The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Yellowstone National Park

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! Read the full disclosure policy here

Yellowstone National Park is world-renowned for its wildlife and geothermal activity. The diverse landscape of Yellowstone makes this national park a special place. There is so much to do and see in this massive National Park. It can take over an hour to drive from one area of the park to the next so staying in Yellowstone is one of the best ways to make the most of your time in the park. Here is how to get a jump on exploring the park by camping in Yellowstone National Park.

Here is everything you need to know about front-country camping in Yellowstone National Park.

Help support this site by purchasing one of our National Park Shirts, Poster, and other gear. Every purchase includes a donation to the national parks and helps keep National Park Obsessed’s website free to use and producing more national park guides.

Looking for more help planning your next adventure? Join the National Park Obsessed Facebook Group here to connect other national park lovers, trade advice, or see inspiring photos of the National Parks?

Getting to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park has 5 park entrances.  They are accessible by making a couple of hour detour off I-15, I-90, and I-80.  The park is also a great stop for people traveling from Billings, Montana to Idaho Falls, Idaho.  Public transport is limited to the towns outside of the park.

There are 3 airports near the park.  The closest airport to the park is Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) in Cody, Wyoming.  COD is about 30 minutes from the parks eastern entrance.  The other airport is in BozIf you are going to fly, the best airport is the Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Jackson, Wyoming.  JAC is one of the most scenic airports in the world and is a 1.5-hour drive from the park’s south entrance.  If you are going to fly, spend at least 3 days to a month in Yellowstone National Park.

Estimated Drive time to Yellowstone National Park

• Bozeman, Montana – 1.5 hours
• Jackson, Wyoming – 2.5 hours
• Billings, Montana – 2.75 hours
• Salt Lake City, Utah – 4.75 hours
• Boise, Idaho – 5.75 hours
• Denver Colorado – 8.25 hours

There is currently no public transportation in the park.

More detail on planning the best way to get to Yellowstone.

Yellowstone National Park Camping

Things to Know about Yellowstone Camping

• Yellowstone National Parks had 12 campgrounds spread out across the park.

• Only Mammoth Campground is open year-round. The other 11 campgrounds close for the winter. The Opening and Closing Dates can vary from year to year. These dates are weather dependent. Check the NPS website for the latest on campground opening and closing dates.

• Reservations are available for 5 Yellowstone campgrounds – Bridge Bay, Canyon, Fishing Bridge RV Park, Grant Village, Madison

• Campground Reservations are released on May 1 of the preceding year. So the campground reservations for the 2020 season started in May 2019 and reservations for the 2021 season start on May 1, 2020. Make your reservation as early as possible.  Space can fill up fast and some campgrounds will be fully booked by May 15.

• Many Campgrounds have ADA specific sites. Lewis Lake, Tower Falls, Fishing Bridge do not have ADA specific sites. Fishing Bridge has paved sites for RV users. All campgrounds have ADA accessible toilets and many other campsites are level and may be usable by people in wheelchairs.

• Quiet Hours are from 8 pm to 8 am.  Generator use only allowed in outside of these hours. Generators are not permitted at Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Pebble Creek, Slough Creek, or Tower Fall.

• The larger the RV the less campsites are available. RV’s are limited to 40 ft or less in all campgrounds. Individual site length varies by campsite.

• Hookups are only available at Fishing Bridge Campground. Dump stations are available in Madison, Canyon Village, Bridge Bay, Fishing Bridge, Grant Village.

• Standard campsites can have up to 6 people.  You are allowed a maximum of two vehicles and two tent.

• All wood and charcoal fires are allowed in all campgrounds except Fishing Bridge RV Park unless fire danger prompts special restrictions. Please do not transport firewood. Burn it where you buy it.

• Store all food items in your car or bear box.  Please do NOT leave any food, utensils out, or any scented items.  This includes toothpaste, toothbrush, chapstick.  Pretty much put everything but what you are going to sleep in your car.  Yellowstone National Park is in bear country. Properly secure all items so no wildlife can get it.

Where to camp in Yellowstone National Park?

