Information On Recent Two Month Trip To Northern Parks In U.S. & Canada.

Thanks P enjoyed the trip report. Two ?
1. Of all the parks u visited where would u choose to spend the most time?
2. Based on the quality of the campsite which NP was your favorite?
Thanks.

This is a wonderful camping story Philip, I really enjoyed it. We will have the opportunity Jan. 15 when my wife retires then we can take off when we want, as long as we want. Little by little I learn so much here. I am on the site everyday to learn more information for our future big travels.

When I back into a site we use hand signals which works out great, of course I always throw in the good one.

Thanks so much for the report,

Dave

[Philip]

Originally Posted by moaboy

Thanks P enjoyed the trip report. Two ?
1. Of all the parks u visited where would u choose to spend the most time?
2. Based on the quality of the campsite which NP was your favorite?
Thanks.

Hello,

Question 1. I would surely say that the NP to spend the most time in is Yellowstone. We spent the most time there, two weeks - which is the maximum time you can stay at a single campsite inside the park, because the size and variability of this park trumps any other park we have visited and we have visited most NPs in the contiguous U.S. and Canada. It takes the better part of a day just to cross the park even if you only spend time looking at just a few of the sites within the park. If you want to look at all the important sites within the park, without looking in much detail, you should allow at least a week to ten days. If you want to include spending time looking for and at animals and doing a little hiking you will need at least two weeks. For us it was easy to spend three days just in the Lamar Valley looking at animals with naked eyes, binoculars and our spotting scope - just wonderful!!
Even if you have young children who naturally have a short attention span, the great variations of wildlife, geology and just natural wonders will keep them occupied for many days. We had our two grandaughters(5 & 6 y.o.) visit us this trip in Yellowstone for five days and they were hardly ever bored. I say hardly because they were bored at times driving some long distances in the park.

Question 2. If I had to choose a NP based solely on campsite I would have to go with a number of parks in Canada. In Banff we had a wonderfull secluded woodland site in TwoJack lake campground. The site had no services but had very nice free showers and we could get all the firewood we wanted for $8.00/day. In Jasper NP we stayed at Wipitu(sp?) campground at an even more spectacular site than Banff. It was a secluded wooded site alongside a quick running rocky stream. Services were the same as Banff. When we came back east in Canada and arrived at the Great lakes we had three spectacular campsites right on Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario. They were all wonderfully private and RIGHT ON THE LAKES. Services were the same as Banff and Jasper with the exception that you could only buy those crummy little bundles of firewood for $5.00 that last about 30 minutes. I should mention that when we arrived at the great lakes school had started and the parks were not busy in the weekdays. The great lake parks were Provincial Parks like our State Parks - not NPs.

I should mention that all the campsites had water at locations where you could fill up with drinking water.

I hope this helps in your planning and enjoyment.

Take care,

Phil

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by moaboy

Thanks P enjoyed the trip report. Two ?
1. Of all the parks u visited where would u choose to spend the most time?
2. Based on the quality of the campsite which NP was your favorite?
Thanks.

We stayed at Fishing bridge in 1989 in Yellowstone NP never again park between the painted lines on the pavement.

Last year we stayed at the one near Norris Basin, will do it again.

Like Phillip said for Yellowstone allow a week or two minimum. In Sept. they start closing campgrounds so take that into account. There are two NF campgrounds near the west entrance but they will be as busy as the ones within Yellowstone NP.

Number two is really difficult for us maybe Denali or Cumberland Gap.
Cumberland Gap has some what nicer campsites plus electric and hot showers. Give yourself a week.

Denali also has very nice sites but is dry camping, we spent 10 days last year and will do it again