Motorcycle trip in Yellowstone

My girlfriend and I are planning to take a trip out west sometime this summer to visit the Yellowstone/Grand Tetons area. I will be bringing my photo gear to take pictures of the wildlife and landscapes. I visited Yellowstone years ago and have always wanted to go back. Ideally, I would prefer to drive to the area while trailering the motorcycle. Once there, we would like to stay at one motel/lodge (in the park or a surrounding town) for several days while riding the bike in the park and surrounding areas. We would then load up the bike and move on to another area.

Have any of you done anything similar (trailering a bike and then riding once you are there)? I'm not sure how "doable" this is? I welcome any advice on logistics, lodging, etc.
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It sounds very doable if you already have the bike, trailer and something that will tow it. It's no different then driving your RV while towing your car, then using your car to tour with.

Sounds like a fun trip if you ask me. I would try and stay in the park, cuts down on backtracking and seeing the same thing on the way in and out of the park. It's not advised to drive before or after dark and would assume even more so on a bike.

Great point about avoiding driving after dark. Really, you have to be careful at all times of day with all the animal activity in the park, but dawn and dusk is when the critters are particularly active.

I also suggest staying in the park so that you are closer to the action. You might also want to consider staying in more than one location in the park; it is a big park and points of interest are spread out over a large area. I really like Roosevelt Lodge for the peace and quiet as well as the proximity to the Lamar Valley.

Since you are asking about travel points, I suggest that you also post over on Trip Advisor in the Yellowstone forum; I got a lot of great insight from the folks on that forum when planning our trips to Yellowstone and Grand Teton:

http://www.tripadvisor​.com …ational_Park_Wy​oming.html

In case you are interested, my wife and I were in Yellowstone and Grand Teton this past summer (but not on motorcycles!). Here's the link to the journal describing that trip; it might give you a few ideas on things to see and do:

http://ohiohickpresent​s.weebly.com/tr---wy-2014.html

BTW, when we were there, there was a huge motorcycle rally happening just outside the the northeast entrance of the park which I later learned was the Beartooth Rally (as it runs along the Beartooth Highway). Here's a link:

http://beartoothrally.​com/

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #17398257
It sounds very doable if you already have the bike, trailer and something that will tow it. It's no different then driving your RV while towing your car, then using your car to tour with.

Sounds like a fun trip if you ask me. I would try and stay in the park, cuts down on backtracking and seeing the same thing on the way in and out of the park. It's not advised to drive before or after dark and would assume even more so on a bike.

I already have the truck and bike and I can borrow a friend's trailer. I like the idea of staying in the park. Thanks.

OhioHick wrote in post #17398333
Great point about avoiding driving after dark. Really, you have to be careful at all times of day with all the animal activity in the park, but dawn and dusk is when the critters are particularly active.

I also suggest staying in the park so that you are closer to the action. You might also want to consider staying in more than one location in the park; it is a big park and points of interest are spread out over a large area. I really like Roosevelt Lodge for the peace and quiet as well as the proximity to the Lamar Valley.

Since you are asking about travel points, I suggest that you also post over on Trip Advisor in the Yellowstone forum; I got a lot of great insight from the folks on that forum when planning our trips to Yellowstone and Grand Teton:

http://www.tripadvisor​.com …ational_Park_Wy​oming.html

In case you are interested, my wife and I were in Yellowstone and Grand Teton this past summer (but not on motorcycles!). Here's the link to the journal describing that trip; it might give you a few ideas on things to see and do:

http://ohiohickpresent​s.weebly.com/tr---wy-2014.html

BTW, when we were there, there was a huge motorcycle rally happening just outside the the northeast entrance of the park which I later learned was the Beartooth Rally (as it runs along the Beartooth Highway). Here's a link:

http://beartoothrally.​com/

Thanks so much for the tips and links. Roosevelt Lodge seems like a convenient place to stay and I've heard good things about Lamar Valley.

You're welcome, fishbio. We really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at Roosevelt; I hope you do as well. Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley are both excellent locations for wildlife.

OhioHick wrote in post #17398333
BTW, when we were there, there was a huge motorcycle rally happening just outside the the northeast entrance of the park which I later learned was the Beartooth Rally (as it runs along the Beartooth Highway).

That's a great point, to mention the Beartooth Highway. Having myself spent a lot of time in both Yellowstone and on the Beartooth, I would have to say that for nature & landscape purposes, you will probably find that the Beartooth is even more interesting than Yellowstone. Plus, it is a road that is particularly great for motorcycle travel.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #17435809
That's a great point, to mention the Beartooth Highway. Having myself spent a lot of time in both Yellowstone and on the Beartooth, I would have to say that for nature & landscape purposes, you will probably find that the Beartooth is even more interesting than Yellowstone. Plus, it is a road that is particularly great for motorcycle travel.

We've booked two nights in Cody and I am hoping to ride Chief Joseph and Beartooth while we are there . A round trip from Cody along the Chief Joseph and Beartooth to Red lodge and back to Cody looks about 160-170 miles. That is likely a full day with a leisurely pace and plenty of stops for pictures.

fishbio wrote in post #17439868
We've booked two nights in Cody and I am hoping to ride Chief Joseph and Beartooth while we are there . A round trip from Cody along the Chief Joseph and Beartooth to Red lodge and back to Cody looks about 160-170 miles. That is likely a full day with a leisurely pace and plenty of stops for pictures.

