We took six weeks to travel to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone from September until the end of October. The goal of this adventure was to experience the fall colors and less crowds. However, what comes with that are colder temperatures and places starting to close up for the winter. We had reservations only for Grand Teton National Park at Gros Venture Campground, and decided to take our chances everywhere else. We left Sonoma county and headed towards the Sierras, spending a very cold September 11th at Alpine Meadow Campground outside of Truckee. It was by reservation, so when we arrived we made an online reservation on the spot for one of the last four available sites and filled our water tank. The campground filled that night around 6:30 pm. In the morning we refilled the water tank and headed into Nevada on highway 50. Along the way we stopped to get propane and had lunch. We tried camping at Bob Scott Campground, but the sites were a bit short and also all taken. Around 6pm we found a big parking area where highway 376 meets 50 and set up camp for the night and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. It was very quiet and just us.
Continuing on Highway 50, our final stop on The Loneliest Road in America was at Great Basin National. We headed up to the campground at Upper Lehman around 2:30 only to find it full and a sign sending us to Baker Creek, also full. We were beginning to think everyone is still camping. Heading to the Great Basin Visitor Center, they were unaware the campgrounds were all full. Luckily they directed us to BLM lands just before they closed at 4pm, sending us out on the Lexington Creek Rd, towards Lexington Arch. We just pulled into an already used spot and set up camp.
leaving Nevada in the morning we headed into Utah taking highway 15 through Provo and ended up at Deer Creek State Park about 822 miles from home. This is a large reservoir and 4 campgrounds, one of which was closed. We were assigned to Fox Den #15 a newly renovated campground with full hookups. And since there weren’t any rules regarding washing the trailer he washed the truck and the trailer. It was a Saturday night and it was pretty full in all the campgrounds. In the morning we headed toward 89 into Wyoming. Around 4pm we found the cutest little campground called Allred Flat (USFS) and the perfect campsite #19. It was just what we needed after all the driving and campsites that were a tad bit crowded. This campground was free, had only two other campers and also no water. We stayed two days here enjoying the campground and its environment.
It’s September 17th, our wedding anniversary, we are due at Gros Ventre in the Tetons, and its raining. Luckily it’s only 100 miles away and an easy drive. However on the way I decide to look at cancellations and the site we are assigned has two additional nights available. I amend our reservation , as we were going to have to change sites for those two nights, now we don’t have to move. Yippee! For the next 5 days while camped at Gros Ventre we take in the Visitor center, hike to Taggert Lake via the Beaver Creek trail, walk all over the Mormon Row area, visit Jackson Hole, hike around Jenny Lake, celebrate a birthday at the Jenny Lake Lodge, and look for moose at Schwabacher Landing. Then it was on to Colter Bay for two nights.
While we were camping at Gros Ventre I managed to make a reservation for Colter Bay Village for two nights. This campground allowed us to recharge everything and we enjoyed the hookups. It’s a bit packed, but within walking distance to the lake and amenities. We were in site 432 and I actually misread the number and were almost set up in 442 when I realized it, so 20 minutes later we were in the right site. Won’t do that again! I did book the very last scenic boat cruise (104$) at 5:15 on Colter Bay on Sunday, September 22. Such a fun ride and great crew. We also hiked to Swan Lake and Heron Pond from our campsite. Two nice days and we were off to Yellowstone National Park.
Managed to get 4 nights on the fly at Mammoth Campground at the north end of Yellowstone while we were in the Tetons by constantly checking the reservation system. And our last day we were there, I was able to add another night but we had to move, however the campsite was the best! Mammoth is quite nice now that the road doesn’t go by it since the flood in 2022. Also the weather was great, and the campground is within walking distance to the town. Our five days were packed. We first explored the town, almost getting mixed up with the local herd of elk in the campground as we hiked on the trail up the hill to town. We enjoyed lunch in the lodge, explored the immediate area and all it’s history. We spent a day exploring the Tower Roosevelt area and the Lamar Valley. Another day we explored Mammoth Hot Springs.
We had the best time in Yellowstone, best wildlife and weather. This was our first time exploring the northern part of the park. Now we head north east into Montana towards Little Bighorn. After about 222 miles we choose to stop at the Hardin KOA, in Hardin, Montana, and explore the area. The campground recently changed owners and they were very sweet. We stayed two nights exploring the Little Bighorn Battlefield, and Big Horn County Historical Museum which also has a section with NPS. This would be the furthest eastern part of the trip.
On into Montana, and our next stop turns out to be Bridger, Montana, after stopping first along the Yellowstone River to visit Pompey’s Pillar National Monument. This was a spot where Clark signed his name and date on the sandstone of the 120 feet high tower. We also enjoyed walking the historic trail along the river. We arrived at Bridger around 3 pm. The Bridger City Campground contains 6 sites with full hookups, and is nothing fancy, just a field across from the police/utilities hub where one pays for the site. We enjoyed exploring the town and it’s historic walking tour. I enjoyed the Zier Gallery and meeting Dana the owner. Next day we headed to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Horseshoe Bend Campground. We stayed two nights here, for free as there were not any services, but we found good internet down at the boat launch. Before we camped we went to the visitor center, got water in town, nd had lunch. We explored the canyon, hiked the State Line Trail, walked the Two Eagles Interp Trail, visited the Ewing-Snell Ranch and saw the wild horses.
