PM me if you have questions.

 

[MTLabrador]

It may be aggravating and busy, but I love Yellowstone. Lamar Valley in May is pretty awesome just for the grizzly viewing.

 

[brymoore]

Camp at the Lake campground. Lots of camper spots.

 

[chuckchili]

Thanks for the suggestions- I might push our dates back a bit for a little better weather and look for a campground just outside the park due to our size. All good advice.

Camp at the Lake campground. Lots of camper spots.

I'm having trouble looking up this campground, is that the name of it?

 

[Straight Arrow]

Bridge Bay Marina.

 

[mthillrunner]

We’ve stayed at Yellowstone grizzly rv park in west Yellowstone & the koa. Prefer the one in west Yellowstone but both are nice. Thoroughly enjoy every trip.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Wherever you stay....

 

[brymoore]

Thanks for the suggestions- I might push our dates back a bit for a little better weather and look for a campground just outside the park due to our size. All good advice.


I'm having trouble looking up this campground, is that the name of it?

Bridge Bay as Straight Arrow said.

 

[chuckchili]

Thank you for all the replies, they helped. The deciding factors ended up being the size of our trailer and available dates. Ended up taking the last spot at the Yellowstone West KOA, the second week of August. I might solicit suggestions for good things to do while we are there as it gets closer.

I can't promise that I won't pet the Fluffy Cows or give a grizzly a nice belly scratch while I'm there but if I do, I'll have my kid film it and post it here as a memorial of my everlasting stupidity.

 

[Cousin Basil]

When we went in 2010, we went the 2nd week of June. We had a few snowflakes one day at Old Faithful but the other days were very pleasant. Not crowded at all. We stayed (in a hotel) in West Yellowstone within a few hundred yards of the gate - walking distance to several restaurants also.

I would highly recommend this book:

Yellowstone Treasures

You can stay there a month and not see everything and this helped us be the most efficient with our time.

It lists the best/most efficient routes when sightseeing, and more importantly describes the history of each place. Our home schooled boys (we were in learning mode) were 7 and 14 and we read from it constantly when walking through the geyser areas. The author goes into much more detail on the history and science (and name origin) than the Park service signs. We had people following us around and listening in to our narrations in Southern accents.. ha ha. Not sure what intrigued them more!

The book also has pointers for wildlife viewing. We only spent a few hours in the Lamar valley and I wish we could have spent more time there. Take enough binoculars for everybody even if you have to borrow some or buy some cheapies - it will be a pain to pass one pair around. If the kids don't have phones, buy an inexpensive digital camera and put them in charge of it. Even if they take 2000 shots of trees and their feet it will be worth it to see the trip from their perspective.

I would also recommend a whitewater rafting trip - we did one in Gardiner, MT. Kind of sedate, but an hour adventure for the kids.

Walk down to the base of the Lower Falls on Uncle Toms trail - a bunch of steps but well worth it!

On your way home, go out through the Northeast Entrance and drive to Cody, WY down the Chief Joseph Parkway - gorgeous scenery! Might be a challenge pulling an RV though!

Spend a day at the Buffalo Bill museum too!

Enjoy - I'd go again in a second! My memories of my 1978 trip with my parents stuck with me and was the prime motivator to take my kids!

 

[MTGamecock]

Whenever we go down to Yellowstone with the camper, I always end up staying at Henry's Lake State Park in Idaho about 10 miles or so west of West Yellowstone. Lots of elbow room, spectacular views, good fishing, and pretty nice facilities. I dont mind the short drive to the West Yellowstone entrance each day.

As for the park, I echo the comments above about the Lamar River Valley in the northeast corner of the park. There's something about seeing thousands of bison spread out along a beautiful river valley that does wonders for the soul. And if you've never driven it before, make absolutely sure you take a side trip one day to drive the Beartooth Highway between the Northeast entrance of the park and Red Lodge, MT. It is an incredible drive and is not to be missed if you are that close.

 

[ccc23454]

Pick out a couple hikes, people seem to Yellowstone is a drive thru zoo. With kids that age greyser basin would be fun. Day pack lunchs and picnic lunch everyday, tons of great little pullouts with amazing views. Come in from south and when you leave go out east and spend 2 days in cody. 1 relax and spend day doing around town things and GO TO BUFFALO BILL CENTER OF WEST! Next day leave camper early drive up chief joesph and around beartooth highway back around to red lodge for meal then back to camper. Koa has nice pool, trout ranch has ponds kids can fish in. Glad you got a spot reserved, getting late already

 

[shrapnel]

I live close enough to Yellowstone, I can go there any time I want. After 66 years, it never grows old. There is much to see and do.

Covid-19 changed the camping and reservations in Yellowstone and I would guess this year will be much the same. Mammoth and Bridge Bay are the 2 largest campgrounds, but Mammoth wasn’t open until the season was almost over. Big campgrounds like that are good places to leave the trailer and tour the park with the truck.

The most beautiful campsite in Yellowstone is at Pebble Creek near Cooke City, but it didn’t open at all last year as many of the smaller campgrounds didn’t open. Just outside of the Park and a little east of Cooke City are 2 campgrounds, Custer and Soda Butte. They are usually available in the mornings once campers take off for other destinations. I camp there often.

I would suggest getting a reservation at Bridge Bay and use that for your base and visit the rest of Yellowstone from there. Fishing in Yellowstone can be quite good too, but the runoff needs to subside a bit before most of the rivers will be fishable. Lamar is a favorite, but won’t clear up until the first of July. Even with early water conditions, the Firehole is a great little stream for dry fly fishing all summer.

The reasons I have suggested the campgrounds are why I use them myself. There are all sorts of options available, but I doubt many people frequent Yellowstone more than I do. If you want more information, feel free to pm and I can share more.

I would also recommend and side trip to the Custer Battlefield near Hardin, Montana. It is the most studied and written about battle in American history and is well worth the visit once you are here. Check availability there too, as Covid changed that schedule as well. There is a nice campground near the battlefield that is open and convenient to the battlefield called 7th ranch RV.

Don’t come all this way and cut your visit short. There is a reason I live here, as I do live where I would vacation...

 

[chuckchili]

Great pics, thanks!