Yellowstone National Park’s foundation was in 1872 and is the country’s first national park.
Yellowstone is vast enough to maintain its complex ecology and do camping in Yellowstone in a wide range of stunning vistas, spanning over two million acres.
The hydrothermal features of Yellowstone, which include hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles, are the most prominent of these landscapes.
Yellowstone is one of the few sites on the planet with such a dense concentration of hot springs. With so much to see and do in this huge national park, Yellowstone camping is the ideal way to see it all.
Yellowstone may be intimidating, taking more than two hours merely to travel from the South Entrance to the North Entrance.
Camping In Yellowstone
1. Norris Campground
Norris Campground, in Central Yellowstone, is a national park-run campground with 100 non-electric campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Many Norris campgrounds are among lodgepole pines, where the park’s native bison have occasionally seen roaming.
Each campground has a fire ring and picnic table and food storage boxes, flushing toilets, and potable water.
Park Rangers provide evening campfire activities throughout the summer at the Norris Campground.
The seething Norris Geyser Basin is simple to reach from the campground with a marked one-mile hiking track.
The majority of Norris’ campsites are best suited for tents and small trailers, with a few exceptions that can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet in length.
Address: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190
2. Madison Campground
The Madison Campground, which a concessionaire runs and has approximately 270 non-electric campsites that can accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, is a popular overnight destination for several reasons.
The Madison River, the campground’s namesake, is a favorite among fly-fishing aficionados, with the greatest fishing conditions in the spring and fall.
Madison Campground is close to Yellowstone’s Lower, Upper, and Midway Geyser Basins for people interested in the park’s geothermal wonders.
Madison Campground is also close to Yellowstone’s West Entrance as well as West Yellowstone’s amenity-rich town, which is a fantastic spot to stock up on camping supplies.
At Madison Campground, all overnight visitors have access to clean restrooms with running water.
Address: Yellowstone National Park, 30 Madison Campground Rd, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
3. Grant Village Campground
The Grant Village Campground is one of Yellowstone’s larger campgrounds, with more than 400 campsites for tents, trailers, and RVs.
Long-term tourists rate it as the nicest campsite in Yellowstone since it is the closest to bathing facilities.
Others like Grant Village Campground because of the lodgepole pines and proximity to other park attractions.
Popular sights within a short drive of the campground include the West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake, and the various facilities of Grant Village.
The Grant Village Campground is non-electric, and each site has a picnic table and fire ring, flushing facilities, and potable water.
Address: 159 Grant Campground Rd, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
4. Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
The Mammoth Hot Springs Campground is Yellowstone’s northernmost campground, and it’s also the only one open all year.
The National Park Service operates Mammoth, which has 85 non-electric campsites that may accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground provides easy access to Mammoth Hot Springs, known for its unusual travertine terraces.
Other local attractions include the Boiling River, a hot point in the Gardner River that gives one of the few opportunities in the park to bathe near a hydrothermal feature.
Address: N Entrance Rd, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
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Guide To Camping In Yellowstone
Best Places To Visit Near Yellowstone
Old Faithful
If you come here you should see the world-famous geyser. It’s one of just six geysers in the park with reliable outbursts (Steamboat Geyser is not one of those).
As a result, Old Faithful lives up to its name, erupting every 30 to 110 minutes (consult with the visitors center for an exact time estimate), with the eruption lasting one to five minutes.
The geyser spews forth 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of water during this period.
Grand Prismatic Spring
The Grand Prismatic Spring is one of the world’s biggest hot springs, spanning around 370 feet in diameter and 121 feet in depth (higher than a 10-story building).
But it’s the rainbow seas that truly fascinate us: While the cerulean hue in the pool’s center is distinctive, the rich reds and greens, vivid yellows, and blazing oranges that surround the margins are not.
The thermophilic bacteria are responsible for the hues. The center seems blue, but it isn’t; the blue wavelengths of light are everywhere.
One of the park’s most photographed sites is this natural beauty.
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Checklist Before Camping In Yellowstone
Yellowstone is a one-of-a-kind location. It may be scorching hot, bitterly chilly, and drizzly all in the same afternoon.
The wildlife viewing is excellent… They’re not to be trifled with, either. It’s also rather far away.
While the park has a few modest shops, they do not have everything. Being self-sufficient could be beneficial.
Here is a list of items that we believe every tourist to Yellowstone should bring.
- Sun protection
- Polarized sunglasses
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Bear spray
- Fleece jacket
- Water bottle
- Phone
- Power bank
FAQ
How much does it cost to camp in Yellowstone?
Campsites could cost as little as $15 per night and per site, but that varies from camp to camp, as you can imagine.
Most campsites with greater amenities, such as flush toilets and laundry facilities nearby, charge between $20 and $31 per night.
Can we make a reservation in advance for camping in Yellowstone?
On the day of your visit, the National Park Service’s seven campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis. But for privately owned campgrounds, this could be different.
Can you camp in Yellowstone during winter?
At Mammoth Hot Springs, the Mammoth campsite is Yellowstone’s only year-round front country camping.
It is also historically noteworthy as the first “planned” campsite by the National Park Service.
Civilian Conservation Corps built the park in 1938 and served as a model for planned national park campsites around the country.
Other Yellowstone campgrounds open in May or June and close in September or October, depending on the season.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
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- https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm[↩]
- https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attractions-g60999-Activities-Yellowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html[↩]
- https://www.yellowstone.org/yellowstone-camping-faq/#:~:text=How%20much%20will%20it%20cost,%2430%20to%20%2440%20per%20night.[↩]
- https://www.yellowstone.org/yellowstone-camping-faq/#:~:text=How%20much%20will%20it%20cost,%2430%20to%20%2440%20per%20night.[↩]