Grand Teton,Yellowstone, and Glacier in 2 weeks

[yakinfam]

We're planning our trip for next summer from MInneapolis area to Yellowstone, then up to Glacier.
Any suggestions on campgrounds that accept pop-up's?

[mountainrev]

As you apparently know, not all campgrounds in Yellowstone and Glacier accept soft-sided popups.  This is due to the threat of bears.  

Check their websites (http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/camping-in-yellowstone.htm for Yellowstone;
http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/cgstatus/cgstatus.cfm for Glacier)

I camped at Apgar (along Lake McDonald) in Glacier a couple of years ago with our pup.  Another place I've camped with pups at Glacier is Two Medicine.  Highly recommend that campground.

[Billy Bob]

I can help on Yellowstone. We were there this past July for 4 days that was the highlight of our 30 day 6,500 mile trip.

When we originally made our reservations we ask for and got the Grant area campground. But then we made reservations to go horse back riding that included riding to a out west steak cook out by the wranglers. THIS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ! ! !  DON'T do the Circle of Fire Motor Coach Tour  ! ! !

Since Yellowstone is over 120 miles across and Grant being near one end and Rossevelt where we were to get the horses near the other end of the park the reservation rep suggested we change campgrounds to Canyon and that work out VERY well. Canyon is centrally located in the park and I highly recommend this CG.

In order to get reservations in Yellowstone you have to CALL them because they want to know what your TV is and your PU because they want to make sure it will fit in the site. I did not see any problem with size in Canyon's sites. How they are in the others I do not know. BUT if you really want to do Yellowstone CALL and get reservations ASAP.  We booked in Feb for a July stay and we were LUCKY to get a site.

Since your coming from MN have you considered at least driving thru the Bad Lands and staying 2 or 3 days in the Black Hills which is Custer, SD. Custer State Park is also HUGE and has nice campgrounds either in the park or private ones just outside the park. We drove 90 miles without leaving Custer State Park. There are lots of wildlife there including Bison, Antelope and even Wild Mules. You can see Mt Rushmore that is free but they charge $8 to park and Crazy Horse but they wanted $10 per person so they let us drive in to turn around and we drove all the way in and took a couple pictures and drove out for free.

If you need anymore help PM or email me.

Bob

[AustinBoston]

Custer State Park is also HUGE and has nice campgrounds either in the park or private ones just outside the park. We drove 90 miles without leaving Custer State Park. There are lots of wildlife there including Bison, Antelope and even Wild Mules.

Wild mules?  A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse, and will not be capable of reproducing, so I don't know how you end up with wild mules.  I believe they are donkeys...we ran into some of them in Custer.  The donkeys had set up a roadblock and were conducting a car-to-car search for snacks.

I would also suggest taking some time to see the Black Hills.  In addition to what Billy Bob has suggested, there is Wind Cave NP and Jewel Cave NM.

Another thought is to stay at Flagg Ranch, which is halfway between Grand teton and Yellowstone.  From there, you can visit both Yellowstone and Grand Teton (but with more driving).  In any case, expect to drive a lot.

One other thing - Avoid approaching Yellowstone using US 14 (white shield) through Burgess Junction and especially Alt US 14; the locals call it the "Oh My God" hill, and is a road only for those with lots of tow vehicle AND lots of personal courage.  Most large vehicles are prohibited from Alt US 14, but not pop-ups.

Austin

[Billy Bob]

Wild mules?  A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse, and will not be capable of reproducing, so I don't know how you end up with wild mules.  I believe they are donkeys...we ran into some of them in Custer.  The donkeys had set up a roadblock and were conducting a car-to-car search for snacks.


Austin

Austin, thanks for the correction. I guess that makes me a jackass here.  

And yes they ended up doing the car to car search when we stopped also. I told my wife to roll down the window on her side so I could get a picture of the "donkey" and her. But before I could take the picture the "donkey" put his whole head into our TV and my bride started to scream. REAL FUNNY ! ! !

On my side there were four of them and when I rolled down my window and made a horse sound, all four came over to my window. I could pet them on the nose before they went off looking for something from other cars.

[yakinfam]

We,ve done the whole custer/badlands thing. time for the big stuff, then hopefully tour the NorthEast in about 3 years.

[gregorvn]

When we originally made our reservations we ask for and got the Grant area campground. But then we made reservations to go horse back riding that included riding to a out west steak cook out by the wranglers. THIS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ! ! !  

Definitely do this.  I worked as a wrangler at Roosevelt lodge for two years, the that does the cookout.  Roosevelt is great and there's a campsite nearby, just up the road at Tower Falls.  This part of the park, the northeast part of the park, is must less crowded than the rest, which is a good thing in my mind.  The cookout is really great.  You can either take a horseback ride out to the site or, if you're not the riding type or have small kids, you can ride out on a stagecoach.  I think the age limit was 8 years old for the horseback ride, but any age can go on the stagecoach.  Beautiful location, great food, one of the best activities in the park.  

Also, remember that driving in Yellowstone is slow going.  The roads are windy, narrow and often crowded.  Then you have bear jams, elk jams, moose jams, etc--turons will park their cars right in the road and get out to take pictures of animals and if you're trying to get somewhere, it can be frustrating.  Best thing you can do in Yellowstone is get out of your cars and get off the pavement--you'll leave behind 90% of the visitors.  And the cookout at Roosevelt is one way to do that.  They also do rides and stagecoach rides throughout the day, not just the evening cookout.  There are horseback rides at Mammoth and Canyon, too, but they're not nearly as good as at Roosevelt.