Yellowstone Campground Map

Campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park

• Bridge Bay Campground
• Canyon Campground
• Fishing Bridge RV Park
• Grant Village Campground
• Indian Creek Campground
• Lewis Lake Campground
• Madison Campground
• Mammoth Campground
• Norris Campground
• Pebble Creek Campground
• Slough Creek Campground
• Tower Fall Campground

Campgrounds near Yellowstone National Park

Campgrounds in John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

• Headwaters Campground

Campgrounds in Grand Tetons National Parks

• Lizard Creek Campground
• Colter Bay Campground
• Colter Bay RV Park
• Signal Mountain Campground
• Jenny Lake Campground
• Gros Ventre Campground

Learn more about Grand Teton National Park’s Campgrounds

Campgrounds near Yellowstone’s West Entrance

• Bakers Hole Campground
• Buffalo Crossing RV Park
• Fort Jax RV Park
• Hebgen Basin Campground
• Hideaway RV Park
• Lonesomehurst Campground
• Madison Arm Resort
• Pony Express RV Park
• Rainbow Point Campground
• Wagon Wheel RV Cabin Campground
• Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park
• Yellowstone Park / Mountainside KOA Journey
• Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA

Campgrounds near Yellowstone’s North Entrance

• Bear Creek Campground
• Canyon Campground
• Eagle Creek Campground
• LaDuke Spring Campground
• Rocky Mountain RV Park + Cabins
• Timber Camp Campground
• Yellowstone RV Park

Campgrounds near Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance

• Beartooth Lake Campground
• Colter Campground
• Crazy Creek Campground
• Fox Creek Campground
• Hunter Peak Campground
• Perry’s RV Park and Campground
• Red Lodge KOA Journey
• Soda Butte Campground

Campgrounds near Yellowstone’s West Entrance

• Absaroka Bay RV
• Big Game Campground
• Buffalo Bill State Park North Shore Campground
• Clearwater Campground
• Cody KOA Holiday
• Eagle Creek Campground
• Elk Fork Campground
• Green Creek Inn & RV Park
• Newton Creek Campground
• Parkway RV Campground
• Ponderosa Campground
• Rex Hale Campground
• River’s View RV Park
• Threemile Campground
• Wapiti Campground
• Wheels of Wonderment
• Yellowstone Valley Inn & RV Park

Getting a Yellowstone Campsite

Yellowstone Camping Reservations

If you are looking to make a Yellowstone campsite reservations, you NEED to plan ahead and be ready to make a reservation on May 1 the year before your trip or be REALLY flexible on campgrounds and dates.

Yellowstone campground reservations open on May 1 of the preceding year at 8:00 am Mountain Standard Time. So basically, campground reservations for:

• 2020 season reservations started on May 1, 2019
• 2021 season reservations will start in May 1, 2020
• 2022 season reservations will start in May 1, 2021

These spaces FILL UP FAST. It isn’t uncommon for campgrounds to be fully booked within 30 days of being released. If you can’t get your desired dates, keep checking back, cancellations happen or plan on trying to get a first-come-first server campsite.

Click here to make your Yellowstone Camping Reservations.

Yellowstone First-come-first-serve Camping

During the summer, getting a first-come-first-serve in Yellowstone can be a challenge. I was to Yellowstone in mid-September 2019. By some miracle, I found snagged a Norris campground site at 5:00 pm on a Saturday. When I head out at 6:00 am the next morning, there where already 10 people in line waiting for a campsite.

To get a first-come-first-serve campsite, you need to be at your desired campground early in the morning, the earlier the better. (Remember, I was there in September and that is well outside of high season).

When you arrive, get in line at the entrance kiosk and wait until the campground host can assign you an empty site. The host usually starts handing out sites around 10 am after the campground’s checkout time.

My recommendations for getting a Yellowstone first-come-first-serve site

• Be at the entrance kiosk by 5:00 am.
• Once you get a campsite, book for your entire stay (unless you want to keep getting up really early and waiting until 10:00 am to get your next site).

