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5 Day Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary – The Best Way to Explore America’s 1st National Park

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One of the best ways to see America’s first national park is in an RV. Joe and I spent four days exploring Yellowstone National Park in a Class B RV with Charley the yellow lab. In this post, I share our five day Yellowstone RV trip itinerary including places to visit, where to camp and tips for planning your RV road trip.

Watch the videos below to see what it’s like to explore Yellowstone in an RV and some of the camping options inside and outside the national park.

5 Day Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary

Before we dive in, I want to mention that driving a Class B RV through Yellowstone is much easier than driving a small Class C RV or even something bigger. You will encounter narrow roads, tight parking lots and short narrow pull-outs for wildlife viewing and hiking trails.

Whether you’re taking your own RV to the park or taking a rental RV , the smaller the RV the better.

>>Use this link to Browse Yellowstone RV Rentals<<

Let’s get started planning your Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary!

Table of Contents

Day 1: Cody, WY

Cody, Wyoming is a great place to start your Yellowstone RV road trip.

Plan to spend the day at Buffalo Bill’s Center of the West where you can fuel up on chuck wagon coffee, biscuits and beans before even stepping foot inside the center. There are five museums at the center including the Cody Firearms Museum and the Draper Natural History Museum which has exhibits on all the wildlife found in Yellowstone National Park. There is designated RV parking at the center.

Tip: Cody is also a good place to stock up on bear spray before you get to Yellowstone National Park. If you have the time to buy online, it will be less expensive than at a local outfitter or inside the national park. Bears aren’t the only concern as bison and elk can also be dangerous.

Night 1 Camping Options

You can choose from a handful of RV parks in Cody, Wyoming or spend the night at Walmart like we did.

Learn more about Overnight RV Parking at Walmart

Day 2: Cody, WY to Yellowstone

Drive Beartooth Pass to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The views on highway 120, 296 and 212 are worth it especially of Granite Peak and Castle Mountain. We spotted a moose in Silver Gate, a two mile drive from the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone.

Depending on the time of year, check the road conditions for closures. There is limited to no cell coverage on parts of this drive so check before you leave. While we were in Cody, the North entrance was closed due to snow, but opened the next day.

Northeast Entrance has an oversized vehicle lane on the right for RVs and buses. Past the entrance is a sign with the status of every campground inside the park. If you do not have reservations, this is one place to check campground availability. Given the size of the park, by the time you arrive at the campground, it may be full.

Pets are allowed inside Yellowstone National Park in developed areas. You will not be able to bring your pet on any of the trails or boardwalks. Read the full pet policy on the park’s website .

Make your way to Mammoth Hot Springs via Tower Rosevelt. The earlier you start your day, the more time you’ll have to experience everything on this drive.

Barronette Peak overlook is a good spot to scan for Mountain Goats. We spotted several goats with babies on the hillside. They were difficult to see with the naked eyes, but we got to see them through a spotting scope.

Lamar Valley is a popular spot for wolf sightings. We saw a pack of wolves near Slough Creek. This area is also filled with bison and pronhorn.

Tip: There is Verizon LTE coverage in the Slough Creek area.

Trout Lake Trail is a short and easy 1.2 mile loop natural trail with beautiful views . The trailhead parking area is around 1.5 miles south of Pebble Creek Campground. Although it’s a short trail, it’s worth taking your time to enjoy the wildlife and the views. By the time we finished the trail, the sun was starting to set and we wanted to get to our dispersed camping spot before dark.

Night 2 Camping Options

There are several campgrounds between the Northeast Entrance and North Entrance of Yellowstone. Check the NPS website for availability and status. Many of the campgrounds were closed during our visit.

Tip: For the best shot at a first come, first served campsite, arrive early in the morning. You can check online for status and availability or inquire at the park entrance.

If you cannot find accommodations in Mammoth Hot Spring, Grainer has a few RV park options. We found a great dispersed camping spot on NF 3243 using Allstays .

Tip: rent or bring a good pair of binoculars with you.

• You can rent a Canon 10×42 at Yellowstone Forever in Gardiner. Rental rates start at $15 for 24 hours and the binoculars have to be returned to the same location.
• You can also rent or buy Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes through Optics Yellowstone in Gardiner by giving them a call 406-224-5277.

Day 3: Mammoth Hot Springs & Tower-Roosevelt

Start your day at the Albright Visitor Center. It’s a great place to get information from rangers and volunteers as well as drop off your recycling and fill up your water bottles.

Parking in the Mammoth Hot Springs can fill up quickly especially if you are in a large RV. Arrive early to grab a spot and plan to keep your RV parked there until you’re done exploring the area. One of the benefits of taking a small RV to Yellowstone is more parking options.

See the Mammoth Hot Springs. The well maintained boardwalk offers great viewpoints of the various springs in the area. We spotted a bull snake and an elk on our walk.

Beaver Ponds Trail is a popular 5 mile loop that starts near Liberty Cap. Give yourself 2 to 3 hours to complete the trail through the forest to Beaver Pond. Unfortunately, the park rangers closed the trail when we arrived due to grizzly bears in the area.

Drive to Tower-Roosevelt to see Undine Falls and Wraith Falls. Undine Falls is a pull over area where you can walk a few steps down to see the falls. Wraith Falls is a short and easy trail to a beautiful waterfall. On the drive to Wraith Falls we saw a coyote after the car in front of us slammed on their brakes.

Tip: cars are more dangerous than wildlife. We had many close calls with cars coming to a sudden stop in front of us or crossing over the center line. Be extra careful when you’re driving an RV through Yellowstone.

Bear jams are a real thing. We experienced several on the drive to Tower-Roosevelt. Luckily, when Joe decided to pull over to make a cup of coffee the black bear and cubs came to us. What followed was a massive jam of bear proportions. We even came across an abandoned car in the middle of the road with all the doors open because the occupants ran outside to look at bears on the hillside.

Tip: give yourself more time than you think you need. From bear jams to construction inside the park, you will likely need more time to get from point a to point b.

Petrified Tree is on the way to Tower-Roosevelt area. Since we have been to Petrified Forest National Park , we decided to skip it and head to Tower Fall Trail.

Tip: there is decent Verizon cell coverage at Tower General Store. The speed is slow, but it’s good enough to check email. If you’re wondering why I am including cell coverage throughout this post, one of the main reasons is because we run our business on the road and need to have internet access .

Night 3 Camping Options

Camp at Tower, Mammoth Hot Springs or drive back to Gardiner. Since Tower Campground and Mammoth Hot Springs were both full during our visit, we drove back out to the dispersed camping spot in Gardiner.

Day 4: Norris & Canyon Village

Drive to Norris Campground as early as you can for a first come, first served campsite. While it’s great to enjoy dispersed camping in the national forest , Joe and I both wanted to maximize our time inside the park. Of course, if you are able to book a campsite in advance, you won’t need to wake up early like we did.

There is plenty of wildlife viewing between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin. We spotted elks, cranes, swans, and goose on the drive to the campground. Many credible sources said grizzlies are in this area, but we did not see any during our visit.

See Yellowstone’s Tallest Active Geyser. Norris Geyser Basin is home to Steamboat Geyser and when it erupts, it can be four times the height of Old Faithful. Plan your time around a daily ranger talk at this geyser to learn more about it and when you an expect to see the next eruption.

Tip: there is limited RV parking at Norris with cars taking up some of the RV spots when the lot is full. Arrive early to save yourself the headache of trying to find a parking spot. Smaller RVs like vans can fit in the standard parking lot.

Explore the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone . There are several trails in the area where you can take in the views of the canyon.

• Lookout Point for a view of the waterfall.
• Grand View offers amazing views of the canyon.
• Red Rock Trail offers a better view of the waterfall.
• Brink of the Falls will get you up close and personal with the falls. If you only have time for one trail, I would recommend Brink of the Falls. It is a short and steep 3/8 mile trail out and back with an elevation change of 600 feet.

Mud Volcano is worth it. If you have the time, take the easy 2/3 mile trail to see Sour Lake, Churning Caldron, Grizzly Fumarole.

Look for Wolves in Hayden Valley. On the drive back to Canyon Village we saw a black wolf and bald eagle on the other side of Yellowstone River.

Refresh at Canyon Village. It’s day four and if you’re like us, you’re ready for a real shower (not an RV shower) with unlimited hot water. For less than $5 per person, you can get a real shower at Canyon Village and do your laundry. You can also stock up on essential items and get Verizon LTE service in this area.

Tip: If you are staying at Canyon Campground, your reservation comes with a voucher good for two showers per day.  

Night 4 Camping Options

Camp at Norris, Madison or drive outside of the park to West Yellowstone, Montana. We really enjoyed Norris Campground and would highly recommend it if you are able to reserve a site there. Joe and I joked that we paid $20 for a parking spot since we didn’t spend anytime at the campground, but it was well worth it.

Tip: you can extend your first come, first served campsite at Norris by going to the campground office. The next morning, there was a long line of people waiting for a campsite to open up. Another reminder to arrive early if you do not have a reservation.

Day 5: Grand Prismatic Spring & Old Faithful

See the Grand Prismatic Spring. This is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone with vibrant colors as a result of bacteria and algae in the water. As Joe said in the video above “seeing the array of colors and the steam rising from the spring was awe-inspiring.” Keep in mind, the colors vary depending on the time of the year.

Tip: the parking lot for Grand Prismatic Spring is quite small. There are pull outs past the parking area where you can leave your RV and take the walking path to the spring.

Finally Make Your Way to Old Faithful. The most well known geyer is worth seeing on your road trip through Yellowstone. Check the visitor center or ranger stations for estimated time of the next eruption.

Beehive is the Best Geyser in Upper Basin. While you’re waiting for the predictable Old Faithful to erupt, hang out at Beehive to see if you can catch an eruption. It’s our favorite geyser in the Upper Basin.

Tip: Verizon cell service is extremely slow in the Old Faithful area. The best cell signal we found inside Yellowstone is at Mammoth Hot Springs and Slough Creek.

Depending on what you want to do and see, you can always add more days to your Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary. An event in Idaho cut our trip short, but we could have easily stayed for another two or three days.

Thanks for reading!

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6 thoughts on “5 day yellowstone rv trip itinerary – the best way to explore america’s 1st national park”.

Great tips. We spent 3 season working in Yellowstone and had our Roadtrek also. I would add more days as there are a couple of more geyser basins that should bee seen. Also I think visiting the visitor centers at Old Faithful and Canyon and Mammoth. Wealth of info to obtained. Also if overnighting in the park, there are several great Ranger talks to take in. It is just so huge. we worked 18 months and only scratched the surface. Enjoy what ever your time in YNP. It is truly WONDERLAND.

Thank you for sharing your Yellowstone recommendations.

Great post and great video! I was wondering what month of the year it was? That is exactly the type of landscape I am hoping for – snow on the mountains, but sunny days. Thank you!

We were there early June, good weather and not too crowded.

I have wanted to visit Yellowstone for a long time and this itinerary looks perfect – cheers for sharing!

Great tips on touring Yellowstone! Summer season has become overwhelming there so we time our visits in September. It’s still very busy but not as bad as the summer months.

There are great camping areas outside the west entrance in the Island Park areas just 25 miles into Idaho. The Henry’s Fork of the Snake river flows from its source at Big Springs and the area has abundant wildlife, elk, moose, antelope and an occasional bear or two. Lots of other off the beaten path things to do…explore the lava tubes, mine for opals or visit historical towns like Virginia City just over the border into Montana all a very short drive from Island Park and from West Yellowstone.

Keep those great travel tips coming and safe travels!

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From Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon: Our Family Travel Itinerary and FAQs

• March 1, 2018 March 16, 2023
• by Mrs. Family Trip

Late last year (starting at the end of September), we took our boys on what we call in our family our “Epic Trip Out West.” We drove from Yellowstone National Park down to Grand Canyon National Park and hit as many parks in between as we good.

It meant –

• 11 days from home
• 2,100 miles driving
• 3,863 miles across country (both ways included)
• 115,947 steps

We saw 7 National Parks (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Zion, Grand Canyon) and 3 National Monuments (John D. Rockefeller Parkway, Fossil Butte, Navajo Bridge).

We get asked a lot of questions about this, a lot from families who want to do this as well. We are sharing our experiences but you can pick and choose what works for you and what you would do differently.

Here are answers about our family’s driving trip from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon:

Q: what was your itinerary, where did you stay.

