# Yellowstone And Silverwood



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Hey, I survived the summer proposal push!









Now I can start planning an impromptu camping trip starting the second week of August. All of our summer plans got canceled because of work. So, we are taking off for 10 days and heading to Yellowstone. We plan an overnight at the folk's place in Spokane and then across the great divide to the land of the Big Sky!

We plan on spending most of a week in and around Yellowstone (and we'd like to get down to Jackson and the Grand Tetons too). On our way back I'm looking to do craters of the moon park and then we want to go north to spend a day or two at Silverwood.

I'd really appreciate some ideas for campgrounds that people have experieinced in those areas and what we can expect. Full hookups are a must as we have at least one person in our group who must have an escape from the heat (migrane issues).

Hope everyone is doing well out there and a lotta campin is goin on!

BBB


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## Colorado Outbacker (Jun 6, 2005)

Hello

Hope you have a great time on your trip!!!!

We stayed at the Virginian lodge and RV right in town in Jackson Hole. Expensive but nice. Very convenient to all of Jackson. Go see the Bar J Wranglers while your there it is well worth it. Meal included. (virginianlodge.com)

Within Yellowstone, which is one of my favorite parks, there is only one campground that has full hook-ups and that is Fishing Bridge Campground. I have never stayed there but from what I have read on this web sight it is not that great. I always stay at Grant Village. No hook ups though. Lots and Lots of trees though and they allow generators if needed during the day. The lake is right there and the store is close. Not sure what kind of campgrounds are on the North and West entrances before the park. Be sure and try the Ice Cream cones at the Old Faithful lodge.

16 nights in the Outback this year so far. We are leaving for a Colorado Tour Tuesday for 7 nights. Have an 8 night Elk hunting trip planned for fall also. I hope to get over 40 nights in it by years end. Life is good!!

Take care and Be Safe!


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

BBB...
Yellowstone IS my favorite!
FISHING BRIDGE RV PARK is the only one with hookups IN the park. There are many outside (especially West and South) I've stayed at F.B, and it's not bad at all. At Yellowstone, you will spend most of your days traveling around and sightseeing, hiking, etc. No worries. Get reservations FAR AHEAD of your trip. F.B. is in BEAR COUNTRY, so keep an eye on the young'uns. (I have seen children trying to catch a moose to ride INSIDE the campground!)

I also stayed at CANYON CAMPGROUND which has no hookups. (my favorite) Lots of great hiking trails in the Canyon areaA

Down in Teton, I like COLTER BAY area on Jackson Lake. Not sure about hookups...can't recall.

Good luck!

Here's a great link!
Total Yellowstone Page


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Silverwood has a nice park on the other side of the park, its heavily treed and looks decent enough. If you want more of a State park then Farragut State Park is a great place, but hard to get sites, though mid-week might be better. Farragut State Park is only 20 minutes away if that and the newer sites have power/water. We're thinking of taking a few days to go there, but still undecided.

Idaho's Farragut State Park


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Well, with only a couple weeks until we are off, I didn't think there was much chance of a campground in the park so I'm not real disappointed that there aren't any. I guess I'm really looking for a spot that is south of the park so we can minimize travel time. Still looking.

Farragut park sounds right for the Silverwood stop. We're checking into availability there. Any recommendations on specific sites at Farragut Steve?

BBB


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Some campgrounds are first come first served. You can always try it that way.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Well,
After searching for a week, we decided to spend a little more (or a lot more depending on how you look at it) than we thought. There is NO CHANCE of getting a spot inside the park for the middle of August. No surprise there. We started looking around the park and found few spots that had any openings (West Yellowstone is packed). So, the best we could find under $40 was 20 miles north of the park on the Yellowstone river. That meant a long comute to the park and back each day to get to the sites we wanted to visit.

I upped the ante and looked for parks charging a little more and found one that is two miles South of the Yellowstone NP South Gate and 5 miles North of the Grand Tetons NP North gate. Has trees (hard to find) a fire ring (impossible to find) and generous campsites (another impossible find). The resort has a store, restaurant, separate pub, and a gas station on the property. Offers horseback riding and float trips and whitewater rafting (for extra of course). No pool but that's OK.

Cost was high - $47 per night. I justified it a bit by considering the added cost of being so far from the parks (over a hundred miles to go from the $35 park location to the Grand Teton NP). I figure we'll save a couple of hundred miles worth of time and gas by going with the expensive place. I hope it is worth it.

BBB


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## rennerbee (Jul 25, 2004)

I think your justification was right on the nose as I'd have done the exact same thing. I knew you were a smart guy!


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Sounds like Flagg Ranch.

Enjoy the TETONS too. (Drive up Signal Mt...the view of the 'Hole' is incredible.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Jolly; got it in one! Have you been there? Did I make a good choice?


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Been there? I even know the guy that painted the place!

Actually, I've been there...but never camped there. It's in a nice spot, right on the Southern edge of YNP/GTNP. You can see them both. You'll do a lot of driving to the sites...but you will from anywhere else too. (it's a beautiful drive anyway) There are some nice cascades/waterfalls along the road to the South Entrance.

Enjoy!


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Our first night will be in Spokane with my folks then on to Montana at Pipestone RV Campground which is on I-90 just east of Butte. We want to take our time getting to Yellowstone and we want to see the Lewis and Clark caverns (we've visited them many times as kids and once on our first aniversary - both a gazillion years ago). Next night will be at Flagg Ranch.

We must be getting there right at the end of the main vacation season because reservations were not difficult to get (outside the park). I think, after reading about Fishing Bridge RV park in Yellowstone, that I'd prefer Flagg Ranch anyway. With a real campsite it has to be more fun for those times you want to CAMP rather than travel.

Everyone is getting very pumped for the vacation - me most of all. Final business meeting of the project ended yesterday with a trip to the east coast and back (west coast to east coast and return in two days is a back breaker - two hours sleep in 48!)

We still have a little planning for the return - through Cody, up and over or back through Idaho Falls and over to Craters of the Moon (another favorite of mine last seen on our aniversary)? Decisions, decisions...

BBB


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Last minute change. After looking up Flagg ranch in the Trailer Life Campground Guide and also determining where we want to go around the park, AND after reading more about Outbackers' recent trips to Yellowstone, we switched our reservations to Grizzly in West Yellowstone. Sounds like a better fit for our vacation. The Grizzly folks were very accomodating!









Still no way to get to Sheridan Wyoming from Cody towing a TT.









Outback mods are in full swing. Used the recent ideas for covering the shower skylight, bought some vent insulation cushions, built some better wedges for keeping the sliding shelves in place, installed a TurboMaxx air system, and I'm finally eying the drawer project. Added new locks to the camper storage doors to replace the standard 'every key in the world fits my camper' locks. Adding gutter extentions this afternoon, and I'm thinking of purchacing a strongbox to permanently mount to the floor inside the dinette storage compartment.

This is almost as much fun as going on the trip!


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