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theadventureneverends
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Joined: December 24, 2009
Posts: 585
Location: Gig Harbor WA
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 Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 1:30 pm Post subject: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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My wife and I leave August 2nd from Gig Harbor to Yellowstone need to be back home on the 10th. I have not been since I was a kid and my wife never has.
We will be taking our Westfalia Syncro. Have zero itinerary at this point. Probably spend most of the trip in the camper maybe a night or two at paid lodging. Planning on just relaxing on this way past due road trip with some hiking and hopefully hot springs.
Any suggestions on route, places to avoid, places that are a must see, campgrounds, and stealth spots in the woods or next to rivers would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.
John |
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SCM
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Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3114
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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How many days do you plan/want to spend in or near the park and how far away from the park are you willing to travel for camping?
In any case, the best plan is to enter the park at o'dark-thirty in the morning for the best chance to stay ahead of the crowds and see wildlife.
No itinerary is cool except that you're arriving at peak season and will likely have some difficulty finding lodging or developed camping near the park that isn't already booked up.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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SCM
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Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3114
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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| djkeev wrote: |
| That's how I visit parks. Lesser known and / or OFF season. |
That's typically my strategy too although this spring/summer has been different - I've been in the park a fair bit for various reasons. The lines to get in have been surprisingly short when I've been through but I know that it's different day-to-day.
I'm about to spend a couple days there during the OP's timeframe as my onslaught of summer guests continues. We hoped to spend two days and one night in the park but all the hotels were already booked when we called back in February. I called last week hoping to find something due to cancellations but no luck (we did find one room that would sleep 4 but that wasn't going to work for us).
OP, I can give better advice if you give some specific details of what you want to do but here's some general stuff;
- the only hot spring you can get into without an overnight backpack trip is the Boiling River just north of the Mammoth Campground. It's a half mile easy walk from the parking lot and a Westy is the perfect changing room. get there EARLY to get a parking spot.
- plan on at least 2 full days to drive the entire "Grand Loop" (the figure 8 road going through the park) and see the most popular sites.
- if you're driving all this way, it may make sense to go through Grand Teton Park too. You probably won't have time to do much besides check out the view but that is worthwhile.
- the gateway towns are touristy, crowded, but still fun. The brew pub in West Yellowstone is alright but otherwise I avoid those places and don't have any tips for food.
- I have some ideas for out of the park camping that I could PM but unsure where you would be needing them (which entrance are you using?)
My OWN plan is to take my guests in through West Yellowstone, do the boardwalk at Artist's Paint Pots, hike the new trail ABOVE Grand Prismatic Geyser Basin (stay off the older lower boardwalk there - too crowded and low to see anything), then wind down the day at Old Faithful. At Old Faithful, make sure to hike around the lesser known geysers along the boardwalks in the area (Riverside Geyser, Grant Geyser, etc.). We'll probably leave through West Yellowstone and drive past Quake Lake on our way back home to Bozeman (good distillery in Ennis). We'll take a rest day than return to the park to drive the northern part of the Grand Loop, stopping to check out views on Dunraven Pass, a bit of hiking around Canyon/Falls area, then back out through Mammoth. The Mammoth visitor center was recently updated and worth checking out for 15 minutes. Second Street Bistro in Livingston is an awesome place to get dinner if you're a foodie - if not Mark's In-and-Out Burger also kicks a$$.
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Ahwahnee
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Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9797
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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My preference when staying in Yellowstone is Norris Campground. It is a no reservation CG, just 1st come 1st served.
It is smaller, usually quieter and with fewer big RVs - lots of tent campers when I have been there.
It is a good base for driving to other parts of the park each day but also a just short walk to the very fine Norris Geyser area. |
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Snort
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Joined: April 02, 2005
Posts: 1957
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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| If you want to get off to a slow start with great views, go over Chinook Pass and stay overnight at Lodgepole Campground on the east side. It's a no-frills place with not much activity during the week enough elevation to stay cool for the night, shakedown your camping gear etc. In the morning you will have a nice downhill ride before breaking out into the desert. |
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theadventureneverends
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Joined: December 24, 2009
Posts: 585
Location: Gig Harbor WA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:56 am Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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My wife went back to school and will be in a doctorate program for the next 2.5 years starting late August. I have to bid my vacation weeks a year in advance hence this roadtrip during the busy season. I suggested Maine, Florida, Vancouver Island, or Southern California for some mellow longboarding. She wanted Yellowstone.
I appreciate the tips!
Snort I forgot about Chinook pass and we will be going there soon probably for a 1 nighter. I am hoping to put at least 500 miles in on day one. If we get a late start on Wednesday though I will probably follow your suggestion.
Ahwahnee thank you for the Norris tip.
SCM I really appreciate all your information and will send you a pm for some outside spots when I know where we will be.
Should be pulling out of driveway Wednesday morning and would like to be near park within two days. Contemplating trying to be at the Boiling River hot springs Thursday night and leave Friday if they are a crowded place.
I have no idea how much time to allow for Yellowstone. If I take two days of driving each way that leaves us 5 for the park and vicinity. She needs to see old faithful and some pools. Two days in park?
A co-worker recommended Indian Creek campground.
