Howdy! I am Yellowstone Ranger. What dates are you planning to be there? I ask, because, believe it or not, late July through August is not the best time for viewing wildlife. It's too darn hot! They go to higher elevations and further into the forests to escape the heat. I tell visitors to imagine wearing a heavy fur coat in August. Not sure of your timeline, but if you can go further north to Glacier and then come back down a bit later, you may find more animals. Plus, there are a LOT of motorcycles right now (Aug 4) due to the Sturgis rally. The noise also tends to drive the animals away from the roadways. Another plus for later visitation is less crowds once schools are back in session. Regardless, you will have a ball!!!
Coming from the east is a good idea. Cody, WY is a great little town to explore 50 miles prior to the park. Along the route from Cody to YNP are a number of nice Forest Service campgrounds. Cody also has a spectacular museum. A must see. Teddy Roosevelt said the 50 miles from Cody to the park entrance is the prettiest drive in America. That route will run you along Yellowstone Lake toward Fishing Bridge. There is a big campground at Fishing Bridge but I'm sure you will need to reserve early. Be sure to get the newspaper at the gate and read through it. I has a lot of good info for visiting plus the schedules for all the Ranger led talks in the park. If you are going to hike I strongly suggest getting some bear spray. Yes, there are bears in the park. I've been around many, many with no negative encounters (although I have gotten the stink-eye from a few!!). I always carry spray. It's expensive but you can rent it at Canyon Village or Old Faithful. Also google "Yellowstone plan your visit". It's a good site with detailed info for visiting, camping, eating, etc. If you look at a map you will see the road in the North East going out through Lamar Valley and the Northeast entrance. At the intersectiion from the main road heading east is a small Ranger Station. That is where I worked. Alas, 2023 was my last summer. Life in the park was grand!
If you post out of order can't you just put a forward explaining why. You could film something that is topical etc. It does seem strange being restricted on filming in a national park and posting to youtube. No such restrictions here in the UK, where much of the land is privately owned. Mice can get through a pencil sized hole. Can your drawers be locked closed when traveling, I was just imagining the cutlery escaping. I think the cat may like having the run of the house. It will not be able to go off and be alone when it wants too in your camper. I hope you enjoy your trip. There are a lot of stories of people escaping a super volcano explosion; are there any about people going to Yellowstone to escape from some disaster.
Yes, that's kind of what I was attempting to do in this video. I hope Congress gets things done sooner rather than later. I know mice can get through teeny holes, but I'm pretty sure the camper is pretty well enclosed, unlike the 5th wheel we had, which had lots of places for critters to get in. The drawer closes securely so it won't open while we're driving. We've left Nala alone before, but she's used to having someone around most of the time. But you're right that there's nowhere for her to go off by herself in the camper. However, she typically lays on the chair near me all day or in the sun by the back door. She's not really a go-off-by-herself kind of cat. So hard to know what to do! I think there is a post-apocalyptic book specifically about Yellowstone. I started reading it years ago, but didn't finish for some reason. Thanks for watching!
