Best route to Yellowstone

Okiefatman · 11-21-2016, 02:29 PM

DW and I are planning a trip to Yellowstone State Park in June of 2017 our starting point will be from Oklahoma City, Ok. Of great concern to us will be mountains, my truck don`t have an exhaust brake. My fifth wheel weights 15,000 lbs and is pulled by an 06 ram mega cab dually ctd, loaded it weights 8200 lbs new brakes around truck have high carbine steel rotors.

gearhead · 12-25-2016, 02:06 PM

If your truck is auto transmission, does it have a button on the gear shift lever so you can downshift manually? Just don't ride the brakes. If you have good tires and brakes on the trailer you should be good.
Google map route from OKC looks good to me, but it's been a long time since we've been. Someone else may chime in but I don't think there are any major passes until you get right in Yellowstone area. You are at least avoiding Ration Pass.

notanlines · 12-25-2016, 02:56 PM

Okie, "You have nothing to fear but fear itself." Your engine is north of 300 HP and 600 torque. I'd be exceedingly excited and put all that worry behind you. People have been towing those mountains with half that HP and torque for a long time, you'll have it relatively easy. Like Gearhead said, a little downshift here and there and you're home free. Yellowstone is probably the very favorite destination of most members here.

bsmith0404 · 12-25-2016, 03:52 PM

It all depends on where you want to stay. Personally I like the south entrance area. There is an RV park there called Flagg Ranch that we really like. It's also a beautiful drive through the Grand Tetons and an easy drive over to Jackson. We always take a day for Jackson to go white water rafting. If you just put in Yellowstone National Park, MapQuest will send you up through Sheridan and across 14, to the east entrance. Since we go to the south entrance, we go west on 80 and take 287 to 26. Another route is going far west up 89, but that's a lot of back tracking and I've never gone that route. Consider that Yellowstone is one of the most popular camping spots in the US and thousands travel these roads with RVs each year, I'd say you'll be fine regardless of the route you take. Just select an entrance/campground where you want to stay and take the most direct route for it.

papi · 12-25-2016, 08:55 PM

We went a couple years ago and stayed at Ponderosa campground in Cody Wyoming. It was the Fourth of July and the whole town was amazing. We even went to a Rodeo. It is only about an hour if not less from Yellowstone park. Look it up it is a great town and campground.

66joej · 12-26-2016, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papi

We went a couple years ago and stayed at Ponderosa campground in Cody Wyoming. It was the Fourth of July and the whole town was amazing. We even went to a Rodeo. It is only about an hour if not less from Yellowstone park. Look it up it is a great town and campground.

Ditto on Cody. Very interesting town. As western as it gets.

Western Traveler · 12-26-2016, 08:30 PM

I personally wouldn't miss the opportunity to pass through Cody Wyo. Allowing one day to see the Buffalo Bill Cody Historical Center, a must see. Then enter through the East entrance. Make reservations early if you want to stay within the Park. Madison is my favorite campground as it is centrally located. West Yellowstone MT is an easy drive in if you want the convenience of a town and an easy drive daily into the Park.

gearhead · 12-30-2016, 07:35 AM

X2 on the historical center in Cody. It was great 30+ years ago and I imagine it's only better now. I had planned to just spend a couple hours there, but had to go back the next day. Lots of art, Remington and Russell, and native American stuff.
I'm hoping to get back up there early this summer.

bsmith0404 · 12-31-2016, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

X2 on the historical center in Cody. It was great 30+ years ago and I imagine it's only better now. I had planned to just spend a couple hours there, but had to go back the next day. Lots of art, Remington and Russell, and native American stuff.
I'm hoping to get back up there early this summer.

I don't think Cody has changed in 30+ years.

**JRTJH** · 12-31-2016, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

I don't think Cody has changed in 30+ years.

WalMart added a bigger parking lot. It's filled with RV's almost every evening from May through October. Otherwise, there's not much difference in Cody from our visits in the early 70's and what we saw in 2015. Oops, other than more traffic and higher prices...... But that's the same everywhere we've been "from the beginning of time" (at least from the beginning of our "remembered time")...

koko · 01-07-2017, 11:00 AM

If you want to stay in a state park, Buffalo Bill State Park between Cody and the Yellowstone entrance is beautiful - right on the Shoshone River. It has a small section with water/electric. You'd definitely need reservations in June. It's still cold and sometimes snowy in Yellowstone at that time of year so bring your coats!

Western Traveler · 01-11-2017, 10:00 AM

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ne+campgrounds

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