Here is our breakdown:

DAY ONE: getting there ( Raleigh-Durham Airport to Chicago to Bozeman) Drive Bozeman to Yellowstone Lodging: Canyon Lodge

DAY TWO: exploring Yellowstone Lodging: Canyon Lodge

DAY THREE: the Grand Tetons Drive Yelllowstone to Jackson Hole Grand Tetons National Park Taggart Lake Trail Lodging: friends in Jackson Hole

DAY FOUR: Jackson Hole to Park City Drive Jackson Hole to Park City Fossil Butte National Monument Lodging: Shadow Ridge Condominiums and Resort Hotel

DAY FIVE: Park City to Moab Drive Park City to Moab Arches National Park Lodging: Moab Under Canvas

DAY SIX: Moab and Arches NPS again Museum of Moab, Rock Shop, Arches National Park Lodging: Moab Under Canvas

DAY SEVEN: Moab to Hatch via Canyonlands and Capitol Reef Parks Moab to Hatch Canyonlands National Park, Whale Rock Hike Capitol Reef National Park Lodging: The Ranch House Air B&B

DAY EIGHT: Zion National Park Zion National Park, The Watchman Hike Lodging: The Ranch House Air BnB

DAY NINE: Zion Take Two; Drive to Grand Canyon; stop at Navajo Bridge Hatch to South Rim, Grand Canyon Shelf Canyon hike in Zion Navajo Bridge National Monument Desert Watchtower Lodging: Yavapi Lodge

DAY TEN: Grand Canyon Grand Canyon National Park Bike the greenway South Rim Trail Lodging: Yavapai Lodge

DAY ELEVEN: Getting ho me Drive to Phoenix, fly to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

Q: Why didn’t you rent an RV?

Of course, our first iteration of this plan we were going to rent an RV and take our house with us, turtle-style. We thought it would be easier and save time. But, after much research, we learned that RV rentals are primarily circular. Meaning you drop it off where you picked it up. It is very rare that a company will allow you to drive point-to-point, as we wanted to. When we found one that did, it was over twice as much as what we could afford. We didn’t want to spend days driving back up the country, plus it ended up that hotel rooms and minivans were cheaper.

In retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise that we didn’t have the RV \. Many roads in the National Parks wouldn’t allow RVs because of their age, size, weight restrictions, height restrictions, etc. Having the minivan gave us the ultimate flexibility to see what we wanted to see. Happy mistake on our part!

Q: What did you bring that you didn’t think you would use but were glad you did?

• Water bottles
• Maps ON PAPER

– very many places were remote, of course, which meant no cell service. We also picked up some National Geographic Parks Guides that proved to be a huge help.

• Kids cameras

– We purchased these cameras for the kids on Amazon (affiliate link) and had a great time seeing the trip through their eyes

• Park Passports for the kids

– we still visit parks and get cancellations and stamps because this is such a fun idea!  We did not do the Junior Ranger program just to keep it simple.

• Space Saver bags

– we went through many different climates, so our packing was intense. We were also active and outdoors without much access to washing machines. These bags helped us get more in our bags!

Q: What other tips do you have?

File these in the miscellaneous category:

• Buy as many groceries and food as you can in advance, before entering parks

– these places are remote for the most part! Some places like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon can, need to, and do charge more for food on site (food that isn’t great). We kept stocked on groceries as much as we could (everywhere we went had a minifridge).

• Pack picnics

– once you get into some of these parks, you don’t want to leave right away but they don’t have concessions. Get used to bringing lunch and snacks.

• I would have brought more cold weather clothes!
• Fill up your gas whenever you can
• Drink (and make your kids drink) lots of water
• Get the National Parks Pass
• Buy aluminum foil

– we bought some at a Target outside of the airport when we landed and it turned out to be surprisingly useful.

Q: What park disappointed you?

We wouldn’t say any of them were disappointing perse, but Zion was by far the hardest to navigate and cope with the crowds. More on that later.

Q: Which park was your favorite?

Canyonlands. We all wish we had more time there, but we didn’t know much about it beforehand since it isn’t one of the most famous parks. (More on that later, too.)

Q: Why did you do it?

We know: 2 little boys under 8, lots of long hours, vacation time, and time off of work. Plus, while not as expensive as a European vacation, it wasn’t cheap. And it wasn’t relaxing; all the packing and repacking and planning and hiking and driving…So we guess we can say we did it BECAUSE WE ARE CRAZY.

In truth, we have always wanted to do this trip, even before kids, this was a dream of ours. And just because we have kids doesn’t mean we stop living and seeing and traveling. Our little family unit decided long ago that we would take time once a year to do vacations just us, no relatives, or friends,  and create our own memories, even if crammed with cranky car time, fighting over wearing a jacket, and another long discussion about where dinner would come from that night.

But just the four of us together allows us to be, well, together. We get to be wholly and totally ourselves wholly and totally with each other.

This trip seemed a great way to fulfill a dream of our own: show our boys some of this great America, and do it in a way that is family friendly (especially when the family is two energetic wild boys). The trip would have been different if we didn’t have the kids (harder trails, kayaking trips, and so on) but the stories we tell and the things we hold dear from these days mean everything.

Q: What would you do differently?

On a practical level: allow more time at Canyonlands and work in a better option to see Bryce Canyon. We had to miss that one due to time constraints (more on that later).

On an emotional level: nothing. At all.

So stay tuned here. We plan to get back on here and share more experiences soon,

If you have any other questions, drop them below and we will do our best to answer them in a timely manner.

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8 RV Tips for Yellowstone National Park

Bring your rv home where the buffalo roam, but follow these tips and tricks..

Yellowstone is great for RV camping, but RVers should avoid mountain roads, know where to dump and store food away from bears. Follow these eight tips to RV camping in Yellowstone.

1. Routes To Avoid

Driving an RV can feel like riding on the back of an enormous dinosaur when you are traveling on narrow mountainous roads. That’s why it’s important to research your route to and from Yellowstone National Park to avoid driving stressful steep grades and harrowing hairpin turns. For starters, you may want to avoid the Bighorn Mountains east of Cody, Wyo ., which is the closest town to the park’s East Entrance. Also, if you’re wanting to be cautious, you may avoid the Beartooth Highway that links Red Lodge, Montana to the park’s Northeast Entrance . There are safer, alternate roads to get you where you need to go.

However, reader Kim Gipple had this to say about driving an RV over Beartooth, “We wondered how hard it would be to navigate an RV on this road. The road was smooth and well maintained and there are guardrails where needed. Curves and pull-offs are well marked. Speed limits, including those around curves, are appropriate even for an RV.”

“Other drivers and cyclists were cautious and respectful,” Gipple says. “Overall, this was a piece of cake!” Read the full story about her 31-day national park RV adventure .

2. RV Size Really Matters

To make a Yellowstone site reservation, you need to give the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. Know the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open. Sites accommodating a maximum combined length of 40 feet or more are limited. Most campsites in Yellowstone will not accommodate oversized units. If you arrive at the campground/RV Park with equipment that differs from your reservation specs, campground staff will not be able to accommodate you.

3. Know the RV Campgrounds Inside Yellowstone

RVs are welcome at all campgrounds within Yellowstone, but the following seven are the most RV-friendly. All campgrounds require reservations, with the exception of Mammoth Campground Oct. 15-Apr. 1.

Fishing Bridge – The Upper Loop of the RV park has 172 renovated and paved sites ranging from 40-feet to 95-feet in length. The 40-foot sites are double-wide and back-in. Most of the new sites include pull-through drives, and all of the Upper Loop has upgraded 50 amp/30 amp and 110-volt electrical service and picnic tables. (All other sites/loops were not renovated. There are 30- to 35-foot double-wide, back-in sites in other loops and 30-foot single-wide back-in sites. Some  RV sites are single-wide and will not accommodate side-by-side parking of RV and a tow-vehicle. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Bridge Bay –  Bridge Bay has RV, tent and combination RV/tent sites. RVs up to 40 feet long can fit into pull-through and back-in sites. The sites may not be level, so  plan accordingly. There are no utility hookups, but an RV dump station is just outside the campground entrance near the Bridge Bay Marina and Fishing Bridge RV Park. Whether the dump station is open is dependent on weather and may not be available early summer and late fall because of freezing temperatures. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Canyon –  Canyon Campground offers RV, tent and combination RV/tent sites. There are no hookups. RVs up to 40 feet long can use pull-through and back-in sites. Sites may not be level.  There is an RV dump station in the campground. The availability of the dump station is dependent on weather and will be closed with freezing temperatures. Pay showers and coin laundry are available. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Grant Village – Grant Village has more than 400 sites that are a mix of tent, RV and combination tent/RV sites. It  can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet in certain sites. The sites may be back-in or pull through. Sites may not be level.  There are no hook-ups, but there is an RV dump station, which is open, pending whether freezing temperatures close it temporarily. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Madison – This campground accommodates RVs up to 40 feet long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites. There are more than 270 individual sites and three group sites. The campground can accommodate RVs and tents. There is a dump station. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Mammoth – You’ll find sites that can accommodate rigs up to 30 feet in length at this campground and generator use is allowed. There are 82 sites available, some sites year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve at www.recreation.gov .

Norris – Norris Campground’s 111 sites include those that can fit an RV up to 50 feet in length. The campground has flush toilets and generator use is allowed. Reserve at www.recreation.gov .

4. Full-Service for RVs Is at Fishing Bridge

Fishing Bridge Campground is the only park campground with full hook-ups and a dump station. It underwent renovations in 2022 which include new and larger sites.  Four comfort stations were renovated  to current ADA (accessibility) standards.

It’s easily accessible from the East Entrance, a 53-mile drive from Cody, Wyo. RV sites here accommodate a tow unit and towed unit side by side. A 35-foot site will accommodate an 18-foot truck and a 35-foot unhooked trailer side by side in the site. Adjust for slide outs.

Be aware that grizzly bears frequent this area north of Yellowstone Lake. For this reason, Fishing Bridge RV Park is for hard-sided campers only. No tents or tent campers are allowed.

5. Leveling with You

Yellowstone’s RV sites at Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village and Madison campgrounds have dumping stations and are either pull-through or back-in with limited width for slide-outs and may not be level. Mammoth is the only park campground open year-round and can accommodate RVs up to 75-feet-long. There are no hook-ups or dump station.

6. Best Yellowstone Entrances to Park Your RV

The West and North Entrances give you the quickest access to iconic park attractions such as  Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful with the least amount of driving and hill climbing. You’ll be able to spend more time outdoors, enjoying Yellowstone’s incredible sights.

Both West Yellowstone, Mont ., at the park’s West Entrance, and Gardiner, Mont ., at the North Entrance, are home to a variety of full-service, privately owned RV parks .

7. Other Gateway Options

From Yellowstone’s South Entrance, you can drive two miles to Headwaters Campground , which has an RV park with hook-ups, pull-through sites and a dump station. It’s also close to Grand Teton National Park.

Near the Northeast Entrance, there is Soda Butte Campground with 20 RV spaces, 1 mile from Cooke City along US-212. This campground has no hookups.

From the East Entrance, drive 29 miles to Green Creek Inn and RV Park, which is approximately half way between Yellowstone and Cody, Wyoming . Green Creek offers pull-through and back-in sites, as well as water, electricity and sewer.

8. Keep Your Food Away From Bears

Bears have incredibly strong sense of smell , so avoid a run-in with them by storing all your food-related items from forks and trash to grills and coolers in a hard-sided vehicle or in your campground’s shared food storage box.

Pssst. Want to receive a printed insider’s guide to Yellowstone, where to stay and what to do? Order our free stunning Yellowstone Trip Planner filled with an inspiring itinerary, gorgeous photographs and everything you need to plan your dream vacation.

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Grand Canyon National Park to Yellowstone National Park drive in an RV

Rv campgrounds from grand canyon national park to yellowstone national park.

Here's a sample itinerary for a camping drive from Grand Canyon National Park to Yellowstone National Park in your RV. If you're planning a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Find the best RV parks, campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members and AllStays. Scroll down to see all the RV campgrounds along the way.

