There are bear boxes in the campgrounds for all your food, toiletries etc.... Most of the larger campgrounds have worked hard to "encourage" the bears to stay away. You will really be missing a wonderful experience if you stay at an RV park in West YS. Up to you of course.

Visit www.nps.gov/yell and www.nps.gov/grca for information on camping in the area and dealing with bears.

I too am very scared of bears... since childhood! I felt safe camping in YS.

My husband would be jealous to hear of your bike trip- he's always wanted to bike thru Yellowstone/ Tetons/etc. but between the bad roads (most are re-paved now)and us no longer being able to ride bikes (stroke affected his balance) that will never happen!

Now to the bears, we've always heard that the campgrounds are very strict about having edibles in bear boxes and not in trunks/etc. I would definitely stay in the part rather than outside as I think you will actually be safer. Do pay attention to the signs that tell you that you are in bear country-don't wonder off along and make noise when you are hiking or walking in the woods. Our closest encounter with grizzlies came when my husband stopped @ Sylvan Lake (towards Cody)to fish and wandered out of my sight-I freaked when I didn't see him and got quite upset when I found him. His famous last words were "there aren't any bears around here!" Guess what was coming down the road about 1/2 mile later?!

September is a great time to be going out there. Remember that it can snow on any day of the year in Yellowstone so be prepared. We've run into snow at some point in each of the 5 trips we've made to Yellowstone in September! Have a great time and enjoy the animal watching!

BTW-if you have a chance to drive from Cody to the NE entrance of the park be sure to take the Chief Joseph Highway- it is fabulous!!! The drive over the Beartooth pass is spectular as well, but it's a more strenuous drive (climb in elevation, road quality,and switchbacks).

Look at this way. Every year thousands and thousands of people camp safely in the various campgrounds around Yellowstone. Only once in a great while do we hear of a bear around a camp. I think the odds of having a bear encounter in camp are so remote you shouldn't worry about it. Take the normal precautions of using the bear boxes for food, wash up after every meal, don't take food into your tent, sleep in clothing that hasn't been around cooking, etc. When you get there and see how relaxed everyone is, I think you'll be the same. Enjoy your trip.

Do stay in the park instead of W. Yellowstone. Nothing against it but is full of hotels and more of a crossroads, whereas the park is amazing.

Do not know about campgrounds but sounds like they have bear proof food containers. We just got back from a trip there and down through The Tetons.

Just do not sleep with food in your tent. A bear expert at the Jackson Lake Lodge told us that a guy was bit about 3 nights ago in N Yellowstone as he had some kind of food with him in his tent.

Our first time through this area and cannot wait to go back. Coming upon the Lamar Valley from the south was breathtaking and really around every turn through the park.

Loved, loved the views of the Grand Tetons. Stayed one night at the Jackson Lake Lodge and you could have left me there for a week. Do stop there for a view. We did see a grizzly close by in the early morning.

You will have a great time by bike.

Susan

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement. We have to stay outside the park because we need electricity for my husbands cpap machine. It seems like the only campground in YS that has electricity is limited to hard sided campers. We are staying in the RV park Coulter Bay for the same reason. We were at Yellowstone 2 years ago in September and it did snow on us. At that time we stayed in cabins. We got over Beartooth just before the pass was closed. It was a great drive but very cold at the top of the pass.This time we will enter YW from the South entrance since we are staying in the Tetons first.

There are a number of RV parks in West Yellowstone. The KOA is west of town, a few others are right in town. You will have a fun trip!

Bear incidents are rare within Yellowstone and the park service acts swiftly. There were two incidents in/near the park this year. One was a bear that was going to picnic tables with food in the Indian Creek area where people had left out food and left. The second was in the northeast corner of the park where an old grizzly came into a tent camp in a more remote camping area at a higher altitude. Both bears were euthanized.

Around the West Yellowstone area, we have had very few sightings in the area and only one in town way last spring. No reason to lose sleep or not enjoy your trip. (It is sort of ironic that we actually get up at 5 AM and drive all the over to Tower hoping to see one!) In early Fall, the bears are usually still in higher altitudes eating nuts and seeds. They are also chowing down in higher mountain meadows on the incredible wildflower displays that we have had this year.

There are many camping options in West Yellowstone that have electric hookups. Here is a link to the Chamber website that has many of them:

destinationyellowstone.com/sleep/…

Don't miss the elk bugling along the Madison River between the west entrance and Madison Junction. Just drive in after dinner and listen!

oops. I need to correct myself. Both park incidents came from black bears.