Family RV trip advice

[goodgrouper]

likely the cheapest option to get your boys on some fish will be in Yellowstone, I love the Madison campground, nearby the swiming area on the firehole river is a blast for kids.if you want to buy MT fishing licenses Rock Creeck near Clinton just outside of Missoula is a spectacular place to fish. there is a nice campground near the freeway. I see moose and Bighorns every time I go there. the national bison range in st.ignatius is definitely worth seeing. there is a great shuttle system in glacier park, plan on parking the rv and taking the shuttles, or the classic red tour busses. A hike on wildhorse island is amazing as well. world record Bighorns and giant muleys and the scenery of Flathead lake. the Jewel Basin hiking area has scenery like GNP without the crowds.

 

[Raghornkiller]

My girlfriend and I lived out of a van for three months last summer doing what you are thinking of and our thinking was we would spend a couple weeks in the national parks and the rest of the time scouting for elk hunting spots.We lasted one day in glacier and a half day in Yellowstone and although it was beautiful it was overcrowded and not that much more special than the national forests in the surrounding states that we lived on all summer and fall.Our favorite spots were the end of a national forest road beside a river and we had it all to ourselves until hunting season opened

 

[CX5Ranch]

We took 3 kids to yellowstone from Missouri last year. Pulled our camper with a crew cab flatbed truck loaded with bikes and chairs and a bbq grill. We stopped at parks etc and made our own food. Saved millions I'm sure.

One piece of advice, dont feel like you have to have an agenda. When we got tired we just pulled over and camped a day or two. We tried to do about 300 maybe more miles a day. Excellent fun.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Elk97]

Reservations in the parks book up so check that before you plan where you are going to park for the night. We were in Utah doing the parks last October/November and it was first come first serve on the few spaces not reserved.
MSU in Bozeman has an incredible dinosaur museum that is great for kids. It will be a lot of driving, and a lot of setting up/tearing down the RV but you can always just cut some places off the list and hang out if it gets hectic.
Have fun, some of the most amazing places in the world.

 

[rklein]

I did a two week trip with my family a few years back. When we had the most fun it was when we were camped at a spot for multiple days. We can do long stretches of driving fine(and we did), but I'd take the advice of @CX5Ranch and not feel married to an agenda. If you find somewhere you like, stay a while.

 

[Milestone522]

Once you leave Yellowstone heading north I would suggest spending a half day at the Little Big Horn National Battlefield. It is very interesting, the museum in great, and the short synopsis of the battle given by the rangers is outstanding. The trading post just outside the gate has great food and lots of interesting Native American gifts. From there you can hit the highway to Billings.

I would avoid Glacier with the RV as you cannot take it over the going to the sun road. You would see Lake MacDonald and thats about it. Missoula has the RMEF (free) and the smokejumper museum (free). Phillipsburg on the backside of the Bitteroot Valley is nice and very family friendly with lots of activities and a kick ass Candy shop.

 

[rklein]

Once you leave Yellowstone heading north I would suggest spending a half day at the Little Big Horn National Battlefield. It is very interesting, the museum in great, and the short synopsis of the battle given by the rangers is outstanding. The trading post just outside the gate has great food and lots of interesting Native American gifts. From there you can hit the highway to Billings.

I would avoid Glacier with the RV as you cannot take it over the going to the sun road. You would see Lake MacDonald and thats about it. Missoula has the RMEF (free) and the smokejumper museum (free). Phillipsburg on the backside of the Bitteroot Valley is nice and very family friendly with lots of activities and a kick ass Candy shop.

While @Milestone522 is right about the going to the sun road, Glacier is still worth seeing. There are some spectacular hikes to be had from Many Glaciers Campground. If you get there early(6am or so) you should be able to find a spot to park the RV(in the campground) when somebody else is checking out. Do the boat ride across the lakes and hike to Grinnell Glacier. We saw mountain goat and bighorn sheep on that hike. Ptarmigan tunnel hike is breathtaking also.

 

[flatlander51]

Awesome, thanks for all the advice! We’re actually staying just outside glacier and renting a car for a few days to explore the park. Thanks for the hiking trails we’re looking forward to doing some exploring!

 

[flatlander51]

When fishing the rivers and lakes throughout the west with spinning rods what lures or baits would you recommend?

 

[87TT]

Sounds like you'll have a great time. My family took these car trips pulling an old Shasta trailer when I was kid. I remember loving the camping in the parks and have great memories of the fishing at Glacier and Yellowstone. Lot more crowded now but still worth the trip. As long as you can stay a few days at some of the places, the kids will make some awesome memories. I do remember not caring for being dragged all over to see what I thought at the time were goofy geysers and other tourist attractions (cut into my fishing( but now they are fond memories. Enjoy your time with the family.

 

[87TT]

When fishing the rivers and lakes throughout the west with spinning rods what lures or baits would you recommend?

Check with some of the shops right outside the parks.

 

[NJDiverDan]

Fun spot for the kids when you get to the Idaho Falls area is Bear World. It is a drive through animal park just north of IF. The IF zoo is pretty nice for our small town as well.

