Traveling to Yellowstone from Florida.

[ifly1956]

Hi Fellow travelers. We have camped all over the east cost from tents to motorhomes.

A few months ago we purchased a Jayco 210QB. (LOVE IT !)

We are heading out April 1st, 2025. We Have 28 days booked in Yellowstone Starting May 1st, and 14 days booked afterward in Custer for 14 days. We plan to use these campgrounds as our bases to explore the areas. The highest hills we have been to is Mt. Mitchell, at around 6,000 feet off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We camped in the Smokies all year many years. Their campgrounds are very similar to Yellowstone I was told.

I know the Rockies are a lot higher. I want to avoid as many steep roads while towing as possible. We normally avoid interstates, and are not in any rush. Normal days are about 300+/- miles each day. We are planning on making this a 3 month trip, stopping frequently to see local sights.

For those of you who live out west, or near Yellowstone / Custer, can you recommend any good routes/apps ? We were planning on taking a northern route going, and a southern route return to Fl.

Thanks !!!

 

[embeleco]

We are planning a trip to YNP and GTNP in 2025 from Central FL as well. It will be the 1st time for us going west in our Alante with a toad. We are looking for best routes to get there...

 

[FireFlier]

I'll be interested to follow responses/suggestions regarding your trip! We plan to make a similar trip once the grands are older and don't want to to be seen with us <lol>

We've been to YNP several times with rented Class C's from Salt Lake City so I'm curious where you reserved camp spots. They have closed my favorite campground (Moran) last I knew. My only recommendation would be to camp somewhere as far as possible from the Southeast entrance around the big lodges and Yellowstone Lake. When we did that, we spent most of our time sitting in traffic between the lodges and Hayden Valley (bison and wolf watchers). You'll want to see that area, but no get stuck in that traffic day after day.
All the Best!

 

[ifly1956]

Thanks - We have 28 days in Yellowstone at Madison campground. We plan to use it as our base camp while we tour Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. Wife is also looking at some ghost towns to visit too.
From there we have 7 days at Custer Park. Other stops will be places along the way there, and a different route over to SC to attend a grandsons wedding. From there back home to Florida. We live in the Tampa Bay area.

We will be doing a picture blog of this trip.

 

[Mikemc423]

I loved Madison campground and wish I spent my entire stay there. It's at the confluence of the Firehole and the Gibbon rivers, which is the start of the Madison River.
Enjoy your stay. One thing to keep in mind is there is no cell service in the campground, at least there wasn't in 2015.

 

[ifly1956]

Thanks ! No cell service ? That might actually be good !

 

[Mikemc423]

At least not back in 2015. There was a bank of pay phones at the campground entrance, though. lol I don't think they get internet, though.
It's a relatively short ride to West Yellowstone from there. We had dinner there one evening and even went to a gun range where we shot machine guns. That was a lot of fun.

 

[Debdon Journeys]

Hi, I live in Maryland. We made the trip in September 2020 You should not have any problems You didn't mention your tow vehicle. I came Across the middle to northern route. When do you plan on being in YS. The grades are very manageable. You can come up through Dubois WY through the Wind River canyon we stayed in Cody at Trout Ranch RV Park Very nice place very quiet. The black hills are steeper and twisty. PM me and I will talk to you and tell you what i like and would do different

 

[CAG-JAY]

Hi Fellow travelers. We have camped all over the east cost from tents to motorhomes.

A few months ago we purchased a Jayco 210QB. (LOVE IT !)

We are heading out April 1st, 2025. We Have 28 days booked in Yellowstone Starting May 1st, and 14 days booked afterward in Custer for 14 days. We plan to use these campgrounds as our bases to explore the areas. The highest hills we have been to is Mt. Mitchell, at around 6,000 feet off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We camped in the Smokies all year many years. Their campgrounds are very similar to Yellowstone I was told.