9:00 am  start at Grand Canyon National Park drive for about 2.5 hours

11:40 am   Antelope Canyon eat at Fiesta Mexicana stay for about 1 hour and leave at 12:40 pm drive for about 3.5 hours

4:12 pm   Bryce Canyon National Park stay for about 1 hour and leave at 5:12 pm drive for about 2 hours

day 1 driving ≈ 8 hours find more stops

10:00 am  leave from BEST WESTERN Butch Cassidy Inn drive for about 3 hours

1:01 pm   Salt Lake City stay for about 2.5 hours and leave at 3:31 pm drive for about 3 hours

day 2 driving ≈ 6 hours find more stops

10:00 am  leave from Residence Inn Idaho Falls drive for about 2 hours

11:56 am   West Yellowstone eat at Kiwi' Takeaway Restaurant stay for about 1 hour and leave at 12:56 pm drive for about 1.5 hours

2:37 pm   Bozeman stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:37 pm drive for about 3.5 hours

7:18 pm  arrive at Yellowstone National Park

day 3 driving ≈ 7.5 hours find more stops

What are RV campgrounds along the way?

Antelope Canyon   (17 mentions)     Page Lake Powell Campground   (1 mention)     restaurants around Antelope Canyon:         Fiesta Mexicana         Slackers         Blue Buddha         Dam Bar & Grille         BirdHouse     questions about Antelope Canyon:         Hikes and Tours? Bryce Canyon National Park   (51 mentions)     Sunset Campground - Bryce Canyon National Park   (1 mention)     North Campground - Bryce Canyon National Park   (1 mention)     King Creek Campground   (1 mention)     Rubys Inn Campground   (1 mention)     Bryce Pioneer RV Village RV Park   (1 mention)     KOA Campground Cannonville   (1 mention)     Bryce Canyon Pines Store and RV Park Campground   (1 mention)     questions about Bryce Canyon National Park:         Poisonous plants/ Venomous animals in Bryce Canyon Beaver (Utah)   (2 answers)     DeLano Motel RV Park   (1 mention)     Beaver Canyon Campground   (1 mention)     KOA Campground Beaver   (1 mention)     Beaver Camperland   (1 mention)     Little Cottonwood Campground   (1 mention)     hotels around Beaver (Utah):         BEST WESTERN Butch Cassidy Inn         Country Inn Motel Beaver         Best Western Paradise Inn Beaver (Utah)         Super 8 Motel Beaver (Utah)         Motel 6 Beaver         Quality Inn Beaver (Utah)         Beaver Canyon Campground         KOA - Beaver     questions about Beaver (Utah):         what is in beaver? Salt Lake City   (110 answers)     KOA Campground Salt Lake City   (1 mention)     Pony Express RV Resort   (1 mention)     restaurants around Salt Lake City:         Atlantic Cafe & Market     questions about Salt Lake City:         What is your favorite restaurant in Salt Lake City?         What's the best, cant-miss meal in Salt Lake City?         Centrally-Located Hotels in Salt Lake City?         Winter time activities in Salt Lake City         Places to bar hop and night life in SLC? Idaho Falls   (12 answers)     Snake River RV Park And Campground   (1 mention)     South Tourist Park   (1 mention)     Sunnyside Acres Park and Campground   (1 mention)     restaurants around Idaho Falls:         SONIC Drive-In     hotels around Idaho Falls:         Residence Inn Idaho Falls         Red Lion Hotel on the Falls         BEST WESTERN Driftwood Inn         Super 8 Motel Idaho Falls         Candlewood Suites Idaho Falls         Shilo Inns Idaho Falls         Comfort Inn Idaho Falls         Guesthouse International Inn & Suites Idaho Falls         BEST WESTERN PLUS Cotton Tree Inn West Yellowstone   (12 answers)     Wagon Wheel Campground and Cabins   (1 mention)     Yellowstone Cabins and RV Park   (1 mention)     Pony Express RV Park   (1 mention)     Buffalo Crossing RV Park   (1 mention)     Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park   (1 mention)     Bakers Hole Campground   (1 mention)     KOA Campground West Yellowstone   (1 mention)     Madison Arm Resort   (1 mention)     restaurants around West Yellowstone:         Kiwi' Takeaway Restaurant         Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Bozeman   (31 answers)     Sunrise Campground   (1 mention)     Bear Canyon Campground   (1 mention)     restaurants around Bozeman:         Bacchus Pub         Over the Tapas         Naked Noodle         18 Miles to the Border         Wild Joe's Organic Coffee & Tea House         Little Sherpa Java         Chocolate Moose Candy & Soda Shop         Pita Pit         The Nova Cafe         The Garage Soup Shack & Mesquite Grill

What are some things to do in Yellowstone National Park?

This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.

These are some of the places people talk about on AllStays :

Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!

For example, here are some questions people have asked about Yellowstone National Park. Click on any question to see answers from the community!

Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Yellowstone National Park.

Do I really have to go back home?

Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!

Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Yellowstone National Park to Grand Canyon National Park drive in an RV , or go to the main page to plan a new road trip .

You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Grand Canyon National Park to Yellowstone National Park . Or get a full Grand Canyon National Park to Yellowstone National Park flight plan .

Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.

And if you know Grand Canyon National Park well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Grand Canyon National Park!

More info on this route:

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places to eat

flattest route

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Yellowstone RV Trip Tips: How To Plan

We loved our trip to Yellowstone National Park and wanted to share our Yellowstone RV trip tips. There is so much to plan before your trip to Yellowstone. We’ll share the best time to go, where to park, planning your itinerary and how to prepare for your trip. This park is so popular it requires a lot of advance planning. We are here to help you get your trip started off on the right foot.

When To Visit

One of the best Yellowstone RV trip tips is knowing when to go to Yellowstone. You can encounter a lot of inclement weather in Montana/Wyoming area. The summers can be miserable hot and very busy but the winters bring road closures and extremely cold temperatures. We found September to be the best month to visit the park. Nearly 4 million people visit the park each year, most of them visit between June and August. Yellowstone recommends April, May September and October. September only gets about 16% of the average of annual visits. We were there in September and it was so nice to easily find parking, crowd free hikes and viewpoints. This is certainly a Yellowstone RV trip tip to take into account when planning your trip.

Where To Park

There are 12 campgrounds inside the park but only 5 of these can be reserved. Some of these campgrounds don’t even open until mid June and close as early as mid September. The rates for these range from $15 to $47. You can also grab a spot outside the park. There are many RV parks within 10 miles of the park entrances. We chose to stay at the West Gate KOA. It was just 6 miles from the west entrance . This KOA had everything we needed and more. It was nice to be this close to the park without having to camp in the park. As I mentioned before the park is extremely popular and even though there are lots of RV parks and campgrounds, they go fast. Make your reservation as soon as you know you are going to Yellowstone. You will also find RV parking in almost all attraction lots making it easier for you to get in and out. This should be the top Yellowstone RV trip tip on our list.

Plan Your Route

One of the things we didn’t expect was all the mountain passes and difficult roads we would be traversing in Yellowstone. This is an important Yellowstone RV trip tip so you don’t get stuck in a difficult spot in your RV or camper van. You will certainly want to avoid Bighorn Mountains east of Cody, Wyoming as well as Beartooth Highway between the Northeast entrance and Red Mountain Lodge, Montana if the weather is bad. We stayed mainly in the west side of the park with the exception of our drive to Lamar Valley to see the wildlife at sunset.

Prepare For Sudden Weather Changes

The weather in Montana and Wyoming can be extreme with many changes happening during the night. Most of the park is situated at an elevation of at least 6,000 ft. The weather can be very unpredictable. It can rain, snow, be hot or cold in any month of the year. Be sure to bring layers to sleep at night too as the temps can change a lot at night. We were there in September and experienced highs in the 70’s and lows in the 30’s and it even snowed a couple nights.

Yellowstone RV Trip Tips

These are so many things to take into account when planning your trip to Yellowstone National Park. It’s important to take into account these Yellowstone RV trip tips as you make your plans. If you have a pet, you should not bring them on this trip. There are very strict pet laws in Yellowstone to protect your furry friend. Yellowstone is bear country as well as many other wild animals who should not come in contact with your pets. Be prepared to be patient. Yellowstone is crowded and traffic jams are harder to maneuver in an RV/camper van. There are so many great photo opportunities at this park, so bring your equipment. Be aware that there is minimal to no cell service in the park. This is a great time to unplug and enjoy life to the fullest.

Allie Marmion

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Road Trip from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park

The awe-inspiring scenic road trip to Grand Canyon from Yellowstone will take you through fascinating natural beauty and some of the most famous national parks and forests of the states of Idaho, Utah, Arizona and Wyoming as well as charming towns and cities.

The 830-mile road trip from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon will take 14 hours to drive. Notable stops are Salt Lake City, Jackson, Moab, Idaho Falls, Dixie National Forest, Zion National Park, Geyser Park as well as Canyonlands Arches National Parks.

If you want to learn more about the road trip from Yellowstone National Park to the Grand Canyon, keep reading to discover our favorite stops, hotels and attractions as well as the best time to plan your visit.

How far is Grand Canyon National Park from Yellowstone, and how long will the road trip take?

The shorter of our routes is the Salt Lake City Route. This route is approximately 830 miles and will take you about 14 hours to complete. This route is more direct, but it still includes the chance to stop at beautiful national parks along the way.

The second option is the Canyons Route. This is the longer route of the two, comprising of 1,040 miles which will take you around 18 hours and 30 minutes. More leisurely and relaxed, this route immerses you in the natural landscapes of different states.

For this road trip, we recommend allowing between 4 to 6 days. Throughout this road trip, you cover a high number of miles and spend many hours in the car. It is important that you take the time to rest and relax while also witnessing the many beauties that this part of the country has to offer.

Best road trip route from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park

Each of the routes that we recommend is excellent, so it really depends on your road trip priorities as to which is right for you.

The Salt Lake City Route is more direct and quicker, stopping at metropolitan Salt Lake City and offering tons of options for educational and historic activities along the way.

The Canyons route is longer and features a stretch through the plains of Wyoming before driving through the lush state of Colorado, offering opportunities to visit many natural wonders including hot springs and unique rock formations such as Double Arch.

This takes you through a variety of natural landscapes in the states of Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, and Colorado, where you can expect to see everything from snow-capped mountains, to lush protected parks and dry, red deserts.

While you travel on the Canyons Route, you can take time to stop in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, as well as the cities of Jackson and Rock Springs in Wyoming.

For an easy-to-compare view of rental options for your road trip from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park, take a look at our partner site, RentalCars.com .

The Salt Lake City Route

To start this epic road trip, head out of Yellowstone National Park on the US-20 W until you reach Idaho Falls. This city is on the edge of Snake River, making it the perfect place to stop and stretch your legs. You can explore the system of trails and discover a beautiful waterfall.

From Idaho Falls, take Interstate 15 (I-15) S until you reach Salt Lake City in Utah. On this section of the journey, you will pass the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere - the Great Salt Lake. Once you arrive in Salt Lake City, check out the tons of activities and nightlife.

After stopping at Salt Lake City, continue driving on the interstate and soon you will arrive at Dixie National Forest. Incredibly scenic, it is well worth taking a break from your road trip to visit Dixie National Forest.

From Dixie National Forest, rejoin I-15 S until you can join UT-9 E in Springdale. This will take you to the beautiful Zion National Park where you can experience Zion Canyon's steep red cliffs. This is a must-see stop on this road trip.

After Zion National Park, you will head northeast on Zion Park Boulevard. After this, join onto the US-89 S until you can join the AZ-67. This will take you to North Rim Visitor Center on the edge of Grand Canyon National Park.

The Canyons Route

When taking the Canyons Route, start by heading southeast on US-20. From here join onto US-191 until you reach Jackson in Wyoming. Jackson is an amazing city which has attractions for all the family. Take a break in Jackson for skiing, fishing, rafting and ranches.

Leaving Jackson, take US 191 until you reach Rock Springs, which is a city famous for a sad reason. It was the site of one of the worst ethnic massacres in the 1880s. While you are here, visit the Rock Springs Historical Museum to learn more about the devastating history.

From Rock Springs, head through Dinosaur and follow the highway until you reach Moab in Utah. Moab is the best place to stop to visit the red rock formations in Arches National Park. Moab embodies small-town vibes in a city making it the perfect place to take a break from your road trip.

To reach Arches National Park, follow the US-191 N. After stopping here, head to Canyonlands National Park by taking the US-191 N and then UT-313 W. This will take you to the stunning national park known for its dramatic desert landscape.

After taking time to visit Canyonlands National Park, continue on the US-191 S. You will then take the AZ-98 and the US-89 until you reach North Rim Visitor Center. From here you will be able to explore the amazing Grand Canyon.

