Rving to Yellowstone Tips Requested

[sgar725]

Hello,
I have set aside a trip to Yellowstone in June for the first time. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.Thank you!

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by sgar725

Hello,
I have set aside a trip to Yellowstone in June for the first time. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.Thank you!

Great place. Make reservations in advance if you can. Go in the middle of the week for best chance of getting a spot. There is an beautiful National Forest Service camp (Eagle Creek) up up in the hills, not to far from Gardner (north entrance) that we stayed in when everything else in the area was full. We had a buffalo in the camp site next to us and a herd of elk wandered thru. Don't miss Grand Teton NP to the south of Yellowstone. It is just as nice.

[vkb]

Originally Posted by sgar725

Hello,
I have set aside a trip to Yellowstone in June for the first time. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.Thank you!

It has been many years since we have gone to Yellowstone. It is beautiful and you will enjoy it. If you like river rafting...the Gallatin River is an exhilarating..other areas of interest are Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Glacier National Park, Montana and Custer Battlefield., Wyoming just to name a few.

[Chance]

It's been 11 years since my last visit in 2005 so things may have changed a little. I second taking time to also visit Grand Teton NP, particularly if you are driving in or out from the south. I really enjoyed Jenny Lake campground and also visiting the nearby Lodge. A short boat ride across the lake and some easy hiking on the west side was also nice. As I recall (???) trails go around the lake so you can do as much or as little hiking as you want.

You can't go wrong with any part of Yellowstone as far as I'm concerned. It's all awesome. You just need to allow plenty of time to see and take in all the unique sites. Our visits have been in May or late August/early September to avoid summer crowds, so we got to see a lot in 3 or 4 days. If I went back now I'd plan to stay at least a week -- there is so much to see.

[CasaLoca]

Advance reservations! Where you can't get advance reservations, seek out your next campsite first thing after breakfast. Many can be full by nine AM.
My wife was a seasonal ranger at Grand Tetons last year and has many tales of folks showing up at five PM looking for a place to camp. Almost never happened.
You should also know that the south entrance to Yellowstone is through Grand Tetons. Your GPS might not tell you that you have to pay for both parks to go in that way. A season pass is a great way to go.
Chuck Peck in CasaLoca

[axis earl]

Just wondering what experience anyone has had taking dogs along on a Yellowstone trip. Our plan is to stay in Island Park, ID, renting a car to see the park itself. We were thinking of taking our small dogs with us but I see on the NPS web site that dogs are not allowed on the boardwalks and some other areas. Anyone have some experience with the dogs on a Yellowstone trip?

[Oneilkeys]

Dogs are not very welcome in National Parks. They only places they are allowed is in campgrounds and along some roads. You cannot take them on trails in any National Park that I know of nor can you take them on boardwalks in Yellowstone. In Glacier National Park they attract bears. We have had bears in our campground in Glacier NP and bison in a campground in Yellowstone. Not a good idea to leave them alone in your RV or to take them out strolling.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by axis earl

Just wondering what experience anyone has had taking dogs along on a Yellowstone trip. Our plan is to stay in Island Park, ID, renting a car to see the park itself. We were thinking of taking our small dogs with us but I see on the NPS web site that dogs are not allowed on the boardwalks and some other areas. Anyone have some experience with the dogs on a Yellowstone trip?

No recent experience with pets, but when we did it was OK.

The first time we went in a motorhome (almost 20 years ago) we took our two small +/- 20-pound dogs with us -- a Pug and a mix breed. We didn't have any issues whatsoever, although we drove around the park in the motorhome instead of a car. Occasionally we would walk them around the parking areas, first making sure there was no wildlife near by. When seeing the sites we left them in the motorhome.

Around the campground we were more concerned with possibly encountering a bear, since there were reports they came looking for food after dark. Turns out we didn't even see bears near the sites.

On subsequent trips without pets I recall seeing more wildlife that could threaten a small pet, but I wouldn't necessarily worry too much about their safety.

[CasaLoca]

An escaped pet situation in a National Park is not likely to have a happy conclusion. An animal that gets off a boardwalk in Yellowstone is quite likely to get scalded, often to death. Guardrails along steep trails can easily be slipped under by a pet animal, causing hazard to the pet, possibly to a rescuer, and likely to anyone at a lower elevation. Not to mention that cats and dogs would be considered prey by wildlife in the parks.
All of these things have happened. And people have sued the National Park Service for not keeping their pets safe. Not that the pet owners won, but the suits had to be defended against.
Where the Park Service decrees "NO Pets", then the owner is not only responsible for any mishap to the animal, they will be charged with violation of park regulations.
If you love your pets, do not put them at risk. One of the big attractions of many of our parks is the face to face encounter with the wilderness. The wilderness is wild, meaning hazardous. The parks are not tame zoos without bars.
Chuck Peck in CasaLoca

[Oneilkeys]

Small pets are bear food. Bears can and do break into cars and RVs. I have never had a problem, but I always carry bear spray, especially with food in the vehicle.

Terrified mother and two children inside RV spend HOURS trying to shoo away bear clawing and scratching to get into their trailer | Daily Mail Online

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Small pets are bear food. Bears can and do break into cars and RVs. I have never had a problem, but I always carry bear spray, especially with food in the vehicle.

Terrified mother and two children inside RV spend HOURS trying to shoo away bear clawing and scratching to get into their trailer | Daily Mail Online

Yeah, the wilderness can be be hazardous to people also. Humans get killed by bison too at Yellowstone.

When I stated above that I wouldn't worry too much about leaving my dogs inside a locked RV while seeing the sights, I was thinking that the parking areas usually have dozens of cars there with people going to and from boardwalks, etc.

My dogs are family, but I place their safety in perspective, knowing they are more likely to get killed in a car accident getting to Yellowstone than being eaten by a bear inside a locked motorhome.

Many of the same dangers apply to pets, children, and adults. Going to Yellowstone is not without some risk. We have been there 4 times and only had one tense moment with a large herd of bison.

[Oneilkeys]

You're right. More people are injured by bison in Yellowstone than by bears. Usually because they are being stupid. One of the closest I counters I had was in Glacier when we came upon a couple with a small dog and a bear about 25 yards away up on its hind legs, sniffing the air. With four of us, the bear decided the odds were not in his favor and he wandered off. As far as I know, there have been no documented attacks against a group of five or more people. That being said, I would not leave my barking dog in my RV alone in any National Park where there are bears.

[sgar725]

Thank you for the tip! I made my reservations west entrance to the park. I will check out the places your mentioned. Thanks again!