Summer Vacay Report: Greater Yellowstone Area

Summer Travel Report: Camping in the greater Yellowstone area

One of my goals is to visit every National Park in the United States and Canada. I’m fortunate because I’m already close to several US National Parks, but there are still so many I haven’t yet visited. I keep hoping I’ll find a way to get to them all in my retirement years, but still, I’m way behind the curve. And this year, I only visited one National Park I hadn’t been to before. I cover that visit in my Spring vacation report about Sedona, AZ.

Time and budget were considerations for this year’s summer vacation. Since we enjoy Yellowstone and the surrounding area and it’s an easy drive from the Wasatch Front, it was our choice for a short summer getaway. As often as we’ve visited, there are still new activities to do and sights to see. The whole area surrounding Yellowstone is beautiful, and this year we decided to check out Island Park, Idaho.

Camping in Island Park

If you’ve ever entered Yellowstone National Park through West Yellowstone, Montana, you’ve most likely passed through Island Park, ID and the old growth pine forests and campgrounds in the area. We chose our campground because it was centrally located to visit the Island Park area. We stayed close to Mack’s Inn Resort, a local historical spot. However, I don’t recommend our campground. While very pretty, it was so close to the road we might as well have been parked on the highway. But since we were there to see all there was to see, we didn’t spend too much time at the actual campsite. You might want to get the right and safe equipment for your Straightline Performance and more fun.

Something for Everyone

This area offers something to fit every budget and taste. Island Park and Henry’s Fork is packed with places to stay, from cabin rentals to locally owned inns, to campgrounds with hookups and without. And if you want to stay in a chain hotel, West Yellowstone has those too. For this trip we took our trusty truck camper and found a campsite with electricity.

We stayed at the Flat Rock campground, but I’d recommend Buffalo Campground instead if you want camping with hookups. It’s next to Henry’s Fork river, close to amenities if you need them, but the campground goes back far enough from the road that you’re away from the road noise. There’s a dock to fish from or to swim/float the river, and it’s quiet enough to ride a bike without worrying too much about traffic. Other great campgrounds are Buttermilk, McCrea Bridge, Jackson Landing and Mill Creek, all along the Henry’s Fork River and at Island Park Reservoir.

Big Springs, Idaho

One of our main goals for the trip was to explore the Island Park area. We drove out to Big Springs and Johnny Sack’s cabin, now maintained by the Forest Service. I loved this little side trip. The river is sparkling clean, and the picturesque cabin that Johnny Sack built is open for tours. Everything, from the cabin itself to the furniture, was built by hand. Rather than strip down the wood, he left the bark intact and it gives the house and all the furniture a distinct character that is authentically rustic. While you can see the cabin across the river from the parking lot, if you want to go inside you need to walk over the river and through the woods.

The Back Roads

There’s so many ways to get into the back country. Whether with bicycles, UTV’s, or on foot, there is plenty of wild country to see. There are opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling, swimming and floating the river. And how about just sitting amongst the trees and communing with nature? There’s also so much to see, including hiking trails, or back country accessed by gravel roads that criss cross the area. We explored out of the way campsites, summer home enclaves, and country cabin sites. We travelled on snowmobile trails, and biked and hiked the areas around our campsite.

Into Yellowstone

After Island Park, we stayed one night in Yellowstone. We’d planned on staying two, but the Bridge Bay campground was so full that, despite our reservations, we found ourselves in a field next to a restroom. This wasn’t one of my favorite times in the park, but it’s still beautiful and if you’re interested in camping in Yellowstone NP, I’d recommend booking way in advance (at least four months). Since it’s first come first serve, get to your campground before noon, and if you’re not happy with the site, be at the office early the next morning to snag a better site.

On to Grand Teton

After the experience at Bridge Bay, we decide to head south and for the last night we stayed in Grand Teton National Park. We lucked out and got the last open campsite at Signal Mountain (really, I recommend getting reservations everywhere).

We drove to the top of Signal Mountain and took in the amazing view of the Jackson Hole basin. On the way back, we stopped at a quiet, isolated lily pond that we’d spotted that was just a short hike from the road, then finished our trip with a dinner on the beautiful patio at the Signal Mountain Lodge, and witnessed a spectacular sunset. The colors were especially vivid because of the smoky air from the fires. The next morning we headed home via Highway 34, an Idaho scenic byway.

Final Thoughts

While many say the National Parks aren’t truly wild and free, I’d say the experience is what you make it. This is bear, moose, and elk country, not to mention my favorite, the majestic Bison. We found back country roads and pristine, primitive areas. While civilization is everywhere, there are still wild and free places to feed the spirit. You just need to get out there and find it.