Best places to stop between Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Park

During your road trip from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park, you will pass through many stunning towns and unmissable national parks. To make it easier for you to choose where to stop on this epic road trip, you can take a look at our top suggestions below.

A scenic and stylish stay at Salt Lake City

If you are taking the Salt Lake City Route, the titular Salt Lake City is a great place to stop. Halfway on this route , this bustling metropolis offers tons of city activities and nightlife, perfect after (and before) a long day of driving through remote landscapes.

Known for its Mormon architecture and surrounded by mountains, Salt Lake City is known as having been the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics thanks to its popular ski slopes. Tens of thousands of visitors flock to this city every year to take in its beautiful surrounding natural landscapes.

While staying in Salt Lake City, there are many fun attractions that you can visit. Particularly, you must visit the Great Salt Lake while in this part of the country. This multicolored lake, a phenomenon resulting from changes in salinity levels, is also home to the artwork titled Spiral Jetty.

When visiting Salt Lake City, we highly recommend staying at Grand America Hotel . This hotel is centrally located; it is minutes from the city's most interesting attractions including Salt Lake City Hall, the Museum of Church, and Washington Square Park.

This stunning hotel offers tons of amenities that will help guests relax after a long day of driving, including an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, gym facilities and a full-service, five-star spa where you can pamper yourself after the long drive.

Guests can enjoy award-winning Sunday Brunch served at their Laurel Brasserie and Bar or high tea served at the Lobby Lounge, where guests can enjoy views into their courtyard. This hotel is not short of food options. In-hotel bakery Bonne Vie serves up fresh French pastries, while The Gibson Lounge offers cocktails and brews in Golden Age style.

READ MORE - Click here for more great hotel options

Take in Colorado's wine country while staying in Grand Junction

Grand Junction is located just over halfway along the Canyons Route next to the Colorado River. After a long day of driving, this small city is the perfect overnight stop to rest and take in the nearby wine country.

Grand Junction is best known for being home to over 20 wineries, having earned the name of Colorado's Wine Country. It also offers some interesting cultural institutions, including The Museum of the West, the Eureka! McConnell Science Museum and The Art Center.

Check out The Museum of the West during your visit. Discover the Wild West at this Grand Junction staple, offering temporary exhibits and permanent fixtures such as the Pastime saloon.

After, you can visit Colorado's National Monument. Take in Colorado's national beauty, including canyons and its signature red sandstone monoliths, at this park just west of the city.

While visiting Grand Junction, our top choice for accommodation is the chic and stylish Springhill Suites Grand Junction . This hotel is ideally located in Grand Junction's bustling downtown, where visitors can explore dozens of stores and restaurants.

Nearby, you'll find the Botanic Gardens and Native Arboretum, as well as the Colorado River. Grand Junction is located just a few miles off-route, but travelers will easily be able to get back on the highway in the morning and continue along their route.

Where to stay when you reach Grand Canyon National Park

The Clear Sky Resorts Grand Canyon is a great choice for those looking for a unique experience of stargazing from the well equipped and stylish domes. Expect something out of the ordinary here.

The themed design in each dome is a real talking point, with on-site Restaurant #1, serving great American dishes meaning you don't need to travel far for a delicious dining experience. Afterwards head to the firepits to toast s'mores and enjoy evening drinks.

Things to see on a road trip from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park

Throughout this lengthy road trip, you will pass many beautiful and scenic national parks. No matter which route you choose to take, you will travel across multiple states and witness amazing sights.

• Caribou-Targhee National Forest - Spanning over 3 million acres, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest offers tons of outdoor activities and sports, year-round.
• Cress Creek Nature Trail - This 1.25-mile trail winds along the Snake River and is the perfect spot to stretch your legs after a long day of driving. It is even partially wheelchair accessible.
• Eagle Rock Fountain - This beautiful and unique fountain located in the center of Idaho Falls is the perfect photo opportunity to document your fabulous road trip.
• Museum of Idaho - Recently established in 2003, this museum offers world-class interactive displays on the humanities and sciences, as well as a look at this region's rich history.
• Geyser Park - Add only about thirty minutes to your route and catch this geyser majestically exploding 70 feet into the air, once every hour.
• Spiral Jetty - American artist Robert Smithson created this sculpture in 1970. The Spiral Jetty is most visible during low water levels as it winds into the Great Salt Lake.
• BYU Museum of Paleontology - For dinosaur lovers out there, this museum belonging to Brigham Young University offers exhibits featuring dozens of rocks and fossils from prehistory.
• Parowan Gap Petroglyphs - Free to visit, these Native American Petroglyphs are thought to date back almost a thousand years.
• Moqui Cave - Moqui Cave was once used as a speakeasy (who would have thought!) and is now converted into a natural history museum which boasts an incredible rock collection and gift shop.
• Temple of Sinawawa - Located in Zion National Park, this natural amphitheater contains a paved trail along the Virgin River which features stunning waterfalls and flower gardens.

• Bridger-Teton National Forest - Boasting over 3.4 million acres of wilderness, wildlife and trails, the Bridger-Teton National Forest is a must-see for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers alike.
• Jackson Lake Dam - Take the size of this concrete dam which dates back to 1916. It also offers panoramic views of Jackson Lake and the snow-capped Grand Teton mountains.
• Granite Hot Springs and Camp - At just under 100 degrees Fahrenheit, these natural hot springs are the perfect place for visitors to warm up and relax, surrounded by towering pines and rock formations.
• South Pass City State Historic Site - This restored Old West mining town provides a glimpse into America's rich history, offering tours and family-friendly activities.
• Dinosaur National Monument - Located about a half-hour off route, this national park offers rafting and hiking trails, plus pictograms and dinosaur fossils.
• Pioneer Town - Travel back in time in this historic museum in Cedaredge Colorado, boasting 5 acres and twenty-four buildings dedicated to recreating life from the late-1800s through to the early- and mid-1900s. This attraction adds about an hour of driving to your route.
• Double Arch - This natural sandstone features two large arches that spring from the same side foundation, which makes it a majestic sight to behold. It is also good to note that this is a popular photo spot.
• Hole 'N' The Rock - This historic 5000 square foot home, carved into a sandstone boulder, boasts a fireplace, 14 rooms and a gift shop.
• Hovenweep National Monument - This preserve was once home to over 2,500 people and consisted of six prehistoric villages built between A.D. 1200 and 1300.
• Monument Valley - Marvel at the massive red sandstone buttes that dot this valley, perfect for a stretch before the final journey leg to the Grand Canyon.

Both routes

• World's Largest Elkhorn Arch - A historical landmark and unique attraction in the center of Afton, Wyoming. The World's Largest Elkhorn Arch is only about 30 minutes off-route so it is well worth seeing.
• Giant Soda Cans - With an addition of 20 to 45 minutes (depending on your route), discover this quirky roadside attraction featuring massive tanks painted to resemble famous soda drinks.
• Lone Rock Beach - This popular sandy beach will add an extra hour to your road trip as a detour. But it is worth visiting, as it is surrounded by awe-inspiring desert plains and is an ideal spot to catch the sunset.

Best time to go on a road trip from Yellowstone to Grand Canyon National Park

While you can certainly visit the Grand Canyon National Park all year round, it is most the most popular in the spring, summer and fall months.

There are two rims at the Grand Canyon where visitors will find lodging and restaurants; the South Rim is open year-long, with some business closures, while the North Rim is open exclusively between May 15 and October 15.

Summer is Grand Canyon National Park's peak season, meaning that travelers should be prepared to book in advance due to limited accommodation options from the influx of summer tourists.

Temperatures during this season typically range between 42-84 degrees Fahrenheit, with the occasional showers during the months of July and August.

Winter is relatively quiet compared to the high season, and many restaurants and facilities are closed during this time. Winter temperatures will drop down to as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit, so ensure to bundle up if travelling during this season.

Late spring and fall are great times to visit this natural wonder, namely because there are fewer tourists, so visitors can enjoy most, if not all, of the amenities offered in the summer but with slightly lower accommodation rates and smaller crowds. Spring and fall temperatures both range between the low-20s and low-70s.

Regarding seasonal festivities, the busiest time of the year is summer and fall, when visitors can enjoy events such as the Grand Canyon Music Festival, the Grand Canyon Star Party and a Celebration of Arts.

Echoes from the Canyon is a program that sees park rangers become characters reenacting stories relating to the Canyon. Every November, Native American Heritage Days spotlight the Native American tribes that have lived in and around this area for millennia.

While for most of winter few activities are offered at the Canyon, the holiday season brings several events for Christmas and New Year's Eve.

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Planning an RV trip Yellowstone National Park

Once upon a time in a thirty-four foot Fleetwood RV I traveled to Yellowstone National Park with my boyfriend, his eleven-year-old daughter, his seventy-seven-year-old Anglo-Indian mother and our two mutt rescue dogs who hate each other. This ramshackle group of characters had a few fights and a lot of fun as we drove, hiked and cooked up some amazing Anglo-Indian cuisine in the tiny kitchen of our 1999 Fleetwood Storm. It was a one-month long summertime journey on the highways of America where we saw all the beauty that the west coast has to offer, encountered a lot of bison and had some crazy outdoor adventures to last a lifetime. Looking back at our journey to our eventual destination, Yellowstone National Park, we learned a lot of things about RV travel and Yellowstone National Park in general. We learned that RV travel takes so many more hours then car travel when everything from gassing up takes three times longer to things constantly break and always need to be repaired in a town with a population of 50. We also learned that there are so many awe-inspiring things to see just off the highways of this grand country of ours.

Yellowstone RV Trip

When traversing the wild and wonderful bison filled world of Yellowstone National Park you may be overwhelmed especially in the planning stages of your trip, and especially if you are new to RV travel like we were. Traveling across country in a brand new, yet gently used 1999 RV and driving over 3,000 miles in one summer is a big endeavor for first time RVer’s but when the final destination is a place as enchantingly gorgeous as awe-inspiring Yellowstone National Park, well the bumps in the road are well worth the journey. One thing you need to know about planning an RV trip to Yellowstone National Park; It’s never to early to start planning! Especially when RV campgrounds book out a year in advance! If you are journeying to the wildlands of Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park like we did in a 35 foot RV, you may be exceptionally overwhelmed when planning such a big endeavor and driving cross country into an unknown and moose studded wilderness. Let me offer some well-researched advice on how to have an amazing RV outdoor adventure filled vacation.

In late June of 2017, we drove 1,000 miles to Yellowstone National Park. We took the long way from our home in alpine Big Bear Lake, California to the mountains of Montana and Wyoming. We met up with friends in awe-inspiring Telluride, Colorado along the way, Dispersed camped near simply gorgeous Jacob Lake at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and swam in Lake Powell on a 110 degree summers day. We had so many outdoor adventures in our month on the road and made memories to last a lifetime in the great outdoors of America. And then, eventually, we made it to gorgeous Yellowstone National Park, our summer fun destination!

I’m going to Yellowstone! What do I need to know?

• Make your reservations at Yellowstone National Park a year in advance.
• Always account for drives to take about two hours longer then you expect it to if traveling in an RV.
• There is always road work everywhere in the summer months and this will make drives take longer.
• Driving more than 6 hours in one day in an RV is just exhausting.
• Pack a ladder and every tool you may need, and even the ones you may not need if driving an RV cross-country.
• You can never pack too much duct tape.
• Staying inside the park is recommended.
• Get out on the roads of Yellowstone National Park as early as possible, even mid-morning the traffic is terrible.
• All food and beverage located inside the park is terrible and overpriced. Bring your own.

Plan your road trip to Yellowstone with our simple but effective Road Trip Planning strategy!

Home is Where You Park It

Where to hang your hat.

Our goal for this trip was to stay inside Yellowstone National Park, but I tried booking a campsite in February for our June trip, and all the sites that would fit our needs were already booked. This is why I recommend booking your campsite a year in advance. There are not many campsites available inside the park, and these fill up quickly. That being said, we camped at Rainbow Point Campground in West Yellowstone. This campground was great, right on Hebgen Lake but staying outside the park was not ideal. It was just a pain to have to drive to the park to see all the things each day. If we were to stay again in an RV, I would book at either Bridge Bay Campground or Fishing Bridge RV Park. Both of these campsites look pretty and are centrally located in the park.

