Yellowstone Lake cruise.

[William Thomas]

Thinking about the summer of 2019 possible cruises on inland Lakes out west,(we live in Phoenix). The last two summers we trailered to the Great Lakes for our summer cruise. Had a great time on Four of the five Great Lakes! We missed Lake Ontario. Looking to do something different next year. We cruise Lake Powell twice a year ,Spring and fall, just got back from there yesterday in fact.

Always thought Yellowstone Lake would be a wonderful adventure on my CW 28. We have been up there fishing in the past ,but on small rental boats. Anchoring for a few days in a cove watching the wildlife and exploring in the dingy sounds interesting. Could also include Flaming Gorge in Utah .Possibly Fort Peck Lake in Montana as well.
Any one on Tugnuts cruised Yellowstone Lake, or Fort Peck ??

Thanks for your thoughts!

Bill T

 

[Water Bill]

Howdy Bill,

Never been to Fort Peck Lake but I can highly recommend Yellowstone Lake. In July of 2015 I spent 4 weeks with my wife on our C-Dory 22 at the Bridge Bay Marina. We alternated between cruising on the lake and touring the park. Always something new to see on both the water and land. In July of 2017 I after picking up my new R-23 I spent 3 weeks at the San Juan Islands before trailering it from there to Yellowstone. This time I spent a total of three weeks at Bridge Bay Marina. This is a real nice marina with a launch ramp, power, water, pump out, fuel and a small store. The only thing it lacks are showers. I put the shower on my R-23 to use and it worked out just fine. If you prefer you can go use the pay showers at one of the camp grounds. Cell phone reception is not very good around the marina if that is important to you. The slip costs are cheaper the longer you stay. If you need more than basic food stuffs it is best to head to one of the towns just outside of the park. There are only certain areas you can anchor or dock out and a permit is required. The permit can be obtained at the marina Ranger Station. Like I have already mentioned there are plenty of things to see in the park and the lake is big plenty big enough for days of slow cruising or fishing. I hope to get back there again some time in 2019. Hope this helps.

Like you, this last July I spent 4 weeks on Lake Superior cruising around Isle Royal, the Apostle Islands and the Keweenaw Bay area.

Bill Roche

 

[JamesTXSD]

If you are doing Yellowstone Lake, consider some time an hour south on Jackson Lake (Colter Bay Marina) in the Grand Teton National Park. Yellowstone has some of the most amazing diversity on Earth, Jackson Lake and the Tetons are (IMHO) the prettiest scene in the lower 48. Colter Bay has a limited number of transient slips, but (like Yellowstone) there are some interesting places to anchor.

From there, south to Flaming Gorge - it reminds me a lot of Lake Powell, on a smaller basis and with more greenery.

Enjoy the trip planning.

 

[knotflying]

Yellowstone was one of our favorite stops while on our way to the PNW. They will inspect your boat for evasive sea life before you launch so make sure everything looks clean before you get there so you have no issues.

 

[hames57]

The North Idaho Lakes ponderay...I can never spell the correctly and courd elane...another I can't spell correctly are absolutely beautiful and should be added to your lake bucket list. But, Yellowstone and Powell are the classic representative giant lakes, one desert and one lush mountain scenery. Lake Powell can never be totally explored in a life time as it changes dramatically from summer to fall to winter and to spring. Yellowstone is a 4 month lake, Powell is year around. The north idaho lakes are more like 6 or 7 month lakes. Of course, Lake Havasu is a fun place to plunk for a few days anytime of year except high summer because of the extreme heat. But, October through May it is a fun float.

We are trying to tick off bodies of water with Poopsy one by one as we have time left. Some RV folks tick of states seen, we tick of bodies of water that have floated our boat.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

We’ve not been to Yellowstone Lake but we would second The Flaming Gorge in Northeast Utah, based on our experience there a few years ago.

Jim

 

[Rodeo]

We kept our R25, "Two If By Sea" at Bridge Bay Marina in YNP for two seasons before selling her to our best friends in Maine. Yellowstone Lake is amazing as is the marina, one of the best I have ever stayed in. There are several anchorages scattered around the lake, you have to obtain a back country camping permit at the ranger station at the marina. You will be required to watch a half hour video about bear safety before you get your permit and are able to reserve a spot. As has been mentioned before you will have to pass a fairly rigorous invasive species inspection. It is a very special place with jaw dropping scenery.

