Our Yellowstone trip... FINALLY... Need suggestions

Hi All, so my wife and the kids are finally doing it. This July-August we are making the trip form the East Coast (Woodstock, NY) To West Yellowstone. We will be staying at a RV Park on Hebgen Lake. We have some things planned on the way and I was wondering ifanyone had any knowledge on the following stops.

Our first major stops will be Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore, does anyone have any suggestions on an RV park with full hookups that is a good spot near the two? 

The same question goes for the City of Cody, WY, and Grand Tetons national Park.
I will be pushing a 31 foot class C Rig, and per my wife's DEMAND we must stay at full hookups do to the HEAT in the summer. Looks like I will be running the Genny at any Boondock Stops.... If anyone has any suggestion for those spots Thank you in advance for that as well.

Thanks All! This is a great place with great people and you all make it so!

Mike

Good for you!
Are you staying at Rainbow Point on Hebgen Lake?  It's a nice spot, but beware of bear activity - keep a clean campsite (or at least cleaner than the neighbors  ).  And make sure to have plenty of mosquito spray!

None of the places you are going need air conditioning in July and August unless you are coming from Alaska. A typical day is in the 70s there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=yellowstone+monthly+temperaters&rlz=1CAEAQE_enUS803&oq=yellowstone+monthly+temperaters&aqs=chrome..69i57.11895j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

SeilerBird said:

None of the places you are going need air conditioning in July and August unless you are coming from Alaska. A typical day is in the 70s there.

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Apparently we caught about 10 atypical days on our trip back in July 2007 when it was 90*+ every day!

Joezeppy said:

Apparently we caught about 10 atypical days on our trip back in July 2007 when it was 90*+ every day!

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That is freaky considering the highest temp recorded at Yellowstone Lake is 92.

http://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/weather.html

Badlands and Mount Rushmore get highs in the upper 90s as do many other places along the route. For Badlands there is a KOA at the edge of the park, but if you only need electricity, reserve one of the electric sites in the park itself if you can fit. It cools down a lot at night, and the stars in Badlands are spectacular. They do astronomy programs most night during the season. For Mount Rushmore, the parks in town are so-so, but Rafter J not too far away is great. There are also campgrounds with electricity in Custer State Park itself.

Edit because obviously autocorrect hates me.

and per my wife's DEMAND we must stay at full hookups do to the HEAT in the summer. Looks like I will be running the Genny at any Boondock Stops....

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Can't help much with enroute parks, but be sure you bring coats and prepare for cold nights and many days not so hot -- temps can change 30? to 40? from night to day -- since you'll be mostly above 6000 feet and relatively far north. You might tell wife that heat is rarely (not never, just rarely)  a problem there. I hope you've planned enough time, too. Be sure you plan to drink a lot of water, too, during your stay since the climate is generally (unless it's raining) very low humidity most of the time, and you definitely don't want to be dehydrated.

In the Grand Tetons I'd suggest Gros Ventre campground (dry camping, mostly, but some electric sites), about 10-15 miles north of Jackson and, if you want a campground in Yellowstone Park try Colter Bay -- there are two campgrounds there, one is a commercial with full hookups needing reservations far in advance and the other is dry camping right next door. Both Gros Ventre and Colter Bay (not the commercial side) are pretty much first come first served with no reservations. In the busier seasons they are often filled up by noon, so you may need to arrive early. In both these campgrounds you can run the genny most any time except during quiet hours, when it will be chilly anyway.

Your West Yellowstone RV park is fine, but thought I'd mention the other option. Still, you didn't mention which campground on the lake, and some are a ways from town (and Yellowstone Park), and speed limits are mostly low (45 mph or less) so keep that in mind when planning your park sightseeing.

Note to Joe: I don't know if the 90?+ you mention is recorded on your thermometer in the sun (which skews the reading upwards), or is from official sources, but Tom's right that most days are not that hot, but it's not unheard of to get hot for a few hours in the day, just not usual to happen often. Your high's may have been 90 or so, but I'll bet that the morning still needed a jacket for a little while, and late afternoon/early evening was well down, too. And most times when it's hot, get in the shade and it's much better -- that sun can be hot on your skin, even in cool temperatures.