Would we notice a crowd difference from weekend to weekday? We could enter the park on Sunday and head for home Wednesday early. |
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Sodo
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Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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Last time we went, we thought we'd drive out of the park to camp. Hence made NO reservations. That turned out to be a poor decision. I wouldn't go again without reservations. And I HATE reservations, and I hate asphalt camping too. But the park is worth setting up to spend a couple nights there, one night on each side.
Highly recommend camping at least one night in the center of the park, maybe more near the old-faithful side. Even if it's populated by 45-foot RVs like a walmart lot. You want to minimize the time spent inching along in Yellowstone trafficjams, which happen at certain times every day as you try to exit the park at camp-thirty and are worse than enduring an asphalt 'campsite'. And 3-mile trafficjams happen whenever a grizzly crosses the road. Often. Don't set yourself up for required driving to see what you want to see. You can't just "zoom around" any old time. We would have liked 2 nights __sleeping and waking in the park__ to have enough time to enjoy it.
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Microbusdeluxe 
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Joined: July 26, 2003
Posts: 980
Location: Bellingham, WA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 11:35 am Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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I've been going to Yellowstone for over 50 years. My dad grew up outside Cody and visiting the grandparents was a semi annual thing. The crowds in summer now are unbelievable. Check out this page:
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
You'll see that while 7 of the 12 campgrounds are first-come-first-served, many of these fill by 6:00AM, that's right, 6 in the morning!
So not to discourage you, the sights there are great and it is the only park where you have a reasonable chance of seeing or hearing wolves, you need to get up and at-em if you are to find a campground.
A good strategy is to drop off one of your party, with a cell phone, at one c.g. Then drive to a nearby c.g. You both get in your respective lines, yes you will be lining up at 6 AM, and keep in touch because you never know how many of the people in your line are going to get a spot. Once you find a campground stick with it during your stay. Indian Creek is usually one of the last to fill.
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designer
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2009
Posts: 484
Location: Idaho-but just the tip
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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I know you're gonna n a rush, but this is a pretty fun stop!
http://stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns/
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jimf909
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Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7462
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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I always recommend Stanley, ID, the Sawtooth Mountains and a backpack or just a day at Redfish lake.
Enjoy!!!
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theadventureneverends
Samba Member
Joined: December 24, 2009
Posts: 585
Location: Gig Harbor WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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Thank you to all for the suggestions. Sure was hoping to update this with pictures of the road trip, camping, and relaxing.
I started dishwasher before leaving for work yesterday at 10am wife came home from work at 730pm walked into the house and said it was like a steam room and was standing in ankle deep water. Dishwasher gushing HOT water from base. We have a tankless water heater so it had a continuous flow of hot water for 9.5 hours.
One of those fire water damage companies here till 0200 then back again at 0900. Kitchen is now gutted. Walls have to be cut out 40% of house is a disaster. Insulation in the crawlspace is in bad shape.
Probably be dealing with this through the month. Yellowstone will have to wait. Maybe once stabilized we can take a mini road trip as the westfalia is ready to go. Maybe Crater Lake, Vancouver Island or the Oregon coast.
Thank you again for your time and suggestions. |
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Jake de Villiers
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Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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| theadventureneverends wrote: |
Thank you to all for the suggestions. Sure was hoping to update this with pictures of the road trip, camping, and relaxing.
I started dishwasher before leaving for work yesterday at 10am wife came home from work at 730pm walked into the house and said it was like a steam room and was standing in ankle deep water. Dishwasher gushing HOT water from base. We have a tankless water heater so it had a continuous flow of hot water for 9.5 hours.
One of those fire water damage companies here till 0200 then back again at 0900. Kitchen is now gutted. Walls have to be cut out 40% of house is a disaster. Insulation in the crawlspace is in bad shape.
Probably be dealing with this through the month. Yellowstone will have to wait. Maybe once stabilized we can take a mini road trip as the westfalia is ready to go. Maybe Crater Lake, Vancouver Island or the Oregon coast.
Thank you again for your time and suggestions. |
Oog. You have my sympathy. Hope your house is all better soon.
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bokonon42
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Jeffrey Lee
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Joined: February 04, 2014
Posts: 1488
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:50 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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Ouch, that hurts ...!
Figures, as soon as a guy gets his Vanagon all sorted, his house falls apart. At least you can cook in the Westy while your kitchen is remodeled.
But seriously, you have my sincerest sympathies, and I wish you and your family a speedy recovery from this domestic disaster. If/when you decide to make a Vancouver Island > Crater Lake trip, PM me for some suggestions; we did a similar trip in 2014 and enjoyed it immensely.
Take care!
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Sodo
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Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9603
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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One word: YIKES!
And more words could be:
"Lucky you didn't start the dishwasher on the way out the door for Yellowstone."
-or-
"Yellowstone is probably better in September after the crowds have gone..."
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jackbombay
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Joined: October 19, 2007
Posts: 2723
Location: Eastern Idaho
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: Washington State to Yellowstone |
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Bummer about the flood 
| Sodo wrote: |
"Yellowstone is probably better in September after the crowds have gone..." |
It really is!
Even better in January, get a snowcoach in, get out a couple miles from the lower geyser basin and cross country ski to Old Faithful through the geyser basin away from the road. We saw Old Faithful erupt with 4 other people, during a raging snow storm, it was a stark contrast to summer eruptions with 10,000 people there!
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