Our RV Trip to Yellowstone & Grand Teton: Daniel and Karen
Daniel and Karen Gipson rented an RV from our Bozeman hub and took a bucket list vacation to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Here’s what they saw along the way.
We decided it was time to get serious about our bucket list—and Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks were top-tier. Early in our planning, we happened upon Blacksford RV Rental in Bozeman, Montana. The decision to rent a Winnebago Solis 59PX RV for our trip practically made itself.
Day One: Blacksford RV Rental to Madison Campground
After picking up our RV rental from Blacksford in Bozeman, we started on our way to the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. We decided to stay in national park campgrounds throughout our road trip. Up first: Madison Campground (our favorite campground of the trip). We planned an early start to our adventure the next day.
Day Two: Madison Campground to Fishing Bridge RV Campground
When we got up and opened the shades, there were about 50 bison and their calves in the campground and several surrounding our camper van. After leaving Madison Campground, we were in awe of the scenery as we drove toward Mammoth Hot Springs.
We decided to drive to Gardiner, Montana, which looked like an old western town for a breakfast of delicious scones and coffee. The park restaurants had not reopened for the summer season yet so we enjoyed most meals in the Solis. From there, we were off to LaMar Valley for some wildlife viewing. We ended up spotting bison, elk, antelope, black bear, and grizzly bear. That night, we camped at Fishing Bridge RV Campground with snow piled higher than the Solis on both sides.
Dreaming of your Yellowstone road trip?
Day Three: Fishing Bridge RV Campground to Madison Campground
The day began with a drive along Yellowstone Lake and the geyser basins, which looked like a scene from another planet. After a leisurely morning, we arrived at the most well-known geyser in Yellowstone National Park: Old Faithful. The Lodge at Old Faithful was a convenient stop along our journey, and we enjoyed a snack there while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt. We spent the night back at Madison Campground, where we visited with neighbors while enjoying a toasty campfire.
Day Four: Madison Campground to Coulter Bay Campground
The drive to the Grand Teton National Park was absolutely breathtaking. We visited Flagg Ranch, Jackson Lake, Jenny Lake, and the many shops in Jackson, Wyoming. While we were in Jackson, we stopped at the antler arch in the town square—a must-see attraction. We wandered the museum, explored the elk refuge, and even saw some moose. Our day of adventure ended at Coulter Bay Campground.
Day Five: Coulter Bay Campground to Madison Campground
As we left Coulter Bay Campground the next morning, we were met by a large grizzly on the road. This was a good reminder to carry bear spray and be bear aware while traveling through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
With the iconic silhouette of the Teton Mountains in the background, we began traveling toward the East Entrance of Yellowstone. One of our favorite drives was the route around Yellowstone Lake. The snowy mountains in the background rivaled the beauty of the Tetons. We ended our day at Madison Campground, which was beginning to feel like a home away from home.
Day Six: Madison Campground to Starry Night Campground
Early the next morning, we made our way to the LaMar Valley for some sunrise wildlife viewing. It did not disappoint. We stopped for hot dogs and ice cream in Mammoth Hot Springs before starting back to Bozeman for the night.
We took a side trip into Bozeman through beautiful mountain scenery and many ranches on our way to Earthquake Lake and the surrounding area. We stayed at Starry Night Campground after a delicious dinner at Sidewinders Restaurant.
Start Planning Your Own National Park Road Trip
We had an unforgettable trip to a beautiful part of our country. And our RV rental from Blacksford RV in Bozeman really made the adventure comfortable and convenient.
We can’t say enough good about the entire staff at Blacksford. They were so friendly and helpful with reservations and answered all of our questions. We received a wonderfully warm welcome from them and they went above and beyond to make our trip special in many ways.
We enjoyed our experience so much we are planning an RV trip to Glacier National Park this fall in a Solis, and we’re looking forward to seeing our friends at Blacksford again.
