The Williams family will be at YNP in july 2012, We are Staying at the Koa. We would love to meet up with anyone from Goods Sam club. We are traveling with our two youngest kids Aaron 14 and Lilli 12. Unfortunately the six shih tzus will not be comming . But please feel free to email me through this website. We are extending arms out to you and hope to hear more from those of you who will be at the park. We are looking at being there July 4 through the 10th.
Sincerely
Jeanine and Chris Williams
2009 Coachmen Mirada 35ft
6 teacup shih Tzu
4 kids
You have probably gotten all the advice you can possibly need for your trip this summer, but I would like to add a little more. Colter Bay Campground is a great place to stay while you are going to be around Yellowstone. The Tetons are so spectacular and Jackson Lake is absolutely wonderful. You can get a boat ride on Jackson Lake that takes you right to the base of Mount Moran and this is worth every dollar you might have to spend. Also, Jenny Lake is great as well, but not as big and you don't get to see as much of the Tetons as on Jackson Lake. Colter Bay Village has showers for about $3.50 each which is what we have used almost every time we go there, which is usually twice a year. It's about a 45 minute drive from Colter Bay to the entrance of Yellowstone and the world opens up for you when you get there. We make it a point to make at least one day-trip to Yellowstone when we visit Grand Teton. Just get up early and you'll have a wonderful visit. I would second, third, whatever taking lunch with you as you will not be happy waiting in line for the food places in the park when you can be outside seeing one of the true wonders of the world.
Whatever you do, make sure you get to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It's not near as big as the Grand Canyon, but may be prettier, in my opinion, and you can see the Canyon from both sides very easily as opposed to the North and South rims of Grand Canyon. Make sure you do have some extra clothing as the weather in June can be a bit unpredictable and most assuredly will get chilly in the evening. If you spend 7-10 days at Colter Bay and make 4 or 5 day trips to Yellowstone, you will see most of what you can see and it will wet your appetite to come back again and see the things you thought you missed.
As far as getting there, take I-80 to Cheyenne, I-25 to Casper and then through Riverton to Dubois and over Togwotee Pass to Moran and into Grand Teton National Park. When you hit the corner just before the Togwotee Lodge, have the kids see who can see the Tetons first, it is a wonderful sight and one not to be missed. The dry campground in Colter Bay is first come, first served so if you arrive around 9:00 to 10:00 you should be able to get a good spot. Then the kids, with parents, can walk down to the lake and take a dip in the water, it will be somewhat cold in June, but for most kids that doesn't seem to make a difference. If you feel you need to get out of the Park and into Jackson Hole for a day or evening, take in the Bar J Chuckwagon for dinner and a show. For around $20.00 each you can get a pretty good meal served chuckwagon style and then a great western show with great singing and playing with some humor. Very family friendly for everyone. This will work if you like "western" music like Sons of the Pioneers, Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey type music because that's what they sing and they have great voices.
Whatever you do, take your time and have a great experience. If you do, the kids will want to come back again and see some of the great wonders of the world.
jalichty wrote: If you spend 7-10 days at Colter Bay and make 4 or 5 day trips to Yellowstone, you will see most of what you can see and it will wet your appetite to come back again and see the things you thought you missed.
First, this is an old beginning post - from November and probably the OP has already made his plans. But for future Yellowstone visitors, we would highly disagree about staying in Colter Bay (Grand Teton Nat'l Park) as a base for visiting Yellowstone. Yellowstone is huge in itself and that would involve an incredible amount of driving. We would highly recommend seeing both parks - they are completely different from each other - but move campsites to each park for a better experience. Have a safe summer everyone!
Extremely Happy Full-Timers for 16 years
.... now trying to adjust to 3-season traveling - and it isn't easy!
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
jalichty wrote: If you spend 7-10 days at Colter Bay and make 4 or 5 day trips to Yellowstone, you will see most of what you can see and it will wet your appetite to come back again and see the things you thought you missed.
First, this is an old beginning post - from November and probably the OP has already made his plans. But for future Yellowstone visitors, we would highly disagree about staying in Colter Bay (Grand Teton Nat'l Park) as a base for visiting Yellowstone. Yellowstone is huge in itself and that would involve an incredible amount of driving. We would highly recommend seeing both parks - they are completely different from each other - but move campsites to each park for a better experience. Have a safe summer everyone!
totally agree! we stayed in YNP and at Colter Bay and would NOT want to drive back and forth to YNP from Colter.
the drive from Grant Village to Colter was long enough. can't imagine driving from Colter to Mammoth, Canyon and other areas of YNP each day.
