Non tourist locations between Yellowstone and GNP

[highdesertranger]

seraphim that's a great pic in post 4. you know if you are traveling on highway 20 in Idaho there was a member on here awhile back screen name scar. he has a place in Arco Idaho and allows you to stay on his property for free. do a search for scar and honey's park. highdesertranger

 

[akrvbob]

Here are some ideas:

1) Whatever you do, don't miss Bearthooth Scenic drive out of Montana into Yellowstone. Spectacular! Also, it's surprisingy easy, they did a remarkable job of keeping the grades down. Both your rigs will be fine on it.
2) Free dispersed camping at the bottom of Beartooth just before it starts the climb. Beautiful area!! Highly recommended!!
3) Free camping in NF at Cook City just before you enter Yellowstone.
4)Free camping in the NF just above Gardiner at the North entrance to Yellowstone.
5) $5 a day camping at a tiny NF campground just before the South entrance into Yellowstone: Sheffield campground
6) In Grand Tetons plan to camp on top of Shadow Mountain, free dispersed camping in the NF looking right at the Tetons. Best campsite I've ever had!

Bob

 

[Seraphim]

I appreciate all the great comments.

I've talked my sister into delaying the trip, and we'll start with Glacier, then work our way south, near he end of the hot weather.

Tomorrow after church the maps and yellow high liter come out, and we'll mark the routes and attractions mentioned.

I think you all have helped to make our journey a lot more enjoyable.

 

[Canine]

I live near GNP and have camped outside of there many times because National Parks disallow dogs so I don't camp in the Park at all. There are tons of spots just off of hwy 2 that are on National Forest (on the south side of the river) that are free, but hard to navigate with your large rig. Much more suited for smaller vehicles. There is private land, but you can pretty much tell the few spots that are private because of the houses and no trespassing signs. I often see motorhomes and tractor trailers parked in the turn outs to sleep overnight. I've seen vans and slide in campers parked in turn outs for a couple of weeks at a time; I'm sure that is frowned upon. Lots of people poo and pee in turn outs, so they stink. Some roads are limited to 21 foot length, 8 feet wide, and no trailers. Lots of people ignore that.

The top of Marias Pass has a road about 1/4 of a mile (or less) on the south side of the road west of the peak that is a great road with spots that will allow a large rig to turn around or park. About 10 miles west of West Glacier is a large turn out that has water coming out of a pipe that you can refill from. It says it isn't recommended for potable use, but I drink out of it and have been fine. It has a point of interest about shepherds or something.

 

[Seraphim]

Thanks Canine.

Could you expand on 'disallows dogs'? Are the not permitted in the park at all? Or just not on the trails? My sister has one she plans on bringing along.

 

[Canine]

Could you expand on 'disallows dogs'?

My statement was too absolute. I am still kind of angry about how I was treated there and made a comment that really isn't correct. Yes, dogs are allowed with restrictions that are strongly enforced. One or maybe two trails are designated for dogs that must be on leash and must be picked up after they leave "presents". Otherwise, they must be in a vehicle. If the window is down, the dog must be on leash. They insist on absolute control of the dog. You cannot camp with the dog. None of the motels that I know of allow dogs- they are dog Nazis as well.

My final experience was when I delivered in the Park. My disability was not yet official and my dog was not yet certified to be a service dog, but my dog goes with me everywhere even when I work. About 98% of the time I left her (the dog) in the cab while I delivered. However on the hottest of days it gets hot enough in the mountains that the cab gets too hot with the windows down. Probably not hot enough to kill, but hot enough. (I don't baby my dog, either. I work her hard and expect a lot out of her.) On one of those days, I carried her from the cab to the back of the semi truck. I never let her feet poison the ground and she was up and out of the way. I was told she couldn't be in the back of the box and had to be in the cab. They said they didn't even want her in the cab. That's B.S., tho. I said it was too hot. They repeated themselves. I had just finished my deliveries, so I grabbed her and put her back in the cab and calmly left. Never once did I yell, swear, or interrupt. I've learned that even if you are 100% correct, poor behavior will lose the battle.

The next delivery two days later was just as hot, so I brought her to the back of the box again. This time they were ready for me and said she couldn't be there. I asked why. They repeated themselves. I said it was too hot. I couldn't reasonably idle the truck to run the ac because it is noisy and quickly smells up the place. There is no wind there. Since she was with me, I was committed to putting her in the back. They repeated themselves. I said what am I supposed to do? They repeated themselves. I said if you want this product delivered, this dog will be in the back. If I put her in the cab, I will button up the back and not deliver this product. You can talk to my boss and work out a way to get this product here. I meant it, too. I was ready to lose my job over this. They stopped talking and walked away with frowny faces. Nothing was said again about that confrontation.

So, yes they are hard on pet owners, but not so much that dogs are "disallowed". And sorry about the format; I'm being lazy. Hope you can read it OK.

 

[akrvbob]

Wow, which park was that in Canine?

They don't want them out of the vehicle but I've taken my dogs to dozens of Parks and never seen anything like that. I've been through lots of Parks recently and had no issues.

For example, I was at the gas station at Old Faithful in Yellowstone and parked and took my dog out and walked him on leash along the road. Maybe i was just lucky and didn't get caught.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Wow, which park was that in Canine?

