Zyriah wrote:A year ago we upgraded to a Launch so we could camp in the mountains. Has anyone camped either in the Ouray, CO or Jackson, WY areas? We've not towed our camper through the mountains yet and those two spots would be our destination so just curious to hear any experiences and/or advise.
The route we like to take to the Grand Tetons & Yellowstone is 26/287 out of Rawlins, WY, also known as the Chief Washakie Trail & Togwotee Trail. This was the route easterners used to use to get to Yellowstone before the interstates came into existence. It is an absolutely beautiful drive! Just a few years ago, a long term reconstruction project on the Togwotee Trail, over Togwotee Pass, was completed. The road is wider in places, with more scenic pull-outs added, additional restroom facilities, and an amazing wildlife corridor. We've made this trip pulling a 14' camper with a 6-cylinder, as well as an 8-cylinder, and didn't have any troubles towing over this route. Just beware, that if you are traveling in late Fall or Spring, snowfall can close the pass. You can call the WY DOT for road conditions and closures before setting out if necessary... Points of interest along the way: Sacajawea Memorial in Fort Washakie, and the giant Jackalope in Dubois.
We can highly recommend "Cowboys" in Dubois, WY for a great breakfast
When camping in the Tetons, we like to stay at the Colter Bay Village, in the NPS campground. They have dump stations, good water sources, bathrooms, and there are pay showers if you need them. We like this location because it is central to everything we like to do. The village has a reasonably priced grocery with an excellent bakery, a museum, (an overpriced restaurant), and of course, great views. Colter Bay also has a concession run campground with hook-ups, but its expensive.
If you desire to stay closer to Jackson, there is also NPS camping at Gros Ventre. We've never stayed in any of the private campgrounds in that area to offer any reports. But we can recommend a couple places to eat in Jackson! "The Gunbarrel" is well worth the price for the elk chops or the bison prime rib; and the Silver Dollar has really good soup & sandwich offerings!
If you're interested in camping in Yellowstone, we thoroughly enjoyed the NPS campground at Grant Village on the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. I would recommend reservations, and make them as early as you can. The sites are mostly pull-thrus, and are a bit of a squeeze for larger rigs, however.
Have a wonderful trip!
Photos: One of the Mormon Barns with wildfire smoke & haze in the background. And a cold Moose Drool at the Silver Dollar Bar & Grill.