Pebble Creek Campground is located in scenic Lamar Valley where all the wildlife viewing for bison and wolves is located. This would be my first choice for campsites, but all these sites are first come, first serve. I’m not keen on the idea of driving 1,000 miles to a campground without having a reserved spot. There are two campsites near Yellowstone Lake that both take reservations and our next trip I will be looking into booking one of them for sure. Bridge Bay Campground sits just below the snow peaked Absaroka Range rising above the eastern shore of Yellowstone Lake. This is a great location, close to the lake and very convenient to all kinds of attractions, general store, etc. in YNP.

Fishing Bridge RV park was our first choice when booking our trip, but booking only eight months in advance, we could not get a site that fit our needs. This site offers full hookups that are great for RV use. It’s a good thing we choose not to book here anyway as we had friends staying with us camping in a tent and this site is only for hard-sided RVs. This site is in a densely Grizzly bear populated area, and that is why there is no tent camping here. Grizzlies are the crazies of the bear family and not to be taken lightly. There are so many fun things to do inside Yellowstone National Park and staying outside the park makes it a lot harder and more time consuming to get to all the fun!

• Fly fishing on the Yellowstone River (or learning how to. You can easily get a guide in the park)
• Hiking Black Tail Deer Creek Trail.
• Hiking at Lava Creek Trail.
• Biking the ten-mile Fairy falls bike trail
• Check out geysers like West Thumb, Old Faithful, and the Grand Prismatic.
• Fishing at Yellowstone Lake.
• Soak and relax in natural hot springs in the area.

Driving the roads of Yellowstone National Park

The best advice I can give you for going for a scenic drive in Yellowstone National Park is to hit the roads as early as possible and be patient. Daybreak is the best time to start out. Obviously, the main reason for this is you will see way more animals at dawn. The problem with this being that when you see an animal, there will usually be gridlock traffic as everyone gets out of their cars to photograph the animal. People see a bison, and they just lose their mind and their will to think logically. We had to stop multiple times on our journey through Yellowstone National Park to let bison pass in and around our car or RV. Whatever you do when travelling through beautiful Yellowstone National Park, pay attention to the warnings about wildlife and stay the proper amount away from the animals. When we had to stop for twenty minutes because a herd of about a hundred bison were passing right in front of our RV, we watched so many tourists getting out of their cars with their kids and approaching the bison, getting right in their path just to grab a few photos. Ridiculous. Don’t be that tourist. One week after we left Yellowstone National Park some dumb dumbs were attacked by a bison and had to be airlifted to the hospital. Don’t be that person on the news.

The other big reason to start your day early is anytime after 9:30 AM there is so much traffic everywhere you go in the park. Not only are there a lot of tourists checking out the sights but there are constant traffic delays for animal sightings. Our first full day at the park we left camp in West Yellowstone at 9:30, then got stuck in a bison traffic jam for half an hour and followed so much traffic all over the park, plus every lot for parking was full of cars and packed with tourists.

This brings me to a good point. Days in Yellowstone National Park can be long, congested, scenic and sometimes frustrating. If you go out driving and hiking and doing all the scenic things in Yosemite National Park;

DO NOT BUY COFFEE IN THE PARK!

Let’s face it, any time you buy anything concessional at a national park, a Dodger game or Disneyland it’s beyond expensive and terrible. Yellowstone National Park was the worst example of this ever! Thanks, Yellowstone National Park for giving me the experience of having the worst coffee I have ever had in my entire life! Our second day at the park, we had driven into the town of West Yellowstone at 7 Am bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for a day of fun in Yellowstone National Park. Okay, not exactly bright-eyed and bushy tailed. We arose from our warm bed inside the RV at 5 AM and were leaving West Yellowstone for the park right after sunrise. We were ready to see some animals, and we could use a cup of Joe. Unfortunately for us the coffee stop advertising espresso and cappuccino was still closed as the hour approached six AM and most of these coffee stops in West Yellowstone don’t open until 8 or 9 a.m. As we drove through the park, I was drowsy and running on fumes as we approached Canyon Village and their awesome general store. Awesome if you don’t order a cappuccino or regular cup of coffee! The latte tasted like a cup of sugar milk water with a teaspoon of coffee drizzled in, and the French roast tasted like hot water with a coffee flavor. I’ve never in my life had coffee quite this bad. It was a waste of twelve dollars. Yes, twelve dollars. Food and drink in the park is expensive and not great although they do have some authentic Montana snack items like huckleberry elk jerky. ($15) That was delicious but pricey.

Take my advice; When you travel into the park for the day pack a picnic lunch and bring your own homemade coffee in a thermos. Everyone could go for a hot Starbucks latte on a cold and windy thunderstormy day in Yellowstone National Park, but you won’t find that in YNP. Come out for an early morning drive well prepared for a day of fun with snacks and drinks to keep your body fueled for fun.

Family fun in West Yellowstone National Park

It’s late afternoon or early evening, and you have escaped the crowded roads and the congested parking lots of Yellowstone National Park. It’s early afternoon, and you are craving a bison burger and maybe looking for a delightful family-friendly thing to do that is very outdoorsy. Did you get to see any wolves while exploring the Lamar Valley? Well if you didn’t, then never fear because West Yellowstone has the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center !

The rates for the Discovery center are very low ($13 a day for adults and $8 for kids) This discovery center is non-profit, and all the animals you are seeing in captivity cannot survive in the wilds. The eight Grizzlies who live here were orphaned as cubs and could not survive in the wild. The six wolves that live at the park live in three different packs and were all born in captivity and are not able to live in the wild. This discovery center is a great way to see some of the animals you may not get to see while hiking through the park. (Okay let’s face it, these are the animals you do not want to see while on a hike!) The discovery center also hosts two remarkably interesting birds of prey/ raptors.

So, what do you do in the evenings in a cowboy town? Have you ever had a fun night out at the rodeo? It’s so Montana!  The Yellowstone Rodeo is held every late July in West Yellowstone. Rain or shine this is a terrific way to spend an evening in West Yellowstone! Take your family and kids to see a true wild west show; Calve roping, bucking broncos and steer roping all take center stage on sweltering summer nights in West Yellowstone. This is a great family-friendly thing to do that so many people can only experience in cowboy country like Montana or Wyoming.

Check out the areas surrounding the park

When leaving through the south entrance, you drive directly into the Grand Tetons, and this is such a gorgeous drive, Even if a fire a few years ago burned through the first few miles of this scenic drive. You cruise by beautiful Jackson Lake and fields of wildflowers on your way to the crazy high Grand Tetons jutting into the blue Wyoming skyline.

At the very end of the Tetons is Jenny Lake; An awesome lake to check out but extremely crazy crowded anytime in the summer months. The best way to spend a day in the Tetons is to start a bike ride near the town of Jackson, Wyoming, and bike into the Tetons and Jenny Lake. There is a great paved cycling trail that parallels the main road into the Grand Tetons. You can even do this bike ride in the early springtime as soon as the snow melts and have the park all to yourself! It’s pretty much the only way to get a secluded trip to Jenny Lake. After the bike ride, stay at the awesome RV Park in Jackson, walking distance to downtown and the world-famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Is it a museum or a great watering hole? You decide. The Cowboy Bar has some great western memorabilia and is located in the town square, the happening downtown of Jackson.

Note: Yellowstone can be extremely busy at times, check out this peaceful and solitary hike of Lembert Dome if you’re looking to escape some of the crowds. Click the Search icon and search for Lembert Dome!

Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding areas are chock full of family-friendly fun things to do that don’t have to break the bank! Grizzly bears, geysers, and ginormous cowboy hats all await you this summer whether you are in the part of the park that lies in Wyoming or Montana!

What advice do you have for the Perfect RV Trip to Yellowstone National Park ?

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6 thoughts on “Planning an RV trip Yellowstone National Park”

Love this! I also found out about the coffee situation the hard way :/

We are also new to RVing – we have a 27 ft camper and are planning on visiting Yellowstone in the fall of 2020. I will check out Bridge Bay and Fishing Bridge campgrounds – your thoughts on the KOA’s at west Yellowstone?

My son and I stayed at Red Rock RV Park during late May/early June this year. It’s in Idaho near Henry’s Lake, less than half an hour from the west gate. Great people running the place and they almost doubled the number of sites this year. Great facilities and they even had UTV’s for rent. We had no problem getting a reservation less than a month beforehand. (but that was very early in the season) I would totally recommend this place.

Thank you, This was very helpful. We are planning our first trip to Yellowstone this summer in an RV and cannot figure out if we will need to rent a car or just drive the RV from place to place during the days? Thoughts? Did you have a separate vehicle or will be able to find parking and be able to move throughout the traffic each day in the RV and then head back to our spot each evening?

Hi Anna, I’m just wondering if you found out the answer to this question? I’m planning for next summer now and wondering exactly the same thing!

I see there was a question about renting a car to see the park and leaving the RV parked at the campground. Is this a good idea and who would you use for this rental?

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Things to Do on a Yellowstone National Park RV Road Trip

The first national park in the U.S. offers spectacular sights and plenty of space. Taking an RV trip to Yellowstone can feel daunting—but with some extra planning, it’s absolutely worth it.

• Featured Trip Guides
• RV and family road trips

Created by Togo RV - September 1st 2020

RVers can cover ground at Yellowstone at a decent pace by planning stops along the park's two loops. We outline highlights for RVers and recommended campgrounds nearby.

Read the full story on Togo RV .

Yellowstone Lake, WY, US

Fishing Bridge Campground

While it’s a bare-bones RV park, visitors note that it has a high price tag for national park standards. As long as you go into your experience with expectations in check, Fishing Bridge is an excellent jumping-off point for exploring close-by sites like Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

159 Grant Campground Rd Yellowstone Lake, WY, US

Grant Village Campground

This large (430 sites) campground is located in the national park off the Grand Loop Road at the south end of Yellowstone Lake. There are no hookups, but you're near stores, a restaurant, gas station, visitor center, and boat ramp in the town of Grant Village.

West Entrance Rd., WY, US

Madison Campground

Click to discover a great deal!

This in-the-park campground is 14 miles from West Yellowstone and 16 miles from Old Faithful. There are over 200 sites that can accommodate RVs and the campsite is close to popular fly-fishing rivers.

210 S Electric St., West Yellowstone, MT, US

Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park & Cabins

Offers manicured sites and full hookups right in the charming little town of West Yellowstone. The location is within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, and other attractions like the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

3305 Targhee Pass Hwy PO Box 348, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Yellowstone Park-West Entrance KOA

Click to find bookable tours and activities here

This campground is only 5 minutes from the park's west entrance and has a swimming pool, dump facilities, playground, and a recreation area. If you have a larger rig, this campground can accommodate you; it also has full hookups and some pull-through sites.

250 Parkline Trail Madison River, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Baker's Hole Campground

This campground is managed by USDA and is first-come, first-served. There are 33 sites with electric hookups and an additional 40 sites for dry camping. It's located near the west entrance along the Madison River.

Yellowstone National Park, WY, US

Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-elevation lake in North America, with more than 140 miles of shoreline. Private boats are allowed, but the cold water temperatures and frequent, sudden winds make it suitable only for experienced boaters.

Grand Loop Rd, West Thumb, WY, US

West Thumb Geyser Basin

At West Thumb Geyser Basin, you can walk along the boardwalk and see the lake and geysers at the same time, including at least one geyser that’s actually in the lake.

Yellow Stone National Park, WY, US

Old Faithful Geyser

It’s one of the more popular park attractions, so arrive early to beat the crowds. While in the area, make sure to explore the Upper Geyser Basin for even more geysers and other geothermal phenomena. For history buffs, the Old Faithful Inn offers free historic tours.

Grand Loop Road, WY, US

Midway Geyser Basin

You’ll find Midway Geyser Basin just a few minutes away from Old Faithful. Here you’ll find the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring, the third largest hot spring in the world.

201 South Canyon, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Located in West Yellowstone, this is a not-for-profit wildlife park where you can see grizzly bears and gray wolves in an outdoor habitat. Animal residents are unable to survive in the wild and provide an educational opportunity to visitors.

Near Canyon Village, WY, US

Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone

You'll recognize the 1,000-foot-deep canyon from Artist Point as you approach the gushing falls. Make sure you drive the North and South Rim roads for the best views.

Canyon Vlg, Canyon Village, WY, US

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Don’t miss the Canyon Visitor Education Center for exhibits on the supervolcano that’s responsible for Yellowstone’s one-of-a-kind landscape.

