Indy thru Yellowstone and beyond

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sadixon49

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Posts
454
Location
Fishers, IN
I'm starting to plan the summer vacation, as the title says, Indy thru Yellowstone, to Everett, Wa.
Dates of travel July 6 thru July23, dates can be moved but my wife works fulltime and is normally limited to 2 weeks, she's stretched to the breaking point to get 2 1/2 weeks, because I said I couldn't make that drive in 2 weeks out and back.
The plan is to drive north I94/I90 thru N. Dakota/Montana, drop down to Cody Wy, and then thru the park, stopping to see Old Faithful, and out thru West Yellowstone, and up 287/2 back to I90.
Everett is a given, my sons live there, and this trip out to see them is the primary reason we bought an RV. The trip thru N.D. is just a bucket list item, the last 2 states I have to see west of Philadelphia are ND and Montana. Yellowstone is Yellowstone and I can't imagine driving that close and not going thru to see it.
The return trip will be farther south, again just to add more states to wife's list. I5 to Portland then I84 to Salt Lake, I'd like to cross CO on I70 then back to I80 in Neb. and home.

Questions: 1. Is camping in Cody, then driving the Motorhome thru Yellowstone feasible? I don't intend to camp in the park, just stop at Old Faithful and go on. Driving a small class C.
2. Coming south thru Salt lake can I take US6 over Soldier Summit, or would I be better off going farther south and taking US50 from I15 to I70.
3. How's my timeline 7 days out, 5 days in Everett, 5 days return.
 
It is onl 100 miles from Cody to Fishing Bridge... which seems like a short trip. However, the speed limit out of Cody is only 65 and then when you hit the Forest Service boundary it goes down to 55 and the Park is 45. Usually takes us about an hour and half to get the 55 miles to the East Entrance. There are a lot of campgrounds along this route, only two with electric, but lots of sites without. A beautiful drive.  Remember prime time in the park can take 30 minutes to just go thru the gate. Then you drive 45 mps, stop at blockages when people see Bison, Elk, Bears, etc... so driving thru the park is a slow, slow drive. It is doable to get to West Yellowstone after stopping by Old Faithful from Cody in one day. But I would make a reservation in West, places to stay are tight!

Madison Campground in the park is a good stopping point, no hookups, but nice to stay there and see the sights around late in day when park gets quiet.  Last year we drove from Madison to West in a SOLID car jam, you would have thought you were in the city in traffic... Park is sooooooo busy! plan for slowwww travels, but enjoy, lots to see and do... a manificient place!
 
When we were staying in West Yellowstone last year there were 2 elk at that end of the park, one evening we crawled along as people slowed down to take photos or stop to park. It took us an hour longer than the previous night.
 
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