Thanks everyone, we are staying at Holiday RV Park in West Yellowstone for 5 nights. We are renting a car when we are there. We plan to use the car to tour the park and see the sites. This is exciting for us to plan but we are on somewhat of a time constraint. I am glad to hear the temperatures should not be too bad, actually my wife will be more happy than I. I was also considering a stop at Deadwood after Mount Rushmore. But that will depend on time and if it is worth it. We have a 9 and 11 year old boy. Thanks again for the help. I hope we picked the right RV park on West Yellowstone. It looks nice and I reserved it on January 2nd, the first day the 2019 booking window opened.

Mike

Mount Rushmore and Badlands rarely gets into the 80s.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+rushmore+monthly+temperature&rlz=1CAEAQE_enUS803&oq=mount+rushmore+monthly+temperature&aqs=chrome..69i57.11073j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

IN the Badlands see:
https://www.cedarpasslodge.com/campground


We haven't stayed at Cedarpass CG but it does have electric and probably is the most convenient RV park. It's near the Visitor center.

For our Mt Rushmore stop we stayed at the Palmer Gulch KOA. It's also convenient to the Crazy Horse monument. It was a very nice park but it's big and caters to families/kids (ours were 11 & 13 at the time). In other words, it's busy and it's loud in parts of the park. Our actual site was in a quiet section, though, which was nice.

To the temperature critics, sorry I did not keep a detailed spreadsheet of daily highs and lows. Suffice it to say it was HOT for much of our 3 week trip including most of the time we spent in and around Yellowstone itself. There were also more moderate and pleasant days. Heat affects different people differently so to say someone else will not need A/C just because you would be comfortable is just not right. To me, anything over maybe 85* is torture. I'm with the OP's wife - if I had not had A/C for that trip, I would have been miserable many of the days and probably divorced by the time we got home.  :

After talking my husband out of the need for air conditioning a few times and paying dearly for my persuasion, I say if your wife wants AC, then by all means, make sure AC is available.

I am also of the camp that air conditioning is unlikely to be needed in Yellowstone, most of the campgrounds there are at close to 8,000 ft elevation, so night time lows in the 30's and daytime highs in the 60's are common even in the middle of summer, and on those rare occasions that daytime highs reach into the 80's chances are you are going to be out and about exploring during the day, if in the RV running the dash air conditioner, etc.,  not in a campground inside the coach.

Ike

SeilerBird said:

Mount Rushmore and Badlands rarely gets into the 80s.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+rushmore+monthly+temperature&rlz=1CAEAQE_enUS803&oq=mount+rushmore+monthly+temperature&aqs=chrome..69i57.11073j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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The NPS site shows average high is 91 in Badlands during July and August with the extreme being 116. https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/weather.htm

Badlands and Mt Rushmore do not have the same temperature ranges. However we have stayed in BNP with temps in the 90s during the day but temps at night were 60. We generally just tough it out during the day and open everything up at night. Still, with kids, the KOA and their swimming pool can sound pretty nice. We stayed there a few times.

The temperature in the Badlands can hit triple digits, and Cody can be warm. I don't know about your wife, but at all the rest of the places you mentioned, my wife would be more likely to be running the furnace than the AC.

The driving time between the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore will be a lot longer than it seems like it should be. Rather than driving back and forth, I use two different campgrounds. Cedar Pass Campground (in the park) does have hookups, but the camp sites are just wide spots in the road. I much prefer Badlands Interior Campground which is about 1/4 mile outside of the park.

When I visit the Black Hills, I generally stay in one of the National Forest campgrounds, so I have no recommendation there. While you are there, if you have a toad, take a day to drive Needles Highway, the Wildlife Loop, and Iron Mountain Rd. Needles and Iron Mountain both have tunnels that are not passable in the motor home.

Joel

Mt. Rushmore KOA and Yellowstone Grizzly are my choices.  We have stayed at both several times and have absolutely no complaints.  Yellowstone Grizzly is one of the nicest parks we've ever stayed at.  If you can find the time when at Mt. Rushmore visit Devil's Tower (about a 2 hour drive) and Custer State Park (30 minute drive).  Crazy Horse is on the way to Custer State Park.  You can also visit Devil's Tower while traveling from Mt. Rushmore to Yellowstone.  While at Yellowstone be sure to visit the Wolf and Grizzly Discovery Center.  Only about 3 blocks from Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park.  Hope this helps.

I tent camped at the KOA in Cody last June. It is a decent for both tent and RV camping. Cody has a Rodeo every night which I'm sure your kids would enjoy.