NE Entrance Rd, Yellowstone National Park,, WY, US

Lamar Valley

The Lamar Valley offers a glimpse of some lesser-seen wildlife, like the 100 or so wolves who live inside the park. Here, you’ll also find the Lamar River Trail, which is a 20-mile out-and-back trail.

14 Jardine Rd, Gardiner, MT, US

Rocky Mountain RV Park & Lodging

Located less than a quarter of a mile from the North Entrance to the park, this campground offers full hookups, bathhouses, river views, and quietness.

Mammoth Hot Springs, WY, US

Mammoth Campground

For an in-park option without hookups, stay in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, which is close to the town of Gardiner, Montana. Note that sites here cannot accommodate RVs longer than 30 feet. This corner of the park is a long haul from most of the other popular attractions, so there will be fewer crowds. It’s also the only campground in the park that’s open year-round.

Mammoth Hot Springs, Mammoth, WY, US

Mammoth Hot Springs

Located in the far northwest corner of the park, you can get up close to the hydrothermal action via a boardwalk trail that winds through the area. This is also the site of Fort Yellowstone. And, while you’re at this end of the park, make sure to visit the north entrance gate and the Roosevelt Arch.

S Entrance Rd, WY, US

Yellowstone National Park

While massive at 3,472 square miles spanning across three states, much of the trip planning has already been done for you—just follow the park’s two big loops. RVers can cover ground at a decent pace by planning which stops to make along the loop each day.

With some extra planning and a well-devised itinerary, a trip to Yellowstone in an RV can be simple, fun, and sure to wow the whole family.

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Grand Teton & Yellowstone

Things we love on this route:

Marvel at geysers, bubbling mud pots, and towering waterfalls

Canoe the pristine waters of Jenny Lake

Fly fish or raft the Snake River

Watch Old Faithful erupt at sunrise

See wildlife at every turn, like elk, moose, and bison

Trip Details

Duration: 8 nights

Starting/Ending City: Bozeman

Pricing varies. Please see Pricing Page for more info.

Begin your trip in Bozeman, Montana where you will pick up your RV and begin your journey to Yellowstone . Start with an overnight stop in the northern area of Yellowstone where you can watch for abundant wildlife and discover the otherwordly Mammoth Hot Springs. Continue to the eastern side of the park to peer into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and take in the beauty of Yellowstone Lake. Continue to Grand Teton and its 200 miles of trails and outdoor activities, like fly fishing, biking and canoeing. Stop in the ski resort town of Jackson where you can visit the National Elk Refuge or relax in hot springs. Return to western area of Yellowstone, where you can explore some of the park’s most famous features, like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring. Journey back to Bozeman through the gorgeous Big Sky area.

Grand Teton & Yellowstone Suggested RV Itinerary

North & East

Yellowstone - 3 nights

Explore the otherwordly Mammoth Hot Springs and the abundant wildlife in Lamar Valley. Peer into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and take in the beauty of Yellowstone Lake.

Grand Teton NP &

Jackson - 3 nights

With over 200 miles of trails, you can hike, bike, or simply watch for magnificent wildlife. Canoe on the gorgeous Jenny Lake or fly fish in the Snake River.

West Yellowstone -

Marvel at some of the park’s most famous features, like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring. Keep an eye out for wildlife like elk, bison, moose and more.

Ready to book this trip?

Contact us now to secure your spot., your adventure awaits….

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THE ONLY 9- DAY GRAND TETON AND YELLOWSTONE ITINERARY YOU WILL NEED (RV STYLE)

When our RV trip around Iceland had been cancelled due to Coronavirus, we knew we had to plan something else that was going to be just as epic.

Insert: Us coming up with the ultimate Grand Teton and Yellowstone itinerary (RV style)!

Crossing off all the National Parks has always been on my bucket list, so my husband and I figured this would be the perfect time to cross off two more parks. We couldn’t think of a safer way to do this trip other than by renting and RV and driving it around!

In this article, I am going to give my EXACT 9- day itinerary that allowed us to drive through the beautiful Fall foliage that the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park had to offer. 

Although Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons are basically neighbors they do each deserve their own time to explore! However, I highly recommend clumping them into one trip to create a larger Grand Teton and Yellowstone itinerary. 

RENTING AN RV

After hours of research and talking to multiple companies, we chose to get our class C RV through Outdoorsy. 

Outdoorsy is a magnificent company that allows you to search for RVs with the exact amenities you want. It is basically Airbnb but RV style.

We knew we wanted an RV that allowed us to be able to be full remote if we needed/wanted to be. We wanted one that we could stand up in, an RV with a full kitchen and one with a bathroom and shower as well. 

How it works: Any RV owner can list their vehicle on this website for rent (of course after going through background checks, etc.). It is a peer to peer kind of marketplace. 

the customer searches for what they want, you book the RV, and you can either pick it up or have it delivered if available.

Now you are ready to hit the road!

The entire process was smooth. We chose to go with an older and more vintage RV (the Montana Warrior) because it helped decrease the cost significantly. 

This thing was awesome! I loved the retro look to it! Melissa, the owner of the RV, was spectacular to work with. She was very accommodating and made the process simple.

Our RV was stocked with blankets, towels, dish soap, cookware, toilet paper and much more! We chose to add on two cans of bear spray as well as two outdoor chairs for our trip!

HOW TO FIND CAMPING

Living in an RV for the week is very similar to car camping. 

There are a few ways you can find a place to park your RV for the night.

Campgrounds: The most popular way would be to find designated campgrounds and make your reservation ahead of time. There are also first come first serve campgrounds.

The first come first serve campgrounds tend to fill.

Free parking: There are definitely spots where it is legal to park for free. You can use an app such as TheDyrt to find such a place.

BLM Land: BLM land is free land that anyone at anytime can pull their car up on and set up camp.

GRAND TETON AND YELLOWSTONE ITINERARY: TIPS

While google maps says the overall driving time between the two parks is only two hours, plan to spend a lot more time in the car than that. 

There are so many incredible places to stop and check out that you will almost feel like you don’t have enough time. 

If you want to for sure for sure see Bison and Elk then you should make time to go to Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. We unfortunately were unable to make it to that side of the park and regret that decision.

We still were able to see 1 bison up close and quite a few Elk. Surprisingly, we did not see any bears. Maybe they saw us though 😉

My last tip is that to get the best views with the least crowds you will want to wake up early!

DAY 1: YOUR GRAND TETON AND YELLOWSTONE ITINERARY

Let’s get started! You made it! 

Depending on where you are flying in from or driving in from will determine where you start your trip; however, I recommend flying into Bozeman. 

Tip! If you are renting an RV-ask if they can deliver it to the airport! It will make your trip that much easier!

After you get the rundown of how your RV works head to the grocery store to stock up on food for the week. There is an Albertson’s just 5 minutes away from the Bozeman airport. 

Looking for ideas on what to cook for your trip! Check out these easy camping meals!

A note on COVID: If you are visiting these National Parks during the pandemic be aware that a lot of the restaurants in the park are closed, so make sure to have enough food for yourself. 

It was already getting to be late for us, so we just decided to find a place to sleep for the night and enjoy cooking dinner while it was still light out.

We used the app TheDyrt to find our free sleeping spot for the night. It was up a long, dirty, bumpy road, but our RV made it. A little sketchy, but we did it!

DAY 2: FIRST DAY IN YELLOWSTONE

You will see throughout the course of this itinerary that I recommend getting up for sunrise each morning . 

Start your morning off by going through the north entrance of Yellowstone. There is a large entry way you can drive under.

Your first stop will be Mammoth Hot Springs. This place was beautiful! 

You can read all about how to get Mammoth Hot Springs all to yourself here.  

If you have time you can stop at the Boiling River , but it was closed due to COVID on our trip.

The next stop will be Artist Point: The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. 

For more details on trails and hikes you should do near Artist point check out my complete Yellowstone itinerary breakdown.

End your day by driving through Hayden Valley Towards West Yellowstone.

Make stops at the West Thumb Basin Geyser. 

Sleep at: Wagon Wheel RV park in West Yellowstone

DAY 3: SECOND DAY IN YELLOWSTONE

Have a slow morning and enjoy breakfast in your RV. 

Head to Fairy Falls and enjoy a beautiful hike. On your hike back from Fairy Falls you will want to go to the Grand Prismatic overlook . 

Next up! Head over to the infamous Old Faithful for the spectacular show!

End your day at Lewis Falls -a gorgeous waterfall! 

For sleeping at night we attempted to sleep in the park; however, all the campgrounds quickly filled up. 

But! Insider’s tip here: they allowed us to sleep in the parking lots right outside the campground!

DAY 4: A DAY IN THE GRAND TETONS

I was amazed by this park as I knew I would be. The mountainscape is just absolutely incredible. 

We started our morning off by watching sunrise at the Snake River Overlook . However, I think better spots could be found for sunrise. 

Personally, I would recommend watching sunrise from Oxbow bend . We went here after sunrise and it was stunning. 

We stopped by Jenny Lake to walk around prior to our next adventure. 

The rest of your day will be spent kayaking. If you have a car with the capability of putting a canoe or kayak on the top of it then I recommend renting one from Dornan’s Adventure Rentals .

If you don’t have that capability then you can head to Rendezvous Sports in Jackson and pick up an inflatable kayak. 

Bring your kayak to String lake and the hike it over to Leigh Lake for more kayaking. 

Here is a guide on paddling String Lake and Leigh Lake .

End your night with a sunset view from Signal Mountain Summit . 

We headed back to the parking lot of Colter Bay Campground for the night. 

DAY 5: SECOND DAY IN THE GRAND TETONS

This will be a big hiking day. If you are an avid hiker then I highly recommend hiking to Delta Lake . 

But first, let’s talk about your sunrise spot. This is the best sunrise spot! Make sure to stop here at some point during your trip. It is called Schwabacher Landing . 

After sunrise, plan to spend your day hiking to Delta Lake. It is a strenuous hike (especially at the end) and you will want to make time to relax at the top. Or even jump in the glacier water 🙂

We ended our night by watching sunset from the Mormon Barns on Mormon Row. 

For sleeping purposes, this night we slept in the parking lot of 

DAY 6: A DAY IN JACKSON

For this part of your Yellowstone and Grand Tetons itinerary, you will actually be outside of the park. You will be spending the day in Jackson, Wyoming. 

I have a complete guide to spending the day in Jackson here , but the main things you will do is:

-Bike riding

-Wine Drinking 

-Pizza Eating

DAY 7: HIKE TO PHELPS LAKE

Our Yellowstone and Grand Tetons itinerary actually had a change in plans. We were going to go to Idaho at the end of our trip, but we loved these two national parks so much so that we decided to stay longer.

Sleep in this day! Treat yourself considering the rest of this itinerary had you getting up for sunrise each morning. 

Hike to Phelps Lake during the day and make sure to bring your swimsuit for some cliff jumping!

Sleep at Gros Ventre Campground tonight. 

DAY 8: FREE FOR ALL DAY

This was a rainy day for us, so we chose to spend the day relaxing back in the cute town of Jackson. 

We spent our time at a coffee shop working on our computers and enjoying a cup of Joe. There was a farmer’s market going on, so we walked around that and then we bought souvenirs from the trip.

Oh and we got the best Vegan salads from the Healthy Being Cafe and Juicery. 

DAY 9: TIME TO HEAD HOME

Another travel day. Enjoy a nice breakfast before you head home. 

We always try to book a flight that will get us home in the afternoon to allow us time to prepare for the upcoming week.

Through lots of trial and error we found the afternoon return time decreases our stress. 

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM YOUR OUTDOOR LOVING GIRL

I hope this complete Yellowstone and Grand Tetons Itinerary has helped you plan your next trip!

This trip was so different and so fun! If you are looking to do a National Park trip ever then renting an RV is honestly the way to go. 

Like this post? Pin it for later!

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Wow! These pictures are to die for. We have 5 kids (4 still at home), but we have said for years that when we retire this is what we want to do. I had no idea the options for renting an RV and finding camping ground. This is all so helpful and has me thinking how we can do a trip like this before retirement.

Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are on my bucket list. I think you’ve made me an RV convert, I never would have thought to rent one. Brilliant. There looks like so many beautiful places to see.

This Yellowstone and the Grand Teton itinerary is incredibly helpful. You’ve really thought through everything you need to know before planning a trip. Thank you for this helpful resource. Saving this guide for later!

