Phillips RV Park- Evanston, Wyoming (July 2018)

The paperwork when we checked in proudly stated that this campground was established in 1938. I couldn’t help but wonder what camping was like 80 years ago.

The sign at Phillips RV Park

According to Google, the first Airstream trailer was marketed in 1936, so Rosie’s predecessor was on the road before this park opened. (Rosie is our 25 foot Airstream trailer.) It goes without saying that camping, RVs and campgrounds have changed over the last eight decades and this campground must have been renovated a time or two during that time span.

The shade provided by the big and mature trees in this park was appreciated by us. The temperature cooled down to 103 when we arrived after seeing 105 on the road. That was too much for our truck as it pulled Rosie up the mountains of Wyoming. Our truck gave us a warning to lessen the engine's load and the first thing we turned off was the air conditioner. That made our afternoon very uncomfortable.

Rosie in the campground

We were surprised at how close this park was to the train tracks and how often the trains passed by. The sound of Rosie’s air conditioner was able to drown out the noise from the trains. 

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• Our site was a pull-thru
• Our site was gravel and not level 
• Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical connections 
• Our site had a water connection 
• Our site had a sewer connection 
• The park offered basic TV cable channels 
• We were unable to receive any TV stations using Rosie’s antenna 
• The park offered WiFi, but we were unable to get it to work
• AT&T placed a weak 3G signal over our site for voice and data 
• The restrooms and showers were clean but dated

There were three Airstream trailers in this campground the night we stayed there. 

Driving through the salt flats

Driving through Utah

Rosie parked in the salt flats

Selfie taken in the Utah salt flats

Salt plant in Utah

Wyoming state line

Another view of the campground

Sunset reflected in Rosie's window

Colter Bay RV Campground at Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming (June 2018)

There’s no mistaking the first time you see the Grand Teton Mountains. They are amazing and you immediately recognize the differences between the Tetons and the Rockies. This isn’t to imply that the Rockies are not beautiful, because they are. It’s just that the Tetons take your breath away every time you see them.

Grand Teton National Park

A National Park Ranger said that once you see the Tetons, you will return. There may be something to that since returning to the Tetons was on both of our lists. 

Unlike most campgrounds in national parks, Colter Bay has full hookups. That means we had electric, water and sewer connections while camping there in Rosie, our 25 foot Airstream trailer. Another nice feature is that the campground appeared to be carved around the trees and this gives you the feeling that you are in the woods.

Rosie in Colter Bay RV Campground

Of course, no one wants to hang around the campground when you are in the Tetons. The jagged and snow-capped mountains and the abundant wildlife are enough to get you driving through the park every day while there. 

Speaking of wildlife, we saw a moose at Schwabachers Landing.

Moose at Schwabachers Landing

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• Our site had 30 and 20 amp electrical service 
• Our site had a water connection 
• Our site had a sewer connection 
• Our site was not paved. Perhaps the best description of our site was to call it “forest floor.”
• Our site was not level. We didn’t have enough leveling tools to get Rosie near level
• Our site was very shaded
• There were “bear warnings” throughout the campground. We didn’t see any bears near our park 
• There were several restrooms scattered around the park. The one closest to our site was clean and heated, an appreciated condition on cold mornings 
• Shower stalls were next to the general store, which was outside the camping loops. Bring a pocket full of quarters if you want to take a shower because the park charges an arm and a leg for showers 
• We were unsuccessful in receiving any TV signals using Rosie’s antenna 
• We had no voice and data service on our AT&T iPhones

It was great to be able to camp in the Grand Tetons National Park.

The mountains

The Teton Mountains

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

The Chapel

Fly Fishing in Grand Teton National Park

A mountain stream

Shopping on the way to Colter Bay