That will be one heck of an awesome day! There are lots of alpine lakes in the Beartooths, and many, many great spots to pull off for sightseeing and photos. Up there, it is so beautiful and dramatic that you have to stop from time to time just to take it all in.
What month are you going to be there?
Have you firmed up plans for any of the other parts of the trip?

EDIT:
I just took note of your username. Interesting - 3 of my best friends are fish biologists!

Tom, I've also booked four nights in Yellowstone (Lake Lodge and Mammoth) and two nights in the Grand Tetons (Signal Mountain). I think we are also going to stay a couple nights around Black Hills/Badlands. Our first night in Cody is June 30, then Yellowstone during the first week of July. Any tips on good wildlife and scenic spots for pictures would be appreciated.

fishbio wrote in post #17440493
I think we are also going to stay a couple nights around Black Hills/Badlands.

Great choice! The Needles Highway would probably be really cool for motorcycle travel:
http://www.visitrapidc​ity.com …dles-highway#.VOdPYShvD0c

It is located within Custer State Park. The park, as a whole, is great for wildlife viewing. I mean, really great! There are robust populations of Pronghorn "antelope", Whitetail Deer, Bison, and Wild Turkeys. There are also Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Wild Burros, all of which are usually visible. Another highlight are the Prairie Dog colonies! It can be a lot of fun to lay prone next to a Prairie Dog hole, waiting patiently for one to pop its head out! After an hour or two, they get used to you being there, and present many great photo opportunities, as long as you lay down prone (in their dung, unfortunately) and don't move too suddenly.

The time you are going will be prime for newborn pronghorn and deer fawns, as well as Bighorn lambs. Bison babies will already be well over 100 pounds! But they are still very cute and make good, cooperative subjects.

The Badlands are very worthwhile, as well - especially for motorcycle travel. Bighorn sheep (ewes and lambs) are usually right along the road, and can be approached and photographed with little difficulty. As far as landscape and scenic opportunities are concerned, the Badlands are especially photogenic at sunrise, sunset, and whenever there are thunder and lightning storms nearby.

fishbio wrote in post #17440493
Our first night in Cody is June 30, then Yellowstone during the first week of July.

That's a really great time of year to be in those places. Any earlier, and you would still have some trails closed due to snow. Much later, and the landscape is not as green and lush.

You will have very, very long days, which can be exhausting. There is literally more daylight than I can handle at that time of year. There's enough light to get really good pics by 5 or 5:30 am. Then in the evening you can still be taking sunset photos at 9, which gets you back to your lodgings anywhere from 9:30 to 10:30, depending on how far you ventured that evening.

So, it leaves very little time at night for sleep. And no time for dinner after shooting! It stays light so long, and yet restaurants close so early (compared to metropolitan areas).......I often get done photographing only to find that everything is closed, which leaves me rooting thru my cooler, trying to find enough "car snacks" to suffice for dinner.

The solution I have settled on is to try to take a 2 hour nap in the middle of the afternoon when the light is often not very nice. And I try to get a good, filling meal at a restaurant somewhere around 4 or 5pm, so that I can go back out and photograph the best hours of evening light, and yet not miss out on dinner.

fishbio wrote in post #17440493
Any tips on good wildlife and scenic spots for pictures would be appreciated.

The best tip I have is to get up early and be out there on the road before sunrise each morning. Unfortunately, that means setting your alarm clock for something like 4:30 or 5am.

The light is great at those early hours, and, surprisingly, there are no crowds. I mean none at all! Even in the peak of the summer season, even in the big, popular places like Yellowstone and the Tetons, the vast majority of people don't get up and out until 9:30 or thereabouts. You will feel like you have the parks to yourself during those first few precious hours of daylight! The light it best then, for scenic imagery, and wildlife is most prevalent at that time of day.

Tom, Thank you very much for your detailed response. We will definitely check out Needles Highway and Custer State Park. I appreciate your photography tips for the area and your willingness to share them. I'm usually up early, so that should work out well for me. Midday naps sound like a good idea! Otherwise, I'll be looking for a bed around 9:00 pm!

Just be careful out on the roads early in the morning (particularly if you are out before the sun is up). You are out to see the critters and they will be active and hard to see, particularly the bison. And you are likely to see them just about anywhere in the parks. Lamar and Hayden Valleys in Yellowstone are great areas. In Grand Teton check out the Gros Ventre Road and the Moose-Wilson Road.

OhioHick wrote in post #17443553
Just be careful out on the roads early in the morning (particularly if you are out before the sun is up). You are out to see the critters and they will be active and hard to see, particularly the bison. And you are likely to see them just about anywhere in the parks. Lamar and Hayden Valleys in Yellowstone are great areas. In Grand Teton check out the Gros Ventre Road and the Moose-Wilson Road.

We will watch out for the wildlife early. I'll check out Gros Ventre and Moose-Wilson roads. Thanks.

I second/third the wildlife thing. Last time I was driving up to Yellowstone I got delayed by 10-15 mins because I had to seriously slow down for a 10-15 mile section just brimming with deer and elk outside the park (i.e doing 30 on a road I would normally do 60-70 on). Early morning, just around sunrise of course.

Nice if you want to see deer and elk, not so nice if you are as used to them as squirrels and want to get going.