It’s Friday, October 4th and we decide to head west and stop in Cody, Wyoming. Luckily for us, again, we are hitting the end of the season and the campground is still open in town. We pay for two nights at the Ponderosa Campground site 122. This campground is very popular, but they are trying to close it down in the next week, before the weather changes. We spend time cleaning the trailer, doing 5 loads of laundry, getting supplies and reserving a spot on the last Cody Trolly Tour for Saturday. The weather is great, but overnight the wind just howls! Saturday we take the trolly tour and then spend the afternoon at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Sunday we head back to the Center of the West with our trailer, to finish seeing the rest of the exhibits and then head to Buffalo Bill State Park for the night. This state park contains a reservoir and when it was completed in 1910 it was the highest dam in the world at 325 feet.
Heading back west we entered Yellowstone from the east entrance and try our luck at Madison Campground. It turns out that they are off the reservation system as they are attempting to close up the campgrounds, except for Mammoth which stays open year round. We are assigned site E162 and take it for three nights. Its a tight campsite, but we fit. This campground is right along the Madison River with beautiful scenery especially early in the morning when the Elk re out. During this return stay we hiked the North Rim Trail, took in the Canyon Village Visitor Center displays, drove the Firehole Lake Drive and the Firehole Canyon Drive, hiked to the Grand Prismatic Overlook, and took in Old Faithful.
It was wonderful to spend three more nights in Yellowstone and take in other areas of the park we had not seen earlier on this trip. Also, while we were in the campground we had a conversation with a fellow camper telling us about a route we could take towards Portland, one of our future destinations on the Lewis and Clark trail. Most camping areas were beginning to close for the season, so we ventured out the west entrance, on October 10th. Our first stop was West Yellowstone to get groceries and it would have been a nice town to explore, but we will save it for next time. Driving along highway 287 was beautiful and again would have liked to have stopped and explored Virginia City, but will save it for next time. We landed at a Ruby River Reservoir up on a bluff for the night. The next day we took highway 43, stopping at the Big Hole National Battlefield Visitor Center. This area is Nez Perce territory and contains the beautiful Bitterroot Mountains. That night we camped at May Creek Campground. Then we headed up highway 93, stopping for lunch at the brewery in Hamilton, exploring the town and getting water and groceries. That night we stopped at Chief Looking Glass Campground and decided to stay two nights.
Our two nights at Chief Looking Glass (36$) were so relaxing. We drove up to Travelers Rest State Park and visited the Visitor Center and took in the various trails in the area. This area was used for centuries by indigenous peoples, and visited twice by Lewis and Clark. It’s also at the beginning of highway 12 through the Lolo Area into Idaho. We had to make a choice here to either go north up to Missoula or west and we chose the west. It was hard to leave Montana!!! The drive through the Bitterroots is beautiful! We stopped for the night at Lolo Hot Springs Campground where John took in the springs, a mere 10 miles from Chief Looking Glass. IN the morning we traveled over the Lolo Highway and visited the Nez Perce National Historical Park. Continuing into Idaho along the Clearwater River we stopped at Pink House Recreation Site where we had full hookups in this very maintained campground. Got the second to the last site here as its a popular river!
Heading west towards Portland, our first stop is the Nez Perce Visitor Center, and then a two night stop at Hells Gate State Park in Lewiston, Idaho. We take in a walking tour of the town of Lewiston, the Jack O’Connor Museum, and the basalt cliffs on the Snake River. And Sisters on the Fly were having a rally in the Campground! Next up was Maryhill Campground in Washington on the Columbia River. We ended up in the overflow the first night and snagged a site the next night in the campground. That extra day we went into The Dalles in Oregon and toured the Columbia Gorge Museum.
We made it to Gresham, outside of Portland and moochdocked for a couple of nights while we took in the area. We also had some quick work done on the trailer at Ultimate Airstreams on the way south.
It is now October 24th and we are in the home stretch and trying to maximize our time before we arrive home. Our first stop is outside of Eugene, Oregon at a cute little park called Armitage and luckily we are only staying one night because this campground is full for the weekend with Ducks (Oregon Ducks) fans. It’s right along the McKenzie River. After that we head to Crescent City and Lighthouse Cove RV Park which is run by the city. Luckily we are able to pick our site and decide to stay for two nights so we can spend a day exploring. Earlier in the week i had made reservations for Sue-Meg SP as I know that we want to stay there if possible. We had a very wet site and it was hard to get into, but worth it as the weather was perfect for hiking on Agate Beach. We stopped along the way at Eel River Brewery and our old stomping grounds -Humboldt Redwoods SP. Our final night was at the Benbow KOA so that we could drain the tanks and get it ready to park it when we got home.
Such a fun trip 3200 miles and 48 nights out!