Dan- Firefighter, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
Why not, what's the hurry. The speed limit is 45 and there is a lot to see in both parks. I guess that living out here in the wild, wild west where it's a long ways between towns and places has made me not understanding of people who don't want to drive a ways to see things and then back to a wonderful place for dinner and a great evening under the stars. Staying outside the North entrance would be a pretty big inconvenience to seeing much of the south end of the park in any more of a reasonable manner. I guess it doesn't really bother me to travel about 45 miles in about an hour from Colter Bay to see Yellowstone. If you are going to have 4-5 days, you just take a different direction each day and see all the park, enjoy it and then get out. I have found that the campground, Bridge Bay, is not a great place to stay, if you can get in. Over at Fishing Bridge, if you can get in, it's still quite a ways to a number of the features in the park. Wife and I think nothing of getting up around 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning, having a good breakfast, make sandwiches for lunch and get something out for dinner when we get back. We might not get back until 7:00 or 8:00 but there's still a bunch of sunlight there at this time of day so you aren't stumbling around in the dark trying to grill or eat outside the RV. Just my preference and I do think that Grand Teton National Park is way "prettier" than is Yellowstone. However, Yellowstone has a bunch more features to enjoy, however you decide to do it.
If you're not tied to having hookups, I'd suggest starting at a reserveable campground in the park, such as Madison, stay three days or so to explore the area on that side of the park.
Then head out early in the morning to one of the first come campgrounds that aren't reserveable, such as pebble, tower, etc. We do that on animal watching day, because you'll see more getting up at sunrise anyway. Drive on up, getting to the other campground by 8-9am, and you'll find a few folks packing.
It's what we did the last time we were there, and I'd do it again in the future.
cjsx5 wrote: We are planning to take a family trip to Yellowstone NP in summer of 2012 and are looking for advice. My wife and I, with our 6 children (ages 2 to 14), will be taking our Suburban and 34' travel tailer (304 Surveyor) from Nebraska. We will probably set aside about 10-12 days for the trip. With our large family, range of ages, and length of stay, we strongly prefer hook ups for electric, water, and sewer. Also, a little space for the kids move around and burn off energy is important, such as a good playground.
I know very little about Yellowstone, but it looks like RV options in the park with full hookup are very limited.
- Is there a best time of summer to visit? We were thinking June.
- Any suggestions are were would be a good place to stay at or near Yellowstone?
- Any favorite spots to visit in the park, especially family friendly spots?
- Any ideas for a good route to travel to minimize work for our suburban towing?
- Any other thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks a bunch!
Not sure that I can add much more to what has already been said, but here are a few observations from our experiences. We spent 5 days in Yellowstone in Sept. as we went south for the winter and have been there 3 times in the past 7 years and still love it.
#1 - you have to keep in mind that Yellowstone is BIG and travel is SLOW, especially if the wildlife is out!! You will have instant traffic jams then! We put on close to 250 miles on our Saturn just inside the park in 5 days and that was with diminished crowds and traffic!
#2 - I would really recommend attempting to get reservations at Fishing Bridge, just because of #1. Make them as early as you can in order to get a spot. It is also probably the most centrally located campground in the park, especially with hookups. Its location at least gives you the opportunity to "wagon wheel" yourself out to various places and features in the park.
#3 - Yes, the park at West Yellowstone is great, especially for kids, but you have just added at least 30-40 mins. to get into the park and any of highlight features you would want to see. (At least an hour to Old Faithful) See #1 for that reason! The same for staying up at the north entrance at Gardiner.
#4- must see, in my opinion! (A) The hotpots at Yellowstone Lake - if I remember its called Tom Thumbs ....but not sure on that right now! (B) Old Faithful and the geysers and mudpots on that side of the park. (C) the canyon and Inspiration Point. (D) Dunraven Pass and LaMar Valley - great for spotting buffalo at least, if not other wildlife. Of course, the wildlife can and will appear at any time and at anyplace within the park, hench instant traffic jams!!
#5 - get the kids involved with the Junior Ranger programm, as that will give them some structure and purpose for them to get more out of their visit. Have the kids do some research on the geological features of the park so they can get an idea of what to look forward too before you go. In their research, guide them into some of the early exploration of that area and how people didn't believe the accounts of the natural wonders that had been discovered! In this day and age of digital photography, have each make their own travel log with photos or create their own travel blog online to let their friends know and see what they are missing!!
Yellowstone really is a natural wonder and full of geological sights that makes it one of the wonders of the world. Can you see why we love it so much?!?
The earlier in June you can get there, the better for getting around in the park. July and Aug. is like a zoo there!
Hope this gives you a little different perspective and inside to this incredible wonderland. Have LOTS of memory cards for the digital cameras.
Have a great trip!
Ron & Carolyn
Happy - Lakeland Terrier
Rose - Welsh Terrier
From sailing yacht to land yacht
KE7BZC
M/V Lothlorien GO HUSKIES Our Trip Pictures Ron & Carolyns Travels
"As far as getting there, take I-80 to Cheyenne, I-25 to Casper and then through Riverton to Dubois and over Togwotee Pass to Moran and into Grand Teton National Park"
Question, is there any reason not to take I-80 to Rawlings and then take 287 to Lander and then up to 26 to enter the park?
We'll be coming from Denver and everything shows us that is the route to take. Thoughts?
Offline
, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur
, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever
, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
