Yellowstone Grand Teton itinerary

Planning a first trip to Yellowstone/Grand Teton.  Looking to spend 10 days to 2 weeks in the area.  We have never been before and since we are driving from NJ, a low chance we will get that way again at least for a long time.  Our total trip will be 3 1/2 to 4 weeks so the 10-14 days will be just for the Yellowstone area.  We like to spend at least 3 nights at a time in a place.  I would like to minimize driving at the parks.  I can't decide if it is better to stay a week at one campground or stay 3-4 nights and travel around the parks.  Interested in Grant Village for a few night and Colter RV park for a few so we can be closer to Grand Teton and have the luxury of hooking up.  We can do dry/no hookups for 3 days.  Maybe better to stay at the Fishing Bridge for a week if we can get in?  Is it worth taking the time to go west of Yellowstone?  I don't want to travel too much further west but if there is something really worth seeing, I don't want to miss it on this once in a lifetime trip.  We are a middle aged couple with a 9 and 11 year old girls.  We want to do some horseback riding and maybe  a float ride down the river.  Any suggestions for itinerary/ where to stay?  Thanks!

Yellowstone is gigantic. 2.2 million acres. Rhode Island is about 3/4 of a million acres. Be prepared to do a lot of driving in the parks. I would suggest three days at Mammoth Springs Campground, three days at Canyon Village Campground, three days at Fishing Bridge and five days at Colter Bay Campground in the Tetons. Bring a camera and lots of memory chips, there is a whole lot to see and do there..

Several years ago the Travel Channel aired a program called The Ten Best National Parks in North America to view Wildlife. The Tetons came in first place and Yellowstone came in third. You will see more wildlife than you can imagine. Don't wait to long to make reservations since they fill up quickly.

As SeilerBird mentioned they are large parks, especially Yellowstone and so regardless of where you stay, be prepared for lots of driving.  At Grand Teton we stayed at Colter Bay and I highly recommend it, very nice CG.  At Yellowstone we stayed at Fishing Bridge which is a great option if you want to minimize your driving as it is centrally located.  SeilerBird's suggestion "I would suggest three days at Mammoth Springs Campground, three days at Canyon Village Campground, three days at Fishing Bridge"  Has merit and we might have done the same except, we just wanted to stay in one place for the duration and also we had family staying at the hotel near by, so we opted to spend our entire 5-nights stay at FB.  At Colter Bay we also stayed for 5-nights and enjoyed every minute of it

I agree with what the others have said and will add that if you want to go to the western side of Yellowstone the town of West Yellowstone has the very nice full hookup Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park.  Because you're from the east and have kids, there's an unusual and very interesting rest area on I-15 in Idaho called Hell's Half Acre.  It's boardwalk trails go over lava beds which you've probably not seen elsewhere.  The trails have good signage so you know what you're looking at and it's a great teaching experience for the kids.  Hell's Half Acre is a U.S. National Natural Landmark.  The I-15 part of the drive has views of what I call the "backside" off the Grand Tetons or the western slopes which are quite pretty when the weather is clear.  If you go to West Yellowstone, be prepared to spend time going into and out of the park because there often are "bison jams" where the bison herd tends to amble down the road.  The critters have the right of way!  Also make sure you have backup camera batteries, always carry water, wear good hiking shoes (lots of neat trails in Yellowstone) and wear sunhats.  You'll have a blast and the kids will love it!

ArdraF

We have been to Yellowstone several times and camp in our motor home for summer just south of Jackson Hole.  One suggestion I have for horseback riding in Yellowstone is at Roosevelt Lodge.  They have several choices.  One is to ride a covered wagon out to a cowboy cookout.  Or instead of riding the wagons out, you can opt for several different horse back rides out to the cookout; longer or shorter rides.  We did the 2 hour ride out and back and had a blast.  Lots of fun, safe and very good horses.

Whatever you do, make your camping reservations early.  It is a very populated park.  Last year both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons had an increase in tourism by 30%. 

When we go we usually stay at Grizzly RV Park with full hookups and use our tow car to travel in and around the park.  If you go to West Yellowstone, be sure and check out the Saw mill Theater playhouse.  They have great performances, especially for the kids.  Here is their website:  http://www.playmill.com/

Marsha~

OK, so I am bringing this thread back from the dead because we too will be staying at Yellowstone/Tetons in Sept, 2017.

Seems there are some challenges to going this time of the year, primarily campground availability within the park.  We literallyhave the last three nights at fishing bridge before they close the campground for the season.
Then the rest is Madison......dry camping.  I booked this last Sept while on another trip, so i was kind of limited to available resources.  The total time in the park(s) will be 13-14 days.  I booked the balance at Madison just to be sure we had some place to stay with hoping to re-arrange later. 

We are looking at going to the Tetons toward the end of the trip (cancelling a few from Madison)and it's either Colter Bay, or Flagg Ranch (?)

Anyone have itinerary suggestions for the southern most end of Yellowstone while we are there.  The park map doesn't have much to go on.

