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Old 05-27-2012, 10:55 AM   #1
cgaskins
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Austin Texas to Grand Tetons, Yellowstone & Cody

Hello fellow MOCers!!

In 5 weeks we will be taking our longest trip yet with the Montana 5er. We will be leaving Austin, Texas and traveling up to Grand Tetons, then Yellowstone, over to Cody, WY and then back home.

My rig is a 2011 Ford Super Duty (6.7 with 3.55 gears) and a 2007 Montana 3400RL. I am looking for any route advice, warnings or suggestions. Below is a link to a Google Maps route that I have put together. I have made the trip up to Colorado (Estes Park) before. However north of Estes Park - up to the Tetons and Yellowstone is all new territory.

We are staying at the Colter Bay Village RV Park in Tetons and then Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone. (Some nice folks here suggested those places - thanks!)

Any advice for traversing the roads with the 5er from Grand Tetons to West Yellowstone?

Has anyone made the trip from Cody to Thermopolis, WY and if so, thoughts on the route I have selected?

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=L...0,21,22,23&z=8

Thanks,
Chris
 
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Old 05-27-2012, 03:09 PM   #2
mlh
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No advice, but if this your first trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone you will love it. It Will call you back. I'm headed back in August. Be sure to see the Cody museum, plan on at least 2 days to see all 5 museums.
Lynwood

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Old 05-28-2012, 02:36 AM   #3
cgaskins
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Thanks Lynnwood. We are very excited about the trip.

-Chris
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Old 05-28-2012, 03:29 AM   #4
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I have traveled East from Cody many times. If you go thru the Big Horn mountains, here is the scoop. Hiway 14A is called 'Oh My God' hill in the mountainous driving book. It is 10 miles of 10% and 4 miles of 8% going up. Also some spectacular scenary. Going down it is 18 miles of 4-7%, I believe. Highway 14 is not so bad - same for hiway 16. Tho you are still in the mountains and some moderately steep pulling. I would guess 4-6% for quite a few miles.
If you want to avoid steep roads, head south toward Thermopolis. Personally I LOVE the Big Horns. There are some 'primitive' campgrounds in the national forrest. I think they all have water available, but not at the sites. The Sitting Bull campgrounds is excellent (off highway 16). There is a small creek nearby with a large meadow. One year there were deer that slept right at the edge of one campsite. Another year (later in August I think), there were no deer, but the sheep herders had a large herd of sheep grazing in the meadow.
Oh, yes - Sitting Bull is at elevation of 8200. Some campgrounds are near 9000!!! Plenty cool. Our first stay there was in mid August. There was ice on the puddles in the campground and about 4-5 miles away and up at 8700 ft, there was plenty of snow on the ground!!
Good luck.
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Old 05-28-2012, 03:43 AM   #5
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Tom I camp on Union Pass just north of Dubois, at 9300 to 9600 feet. It is so beautiful it will take your breath away.
Lynwood
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Old 05-28-2012, 05:08 AM   #6
cgaskins
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Tom,

Thanks for the info. I don't think we will make it to Big Horn part of Wyoming this trip. The plan is to head south on 120 out of Cody to Thermopolis. Hopefully that road is a little less exciting with less inclines. (That type of driving makes me a little nervous... ) Has anyone made that run - 120 from Cody to Thermopolis to 20 to Casper and then I25 to Cheyenne?

-Chris
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Old 05-28-2012, 06:15 AM   #7
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We made the trip 120 from Cody to Thermopolis but did not go south from there. We went thru the Wind River Canyon to Dubois then to Jackson.
The road from Cody to Thermopolis was a good 2 lane and just hills no mountains to cross. Several small towns we found interesting.
Hope you will have a great trip.
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Old 05-28-2012, 06:18 AM   #8
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Thanks Wayne. I appreciate the info. Can't wait to get on the road....
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Old 05-28-2012, 03:40 PM   #9
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Chris you have enough power and truck you don't haft to worry about the mountains. You wont hardly even notice them. I see you are from the flat lands, enjoy the mountains. Don't alter your route because of a mountain.
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Old 05-29-2012, 03:23 AM   #10
cgaskins
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Thanks Lynnwood. Honestly, I don't worry about the truck. I worry about me... Steep grades may me nervous and cause intense "puckering" so I try to avoid them until I get more comfortable. We went from Austin up to Estes Park, CO last summer. Most of that was fine and fairly easy. We did spend one night in Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Texas panhandle and driving down into that canyon was very unnerving. As I get more miles under my belt, I am sure I will get more comfortable.

-Chris
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Old 05-29-2012, 02:30 PM   #11
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I understand Chris. I grew up in the mountains. I like the mountains. When I built my house I lined it up on a mountain. When I set in my easy chair and look outside through my sliding glass door it is the first thing I see, about 3 miles away .Just like right now.
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Old 06-12-2012, 06:13 AM   #12
RickW
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Just got home (Dallas) on Sunday from Yellowstone.

US287 in WY between Dubois & Moran is under construction. There is no road it is a dirt trail. This construction has been going on for about 4 years now. Hopefully they will finish this year. The dirt trail is not a problem but do not expect to go more than 25/30mph thru this section. If it is raining/snowing (as it was for us this year) your entire rig will be a dirty, disgusting mess.

WY 120 from Cody to Thermopolis is a good road and you should have no problems. Just beware that it can be windy sometimes.

Do keep an eye on the weather reports. Snow can happen any time of the year (just less frequent in July/August). We were just ahead of a storm as we left Saturday. Snow up to 6" was expected in some places.

FYI the photo in my sig is at Lake Yellowstone in early June 2010 and there was still ice on the Lake. But not this year it has already melted off.
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Old 06-12-2012, 06:22 AM   #13
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Rick, thank you for the heads up on the construction between Dubois and Moran on US287. I think I may re-route and keep going west on I-80 to Rock Springs and then take US191 up to Jackson and then Colter Bay. Any thoughts on that route?

-Chris
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:52 AM   #14
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We came home that way last fall. It is also a pretty drive. There was some construction south of Jackson but nothing like what is going on on US287.
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Old 06-12-2012, 09:56 AM   #15
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Thank you Rick!
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