Your mention of Hebgen Lake brought back some memories. In 1959 there was a huge earthquake that caused the side of a mountain to give way. Late at night, 80 million tons of rock instantly slide down the side of the mountain and killed a number of people in the campground below the lake. That avalanche created another lake which was dubbed "Quake Lake." A number of the survivors were stranded in the area for several days. It was a terrifying experience.

At that time I was just a young boy sleeping in my bed in Butte Montana. Just about everyone in Butte were awakened by all the shaking from that earthquake, except for me. Guess I can sleep through anything including an earthquake. There were a number of after shocks for weeks afterward. One occurred while I was with my parents at the local drive-in theater. I still chuckle to myself remembering my dad yelling at me to quit jumping and bouncing the car until he realized no kid can bounce a car that severely.

But, the Hebgen Lake area is a beautiful place to visit. I've been there many times.

Edit* Here's quick read on the quake https://www.yellowstonepark.com/park/yellowstone-earthquake-of-1959

I vote for A/C.
It was 95 degrees when I was there in July, 2014. Thought I was going to pass out hiking around Mt. Rushmore.
Jul Max Avg Min
20 87 71 55
21 91 77 63
22 83 70 57
23 81 67 53
24 95 79 62
25 78 67 56
26 81 68 54

Deadwood would be boring for kids. It's all casinos. I was very disappointed.

Some general information about YNP (some general items apply to GTNP also)

YNP is BIG!, about 45 miles E/W and about 65 miles N/S (2.2 mil. Acres total). The ?figure 8 grand loop? road inside the park is about 140 miles around. The lower loop is 96 miles and the upper loop is 70 miles around and yes, it is bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Whatever time that you think you will need to see YNP you better double it, or to say it another way is that you will see one half as much as you planned on in the allotted time. The Bison think that they own the road (they do!) and will slow down the traffic to walking speed or stop all traffic for 1/4 mile or more blocking both directions of travel, the thermal attractions also tie up traffic and with a 5 month long summer tourist season that coincides with a 5 month long road construction season and a 45 MPH radar controlled speed limit it will take about a full day to see each loop and then you will only see the main attractions. In addition to the occasional construction delays they will also sometimes close whole sections of road (for uninterrupted night construction) between 10 PM and 8 AM in the morning, if you are running late and get caught at night in the wrong area it CAN be a LONG way around to your CG! (The entrance stations will have current construction information or go on line to check it out)

Then there is the elevation- YNP ranges from a low at Mammoth- 6239 ft to 7784 ft at Fishing Bridge or higher if you go hiking and there are passes on the grand loop road that are close to 8000 ft or so! Drink plenty of liquids and pace yourself when walking.

I recommend that you get up EARLY, leave the CG and be back by 4 or 6 PM have dinner and be sitting in your recliner drinking a cool one when your neighbor drags himself back to the CG at 8-10 PM. Remember that from mid May to mid July in YNP the sun doesn't set until about 9:30- 9:45 PM then there is a long twilight.

Cell Phone Service- Only at the major visitor centers, otherwise non-existent!

Clothing- Especially in the early or late season it is not unusual to have a 30 or even the occasional 40 degree temperature change throughout the day. Dress with easily shed layers of clothing. Also dress in bright easily seen clothing. I am sure that we all have been to a sporting event, parade or Disney World etc. and we blink our eyes and our partner/child has disappeared. My DIL was born and raised in HI, you guessed it, every Xmas, b-day or Father's Day I receive a Hawaiian shirt. One of them is  shiny black with 4-5 inch dia. bright flowers. Not many of them in Wyoming and in YSNP, that is what I wear. If your partner has on a Violet blouse and a Orange scarf with a Pink hat I guarantee that she will be the only one within the boundaries of either NP. It can save you a few anxious moments.

Water- Now I will have to contradict myself, at the altitude of YNP yes, drink lots of water!    HOWEVER, be aware that the flush toilet restrooms are are in the major tourist areas- Mammoth, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, Lake Hotel, Bridge Bay, Grant Village, Old Faithful, Madison Junction etc. The geyser basins and other thermal attractions areas only have pit toilets. I have seen the pit toilet line at the lower Geyser Basin (2 R/Rs) 25 or more feet long (bless the tour buses) So be smart about drinking your water and use the major tourist area R/Rs before leaving the area! I.e. ?Never pass up a flush toilet!?

Sun- At YSNP altitude the Sun is intense (uv)have and apply sunscreen, wear that old floppy wide brim sun hat, wear Sunglasses!