I know the Rockies are a lot higher. I want to avoid as many steep roads while towing as possible. We normally avoid interstates, and are not in any rush. Normal days are about 300+/- miles each day. We are planning on making this a 3 month trip, stopping frequently to see local sights.

For those of you who live out west, or near Yellowstone / Custer, can you recommend any good routes/apps ? We were planning on taking a northern route going, and a southern route return to Fl.

Thanks !!!

Sorry cannot help with the route info but just be aware that May at that latitude can be some of the worst winter weather you encounter. Be prepared for winter camping, and I do mean winter camping.

 

[Forester2]

Just a note. I volunteered in Yellowstone for 3 years and if you are there May 1 be prepared for the chance of snow. Also very strong possibility many trails and some campsites will not be accessible depending on winter snow pack. Road closures also very possible.

 

[Forester2]

Fishing Bridge May 4, 2019

 

[CAG-JAY]

Just a note. I volunteered in Yellowstone for 3 years and if you are there May 1 be prepared for the chance of snow. Also very strong possibility many trails and some campsites will not be accessible depending on winter snow pack. Road closures also very possible.

Thanks, backs up what I said previously. Spring can come late in the northern Rockies. And winter can come early.

 

[Forester2]

Yep. Bear tooth Pass outside Cooke City June 4th

 

[ifly1956]

Sent you more in-depth info - Thanks !

 

[Mikemc423]

Just a note. I volunteered in Yellowstone for 3 years and if you are there May 1 be prepared for the chance of snow. Also very strong possibility many trails and some campsites will not be accessible depending on winter snow pack. Road closures also very possible.

That sounds like an awesome experience. What did your work consist of?

 

[Irishwake55]

We made that trip last year from Fl. To Twin Falls Id…Beautiful but be prepared to be flexible weather that time of year changes quickly,we encountered tornadoes in several states and adjusted our route several times and couldn’t get into Grand Tetons because of snow.There is a new app that’s AI driven you might want too look at adventuregenie.com 7 day free trial very interesting..
Enjoy the Adventure

 

[Bookemdanno]

We were there in early June during COVID and it snowed then. Just be prepared. Our route took us west from Dallas, up thru Colorado, Wyoming, and into Idaho where we camped. Only part I was worried about was Teton Pass, but the dually diesel TV handled it fine both up and down towing our 5th wheel.

 

[Forester2]

That sounds like an awesome experience. What did your work consist of?

I volunteered with Yellowstone Forever who is the educational and philanthropic partner to the park (raise millions a year thru Park bookstores, donations etc). I helped maintain vehicles used in educational programs and assisted on those programs. I got to learn about the history, wildlife, geology etc. of Yellowstone by listening to the experts in those fields. Awesome. If you go, join YF: besides helping the Park you get a lot of discounts that pay for the membership.

 

[wrigger]

How far in advance do you have to have reservations to stay at YS? We definitely want to go there. We are planning to leave for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon when we leave Sunset Beach in June 10-20th. I have a friend I was in the service with in NM but we will probably stop half way before NM. Stay in Nm for a couple of days then head for Sedona. Any suggestions for some scenic routes to get there? Stay at Sedona for a week maybe then head towards home on a different route to home PA. I read the Blue Ridge Parkway is very scenic. We have a 2022 28.5RSTS fifth wheel and pull with a F-250 diesel.

 

[MatthewSherwood]

I'll be interested to follow responses/suggestions regarding your trip! We plan to make a similar trip once the grands are older and don't want to to be seen with us <lol>

We've been to YNP several times with rented Class C's from Salt Lake City so I'm curious where you reserved camp spots. They have closed my favorite campground (Moran) last I knew. My only recommendation would be to camp somewhere as far as possible from the Southeast entrance around the big lodges and Yellowstone Lake. When we did that, we spent most of our time sitting in traffic between the lodges and Hayden Valley (bison and wolf watchers). You'll want to see that area, but no get stuck in that traffic day after day.
All the Best!

I just made reservations for 6/6 through 6/10 at Grizzly Rv park just 3 blocks from the west gate entry