Gros Ventre is a park in Tetons with electric hook ups plus water at the dump station, it's closer to Jackson but a good location. Google maps says south entrance of Yellowstone closed winter, not sure when winter starts, but I'm sure someone else will 

Colter Bay is centrally located and Flagg Ranch is twenty miles north of the Tetons and not a lot to do there. There is not much to see and do in the south end of Yellowstone.

jackiemac said:

Gros Ventre is a park in Tetons with electric hook ups plus water at the dump station, it's closer to Jackson but a good location. Google maps says south entrance of Yellowstone closed winter, not sure when winter starts, but I'm sure someone else will 

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The South Entrance generally closes when serious snowfall begins. Late October, early November. At least that was how they did it when I lived up that way.

SeilerBird said:

Colter Bay is centrally located and Flagg Ranch is twenty miles north of the Tetons and not a lot to do there. There is not much to see and do in the south end of Yellowstone.

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Is there hiking in the south end or just inaccessible wilderness?

Just inaccessible wilderness.

We did a scenic float trip on the Snake River whilst in the Tetons in the evening. This company was very good and I'd recommend them.

https://barkerewing.com

Thanks for all the advice.
I will look into a float trip as well.
That two weeks is going to fill up fast.

We have spent the last 30 summers in Yellowstone and the area... We are from here... I would suggest that you try to get into Baker's Hole in West Yellowstone a few nights. Lots to do in West Yellowstone... there are hookups there, lots of hiking in area, right on the edge of the West Entrance of Yellowstone, the Grizzly wolf Center, Museums, etc. and a nice hop into the park.  And you are not in sardine style in this campground.

Also, you can stay on the North Fork of the Shoshone on the East Entrance of the park, before entering the park, some beautiful campsites. You can make reservation at Wapiti that has hookups, or no hookups at the campgrounds closer to park. Check out the Shoshone Forest Service site.

If you get a chance stop in Cody, Wyoming a lot to do. One of the Best museum in the states... good place to stay a night or two, stock up, enjoy the town and features... and head to the park. IF you have time, check out the Beartooth Highway. A WOW drive from Red Lodge to NE Entrance of Park. But you don't want to drive or pull RV over this road...

Enjoy!

Just a side conversation to those that have been to YNP multiple times.  I have read a lot here and elsewhere some people prefer to stay outside the park for various reasons.  This is my first trip out west with the TT.  We are coming from Pa and who knows if I will ever get back.  I've been adamant about staying in the park to cut down on travel time and to try and "experience" the park, even though it means mostly dry camping (no big deal), and close neighbors. 

Just wondering if I am missing out on the larger picture by doing this.  Trying to get informed from all angles.

We will be going after labor day to hopefully avoid the major crowds, and thankfully will have almost 2 weeks to try and get a lot in without running around like lunatics.

There is only one campground in Yellowstone with hookups and that is Fishing Bridge. West Yellowstone has many parks with hookups and it is located right at the entrance to the park and is centrally located.

We stayed at Grizzly in West Yellowstone and glad we did.  The park is huge and it takes time to get around and see/do everything.  It was nice at the end of the day to have a site with full hook ups and restaurants VERY nearby.  The road to and from West Yellowstone also had the most and best elk sitings while we were there.

I second the Cody comments above.  Do Cody on your way there or leaving.  I would NOT try to make it the base camp for the park though as it would be a long drive everyday.

OBX said:

We stayed at Grizzly in West Yellowstone and glad we did.  The park is huge and it takes time to get around and see/do everything.  It was nice at the end of the day to have a site with full hook ups and restaurants VERY nearby.  The road to and from West Yellowstone also had the most and best elk sitings while we were there.

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We chose Grizzly for the same reasons last year for a trip we later had to cancel. Taking another run at it this June and just made a reservation. As an FYI for those thinking about it, they commented that they are "filling fast".

Gods Country said:

Just a side conversation to those that have been to YNP multiple times.  I have read a lot here and elsewhere some people prefer to stay outside the park for various reasons.  This is my first trip out west with the TT.  We are coming from Pa and who knows if I will ever get back.  I've been adamant about staying in the park to cut down on travel time and to try and "experience" the park, even though it means mostly dry camping (no big deal), and close neighbors. 

Just wondering if I am missing out on the larger picture by doing this.  Trying to get informed from all angles.

We will be going after labor day to hopefully avoid the major crowds, and thankfully will have almost 2 weeks to try and get a lot in without running around like lunatics.

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Yes it is so nice to camp In park, as the driving can get old....  you can reserve a few campgrounds and that is nice for late arrivals. Beware after Labor Day a lot of campgrounds close... our favorite is camp at is canyon as there is so much to see and do in area. Plus you get shower with camping
Grant is nice and also lots to see close...

We always say our camper is longer when making reseruption in park, otherwise they squeeze you into spots!!@
Also no generators at Indian, Slough and pebble creek..

We waited until the last minute (early August) to try & get reservations at Fishing Bridge for the Tuesday after Labor Day.  Although they kept saying they were full, I called every day to see if something opened up, and it did.  We had 3 days there and loved being central to the park.  We had a 31' f5er and a Ford 350, and it was VERY tight.  But we were gone so much that it didn't matter.  And, when I needed bar-b-que sauce, my neighbor was happy to share!