Yellowstone Camping

[wpotts]

I will be riding trans am through Yellowstone first week in August, do they guarantee cyclists a campsite?

Thank You,
Bill Potts
Livermore, Ca

[staehpj1]

They did when we passed through, but it has been a few years ago.

If you are riding the TA talk to the riders going the other way.  They will have just been there.  That usually is the freshest and most reliable source of info on things like that.  Worst case call ahead and ask.

[John Nelson]

I will be riding trans am through Yellowstone first week in August, do they guarantee cyclists a campsite?

Yes, assuming you don't have a motor vehicle accompanying you, with a few restrictions.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bicycling.htm

[wpotts]

Thank You very much for the responses 

Bill Potts

[jamawani]

Do not bring any food into your tent - -
Not in Yellowstone - -
Not in Kansas or Kentucky.

[TokyoNose]

Madison, about 15-20 miles east of the West Yellowstone entrance (can't remember- sorry!), will not turn you away, at least as of last year when I passed through the park in early June. This was according to the park personnel administering the campground. It is along the Trans Am route, if that is the route that you will be taking. Grant Village is also along the route, but it was not open when I passed through, so I cannot answer for that. Also, Colter Bay in the Tetons has a cyclist/hiker-only area, so you will have a spot there if you need it. Between the two is the Flagg Ranch on the Rockefeller Parkway. Probably no guarantee of a spot, but my guess is that the crew there would do what they could to fit you in.

[indyfabz]

From the NPS site: "Campsites are available by reservation and on a first come, first served basis."

That's a 180 from when I was there 14 years ago. Back then, I stopped in the W. Yellowstone office of the company handling reservations and was told that, as a cyclist, I could not make a reservation but that I would not be turned away. Stayed at Madison the first day. They put me in a little cyclist area. The people running the place were nice. They had a double burner butane stove and some assorted utensils and condiments, all reserved for cyclists. One woman working at check in loaned me a book showing hikes in the area. Not too far away is the start of a nice hike up to a fire tower.

At Coulter Bay I was given an individual site. I returned from a campfire presentation to find that the company running the campground had also put some "hikers" in my site. They were not really hikers. They were kids who worked at the businesses in the area who had the next day off and wanted to camp, but since they arrived on foot, they were considered "hikers" and were not turned away. They were very inconsiderate. Made noise late until I told them to put a sock in it. When I woke up the next morning there were empty soda cans and some food left out.

I would try to make a reservation if you know you are going to be somewhere on a certain date.

[John Nelson]

Making a reservation means taking a regular spot, which means paying $20 instead of six dollars.

[wpotts]

Thanks Again for the replies, much appreciated!

Bill Potts