Travel from Yellowstone to Cody, Wyoming

We drove our coach 80 miles, about 2.5 hours of very scenic driving, from Yellowstone, Wyoming to Cody, Wyoming.

Here’s the map route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map, with potential stops; we had lunch at Newton Spring Picnic Site, and got some fuel at the Sinclair station:

We paused bringing in the slide to let the pooled rain drain off:

Rain coming off slide

A GIF of checking the brake controller; the air brakes of the coach triggers this piston that pushes the brake pedal in our truck for proportional braking assistance:

Brake controller

Checking the truck lights:

Light check

Another check, moving the coach forward a couple of feet to engage the tow bar and make sure the truck wheels turn freely (reversing GIF):

Pull test

Leaving the campground; starting the Bluefire app for coach info:

Leaving campground; starting Bluefire app

The coach GPS mistakenly said “No Recreational Vehicles Allowed” again inside the park:

No Recreational Vehicles Allowed

Yellowstone Lake:

Yellowstone Lake

One of the last glimpses of a geyser:

Geyser

And a bison:

Bison

And deer:

Deer

A very scenic drive on the way out of the park:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Leaving from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park:

Leaving from the east entrance

Leaving Yellowstone National Park

The scenic drive continues outside the park; rather Utah-like:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

We stopped at Newton Spring Picnic Area for lunch:

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Lunch:

Lunch

Paladin sitting on upturned dining chairs:

Paladin on upturned dining chairs

Onward:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Smith Mansion:

Smith Mansion

Scenic

Scenic

Three tunnels by Buffalo Bill Reservoir:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Tunnel

Tunnel

Scenic

Cody:

Cody

A fuel stop at a Sinclair station; not needed, since only down a third of a tank, but gives us peace of mind, since there are no truck stops along this route, other than stations like this:

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Unexpectedly, the fuel pump stopped at $75; 16 gallons doesn’t help much. So we did two of these to get mostly full:

Fuel stop

Buffalo Bill Center of the West museum:

Cody

Downtown Cody:

Cody

Cody

Cody

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Pulling in to our site:

Our site

SnapPads

When we park our coach on an unlevel site, typically high in the back, our front hydraulic jacks sometimes can’t cope, so we need to add extra blocks between the jacks and jack pad:

Jacks, blocks, jack pad

To help with that, I purchased a couple of SnapPads, just for the front jacks. We can’t get them for the back jacks, as the jacks are too close to the rear wheels. SnapPads are permanently-attached pads that expand the footprint of the jack a little, and add an extra inch of height, so I hoped that’d help with unlevel sites.

(If you’re in the market for them, you can save 10% off SnapPads with the discount code: DAVID08638.)

Here’s a SnapPad before installation:

SnapPad

It’s simple to install a SnapPad; just squirt a little dish soap around the inner rim, to make it easier to get it on, then line it up below the jack, and lower the jack into place (it helps to have two people, one to control the jack, one to tweak the alignment. Here’s a SnapPad after attaching and lifting up a bit:

SnapPad

Two SnapPads:

SnapPads

Retracted jacks (fun fact: that big box between the jacks is our 150 gallon fuel tank):

SnapPads

The jacks on top of my usual jack pads, which I use on all surfaces other than concrete:

Jack with jack pad

A nice addition.

Yellowstone Canyon area

The Canyon area of Yellowstone National Park includes a village of shops and lodges, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Hayden Valley:

Caynon map

Canyon Visitor Education Center:

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Canyon Visitor Education Center

We saw these stickers, and (later) bought the Grand Teton and Yellowstone ones for the back of our truck canopy:

Stickers

Canyon store

Otter Creek picnic area:

Otter Creek picnic area

We found our initials carved on the table — no, we didn’t do that:

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Otter Creek picnic area

Reversing GIF of a bison having a dust bath:

Reversing GIF of a bison having a dust bath

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Bison in Hayden Valley:

Binson in Hayden Valley

Binson in Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley

Binson in Hayden Valley

Bison on the road:

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Mud Volcano area:

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Mud Volcano area

Bison on the road:

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Bison on the road

Check out the video from this area, including some cute otters.