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Trip Information

Number of Nights: 7

Seasons: May – Early September

Start / End: Billings, MT

Average Price: $5700

Detailed Itinerary

Start: billings, mt.

Starting from Billings, Montana, you will drive to Livingston to spend the night. Learn more about Billings .

Billings to Livingston: 120 miles

1 night Livingston, MT

Livingston is the epitome of small-town charm with its locally-run stores and easy access to the Yellowstone River for a relaxing float. Learn more about Livingston .

Livingston to Yellowstone: 95 miles

2 nights Yellowstone National Park (Western Area)

Next, you will head through the northern entrance of Yellowstone to begin your journey around Yellowstone National Park. Stop at one of the major gateways to the park featuring museums, research parks, and activities. From here, you can quickly begin exploring the wonders of the park. Learn more about Yellowstone National Park. Learn more about Yellowstone National Park .

West to South: 35 mile

1 night Yellowstone National Park (Southern Area)

Heading south, you will have the opportunity to travel through the Geyser Basins, hike the Grand Prismatic Spring and experience Old Faithful erupt before your eyes. Learn more about Yellowstone National Park .

South to East: 37 miles

2 nights Yellowstone National Park (Eastern Area)

Traveling around the lower loop, you will head to the Canyon area of Yellowstone for two nights. Passing through Lamar Valley, you will most likely be slowed by buffalo in your path. You will also have an opportunity to hike out to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and see the various falls created in the Canyon Learn more about Yellowstone National Park. Learn more about Yellowstone National Park .

Yellowstone to Red Lodge: 150 miles

1 night Red Lodge, MT

The last night will be spent in Red Lodge. After driving over the famous Beartooth Highway, you can relax and enjoy your last night. If you would like to extend your road trip, we suggest adding two nights at Grand Teton National Park.

Red Lodge to Billings: 60 miles

End: Billings, MT

Trip extensions.

2 nights Grand Teton National Park +$725

While it took over 20 years to establish, Grand Teton National Park is now beloved by everyone who gets to visit it. There is something for everyone to enjoy in this park all year round from the lush forests to the sparkling lakes to the snow-capped mountains. Enjoy a float along the river, hiking the trails, wildlife watching, and more when you add two nights at Grand Teton to your road trip!

Learn more about Grand Teton National Park .

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Did You Know There is a Grand Canyon of Yellowstone?

The grand canyon of yellowstone is a must-see when visiting the national park..

• 1 The grand canyon of Yellowstone is a must-see when visiting the national park.
• 2.1 Canyon Visitors Education Center
• 3.1 North Rim Drive
• 3.2 South Rim Drive
• 4.1 Uncle Tom’s Trail
• 4.2 South Rim Trail
• 4.3 Clear Lake Trail
• 4.4 Brink of the Lower Falls Trail
• 5 Campgrounds Near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
• 6 Have You Been to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone?
• 7 Mike and Jennifer Wendland's Yellowstone Travel Guide

Hiking along the rim of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon gives a great perspective on how everything here is on a grand scale.

It’s a 20-mile long valley carved out by the Yellowstone River that is as deep as 1,200 feet.

You can get right on top of the lower falls by hiking down a dirt trail that switchbacks down the mountain for 600 feet. It was not a hike for the fainthearted. But at the bottom, we stood right on top of the falls as it tumbled over a cliff.

Looking the other way, we saw how the river carved out the canyon (see the picture below).

Things to Do at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Scenic drives and hikes are of course the best things to do in the area. We'll tell you about the best drives and trails in just a second. But first, it's best to learn about all the amazing things you'll see…

Canyon Visitors Education Center

The first thing to do near Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon is to explore the Canyon Visitors Education Center .

Here you can learn about the Yellowstone supervolcano, its geysers and hot springs , and how the geologic history of Yellowstone has shaped the park, as well as the flora and fauna found within it.

Other interesting exhibits include a 9,000-pound rotating globe that illustrates volcanic hotspots found around the world. Plus, a room-sized relief model of Yellowstone shows the locations of volcanic eruptions, lava flows, glaciers, and earthquake faults.

Scenic Drives

After you’ve experienced the Visitor Center, there are two scenic drives to overlooks of the canyon, the North Rim Drive and South Rim Drive. These are a must to see the full grandeur of the grand canyon of Yellowstone.

North Rim Drive

To get to the North Rim Drive of the grand canyon of Yellowstone, head south from the Visitor Center until you see signs for the entrance. Note that this is a one-way road that will loop back around to Canyon Village.

Both waterfalls are visible from Brink of the Lower Falls, you can also descend the Brink Trail (it is steep) to see the Lower Falls up close.

Further on in the drive, you can view the Lower Falls from Red Rock Point, Lookout Point, Grand View, and Inspiration Point.

South Rim Drive

To get to the South Rim Drive, continue past the turnoff for the North Rim Drive and take the road across Chittenden Bridge.

From here you can view the Upper Falls from two viewpoints at Uncle Tom’s Point. And you can see the Lower Falls at Artist Point.

Be aware that there is a multi-year restoration project happening to restore the many viewpoints here, you can see different closures that are in place here .

Scenic Hikes

To experience the full grandeur of the canyon’s charm, we would recommend picking a few short hikes to go on while you’re doing the scenic drives around the North and South Rims.

There are many trails along both canyon rims, here are a few of our favorites:

Uncle Tom’s Trail

From the parking area and overlook you can take a series of ~300 steps that lead you 500 feet down into the canyon. At the bottom is a platform where you can feel the power of the Lower Falls up close.

South Rim Trail

This trail begins at the Wapiti Lake Trailhead on South Rim Drive near Chittenden Bridge. This trail follows the southern rim and connects to Uncle Tom’s Point as well as Artist Point (if you want to take it that far).

You’ll wind in and out of forests between striking viewpoints of both falls and the canyon. It’s about 3.5 miles roundtrip if you go all the way to Artist Point.

NOTE: There’s also a North Rim Trail that begins in the same trailhead but follows along (you guessed it!) the northern rim. This trail is about 3 miles and hits all the same viewpoints as the North Rim Drive.

Clear Lake Trail

From Uncle Tom’s Point parking area, this trail takes you through large rolling meadows and forested areas to Clear Lake, a hydrothermal area.

It’s about 2.25 miles roundtrip.

Brink of the Lower Falls Trail

Near the beginning of North Rim Drive you can take this steep trail descending 600 feet to get an up-close and personal view of the Lower Falls in all its thundering power.

Campgrounds Near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

There are several RV campgrounds near Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon but be aware that there is a lot of demand here and they can fill up very quickly.

When we stay in Yellowstone we try to have a “home-base” campground and then make our explorations from there. Or make sure to book ahead and have a reservation.

That way we know at the end of the day we have a spot to come back to, otherwise, you could be out of luck.

We recommend:

• Canyon Campground
• Tower Fall Campground
• Bridge Bay Campground

Canyon Campground is the closest you can get to the grand canyon of Yellowstone. There are 273 sites here, flush toilets, and generators are allowed from 8am-8pm.

The Tower Fall Campground and Bridge Bay Campground are both about 40-50 minutes away from Canyon Village, in opposite directions. Bridge Bay Campground has 432 sites, so you might have the best luck finding a site here compared to Tower Fall.

Tower Fall only has 31 sites. Plus, only rigs 30′ or less are permitted as the loop has a hairpin curve that larger rigs can't make.

Have You Been to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone?

We'd love to hear about your experience. Please share in the comments below!

Mike and Jennifer Wendland's Yellowstone Travel Guide

At the top of every RVers bucket list, it is a place so majestic, so wild, and so big that it calls us to return, to explore, to get to know the diversity of its land and animals over and over again.

Everywhere you look are  waterfalls, fast-moving rivers, geysers, sheer rock faces, towering lodgepole pines , all framed by mountains under the bright blue cloudless sky.

It’s spectacular for those who love the wilderness and getting up close and personal with it. Enjoy Yellowstone for RV travel.

Published on 2021-09-24

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

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Experience the Grandeur: Visiting the Grand Canyon by RV

A re you looking for a rewarding and unforgettable road trip experience? Visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim by RV has everything you need to satisfy your thirst for adventure and sightseeing. This breathtaking landmark in Arizona is a must-visit for nature enthusiasts and travel enthusiasts alike. There’s no better way to take in the magic of the Grand Canyon than by exploring the park by RV.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into what to expect when you arrive, the scenic routes you should take, and hotel and dining options to help you better prepare for your trip. As a side note, we flew into  Mesa, Arizona , and got a  Cruise America RV  for the journey. 

You could take only a few steps in either direction from where you were standing, and the look of the Grand Canyon may be totally different. I was mesmerized by the beauty of it all, yet my mind kept returning to the iconic  Brady Bunch  episode. 

Arriving at the South Rim

Arriving at the Grand Canyon South Rim by RV can be an experience. Upon reaching the park entrance, visitors pay a fee of $35 per private vehicle, a small price for what’s to come. Or, you can use your annual pass. I buy the America the Beautiful one for $80 for a whole year.

Hot Tip:  Do you have a fourth grader? You can get in free! During the 4th grade school year and the following summer (September through August), you can visit 2000+ Federally managed recreation areas for students and accompanying passengers. The program is called  Every Kid Outdoors , and you will find more about it in this link. 

Check out the scenic viewpoints along Desert View Drive, including the famous Lipan Point and Navajo Point, which has the highest elevation. From here, you can take in the awe-inspiring panoramic views and get a sense of the park’s beauty and vastness.

The Grand Canyon’s Stunning Scenery

Speaking of scenery, the Grand Canyon isn’t called “grand” for nothing. The canyon is over 277 miles long and offers some of the  most stunning natural landscapes in the world . The park has many iconic places like Bright Angel Trail, Hermit Road, and the historic El Tovar Hotel. Here, you can learn about the history of Fred Harvey, a pioneer remembered for his influence on railroad dining and hospitality. I’m obsessed with him. 

The size of the Grand Canyon is mind-boggling, with its multiple colors and intricate layering. Fortunately, there are different trails for hikers of all levels to follow, allowing you to explore the park as much as you want. Rim Trail, 12.8 miles total, is a popular one.

The Grand Canyon has several lodges and restaurants to enjoy during your visit. El Tovar, built and opened in 1905, is one of the most famous chains of hotels owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Corporation (of Harvey Girl fame). It is beautiful inside, decorated with Oregon pine and local limestone with a rustic feel. This is the crown jewel of National Park lodges and is shown in the original Chevy Chase  Vacation  movie. 

Maswik Lodge (originally a motor lodge) is another Fred Harvey property. He certainly made his mark on the Grand Canyon, evident with the style and grandeur.

There are also other must-see attractions like the Hopi House, which showcases Native American artwork and jewelry, as well as the Desert View Watchtower, where you can go up to the observation deck and be wowed by the stunning canyon views.

Fun Facts About the Natural Wonder

Did you know that the Grand Canyon is one of the most visited national parks in the United States? Whether you want to learn about geological history, observe wildlife, or unwind with nature, there’s something for everyone here. I live closer to the North Rim, which is even better scenery, but 90% of the visitors come to this southern end.

My friend Sara and I were there during freezing weather, so we chose to take more pictures and enjoy what we could, as opposed to planned hikes. We could see the Colorado River nearly a mile below us in some parts. The sporadic juniper and ponderosa pine trees were stately and majestic, while the layered colors of rock were sheer beauty.

That being said, preparing adequately before starting any hike is essential. Bring enough food, water, and sunscreen, weather permitting, and wear proper hiking shoes . My brand of choice is Pedroc . Also, be aware of your physical limits.

Sunglasses are a must! Again, my brand of choice is Costa .

Grand Canyon Dining Options

Some fantastic dining options within the park cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences. Some popular restaurants in the park include El Tovar Dining Room (many exotic choices here), Bright Angel Restaurant, and the Maswik Lodge, which has a food court and pizza. We chose  Maswik Food Court , where I had a delicious, made-to-order burrito and refried beans. The price was under $10.

These restaurants offer everything from quick bites to fine dining, and there’s plenty of local cuisine to try.

Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty on each menu to entice their taste buds, and there are even gluten-free options. The food here is pretty affordable, so you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank.

Pro Tip: Grab a quick breakfast at Desert View Market & Deli or Canyon Village Market & Deli, where they also make a mean burrito.

If you’re passing through Winslow , here are our suggestions for cool things to see.