Camping at Yellowstone National Park

** All Campground prices are valid as of 04 December 2019.

Yellowstone Campgrounds at a Glance

Amenities Key

Yellowstone Campgrounds

North Entrance (Gardiner, MT)

Mammoth Campground

Mammoth Campground is located near Mammoth Hot Springs and provides great access to Lamar Valley. The campground is located right next to the road leading into Gardiner, MT. The campground has a few trees but there isn’t a lot of shade to be had in this campground. This campground is very popular.

Indian Creek Campground

Indian Creek Campground is located about eight miles south of Mammoth Hot Springs. The campground is set back from the road and is typically a quiet campground filled with hikers and fisherman.

West Entrance (West Yellowstone, MT)

Norris Campground

Norris Campground is located near the Norris Geyser Basin and within a short driving distance to Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The campground is hidden in a small lodgepole pine forest and has a fair amount of shade. This is a great centraly located campground.

This is the best campground for geyser gazers who are waiting for a Steamboat Greyser eruption.

Madison Campground

Madison Campground is another centrally located campground. It is 16 miles from Old Faithful and near the Norris Geyser Basin. The campground is popular for fisherman as nearby the Gibbon and Firehole rivers combine to form the Madison River.

The campground sits in a stand of lodgepole pines and the spaces are spread out and mostly shaded.

South Entrance (Grand Teton Entrance)

Grant Village Campground

Grant Village Campground is located on the southern edge of Yellowstone Lake. It is short drive from Old Faithful and the West Thumb Geyser Basin. The campground is large and has a decent amount of trees to provide shade and privacy. It is possible to see the lake from your campsite. Two showers are included in the nightly rate.

Lewis Lake Campground

Lewis Lake Campground is about eight miles from the South Entrance and is on the shore of Lewis Lake. The campground is near the Lewis Lake boat ramp. The campground is set back in the woods and most sites have shade and some privacy.

East Entrance (Cody, WY Entrance)

Bridge Bay Campground

Bay Bridge Campground is the largest campground in the park. It is an open campground with a few scattered trees near Yellowstone Lake. The campground has great lake views and Absaroka Range.

Fishing Bridge RV Park

Fishing Bridge RV Park will be undergoing renovations for most of the 2020 season. Fishing bridge WILL BE CLOSED during this time. It is expect to re-open in September 2020.

Fishing Bridge RV Park is the only full service RV campground in the park. It is located near the spot where the Yellowstone River enters Yellowstone Lake. This is a popular area for grizzly bears and they are often seen in the campground.

Only hard-sided RV’s and trailers are allowed in this campground. No tent or tent trailer camping is available here. Campfires are banned in this campground.

Canyon Campground

Canyon Campground is located near Canyon Village in a stand of lodgepole pines. The campground is well shaded and the trees provide a bit of privacy. This campground is a central campground with great access to Hayden Valley and Norris geyser basin. It is located near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

Northeast Entrance (Cooke City, MT Entrance)

Tower Falls Campground

Tower Falls Campground is located on the north side of Dunraven Pass near the Roosevelt Lodge. This campground is small but is located just outside Lamar Valley and near the Tower Fall waterfall and Mount Washburn.

Slough Creek Campground

Slough Creek Campground is located in the heart of Lamar Valley. I refer to this campground as the wolf watching central. The campground is located near a wolf den. This den has been regularly used since 1996.

This campground is located down a two mile long dirt road.

Pebble Creek Campground

Pebble Creek Campground is the most isolated campground in the park. It is near the northeastern park entrance and is tucked up against the Absaroka Mountains. The campground offer access to the famed Beartooth highway along with Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley.

Get help planning your trip to Yellowstone National Park

• National Parks of Wyoming
• National Parks of Montana
• National Parks of Idaho
• All About Yellowstone National Park
• How to Get to Yellowstone National Park
• 10 Things to Know Before Visiting Yellowstone National Park
• 11 Books to Read Before Visiting Yellowstone National Park
• One Day in Yellowstone National Park – Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Highlights Driving Tour
• The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Yellowstone National Park

Get your National Park Obsessed Gear