Yellowstone National Park - Travel Trail Sail

You would think that the photo I would use to show off Yellowstone would be Old Faithful. True, I did see Old Faithful blow. Twice in fact. And it was very impressive.

But the thing about Yellowstone is that there is so much more to it that just one geyser. I spent only two days exploring the park in July, 2010. It is huge, so there is really no way we could see it all. Like most people say, it is also very crowded and has lots of traffic.

But, in just those two days, I saw an incredible variety of landscapes, from geysers to mountains, to grasslands and so much more. As you drive, you can be in one type of place and minutes later feel like you are somewhere completely different.

The list of animals I saw was long; a grizzly bear with her two cubs, a nest where an osprey fed its three young a fish, a herd of mule deer wandering in the road, an elk, and much more.

I stayed just outside the park in West Yellowstone at the Grizzly RV Park. It was a good choice as a base. The campgrounds within Yellowstone aren’t really geared toward RV campers and with the long distances, no matter where you stay you will be driving to get anywhere. The one RV campground in Yellowstone had no electricity for the summer as they were upgrading the facility.

Grizzly is well situated just outside the West entrance to the park. This gives pretty convenient access to places like Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs. The campground is very well maintained. Lots are level. Bathrooms are clean. The wifi was spotty at best. I found myself moving around trying to find a decent signal – mostly just to send some pictures to friends and family. There is a conference room in the main building with pretty good connectivity.

While it cost a bit more than a National Park campground, I felt it was worth it to have a few nights with full hookups and a nice laundry. Grizzly offers a Good Sam discount which helps a bit. You probably want to make a reservation early if you would like to stay at Grizzly. I saw several people turned away as they were completely full. Thanks to everyone on the Trailer Life Forums for the great recommendation.

The town of West Yellowstone has a few shops and plenty of pizza restaurants. It was a nice change of pace from camp cooking.

Yellowstone is impressive. My two days just barely scratched the surface. But, I am glad to have had the chance to have a short visit.

Have you been to Yellowstone? What was your favorite part? Where would you recommend camping in the area? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.