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Posted by Photodude (71.99.103.177) on 09:28:23 03/24/2010
In Reply to: Late April 2010 Yellowstone Trip Plans posted by Gary Thomas
Gary,
Yes, you are right about not being able to park overnite in the turnouts or hotel parking lots. And yes, unfortunately, you will have to drive long distances each day. On top of that you will not be very nimble in your motorhome.
I am pretty sure the only campground open in the park in April is Mammoth. The Central Government - the NPS - that runs the park will never open campgrounds early based on weather and snowpack conditions.
Last year I did see more cars parked along the roads in the wee hours of the pre-dawn, but I do not think the rangers are slacking on their rules, I just think they never saw them as they must have been way-late arrivals.
Your access to paved roads is very limited in April. While most of the roads are plowed and cleared of snow, the NPS will not bend and let people in early. If you encounter this and feel gypped because they charged you full price for all of the park, write your Congressional representatives and the NPS (PO Box 168, YNP,
Wyo. 82190).
One thing you might consider is to park your motorhome in Gardiner at an RV camp or even Mammoth and rent an economy car to buzz around with while in the park. You can rent a car at Whiting Motors in Livingston or Bozeman Mont. and perhaps West Yellowstone.
It is nearly 60 miles one-way from Gardiner to Cooke City on the NE road. And it is 50 something miles from Mammoth to West Yellowstone. Figure in the back and forth to check this and that out or to return to a promising place to see bears or wolves, and the next thing you know you have a lot of miles racked up.
You can do the math and make the calls on the rental car option from where you sit - long before you get there.
Good luck,
Photodude
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