Madison or Bridge Bay w/2720sl

Hello All! It's been a while since Gary and I have been on here, however, we hope everyone are doing well.

We always turn to the board for insightful information that can be trusted and need your advise again.
Traveling to Yellowstone at end of May beginning of June and wanted to know which facility is more desirable ~ Madison Campground or Bridge Bay Campground? Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks a bunch and happy camping!

[scrubjaysnest]

We stayed at Norris Basin last year. Madison is close by on the west side, we didn't drive through but it looked pretty busy. Bridge Bay is a good location for the southern end. Mammoth Hot Springs was wide open on a hill side we didn't like the looks of it at all.

[pauloh]

We stayed at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone for a week in July ($32.00 per night last summer without electric)...it's an "RV Park NOT a campground" as one of the hosts at the more campground-like Bridge Bay later informed me! She was right. You are packed in like sardines at Fishing Bridge, but you do get water/sewer at all sites, and electricity at some sites. I believe they were adding electric to many more sites (maybe all sites) there late this fall. Fishing Bridge is the only campground in the park with water/sewer/electric as far as I know. There are dump stations elsewhere, however.

We also had a late-summer reservation at Bridge Bay (no hookups of any kind there, would have cost $23./night) but canceled it as we decided we needed a few more comforts for a 10-day stay and instead set up at a full-service RV Park in West Yellowstone (Grizzly Bear RV Park). We recommend Grizzly for quality and service, but it cost about $50./day...includes full hookups and some wireless internet, has coin laundry, small store, downtown a few blocks away. Quiet corner of town. It's a beautiful "commute" into the park from West Yellowstone...traffic can be avoided if you leave early in the day. As I said earlier, Bridge Bay was much more open and campground-like with tents, popups and some RV's mixed together, but we didn't want to deal with batteries, sewer and water for this particular segment of our trip so we went to W. Yellowstone.

A couple other notes for those who haven't been camping in/near Yellowstone:
1. There was still a foot or two of snow in both these park campgrounds on June 5 when I drove through the park on an early-season visit (see photo). Spring can come VERY late up there, it was unusually late this year.
2. Xanterra is the concession operator of the park lodges and most of the campgrounds. They had good service IMHO and you can cancel your reservation up to a few days before arrival if needed. Easy to reach by phone. They will ask for the total length of your RV when set up, and tow vehicle...our total length excluded us from several campgrounds.

[tgpmd1]

We stayed at Bay Bridge for 6 days this summer (mid-July) and yes, you are packed in VERY tightly, but with full hook ups and being gone most of the day we really didn't mind. The people next to us that arrived a couple of days into our trip had no concept that you should be quiet early in the morning and was singing in German and some English every once in a while and we just tried to tune him out. He was only there for three days, so the other days were fine. The campground was home base, so full hook-ups were great and very clean, so no complaints about the campground. It was also nice to be right in the middle of things. This was our second trip to Yellowstone and the first in a camper.

Originally Posted by tgpmd1

We stayed at Bay Bridge for 6 days this summer (mid-July) and yes, you are packed in VERY tightly, but with full hook ups and being gone most of the day we really didn't mind. .

I think you have confused Bridge Bay with Fishing Bridge. Bridge Bay has no hookups.

For Rene' - Madison is a bit more centrally located otherwise there isn't that much difference.

Keith

As always, thanks everyone for your input. We have decided on Madison Campground for its central location and are going to cancel our reservation at Bridger Bay Campground. We spoke with an agent at Xanterra and they are putting us in the "F" Loop in a site that can accommodate our trailer and the 4-runner side by side. We do realize that there may possibly be a foot of snow and are prepared for that. Before we get to Yellowstone, we will be staying at North Pine in Yosemite and after Yellowstone in Zion for a few days. Thinking of staying at a campground just outside the south entrance with full hookups. Hubby (Gary) is going tomorrow to see about getting some kind of contraption for filling the water tank during "dry camping" where we don't have to lift the 5 gallon water jug! Thank goodness!

Talk to you all later! We are looking forward to the trip and again, wish all a "MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sounds like a great trip. The RV park just outside the gate (Zion Canyon Campground & RV park) is nothing special except for one VERY special feature - full hook ups and you can walk into the park. That's where we stay when we go there. You're supposed to show your pass or pay the fee when entering the park but the trail into the park has no one on it to check.

One tip - Try to avoid rush hour when going through I-15 in the Provo, Utah, area. There is a large construction project from Lehi to Spanish fork, about 20 miles. It's OK except during peak traffic periods when things really back up. Avoid the far right lane in that area. The entrance lanes are very short and create real problems for longer vehicles like a TV & TM when entering vehicles try to merge.

Have a great trip.

Keith

Keith ~ You are a jewel! Quite helpful information which will most certainly be of great help coming down to Zion from Yellowstone.

Regarding the campground just south of Springdale near Zion, given the meager camping choices that you have in the Park, this was the next best alternative. Trying to do some strong convincing to swing by Bryce instead!

Anyhow, your invaluable info has been passed on and is now part of our road trip. Take care and thanks .....

I can keep you going in southern Utah for Weeks!

IF you decide to take time for Bryce Canyon, consider taking U.S. 89 south. It's a much prettier drive than I-15. You can get to 89 by either taking U.S. 6 east from Spanish Fork or going a bit further south to Nephi and take 132 east to 89. Lots of small farming communities including Circleville, birthplace of Butch Cassidy.

After Bryce, you can continue south through Long Valley and into Zion via the east entrance. That's a pretty spectacular drive in itself.

It all depends on how much time you have. You could also save Bryce for another trip. I often suggest a loop that incorporates Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands/Dead Horse Point, and Arches national parks, then south to Monument Valley and over to Antelope Slot Canyon in Page AZ. That trip will fill enough photo albums to take up 30 feet of shelf space.

You might catch Antelope Slot Canyon anyway since you'll probably be coming through Page on your way home. It's incredible. It is on tribal land, though so you'll need to arrange a tour through one of the tour companies in Page. You'll only want to do this if the weather is nice, though.

Keith

[MudDog]

We've stayed at the Zion Canyon Campground and agree with Keith - nothing special other than location.

We usually stay at the Zion River Resort about 15 miles away in Virgin, UT. It's more pricey, but if you like more of a resort experience vs. roughing it, it's worth the extra cost.

We've been to Zion 4-5 times in the last 3 years. It's one of my favorite areas. I would stay in Zion and do Bryce as a day trip (unless you were going to go East on Hwy 12...which is in the top 10 most scenic US Highways).

Within a half mile of Zion River Resort is Kolob Resevior Road (or Kolob Terrace) - it's about 25 miles to the top of the mountain - worth the drive (leave the TM at the camground)

Also if you're coming down Hwy 15 from Yellowstone to get to Zion, pull off at the Kolob Canyon exit. It's about 15 minutes north of the Hwy 9 (the road going into Springdale) exit and is a loop that goes less than 10 miles into the canyon. You can take the TM in with no problem (turn-around is big enough). Great views of a seldom visited section of the park.

We just got back...spent Thanksgiving week in Zion (and did Yellowstone/Glacier over the summer).

You'll have a great time.