Pine Creek Campground

Pine Creek is everything that a forest campground should be. :) It's in a beautiful and quiet setting in the mountains. The campsites are huge and widely spaced with a good mix of shaded or sunny sites. There's a short trail to a waterfall. It has all of the regular forest campground amenities such as picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets, trash cans, and fresh water. 

The three mile road to the campground is paved but very narrow. That and the popularity of the campground and waterfall hike can be a bit of a problem. We met a pickup truck on the way up and could just barely squeeze by each other. There are pull off areas so backing up is a possibility. The host told us that as many as 200 day-trippers come up on the weekends to hike to the waterfall. We left early on our checkout day to beat the incoming traffic. 

The trail to the waterfall is not accessible but the first part goes to the stream and is hard packed and accessible. After that it becomes dirt with rocks and roots. We also walked/rolled along the paved road road for about 3/4 of a mile until it started to go downhill. 

We camped in site 24. It's not designated as accessible but it has a large, level area with a picnic table, fire ring with seating, and a bear box - all easily accessed. Campground  45.49896, -110.52252

 

Battle Ridge Campground

Twelve campsites are located along on either side of the campground road which has a turn around loop at the end. Since it's on a hill most of parking pads are not level; some to the extent that they are only suitable for tent campers. Amenities include tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. No water or trash cans. 

The land directly across from the campground road is national forest land. People were camped there but recent rains made the road a mess and old potholes could make rough going. Pretty spring flowers though. :)

We camped in site six or seven and, while the parking pad was fairly level, the table and fire ring were down the hill. None of the sites are accessible. Campground   45.88191, -110.8801

 

Canyon Campground

 After leaving the commotion of the national parks, this little forest campground is a welcome sight. It's very close to the US 89 so there's a lot of traffic noise but it's a cool location with the campsites tucked in among the trees and giant rocks. The campground is a bit rundown with large potholes in the road. Amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. No water, trash cans, or phone signal.

None of the sites are designated as accessible but most are usable. We camped in site 7. As can be seen in the photo it's much longer than our RV. We parked close to the entrance to be as level as possible.  Besides all of the room around the table it has a secluded grassy tent area that's surrounded by rocks.   Campground 45.18321, -110.88811

 

Yellowstone National Park

This trip to Yellowstone was mostly a drive through because all the campgrounds except for Canyon Village were booked up. Some photos from the drive along the eastern side of the park -

We spent one night at Canyon Village. Most of the sites are short and either back-in or pull through. Of the 273 sites, only three are accessible and most likely unavailable unless reservations are made months ahead of time. 

The Canyon Visitor Education Center has exhibits about the Yellowstone caldera, hot springs, geysers, and geologic forces that formed the park. The museum is accessible. The parking lot has long RV spaces. 

 

We drove along the North Rim Drive and stopped at most of the overlooks . Many of the views are blocked by high stone walls. Skip the first lot if it's crowded because the viewpoint is accessed by steps only and it's easier to find parking spots in the lots farther along The trail from the Lookout Point parking lot to Grand View parking lot is paved. There are accessible parking spots but the trail is very steep and difficult even with assistance. Inspiration Point has a small loop lot with parking along the sides. A switch back paved trail leads to a good view of the canyon and river.

Our next stop at Forces of the Northern Range, a boardwalk, interpretive trail. This trail was built as an accessible trail and is fully accessible. The signs interpretive signs explore the natural history of the area including glacial boulders, open meadows, and the role of fires. The parking lot is small but doesn't fill so there is room for RVs. 

 Our last stop before leaving the parks was Mammoth Hot Springs. The area is constantly changing as the hot water bubbles up in different locations. We parked at the lower level and took the only section of boardwalk that doesn't have steps. It's very short but leads to beautiful travertine terraces. RVs will fit in the lot at the beginning of this boardwalk. There's also a lot just to the north where RVs will fit. Park   44.65702, -111.09015

Grand Teton National Park

 We haven't visited Grande Teton in years. The terrain blocks easy wheelchair access but we decided to give it another chance. The scenery is gorgeous so just driving through is amazing enough. Most of the activities such as hiking trails, campgrounds, lodges, and restaurants are along the Teton Park Road. Wishing to avoid the crowds we drove north along US 191 on the east side of the park.

