RE: Vacation Planning Help

[The Overmans]

 
I am thinking of going to either Colorado, or Yellowstone for summer Vacation.  However, I m not finding much info on internet about individual parks.  1)  Do most of the parks in those area not provide water or Electric?  I found some that did, but most don t say.  Is there any information about yellowstone and its campgrounds?  Any reccomendations?

[4campinfoxes]

 The Overmans
As far as I have found, and there are people on the board who are more knowledgeable, the national parks do not as a rule have water & electric.  That is one main reason we have not camped at them since for longer trips we prefer those amenities.  If you do some searches online you can usually find private campgrounds nearby that do offer water & electric, as well as additional amenities.  I know there are a number in & around Estes Park Colorado (we had a trip planned there last year which fell through).
 
 Happy planning!
 
 Sharon

[Trlrboy]

 The Overmans
We spent 10 days in Estes Park CO just outside of Rocky Mtn NP last summer.  We had rented a cabin instead of taking the popup but we drove through every campground in the area.  Most of the commercial campgrounds in Estes Park are poor, most looking like parking lots or so tight together that they are truly unappealing.  St. Mary s Campground looked like the best of the sorry lot.  On the other hand the campgrounds in RMNP are great, though they do not offer water and electric.  Scenery is beyond belief.
 
 Yellowstone NP and Teton NP (about 30 miles south) both have a lot of commercial campgrounds that are nice but tend to have the look of a KOA, which isn t necessarily a bad thing.  They are laid out in the woods when possible and you can do an internet search and find some nice ones.  Flagg Ranch is outstanding.  Most of the campgrounds in Yellowstone will not allow popups (no soft side campers) and they do not have water/elec in any case.  Teton is georgeous and is a good central point to stay.  It s about 1/2 way between Jackson and Yellowstone.  Lots to do in the area.

[AustinBoston]

 The Overmans
Go to [link=http://www.nps.gov/parks.html]Visit Your National Parks[/link].  Select the park you want to visit and click Go.  In the upper left, find " Camping" .
 
 That will tell you what is available in the park.
 
 If going to the Yellowstone/Grand Teton area, I highly recommend [link=http://www.flaggranch.com/summer/]Flagg Ranch[/link].  I also strongly recommend seeing Grand Teton if you go to Yellowstone.  If you like mountains, you would be hard pressed to find a more spectacular sight than Grand Teton.  There is a plain out of which rise a series of 12,000-14,000 foot mountains.  No foothills.  There is noplace else in the US quite like it.
 
 We stayed in Estes Park, CO for two nights.  I can t remember the name of the campground (Mary s Lake?).  I wouldn t recommend the campground we stayed at.  Largely a gravel/grass lot for RV s.  There are some nice campgrounds in/around Estes Park, and I wish I could remember the name for sure.
 
 Austin

[texacokat]

 The Overmans
We spent all winter doing the research for our 2 weeks in Colorado.  I wanted to go somewhere, pupup and stay but DH wanted to move around, so we compromised on 3 places:
 
 Elk Meadow Lodge and RV Park in Estes Park, CO http://www.elkmeadowrv.com/
 Estes Park Campground in Estes Park, CO  http://www.estesparkcampground.com/
 Lake of the Rockies in Colorado Springs, CO http://www.lakeoftherockies.com/
 
 We love the state parks for their beauty but with 2 teenage boys and a dog, I need WATER AND electric.  And having a pool helps, too.  Elk Meadow looks like a very commercial enterprise (cable tv!); Estes Park CG " caters to popups"  and Lake of the Rockies is far enough away from the city but not too far up the mountain (as some areas in Pikes Peak).  Our first choice in Coloroado Springs, Alpine Lakes, called to say they won t open this year due to low water table.
 
 If you re camping in Colorado in July, mebbee we ll see you there!

[Trlrboy]

 The Overmans
We drove all through Estes Park Campground.  A tightly packed mudhole.  Ugh.

[Opie431]

 The Overmans
You can Email the parks for information and your library should have information about other things to do and places to camp in the area.  We have stayed in both places and got along fine without electricity or water.  We woke to snow on our tent one morning in September in Yellowstone.

[MtnCamper]

 The Overmans
If you want to see Colorado, Make Estes a day trip, trust me one day of that is enough. Click on the link below and do some lookin .
 
 http://www.fs.fed.us/arnf/districts/brd/index.htm
 
 See the real state, not the tourist traps!

[maromeo]

 The Overmans
Overmans
 I was in the same boat just this week also, trying to plan a summer trip from AZ to MN via mountains. I have found that the NP in CO don t have power and water. But some of the CO state parks offer electric and have water on site for you to fill your holding tank. Call the state parks directly don t hassle with the reserveamerica site. It was having problems yesterday. Go to www.coloradoparks.org. I called directly got the best help with my reservations. BTW we are staying at Golden Gate Canyon for two nights in Aug. Elev. 9000 ft. She said yesterday there is two feet of snow up there [].
 
 Mtncamper.
 Are you famliar with Golden Gate park, Reverend Ridge? If so, is it a nice area? We will be visiting friends in Golden and we wanted to be near by. Thanks for all your helpful information.
 
 Mary Romeo

[MtnCamper]

 maromeo

 

ORIGINAL:  maromeo
 
 Mtncamper.
 Are you famliar with Golden Gate park, Reverend Ridge? If so, is it a nice area? We will be visiting friends in Golden and we wanted to be near by. Thanks for all your helpful information.
 
 Mary Romeo
 

Nope, We have been to a lot of places but not these. Maybe I should add them to the list. We are in the Northern part of CO, right up against the mountains. Most of our camping is due west of us.