Sound like quite a trip. Amazed when people say they saw "all" of Yellowstone in a few days. We go 2-3 times a year and have only scratched the surface.

 

[Milestone522]

Another trip to consider when you are staying in Missoula. Drive south into the Bitterroot, stop in Hamilton or Darby for a break and breakfast, then head south toward Sula, drive over to the Big Hole and Wisdom, then up to Anaconda. You can then drive down to Georgetown lake and Phillipsburg, see the town and let your kids pan for gems and get some candy at the candy shop. Have lunch and head north to the main highway . Go west to Bonner and look for the big horns on the river cliffs, then a few minute drive you are back in Missoula. It is a day trip that circles the Bitterroot, Big Hole Valley, backside of the Sapphire Mountains, and you start and end in Missoula. Not very spendy either and you see some amazing country too.

 

[live2huntelk]

Something to consider in Yellowstone and 2 lane roads ... depending on the size of the RV, you may not be able to find a parking spot or pull off the side of the road to view wildlife. Some campgrounds are first come first served ...may have to wait in line for a camping spot. Some camp grounds take reservations a year in advance and fill up quickly.....may want to check if you haven't already. Even hotels fill up several months in advance.

We flew into Denver, rented a van(unlimited mileage - put almost 2700 miles on in 2 weeks), stayed in cabins & hotels, allowed 2-3 days at each destination (ie southern Yellowstone, west Yellowstone, Tetons). We talked with the Orvis shop in Jackson Hole and ask for a recommended guide.....he had the gear, picked us up at the hotel and gave the kids fly fishing lessons while we fished the Snake River.

It will be a great time.....just make sure you have your lodging figured out.... otherwise you may get frustrated and spent a fair amount of time going out of your way to find a place to camp or stay for the night.

 

[Tod osier]

When fishing the rivers and lakes throughout the west with spinning rods what lures or baits would you recommend?

Just what you would think. spinners, panther martins, mepps, etc... worms work just as well as anywhere... on bottom or under a bobber. jigs work well in streams. Spoons, stickbaits, etc... you name it.

You had a lot of suggestions for Yellowstone fishing... it is 100% lead free, so think about your gear in that regard. No bait either..

 

[flatlander51]

Tod, thanks for that info. I did not know it was a no lead area that’s a big help!

 

[Tod osier]

Tod, thanks for that info. I did not know it was a no lead area that’s a big help!

That will be a fun trip, what is the deal with dinosaur Colorado? Never been there.

 

[manitou1]

About every body of water along your trip will hold trout. The trick is to get the local map and locate public access and know the type of water. Stop at the local fly shops and buy a couple of flies, lures or bait and they will point you in the right direction.
Some waters will be artificials only, some will be flies only and some will allow bait, etc.
You will cross plenty of fishable water. I have fished Wyoming quite a bit, Montana, South Dakota and Colorado, albeit fly fising. All can provide good fishing. They sell daily tags, so you won't have to spend a fortune on annual licenses. Wyoming allows kids to fish without a tag but include the daily take in the parent's creel limit if you plan on keeping them.
Cody can be fished in town and right outside... and you can catch the buffalo Bill museum while there. The Cody rodeo is held EVERY NIGHT during the summer and the wife and kids will have fun. The clowns are great entertainment. Glacier and Yellowstone are beautiful and one could spend an entire week enjoying each.
Colorado: The wife and kids will enjoy the train rides such as the Georgetown railroad just West of Denver on I70. It is an old silver plume mining railway. There is a longer one that takes about half a day S.W. of that one that is great too... but the name escapes me. I quit vacationing in Colorado 21 years ago when I married a Wyoming girl.
You will do fine with ultra light spinning rods with 4 lb line. Where you can use it for the kids, a split shot, a #8 hook and worms does wonders. I always made my kids at least use a fly with a piece of worm on it. Use clear casting bobbers that you put water in to enable them to cast the flies. Can be bought at any fly shop. Flies vary by water. I have always had good luck with small (size 16-22) Prince nymphs, Adams, size 8 green wooly buggers, hares ear nymphs and the like. The little brrokies in Wyoming love attractor flies such as royal coachman. They happen to be the easiest to catch for kids... and eat the best IMO due to their pink flesh. Again, any fly shop can set you and the kids up with what is hitting at that time and point you to some access points with info on the regs.
Our kids are now 27 and 30 years old. Gawd I miss those days hiking and fishing in the mountains with them. We always had a blast.. from the minute we left home until we returned home, then they would cry and mope for a couple days.

 

[mdp22]

I’m a backroads guy. Traveled alot when in the military and grew up in South Dakota so know all about the traffic during the summer in the Black Hills and along the interstates. Love the small towns and hospitality. Me and the wife have gone to the Sturgis Bike Rally the past two years from New Mexico driving our car. I’m a history buff so we stop at places like Fort Robinson in NE and Fort Larami in WY. We did visit Crazy Horse which wasn’t to bad in the morning. There’s lot’s of lesser areas that offer camping/fishing/hiking without dealing with the stress of crowds and parking. There are nice RV camping areas in the most out of the way places.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

youll be driving through the best trout fishing the country has to offer