 

[Contento]

Rodeo, would you be so kind as to expound a bit on your statement "be prepared for a fairly extensive invasive species inspection" upon entering YNP Lake? In short, do they want a pressure washed bilge, pressure washed exterior hull bottom with no ocean critters like barnacles, ????? Thanks for your assist. We. plan on visiting that area next late spring on our way to the PNW.

 

[tugnnaweigh]

The quagga issue is taken and administered very seriously in the western states we transverse and of course each bureaucracy has its own hoops you must successfully jump through. On the brighter side there’s areas you can move about within easily, that from already infected waters to already infected waters, just always be sure your bilge plug is out while going down the highway, I kid you not!

On our Thanksgiving vacation we traditionally go from Lake Havasu to Lake Mohave, to Lake Mead at Temple Bar Marina, to Willow Beach which is the Colorado River below Hoover Dam to Las Vegas Marina which is Lake Mead again (this all an infected area) and is where the nearest Quagga cleaning station is located for us to get cleaned to be allowed through the border back into California.

The cleaning guys are great and do a very very through job, they connect to the closed water cooling system, they flood the anchor rode compartment, they flood the bilge, they pressure wash everywhere, this with at least 140 degree water and they quantify that by making sure the outflow is at least 140 degrees, there’s steam flying everywhere! There’s no cost but I tipped them due to the size of the boat and their gymnastics getting it done and wrote Great Job on the multi copy receipt they have you sign and provide a copy of; also they put a wire and seal on the boat/trailer to show the boat’s not been off the trailer since the washing.

As I was convinced I was in full compliance I figured the border would be a breeze but the guy looked at the recept like I forged it, the wire like I faked it somehow and then there was at least three guys at the stern looking up at the boat with a generally doubtful attitude. After a group hug among themselves they let us go on our way but the risk was a 30 day impound at the border likely with daily storage charges.



Then there’s the Quagga permit and sticker California, Arizona and Nevada require, each cost a bit of money of course but that’s far far less than the cost of the ticket and there’s lakes here in California that make you bring your vessel and leave it for a 30 day impound prior to entering the water!

My point here is each and every border you want to be allowed to cross, each and every body of water you want to be allowed on is their own bureaucracy with its own twists and turns which are often only revealed in person no matter what you’ve been told by telephone, pamphlet or internet.

 

[Contento]

Wow! So if I understand what you’re saying, I will need to have a professional Quagga cleaning prior to entering California. My plans were to tow Scooter from South Carolina to my summer home in North East California, Fall River Mills, then up to the North West. Maybe visit some lakes, like Lake Powell, on my way. Perhaps this was/is a bit ambitious if I need to get “cleaned” after/before entering different States and lakes. I suppose one can Goggle where the cleaning stations are located? Also general rules about crossing State Borders?

 

[tugnnaweigh]

Yes, you need to get cleaned every time you leave somewhere that’s infected; likely they’ll be cleaning stations available typically free and the cleaning protocol is pretty standard and you need each and every States quagga permit and sticker.

My point is the next bureaucracy down the road may or may not accept said cleaning or lack of sticker on the vessel even though you paid the fee online and have proof of that. I think the mantra you see on the highway billboards is “Clean, drain and dry” and “Don’t move a mussel.”

But any entity can realise you just got cleaned and the subtext of what I've gone through is them thinking something this big simply cannot be sufficiently dry if they really really mean dry.

And likely they’re right! A little pocket of moisture somewhere, the hull between it and the bumpers, the forward bilge area you see my point.

And they won't send you back to the cleaning station as you’ve already done that so their only only option is the 30 day impound, the WMD of quagga eradication.

So if things go wrong you’d have two options, leaving your boat at the checkpoint for 30 days or going back the way you came. Have I heard of this happening? No. Has it happened to me? No. Have I Googled it happening? No. Could it happen? You betcha!

And I’m thinking it’ll happen with the larger boats especially if they charge by the day by the foot for the impound.

Someday somebody several levels above the ground pounders we deal with will look at the empty impound lot and order it filled for it’s income.

 

[Contento]

Hmmmmm well, thanks for the info. As the old saying goes “forewarned is forarmed” or something like that. As I hit the road late next spring, I’ll be forewarned and will figure it out as I go. Thanks again everyone for the heads up.