Yellowstone East Entrance Rd

[Berrie]

We are new to camping.
We're looking at making a trip next summer to Yellowstone, and we are considering staying at some of the state campgrounds on the East Entrance rd to Yellowstone.
We would select a location with electrical hook-up.
However, none of these have sewer hook-up.
Have you stayed there before? What to do with grey water? Do they have a dumping field?

 

[jackiemac]

We are new to camping.
We're looking at making a trip next summer to Yellowstone, and we are considering staying at some of the state campgrounds on the East Entrance rd to Yellowstone.
We would select a location with electrical hook-up.
However, none of these have sewer hook-up.
Have you stayed there before? What to do with grey water? Do they have a dumping field?

You should locate dump stations on your travels and plan accordingly.

Dumping grey water will not be permitted anywhere other than a dump station.

You may think it ok to let ot put near your campsite but it's not good etiquette.

What kind of RV do you have?

We can manage a week without dumping our tanks.

 

[TonyL]

Be advised that any of the campgrounds in Yellowstone are expensive by comparison.
Consider staying just outside and use the savings for the little extra fuel you will use.
Time your entrance correctly and you shouldn't need to queue too much either.

 

[tanglemoose]

There us a dump at the state park outside of Cody, that campers can use for free. It us a long ways to Yellowstone park from that state park.

What size camper are you in...

Yellowstone is great, good to plan in asvance!

 

[Berrie]

You should locate dump stations on your travels and plan accordingly.

Dumping grey water will not be permitted anywhere other than a dump station.

You may think it ok to let ot put near your campsite but it's not good etiquette.

What kind of RV do you have?

We can manage a week without dumping our tanks.

I didn't think it would be OK, but I read here on another thread that some of the more primitive sites have a greywater dump area - which surprised me.

 

[Berrie]

Be advised that any of the campgrounds in Yellowstone are expensive by comparison.
Consider staying just outside and use the savings for the little extra fuel you will use.
Time your entrance correctly and you shouldn't need to queue too much either.

I didn't find that to be true.
Fishing Bridge RV park is $99/night, Sun Outdoors in Gardiner is $89/night.
The sites without sewer hook-up in Yellowstone are $30/night, the ones on East Entrance highway are $15/night with water only, and $30/night with water and electric. The difference is cost is not that much.

 

[JudyJB]

What "state campgrounds" are you referring to that don't have dump stations?

Fishing Bridge Campground in on the East entrance road and is part of Yellowstone National Park. It has full hookups, so you would not need a dump station there. However, be aware that you do need to make your reservations as soon as they open, as all Yellowstone campgrounds fill up fast.

Also, remember that Yellowstone is a huge national park, and you cannot drive around it in a day and return to a campground that is very far outside of the park. You would be best to schedule a couple of nights on something near the east entrance and then a couple of nights on the west or north side of the park.

 

[TonyL]

A lot will depend on what type of site and facilities you prefer.
If you want hookup, it's going to cost as you quoted Gardiner, which is the North entrance, not East.
15 miles out of Gardiner you can camp for free, but no hookup, and dump/fill tanks for 10$
A bit cheaper than 89$ a night.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Heading into Yellowstone on US 14 from Cody (what the OP was inquiring about) is Buffalo Bill State Park which has two campgrounds, Lakeshore and North Fork.
Lake Shore open year-round, while North Fork is open during the summer months - May through Sept. both of which have dump stations.

There is a City of Cody free dump station on Lt Childers street, by Veterans Memorial.

There are a number of private RV parks on the East entrance road, Yellowstone Valley Inn & RV Park, Green Creek Inn & RV Park, and Mountain View Resort & RV.

There are several Federal campgrounds along the road also. Big Game Campground vault toilets only, Wapiti Campground with electric and showers, Elk Fork Campground vault toilets only, Clearwater Campground vault toilets only, Rex Hale Campground electric sites good for larger campers, Newton Creek Campground vault toilets only, Eagle Creek Campground, and Threemile Campground vault toilets only. These last three are restricted to hard side campers due to grizzly bear activity in the area.