Finally, let’s talk about RV camping options within the park. My friend and I flew into Mesa, Arizona, and got a Cruise America RV for our journey. We enjoyed seeing all the sights, namely Route 66 and other National Park-affiliated places along the way.

Multiple onsite camping options are available at Grand Canyon National Park, including the Mather Campground, Desert View Campground, and North Rim Campground. Be sure to book a reservation beforehand, as camping sites will most definitely fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons.

Each RV campground has its own unique charm and location, and you’re guaranteed an unforgettable and authentic Grand Canyon experience. You can enjoy amenities such as comfortable restrooms, shower facilities, and easy-to-access trekking routes, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the park’s natural beauty.

Our Personal RV Campground Experience

During our visit to the Grand Canyon, we overnighted at Mather Campground , conveniently located within the park. Mather Campground offers 327 campsites, each with a campfire ring, cooking grate, picnic table, and parking. However, if you’re traveling with a larger RV, Trailer Village provides spacious pull-through spaces tailored to your needs.

After obtaining our permit and completing the necessary paperwork, we settled our Cruise America RV into the designated space and braved the cold weather again to make the required connections. Inside the comfort and warmth of our motor home, my companion and I prepared a delicious dinner. We focused on tasks that didn’t need internet access since WiFi was unavailable at the campground.

I’m a National Park girl, so I love checking off my bucket list and getting my National Park Passport stamped at each location. You can do this at the Visitor Center, as well as pick up your souvenir unigrid (map for most people) for your keepsakes. I found the best souvenirs at the Grand Canyon Conservancy’s Park Store.

Another thing to remember is that here, and Zion in Utah, you actually park your vehicle and ride a free shuttle bus to a long list of stops, saving time in traffic. The South Rim shuttle buses come around about every ten minutes, so the wait is minimal. You can also walk between the stops, which we found to be about a mile between most.

There are easy-to-follow maps at the bus stops and the Visitor Center, but I suggest that you spend a little time familiarizing yourself with the national park before arriving.

Bicycling is another popular method of travel, weather permitting, of course. Look for wildlife, including foxes, deer, elk, big-horn sheep, and coyotes.

With popular national parks such as the Grand Canyon, the best time to enter is before 10 AM or after 2 PM. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. Want to catch a stellar sunrise or sunset? Check out Yaki or Mather Points.

Making Memories of a Lifetime

Visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim by RV is the perfect way to experience the grandeur of this iconic national park. From exploring the vast canyon landscapes to learning about Fred Harvey’s legacy’s rich history, there is something for everyone in this natural wonder. Remember to take your time and prepare adequately for your trip, stay safe and hydrated while on the trails, and enjoy every moment of your adventure.

I hope this blog post has given you valuable insights into what to expect when visiting the Grand Canyon by RV. Happy travels!

Read more of our “Out West” adventures at:

29 Exciting Things to Do in Utah

Awesome Things to Do in Gallup, NM

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Two week trip to Grand Canyon, Tetons, Yellowstone ADVISE PLEASE!

• Thread starter GeneRV
• Start date Mar 12, 2009
• Mar 12, 2009

Hi Folks, a newbie here. My 4 kids are growing up and this will be the last chance we will have at this trip. Planned it once before but my young 40 year old wife was diagnosed with Leukemia one week before we were to leave and we almost lost her. That was 3 years ago. Since then we've been through a lot but by the grace of God and a bone marrow transplant we are still together and ready to try this trip again. I have an older RV. It's a 94 Alegro Bay 34' with a 460 gas motor. I am very capable and do all the mechanicals, it is quite sound and yet this will be the biggest trip we will have taken. Most amazing of all, we need to do it in two weeks and we live in Wisconsin! The only window we have in our busy summer is second and third week of June so I need to get reservations in very soon. My thoughts were leave Wisconsin, head through Denver staying on 70 west to the Grand Canyon - the North Rim, then onto the Tetons and finally Yellowstone. We've already done South Dakota so would not stop there on the way back. I figure I have six solid days of nothing but driving. So here are my questions: How should we divide the remaining 7 to 8 days between the three parks? One at the Grand Canyon, 3 at Tetons and three at Yellowstone? I picked the North Rim because it is closer to Tetons. Is the North Rim as good and as accessable as the South Rim? In all of these travels, Are there some main roads / passes I should not take because of steep grades? Can I get around the Parks without pulling a car? There is six of us so it would mean pulling my 5600 lb van and would rather not. Your prompt opinions are greatly appreciated!!!! Gene  

I am a full timer and I have lived in the National Parks for the last six years. You will really love this trip, you are hitting three of the best National Parks we have. I would head south out of Wisconsin and pick up I-44 in St Louis and then get on I-40 at Oklahoma City and go to the south rim. There is a lot more to do on the south rim. The pass in Colorado goes to 11,000 feet and the pass on I-40 only goes to about 7000. I would do three days at the Grand Canyon, two days at the Tetons and three days at Yellowstone. You are picking a very good time of year, the snow is usually melted at Yellowstone by the end of June. The south rim of the Grand Canyon has a free shuttle service that will take you just about anywhere you want to go. You could park and stay parked the entire time you are there. Tetons and Yellowstone doesn't have a shuttle. I never get reservations for any national park I go to except Yosemite, but for you I would recommend getting them. At the Grand Canyon I prefer Mather Campground, at the Tetons I like the Jackson Lake campground and at Yellowstone I like Canyon campground the best. If you go this route then when you leave the canyon you can get to I-15 in St George Utah and follow it to 89 just outside of Brigham City to get to the Tetons and Yellowstone.  

• Mar 13, 2009

Well-known member

You have a great trip planned, but the time window is a little tight. I'd suggest that you do the Tetons and YellowStone and leave the Grand Canyon until another occasion. The GC north rim is a good full day's drive farther south from the Tetons, so seeing it will add two more days driving on the trip. Whereas The Tetons and Yellowstone are adjacent to each other. We visited all three last year and if I had to choose two of the three, I'd drop the GC. The view there is spectacular, but that's all there is unless you are prepared some real strenuous hiking.  When you do Yellowstone, consider either arriving or departing through the east side of the park and make a 1 day stop at Cody. The Buffalo Bill Museum there is well worth a visit. Enjoy the trip with your family and don't spend the majority of the time driving. Chet18013  

Chet18013 said: The view there is spectacular, but that's all there is unless you are prepared some real strenuous hiking.  Click to expand...

seilerbird said: Boy did you miss out when you visited the Grand Canyon south rim. Click to expand...

Gary RV_Wizard

I would do Grand Canyon/Zion/Bryce or Yellowstone & Teton, but not try to mix the two regions. Too far apart for a short trip like this.  And I agree with Chet: unless you are a hiker, the Grand Canyon North Rim is an amazing view but little else. I would also not want to do my Yellowstone touring in a 34 footer. Parking at many views are just turnouts or shoulder-of-the road and there are always others there ahead of you.  Even those attractions with parking areas are rather cramped. And many wildlife attractions are not fixed sites - animals appear wherever they feel like it and often not where somebody placed a big parking lot. Or any parking lot.  

I agree with Tom that there's a LOT more to do at Grand Canyon than just the view at either rim (although I think the view alone is worth the visit). Grand Canyon North Rim is a fabulous place but it's a long drive in and then back out and to only spend one day there is sad. I think Grand Canyon, Tetons, and Yellowstone in one trip means slighting one or the other of the parks. I'd go with Tetons and Yellowstone for the whole trip and do Grand Canyon on another trip with the Utah National Parks. Whatever you do, enjoy your trip. Wendy  

I was in Yellowstone in a 32 footer last year and had no real problems seeing the sights. Whenever wildlife appears, like bears, buffalo or moose, there is usually a bear jam. People just park in the road and get out and take photos. Yellowstone is difficult to see in only one trip of a few days. It is over 2 million acres and all the attractions are really spread out. The Tetons are a small park and not much driving is necessary.  

Moderator Emeritus

Like others have indicated the planned trip is just too ambitious for a two week trip which would mean missing a lot of things to see and enjoy as well as quality family time during the trip.  Break into two trips as Gary suggested Grand Canyon and Southern Utah for one trip and the Tetons and Yellowstone for another.  When visiting Yellowston do not miss going to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum.  Also the most scenic highway in the USA North of Cody.   

You seem to be getting a consensus here:  either Yellowstone-Tetons or Grand Canyon. If you do the Canyon make a circle starting at Grand Canyon South Rim, then Monument Valley, then Moab UT for Canyonlands NP+Arches NP, then Capitol Reef. If you do Yelllowstone-Tetons then north to Glacier NP and the Canadian Parks.  Either trip will use up two weeks with no time to spare.  

I second what the others have said in terms of trying to do too many areas that are too far apart.  To put it in perspective, the Grand Canyon is in the southern U.S. while Yellowstone is in the northern U.S.  You probably wouldn't try to "do" Florida and New York in the same trip, so why try so much on this one?  I like Carl's idea of the Grand Circle in the Four Corners area.  There's so much to see there that we once spent an entire month doing it.  And, it's so very different from anything like you have in Wisconsin that your eyes will get tired trying to take it all in.  Yes, I love the Yellowstone area - it's beautiful - but it's Utah that we in the RV Forum go to year after year because it's so neat.  There are numerous national and state parks, not to mention tribal parks such as Monument Valley. ArdraF  

There are five national parks in Utah. Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. All are very different, all are overwhelmingly beautiful and all worth visiting. No chance of running into snow there in June, except maybe a bit a Bryce, but not very likely.  

• Mar 14, 2009

Ron said: Like others have indicated the planned trip is just too ambitious for a two week trip which would mean missing a lot of things to see and enjoy as well as quality family time during the trip.  Break into two trips as Gary suggested Grand Canyon and Southern Utah for one trip and the Tetons and Yellowstone for another.  When visiting Yellowston do not miss going to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum.  Also the most scenic highway in the USA North of Cody.  Click to expand...

We did Yellowstone and the Tetons last year.  This was our second visit.  We stayed 4 nights at Fishing Bridge RV Park. It is the only full hookup campgrounds in Yellowstone. Facilities are good but cramped. BTW we arrived June 16 and there were still 2-4 ft show drifts, and they had 8" two days before we arrived It is centerally located and works out great to make day trips on the three loops.  BTW this park is operated by a consignee and they do not honor the Golden Age Passport. As Ron mentioned, Cody WY with the Buffalo Bill Museums is well worth as day. We also spent 4 days in the Tetons. Stayed at Colter Bay Marina which is also Full hookups.  There is a lot to see in t5his area also.  The year before we went to Grand canyon, Zion and Brice Canyon.  Spent 2 weeks and still did not see everything. Tony  

Gene, I think you'll have a much more enjoyable trip going to just Yellowstone & Tetons. Grand Canyon will always be there, waiting for your next trip. If you don't want to tow a car, you might consider renting a car for a couple of days while at Yellowstone. It would make wandering the park easier. Wendy  

Since it is your first visit I would recommend 6 days at Yellowstone and 4 days at the Tetons. I personally prefer the Tetons over Yellowstone but I am in the vast minority. You haven't mentioned if you want hookups or not. But I would stay at Mammoth or Canyon Campgrounds in Yellowstone. Both are located in the middle of the park. There is a whole lot of sights to be seen in Yellowstone and the park is over 2 million acres. As for the Tetons I would recommend the Jackson Lake Campground for all four days.  

I would recommend taking at least two days and visit the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody and drive North of Cody to the Chief Joseph Highway to the Beartooth highway over to Red Lodge. MT have lunch in Red Lodge the return the same route or if time permits before returning back on Chief Joseph go on over to Cooke City then return to Cody on the Chief Joseph.  More scenic the Yellowstone.  

I have never been to Cody, Ron. But this summer after I leave Yellowstone I am going to check it out as per your recommendation.  

There is also another campground in Yellowstone called the "Madison".  It's in a good location.  You can make reservations; and some of the sites will accommodate a 30-36' motor home.  We've been through Yellowstone with our 36' DP towing a car and have not had any problems.  It might be a bit cold in June; but the animals will most likely be out.  Marsha~  

Marsha/CA said: There is also another campground in Yellowstone called the "Madison".  It's in a good location.  You can make reservations; and some of the sites will accommodate a 30-36' motor home.  We've been through Yellowstone with our 36' DP towing a car and have not had any problems.  It might be a bit cold in June; but the animals will most likely be out.  Marsha~ Click to expand...

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