Yellowstone Camping

[Bogo]

Bears are not scared off by the relatively quiet noise of a bear bell. The bell is supposed to warn the bear that you are near so it can move off if it wants to, but it isn't loud enough to be heard at an effective range. It takes a much much louder sound to scare a bear.

 

[gmarshall7]

but at least you wouldn't surprise it.

if i'm walking with my stick i usually find a tree to smack a few times or a rock to pound just to make some racket in places that aren't opened up.

 

[Kent]

Bear defense plan:

We both carry bear spray that is easily deployed. If we encounter a bear that is too close for comfort and showing aggression wife hoses it down with bear spray while I access 12 gauge from backpack. If aggression continues it gets shot. I don't expect to actually have to do this but we'll have a predetermined plan. I suspect most of our problems will come from irritating humans in RVs.

 

[Bogo]

I suspect most of our problems will come from irritating humans in RVs.

Critter jams of one sort or another will be a constant annoyance. Expect at least one any time you go anywhere, and be thankful you don't have to deal with one when that happens. After a few critter jams it will become, Oh, they stopped for bison, groan... At least they won't be as bad as they get in the summer.

Due to the distances in the park, seriously consider doing lunch, and maybe dinner out of the back of your vehicle. You will have to either store your food in a bear vault at the campgrounds, or take it with you during the day and keep it in your "trunk". In fact all food, toiletries, etc. must be stored in a bear proof manner when not in use. In campgrounds they recommend storing it in your locked trunk or in a bear vault. YNP and GTNP don't have canopener bears yet, and they want to keep it that way. Problem bears are dealt with quickly, and the way to keep them from becoming problem bears is to never let them get human food. That way the bears don't associate humans with food. YNP recently had to put down a bear that got human foods and became aggressive.

I do all my eating out of the back of my truck. I just love the looks on people's faces when I grill a steak, do stir-fry, make omelets, or waffles at a pullout. Yeah, you don't have to eat at a picnic area. Just don't leave crumbs or other food bits behind. Also all waste water, like from washing dishes, must be collected up and disposed of down a drain. Drains for that purpose are at most campgrounds. People also dump it down the pit toilets. Wherever I cook a meal I check around for bears and bear activity. I also stay alert for them showing up mid meal. Also be mindfull of the wily coyotes and ravens. I've seen them snatch food out of people's hands.

 

[Jomama]

This woman just uses her fists for bear protection..

Juneau woman saves her dog by punching bear in face: Bear Attacks | Alaska news at adn.com

 

[Kent]

The bear wanted a hotdog.

 

[JayMilla]

Bring warm clothes. Water/windproof outerlayers will make the weather more enjoyable.
The crazy weather is part of the park. On a typical day you will probably wear everything from shorts and sandals, to long pants a jacket and hat. Probably more than once.
Bring layers and don't leave your beanie and rainjacket in camp. No matter how warm it is when you leave.
Look into the cabins if your wife is not a big fan of camping. It will be cold enough at night to make her make you wish you did.
You will sleep much better behind logs with your wife and child. Think your wife is scared of bears now? Just wait until it is 2 in the morning, and she hears a noise outside the tent.
Don't sweat the bears. Carry bear spray, a big one, and get out of the car and hike.

 

[Darl Bundren]

Madison Campground is nice, and it is centrally located. One thing to bear in mind as others have noted here is that travel time is fairly slow in the park. It should be a great time of year to go.

If you haven't spent much time in SD's own Custer State Park, you might check it out. Very nice facilities and lots of cool stuff nearby to see. You may have been there, done that, though. Have a good trip.

 

[SmoothLC]

Here's the link to the then-New Federal Firearms Law that went into effect last year.

We were up at Grand Teton National Park two weeks ago. It got down to 30 degrees the last two nights we were there and was in the 70s during the day. We camped next to the Snake River south of Jackson.

On a hike to Hidden Falls, we happened upon a black bear scampering up the mountain side. There were quite a few people on two trails with the bear caught between them (a lower and higher elevation one).

Have a good trip and be safe - it's going to be very cold there this time of year during the night.

 

[Bogo]

Here's the link to the then-New Federal Firearms Law that went into effect last year.

Here is what the YNP has to say: Yellowstone National Park - Laws & Policies (U.S. National Park Service)

On bear spray. An observation by another is in YNP the other hikers look at you weird if you have it, and in Glacier NP the other hikers look at you weird if you don't have it. Given the two YNP deaths this year, both guys didn't have bear spray, and the two YNP area deaths last year, I'd carry bear spray in YNP, GTNP, and the surrounding forests. It is also the opinion of many regular hikers, YNP, GTNP, and the area National Forests need to put up much more explicit bear warning signs at all trailheads, and the parks need to provide bear spray use classes. Glacier NP has the more explicit warning signs, and training classes. It may take funding request for the signs, and for training the trainers. Given the lawsuits that have happened and been won over other bear caused deaths, I can't see how it would be more expensive to provide the warnings and training.

 

[Kent]

We've got the spray. I really want to test it on the nasty rat dog next door.

 

[NLXTACY]

We've got the spray. I really want to test it on the nasty rat dog next door.

We tested it. Do yourself a favor and test in an open field and make sure you are NOT spraying it against the wind :whoops:

 

[Itsky]

We just got back from a trip to Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP and we went through Grand Teton. Much of our trip is described on our blog. Most relevant to this thread, is this post.

 

[Bogo]

You was parked here: 44.767758, -110.455224. Yeah, that whole stretch of road heading up to Dunraven Pass and down the other side is prime area for bear spotting when the pine nuts fall. I've seen bears somewhere along it every trip and often most days I've traveled that road. The meadows also have lots of other plants the bears like to eat. Ya have to keep looking all around you as those pesky buggers can sneak up on ya. Same with the wolves. Spookiest sighting, well more like hearing, was hearing a mountain lion warning growl when I stepped out of the car at the first or second pullout west of Canyon Junction. It was sunset time and I was wanting to take this shot.

I took it hand held as I didn't want to stick around long enough to setup the tripod.

Oh yeah, exit the car, strap the bear spray on immediately. Near the end of my last trip I got out of the truck at the Mammoth Lodge and found myself automatically putting on the bear spray. That maybe isn't such a bad idea because last winter there were a few wolf kills within feet of the buildings at Mammoth. One morning, when parked overnight at Old Faithful Inn, there were bear paw prints on the rear side window of the truck. Also the alarm had been tripped. Yeah, the whole area is a near wilderness, and we are the interlopers in their territory.