Charles

 

[Berrie]

@CharlesinGA thank you for the very detailed response!
I had found all the federal campgrounds that don't have sewer. I didn't go out any further than 27 miles as that gets a little far from the park. The Yellowstone Valley Inn and Green Creek are only a few miles more, so that may be an option. But closer to the park is preferred.
I couldn't find any info on Mountain View Resort.
Buffalo Bill state park is farther away than we would like at 42 miles.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Mountain View apparently does not have a web site. Their phone is 3075875957 and they have a facebook page, Mountain View Resort | Wapiti WY which lists a different phone number.

Charles

 

[jackiemac]

From your other post it sounds as though you haven't bought your rig yet. I suggest one of your must haves could be decent sized tanks for this reason.

If you have "navy showers" and decent sized tanks you could manage a week between dumping if you are good with water management.

We have a bladder and pump to refill water as we get 2 fills of fresh before our 3 tanks are full.

28ft travel trailer.

 

[Berrie]

From your other post it sounds as though you haven't bought your rig yet. I suggest one of your must haves could be decent sized tanks for this reason.

If you have "navy showers" and decent sized tanks you could manage a week between dumping if you are good with water management.

We have a bladder and pump to refill water as we get 2 fills of fresh before our 3 tanks are full.

28ft travel trailer.

You are correct, we do not yet have one.
At this moment we are considering buying one, or for this trip renting one.
Good info to look at rigs with large tanks. We would likely use the more primitive sites more often as we prefer solitude. We'd tent camp if my back would allow.

 

[JudyJB]

Also, I forgot to mention that Fishing Bridge also requires you to have a hard-side RV as bears are sometimes around. I never saw one when I stayed there, but I trust the national park to make good rules to keep us safe.

 

[Larry N.]

...Fishing Bridge also requires you to have a hard-side RV as bears are sometimes around.

And most other places in the general area, including all of Yellowstone and much of the surrounding area, should be requiring that -- you don't want bears poking through the fabric.

 

[UTTransplant]

Anyone who wants to get close to the action in national parks certainly should prioritize tank size. Being able to dry camp gives you so many more options. Even in towns, you can find more places with just electric than with FHUs. Right now we are on the Oregon coast in Florence, OR, at an Elks Lodge RV park (beautiful place BTW), but it only has water and electricity. $30/night while nearby places are $60+ with very limited availability.

 

[Professor David]

If you have a hard sided RV, best to stay in Yellowstone at Fishing Bridge RV Campground since you are going in the crowed summer months...which means long lines just getting into Yellowstone. Waiting in a long lines every day to get into the park is not anyone's idea of fun and certainly not worth saving a few bucks (which would likely go into more gas and wear/tear anyway...and more importantly...big headaches and increased stress). As stated above, your RV must be hard sided at this campground since it is in bear habitat. Fishing Bridge RV Campground also has full hook-ups (sewer, electric, water). Most importantly, you need to make your reservations ASAP for next summer.

 

[UTTransplant]

The way to get past long lines is to go early in the morning, definitely no later than 7:00 am. We have been to YNP a dozen times or more, and we were camping last week in a dispersed site in Island Park, 20 minutes or so from West Yellowstone. We dropped by YNP, and we were later than our usual 6:00 am time. By 7:00 when we arrived there was a line at all stations about 5-7 vehicles deep. Doable, but 6:00-6:30 would have been better. We were there strictly to see the Lamar Valley, so parking wasn’t an issue for us, but the parking lots at the thermals on the way were almost full. Drop me a message if you decide to disperse camp on the west side. Where we were was fabulous.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

"Large tanks" is mostly relevant to the size & weight of the RV. You probably will NOT find 50-100 gallon fresh & waste tanks on a 24 ft trailer or motorhome. You can only fit so much in a small package.

 

[solarman]

And most other places in the general area, including all of Yellowstone and much of the surrounding area, should be requiring that -- you don't want bears poking through the fabric.

too true, you are nothing but a crunchy snack as far as the bear is concerned..