The switchbacks beginning...
The switchbacks beginning at the Beartooth Highway.
Arriving from the northeast entrance, you’ll travel through Lamar Valley for 29 miles until reaching Tower Falls. Lamar Valley is a big area for elk, bison, grizzly bear, and wolves. Yellowstone’s wolf restoration project is a huge success and visitors flock to see them. Wolves are elusive, though, and most visitors will never see one unless they stop at Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Your best chance of seeing wolves are in Lamar Valley, very early in the morning or late in the evening.
Grand Loop Roads
RVs can drive any of the roads within the park except for one section. The section between Tower Junction and Canyon goes through Dunraven Pass and has numerous tight curves that cling to the side of Mount Washburn during that steep climb. It won’t be possible to keep a large RV within its own lane on those blind curves, so I recommend taking another route with the RV and save this road for your towed vehicle.
For a full, comprehensive detailed guide to other roads within Grand Loop be sure to view the complete unabridged version of this article at www.rvmagonline.com.
Camping in Yellowstone
There are a number of campgrounds within the park. Many of these are primitive sites better suited for tent camping or the smallest of RVs. There are a number of campgrounds better suited for medium-sized RVs. Bridge Bay, Canyon, Madison, and Mammoth are all popular campgrounds. Many of these are administered by Xantera Parks, a private concessionaire, so you’ll need to call them in advance to make a reservation. Fishing Bridge is the only full hookup facility within the park (see the “Interior Spur Roads” section earlier in this article.)
Fishing Bridge and Mammoth can handle 40-foot RVs, but the others will have shorter length restrictions. Keep in mind that the park service likes to keep things natural, so you’ll undoubtedly encounter trees overhanging the access roads and intruding into your site.
Sunset at Grizzly RV Park...
Sunset at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, Montana.
If you have a larger motorhome with slide-outs, you should consider one of the private RV parks in the nearby gateway communities. West Yellowstone and Gardiner are right on the park border, so travel time into the park is minimal and will often reward you with views of wildlife.
Some Final Advice
Be sure to allow plenty of time to visit Yellowstone. A weekend won’t cut it. It takes a minimum of four days to see the main features and a week or more to really get to know it.
Many want to see a grizzly bear or some other specific animal. The truth is that not everyone who visits gets to see a bear, because they don’t have regularly scheduled appearances (this isn’t a theme park, after all). There are times when you may not see anything for a few days and then suddenly you will see a number of them. The key is to be out there, driving the park roads and exploring.