Our first stop was Gros Ventre Campground. Even this early in the season campgrounds can be booked up but we didn't have a problem getting a site for one night at both GrosVentre  and Colter Bay Campgrounds. We camped in the no-generator section at Gros Ventre. The sites are short and the parking pads are gravel. Most of the campers are in tents. None of the sites are designated as accessible but they can be used. 

Loop D has thirty six electric sites; nine are accessible - $77.00 a night. Grand Teton campsites are much more expensive than other national parks. Even the non electric sites are $58.00! All of the sites in Loop D are paved and long enough for RVs. 

The next day, before starting our trip north, we stopped at the Craig Thomas Discovery Center which has good exhibits about the history of the park. It's accessible. The parking lot has long RV spaces.

A trail from the Discovery Center leads to the Murie Ranch Historic District. Margaret and Olaus Murie were early environmentalists who spent most of their lives studying the wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and welcoming other conservation leaders into their home. In 1968, five years after Olaus's death, Margaret sold the ranch to the park in exchange for a life estate lease. Upon her death the ranch was established as a National Historic District and is managed in partnership with the Teton Science Schools. Cabins, that date from the 1920s when the property was a dude ranch, are used to house attendees at retreats and are not opened to the public. Tours of the Murie home are given once a day on weekdays. 

The Murie house has several steps up to the porch. The half mile trail to the ranch is not accessible due to a short section of loose, deep gravel. A dirt road also accesses the ranch. Short RVs will fit in the parking lot. 

Menor's Ferry Historic District is also near the Discovery Center. It's the site of William Menor's 1894 homestead. Menor operated a store, blacksmith shop, and the ferry that transported wagons, horses, and people across the Snake River. Several buildings are located on the site - the Mentor cabin/store; a shed with a collection of wagons and coaches; the Chapel of Transformation, a 1925 log church; and the cabin of Maude Noble who bought the ferry from Menor in 1918. The Noble cabin was the location of a 1932 meeting where plans were made to protect the valley from commercialization. 

 The Chapel has a ramp to the entrance but there's high threshold. The parking lot has RV spaces. 

The Menor's Ferry loop trail is rough and only accessible with assistance. The shed is the only building that's opened. 

The parking lot has RV spaces.  Instead of driving to this parking lot from Discovery Center we walked/rolled along the Grand Teton Pathway and Menors Ferry Road, about a mile one way. The pathway and road are in good condition and accessible. 

 Continuing north on US 191 we tried visiting Mormon Row but it was too crowded with no spaces left in the small lot or along the road.

Our next stop was the Cunningham Cabin. The parking lot is large enough for short RVs. The loop path to the cabin has steps, loose gravel, and a narrow sunken section. It's not accessible. 

We spent the night at Colter Bay Campground which has an odd arrangement of sites, at least in the loop we were in. All of the parking pads are along the sides of the road so there are lines of RVs on either side. I mistakenly choose a site in the generator section but fortunately there was only one noisy generator running on our loop. There are accessible sites that have electric hookups for a ridiculously high price per night - $83.00! 

A large parking lot with designated RV spaces is located at the Colter Bay Visitor Center. The Lakeshore Trail can be accessed from this lot by following the signs to the amphitheater and taking the paved path down the hill. The main trail is paved for short distance. We completed the 1 mile long first loop and found obstacles such as tree roots and loose rocks. The second loop goes up hill and has narrow spots. We did not attempt it.  

In conclusion, Grand Teton National Park is minimally wheelchair accessible. Go for the drive but don't expect to travel far off the road. Park  43.65546, -110.71771