Yellowstone, America’s first national park, is also one of its most popular. Nearly 4 million visitors a year make the pilgrimage to this legendary park to see its unique geology and geysers, stunning waterfalls, and amazing array of wildlife. With bison, black bears, grizzlies, wolves, and hundreds of other species, Yellowstone has the highest population of wildlife in the lower 48.
With so much to see at Yellowstone National Park, you’ll want to stay awhile. Fortunately, the park has a lot of options for campers. Our Yellowstone Camping Guide will help you choose a campsite for a trip to remember.
How to Get There
Most of Yellowstone National Park is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho. There are five main entrances to the park but they’re not near one another so be sure to pick the entrance that provides the best route to your campsite.
If you’re backcountry camping and plan to fly, there are several airports to choose from. The most convenient are Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming and Bozeman Yellowstone National Airport in Montana. A smaller airport, Yellowstone Airport, is located just 2 miles from the park.
Where to Camp
Yellowstone is a park that caters to campers: It has more than 2,000 campsites spread across 12 campgrounds plus nearly 300 backcountry sites. Although there are some walk-up sites (meaning you don’t need a reservation), given the extreme popularity of the park, it’s best to reserve a campsite in advance.
It’s also worth nothing that although most of the following campgrounds allow RVs, most campsites can only accommodate a vehicle (or vehicle and trailer) that are 40 feet long or less.
Bridge Bay Campground
Bridge Bay is one of the park’s largest campgrounds and offers scenic views of Yellowstone Lake and the Absaroka Range.
Sites: 432 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), dump station, firewood, ice, camp store, amphitheater, bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Yellowstone Lake
Closest park entrance: East Entrance
Canyon Campground
This large campground is set amid a forest of lodgepole pines and is near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.
Sites: 273 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), dump station, firewood, ice, amphitheater, bear-safe food storage lockers, laundry, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, hiking trails to Cascade Lake, Mount Washburn, and Canyon Rim
Closest park entrance: North Entrance
Fishing Bridge RV Park
This campground near the Yellowstone River is for RVs only, and for good reason: grizzly bears are known to frequent the area. That said, it’s also the only campground in Yellowstone that has electrical, water, and sewer hook-ups. (Note: Fishing Bridge RV Park is closed in 2021 for extensive renovations but is accepting reservations for the 2022 season.)
Sites: 310 for RVs only
Electrical hook-ups: Yes
Amenities: Water hook-ups, flush toilets, showers (in 2022), ice, camp store, dump station, amphitheater, laundry, trash/recycling collection, no fires allowed
Nearby points of interest: Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Lake
Closest park entrance: East Entrance
Grant Village Campground
Located at the southern end of Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village is another one of the park’s larger campgrounds and is conveniently located near Grant Village where you’ll find a gas station, stores, a restaurant, and lake access via a boat ramp.
Sites: 430 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), dump station, firewood, ice, camp store, amphitheater, laundry, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Yellowstone Lake
Closest park entrance: East Entrance
Indian Creek Campground
With just 70 sites, this small campground is perfect for campers who prefer a quieter setting. It’s also first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early to snag a site.
Sites: 70 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, vault toilets (no showers), bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Mammoth Hot Springs, Electric Peak
Closest park entrance: North Entrance
Lewis Lake Campground
Lewis Lake is another small, somewhat primitive campground for those looking for a break from the national park crowds. Lewis Lake is just a short walk from the campground and has a boat ramp for motor boats, kayaks, and canoes.
Sites: 85 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, vault toilets (no showers), bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Lewis Lake
Closest park entrance: South Entrance
Madison Campground
Madison Campground is a wooded campground known for its close proximity to Old Faithful and its fishing opportunities. In the summer months, bison are often seen in the nearby meadows.
Sites: 278 (62 sites are tent only); closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), dump station, firewood, ice, amphitheater, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Old Faithful
Closest park entrance: West Entrance
Mammoth Campground
Mammoth Campground has the distinction of being the only campground in the national park that’s open year-round and one that’s great for wildlife viewing. (During the summer season, it’s reservation-only.) The campground is mostly sunny and open but has some evergreens for shade.
Sites: 85
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), firewood, amphitheater, bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Mammoth Hot Springs
Closest park entrance: North Entrance
Norris Campground
Overlooking a wide meadow, Norris is a great place to see bison and other wildlife. (Expect to see them in the campground too!) It’s also just a short walk from the campground to see some of the national park’s famous geysers at Norris Geyser Basin. (Note: Norris Campground is closed in 2021 due to staffing issues.)
Sites: 112 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, flush toilets (no showers), firewood, amphitheater, bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Museum of the National Park Ranger, Norris Geyser Basin, Norris Geyser Basin Museum
Closest park entrance: North or West Entrance
Pebble Creek Campground
Pebble Creek Campground is one of the park’s smallest and most isolated campgrounds. Sixteen of its sites are reservable.
Sites: 27 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, vault toilets (no showers), bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Lamar Valley, Soda Butte Creek
Closest park entrance: Northeast Entrance
Slough Creek Campground
This campground might be the smallest in the park, but thanks to its location in the famous Lamar Valley, it’s also one of the best for wildlife watching.
Sites: 16 sites for RVs and tents
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, vault toilets (no showers), bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Slough Creek Trail
Closest park entrance: Northeast Entrance
Tower Fall Campground
Tower Fall Campground is near the incredible Tower Fall, a 132-foot waterfall that plunges into the Yellowstone River. Also just a short drive away is the historic Roosevelt Lodge, built in 1920 near a former campsite of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Sites: 31 for RVs and tents; closed in winter
Electrical hook-ups: None
Amenities: Potable water, vault toilets (no showers), camp store, amphitheater, bear-safe food storage lockers, trash/recycling collection
Nearby points of interest: Tower Fall, Roosevelt Lodge
Closest park entrance: North or Northeast Entrance
Backcountry Camping
If you prefer a wilderness camping adventure, you can camp at one of Yellowstone’s 293 backcountry campsites. Permits are required for backcountry sites and must be purchased via phone or email no earlier than 3 days beforehand.
Here are a few more things to know about backcountry camping in the national park:
- Maximum stay varies between 1 to 3 nights
- Group size at sites is between 4 to 12 depending on the site
- A bear-safe food storage box or food storage pole is provided at each site. If your site has a pole, you’ll need to provide the rope.
- All backcountry permit applicants must complete a permit application.
- Check site availability here before submitting your permit application.
Yellowstone Camping Tips
As you plan your camping adventure at Yellowstone, here are some tips to keep in mind.
- Reserve a campsite. Since sites fill up quickly and driving distances within the park are far, it really is best to have a reservation. Sites are reservable 6 months in advance so be sure to plan ahead.
- Check availability of walk-in sites. If you can’t make a reservation, you can still try for a first-come, first-served site. Most sites fill up early in the morning. The park publishes each day’s campground fill times here so you can know what to expect.
- Arrive early for walk-in sites. Campgrounds usually open at 8 a.m. so plan to be in line even earlier than that for a better chance of getting a site.
- Consider other options. If you can’t get a site inside the national park, consider camping options outside the park. Some Forest Service campgrounds to check out are Baker’s Hole Campground, Rainbow Point Campground, and Cherry Creek Campground.