If your luck is like mine Old Faithful will have just erupted when you get there and you will have up to a hour and 10 to 15 minutes wait for the next one. Tour tour the O/F Geyser basin while waiting. O/F INN is a must see, reportedly the largest LOG building in the U.S. (Meals in the O/F Inn dinning room are ?A OK? also.

We have lived about 110 miles from West Yellowstone, MT since 1964, go to YSNP 3-4 times a summer (normally before Memorial Day and after Labor Day) and haven't seen it all yet! So don?t be discouraged that you didn?t have the time to see all of it. Just plan on coming back another time!

I honestly don?t mean to scare or discourage you but to give you a heads up as to what to expect! After all there was 4.1 million visitors in 2015! As far as I know we didn?t lose one of them. Except those who by their own stupidity step off the board walks into BOILING HOT water and ignoring the warnings about the WILD ANIMALS! That is called purifying the gene pool!

Note I have seen on this blog and others about folks ?day tripping? from YSNP to GTNP, it is done all the time (myself included) however remember this is BIG country and with the speed limits, animals and thermal attractions you will be doing a LOT of driving. From Grant Village Visitor Center (extreme S/E corner of the lower loop road) to Jackson, WY is about 80 miles with Coulter Bay being about 1/2 way then from Grant Village you have to add the distance to your CG it will be a Long days trip!

A point of CoulterBay (GTNP) clarification- there are two (2) CG?s at Coulter Bay, One the ?Coulter Bay RV Park? a full service ?RV Park? with FHU?S that takes reservations. The other is the ?Coulter Bay Campground ? has no hookups and doesn?t take reservations. Both have about 300 sites and are basically across the road from each other.

When in the Jackson area I highly recommend seeing the Bar J Chuckwagon dinner show! If you go, MAKE RESERVATIONS and BE THERE EARLY TO PICK UP YOUR MEAL TICKETS/ TABLE SEATING ASSIGNMENTS! They seat you by when you show up to get your tickets NOT by your reservation number. Tim, their fiddle player has won the "Idaho state old time fiddle contest 7 times and the US open fiddle championship twice".  If you decide to go you will sit at picnic type of bench seats/table, they get pretty hard, I recommend that you take along a blanket/pads to sit on. We day trip it there 2-4 times every summer just to see them! Disclaimer- We have no financial or other interest in the Bar J only that it will be the best $$ value for your money for your trip! Check out their website. 

http://www.barjchuckwagon.com

Also in Jackson check out the ?COWBOY? bar, the bar stools are saddles and the # of Silver Dollars in the bar. The Wort Hotel Bar (just around the corner from the Cowboy Bar) also has Silver Dollars imbedded in the Bar

For the Mt Rushmore area I would check out the Hart Ranch RV resort. It is across from the Reptile Gardens a mile or so back. We stayed at the Palmer Gulch KOA in the Black Hills last year and it was very nice, especially if riding horseback up in the hills interests you. The only thing I didn?t like was they offer WIFI, but what they don?t say is you have to go to one of their hot spots. We basically had no cell service while there, but that is the norm in many mountain campgrounds. For me, I could care less about WIFI, but for others, like my better half, who depend on it for one thing or another will be disappointed.
Another place we stayed last for a one night stop was Elkhorn Ridge RV resort outside of Spearfish, SD at the intersection of I-90 and state road 85. Full hookups, storm shelters,paved roads and concrete pads. The shower/restrooms facilities were great with individual rooms instead of community type of thing. Hands down one of the nicest campgrounds we ever stayed in. It is a very new campground, so everything still works. 85 is a real good road that takes you up into the Hills.
For the Badlands, we stayed at a nice little campground in downtown Wall, SD. It had full hookups, including cable, and was within walking distance of many ?tourist/souvineer? shops. Wall is one of the entrances to the Badlands so it was handy for us. Shops were within easy walking distance, so wife and granddaughter went shopping for a break from driving and I sat in the shade enjoying cold beverages and also got a break from driving. The campground inside the Badlands looks nice too, but I haven?t stayed there and there aren?t very many amenities close by if that?s important to you.
  I grew up out there in Rapid City and also the capital, Pierre. Although the humidity is typically lower, which makes the heat easier to tolerate, you betcha it can get hot that time of year.....particularly in the foothills and prairie areas. It?s not unusual to have huge temperature swings from day to day, and from day to night.
  Also, keep in mind the first full weekend in August is the Sturgis motorcycle rally. So basically the first two weekends of August campsites will be at a premium and far as availability and they jack the prices way up.
Sounds like a great trip!