My journey on September 11, 2025 was stormy in numerous ways. Nine-eleven has been a powerful day in many lives, mine included since the towers came down in 2001. This year, it was amplified 1000-fold by the “turning point” that occurred the day earlier. And on that day, I had travel plans that could not be easily altered.
As I awoke on the morning of Sept. 11th, my plan was to move on from Cody Wyoming as the campground I had spent 3 nights at was full-up for the next night. So, staying put was not an option.
Incidentally, Cody is VERY much worth the visit. I plan to dedicate an entire post (soon) to Cody and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Exploring the entire center was a very moving experience.
The weather on the morning of Sept. 11th was quite stormy. Even before departing, I could see dark clouds and lightning to the west. As I entered U.S. 14 West towards Yellowstone, I soon encountered periodic moderate rain, with occasional thunder and lightning. This kind of weather is unusual for northwestern Wyoming, but the clouds and moisture made for some exceptional views. Hopefully the video footage within this post communicates my experience!
Cody and heading west from Parkway with your camper…
Cody is a bustling town of about 10,000 in Northwestern Wyoming. Beyond its residents, and due to its historic significance, it sees many thousands of visitors each year. I arrived after Labor Day, so I can only imagine how crowded the town is during the summer travel season. I stayed at the Parkway RV Campground. Parkway is located on the west side of town. It is the ONLY affordable RV park in Cody. Full hookups were $39 per night (plus tax.) Most other parks are $60+. There is a state park ($42/night) about 10 miles west of Cody (Buffalo Bill State Park), however no sites were available for my planned stay.
If you do stay at Parkway when visiting Cody, it’s a ‘plain jane’ RV park, but more than sufficient for your time in this area. While in Cody, be sure to visit (2 days is warranted) the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. I plan to share a post dedicated just to this center in the near future!
As you proceed west, you quickly leave civilization behind
When departing for Yellowstone, I will caution you to take extreme care when making the left turn to head west, especially if you have a trailer in tow (or a motorhome.) And… don’t even think about it until at least 8:45am as eastbound rush hour traffic will make that turn very difficult and dangerous!
Just west of Cody, civilization virtually ends! Much of your 50 mile journey to the Yellowstone National Park East Entrance will parallel the North Fork of the Shoshone River through a deep river valley. The terrain is rugged and EXTREMELY scenic. Do not expect to have any cell service for much of the trip, especially west of Buffalo Bill State Park. The total time to reach Yellowstone’s entrance with an RV will be 75-90 minutes. This also allows for a few minute wait at the entry gate to the National Park.
U.S. 14 is quite safe for RV travel. In fact, the entire stretch from Cody to West Yellowstone, Montana is “RV safe” in my view. That is, the curves are manageable for all RV’s regardless of size.Take care however once you enter Yellowstone as NOT all roads in Yellowstone are RV safe. I will elaborate further in a future post.
Upon arriving at the Yellowstone gate, I proceeded around “the loop”, aiming for the west gate at West Yellowstone. I will share more about my brief journey through Yellowstone along with a return visit just one week later on Sept. 18th when I “commuted” from Rigby Idaho to Yellowstone for a day of exploring and paddling!
The cooler weather reminded me that WINTER is coming. IF you’re going to be in an RV this winter, you NEED a RV skirt. Allow me to share the path I chose AND recommend a good company that does a superior and conscientious job… Here’s my story.
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Your RV trip from Cody into Yellowstone on a stormy Thursday morning sounds incredible! Driving through the park with changing weather must have made the scenery even more striking. I’ve found that planning ahead for parking spots and timing your route can make such trips much smoother, and sometimes having helpful resources like bnlbostonlimo bnlbostonlimo for coordinating travel logistics can really make a difference. Did any particular spots in the park stand out to you more than you expected despite the storm?
Absolutely! The scenery was spectacular; changing around every curve of the road. Yellowstone rocks! Sometimes resources to plan with help; other times its more fun to do it “free form.” The pullouts alongside Lake Yellowstone were ALL spectacular – and paddling in that massive lake was an experience worth remembering. Al
That sounds like quite an adventure! Driving an RV into Yellowstone during a storm must have added a mix of challenge and excitement to the journey. The changing weather in that area really brings out the park’s wild beauty, especially around the mountain passes. I’ve been thinking about exploring Yellowstone too, maybe through a small group tour to enjoy the scenery without worrying too much about the road conditions.
Alan, We took this trip in 2019. We love your video.
Thanks for your kind words Earl. Any plans to return to that region?