They don't want them out of the vehicle but I've taken my dogs to dozens of Parks and never seen anything like that. I've been through lots of Parks recently and had no issues.

For example, I was at the gas station at Old Faithful in Yellowstone and parked and took my dog out and walked him on leash along the road. Maybe i was just lucky and didn't get caught.
Bob

[img=600x59]http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/e-mail/faq_head.gif[/img]

Visiting Parks with Your Pets

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In general, pets are permitted but must be restrained either on a leash not exceeding 6 feet in length, caged or crated at all times. Park Superintendents and Managers have the discretion to further restrict areas open to pets (i.e., trails, buildings, campgrounds may be off limits).
Restrictions on pets in parks are as much to protect your pet as to protect park resources. Following are some of the reasons parks give for regulating the presence of pets:
--When a loose pet chases a squirrel or raccoon, the wild animal's ability to survive is threatened, and when it is threatened, it may react aggressively.
--There is a strong possibility in parks such as Yellowstone that your pet could become prey for bear, coyote, owl, or other predators.
--There is a possibility of exchange of diseases between domestic animals and wildlife. --Dogs, the most common traveling companion, are natural predators that may harass or even kill native wildlife that is protected within the park's boundaries.
--The "scent of a predator" that dogs leave behind can disrupt or alter the behavior of native animals. --Pets may be hard to control, even on a leash, within confines of often narrow park trails and may trample or dig up fragile vegetation.
--Dog and cat feces add excessive nutrients and bacterial pollution to water, which decreases water quality and can also cause human health problems.
--Finally, lost domestic animals sometimes turn to preying on park wildlife and must be destroyed.
Some park webpages have lists of nearby kennels where you can leave your pet during your stay in the park. You can access information on the parks you plan to visit by going to the "Visit Your National Parks" website at http://www.nps.gov/parks.html. It is always best to check with the park(s) you are planning to visit for specific information and restrictions for pets.


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Last Updated: 12/3/99
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[WriterMs]

Wow, which park was that in Canine?

Bob, Canine was talking about Glacier. That park is so tight for people spaces, I think they are more vigilant than other parks. Sounds insane they would care if she was in the back box though... what business is it of theirs as long as she is not free to roam.

 

[WriterMs]

Since Glacier NP would be a big highlight of your trip, I thought I'd make sure you know that Going-to-the-Sun Road (the whole middle traverse of the park) has severe vehicle size restrictions. The info is surprisingly hard to find on the park's site so here it is:

... To help reduce congestion, vehicle size restrictions are in effect. Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east.


This ALSO may impact having the dog along, since if you need to take a shuttle or one of the tour buses, I"m sure that would mean leaving the dog at your sister's RV.

Almost all parking areas within the park are crowded during the summer. I"m hoping someone has a toad for touring inside the park. I know it sounds like lots of hassles (and it can be), but it really is a spectacular place.

 

[Seraphim]

Since Glacier NP would be a big highlight of your trip, I thought I'd make sure you know that Going-to-the-Sun Road (the whole middle traverse of the park) has severe vehicle size restrictions. The info is surprisingly hard to find on the park's site so here it is:

... To help reduce congestion, vehicle size restrictions are in effect. Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs. Stock trucks and trailers are able to access Packers Roost on the west, and Siyeh Bend on the east.


This ALSO may impact having the dog along, since if you need to take a shuttle or one of the tour buses, I"m sure that would mean leaving the dog at your sister's RV.

Almost all parking areas within the park are crowded during the summer. I"m hoping someone has a toad for touring inside the park. I know it sounds like lots of hassles (and it can be), but it really is a spectacular place.

We really appreciate this info, as we had planned to take that road through the park as part of our travel route. My pickup alone MIGHT be over 21' - it's close. With the camper on, it's over 12' high. So, we can drive through with their toad, but have to take a southern route to continue on our way.

Thank you.

 

[highdesertranger]

I know this is off topic but I have run into the dog Nazi's in kalifornia state parks also. highdesertranger

 

[akrvbob]

To me the congestion in the Parks just ruins them. i went through Yellowstone last week and it's so bad it ruins it for me. I only went so I could blog about it but I would never go again except in the off-season.
Bob

 

[Canine]

I think a ran into a couple of overzealous employees. They have the law on their side, though, so it would have been a losing battle for me.

I would be careful of anything over 10 feet tall. There are overhangs that will rip a camper/rv to shreds. If you drive a tall rig in parts of Glacier NP, think 3 dimensionally.

They are doing some construction on Going-to-the-Sun Road, so be wary of that. I don't know if it is done for now. I would imagine it has stopped at least for now during the busiest time of the year.

 

[Seraphim]

I would be careful of anything over 10 feet tall. There are overhangs that will rip a camper/rv to shreds. If you drive a tall rig in parts of Glacier NP, think 3 dimensionally.

Having already replaced one vent cover and an AC unit ... Lol

 

[Canine]

Update on fireworks and fire: The counties have pretty much banned all firework on private or public land. Stage 1 fire danger. At least one person has started a fire by driving their car in the grass, so I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the woods were shut down soon.