Frommer's Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks by Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan

Author:Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FrommerMedia
Published: 2017-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

Where to Camp in Yellowstone

As wonderful as Yellowstone’s hotels and cabins are, nothing compares to a night under the park’s stars. If you’re remotely interested in camping, this is a phenomenal place to try it—and an excellent way to stay inside the park without maxing out your vacation budget. You have two options: staying in one of the 12 developed, drive-in campgrounds, or backpacking into the wilderness. If the latter is more up your alley, check out rules, regulations, and info about getting a permit at nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/backcountryhiking.htm or call the Backcountry Office at 307/344-2160.

GETTING A CAMPSITE Of the developed campgrounds, the park operates seven as first-come, first-serve sites; most of them are on the primitive side. Xanterra runs the other five, which can all be reserved ahead of time and have more amenities.

Camping is hugely popular in the park, and campgrounds often fill up every night in summer and early fall. Make reservations for Xanterra sites well ahead of time. If you’re gunning for a first-come, first-serve site, get up early and make a beeline for your campground of choice—many fill before 8am. Tip: Lewis Lake and Indian Creek tend to book up last, and they’re two of the park’s nicest campgrounds.

THE CAMPGROUNDS Yellowstone’s campgrounds range from enormous tent-and-RV villages with hundreds of sites to intimate, back-of-beyond outposts. The larger, more developed options have showers, laundry, flush toilets, and RV dump stations, while the more rustic ones have pit toilets and more limited spaces for RVs. Most campgrounds have picnic tables, campfire rings, and running water. For details on prices, opening dates, and specific amenities for each campground, see the chart on p. 140.

North

Mammoth The first campground you’ll hit coming in from the north entrance, Mammoth is the only year-round camping facility. Sites are clumped among the sagebrush, with a few trees for shade. A short trail connects to the Mammoth Hot Springs attractions, and rangers present seasonal programs in an amphitheater. This is a good option for larger RVs.

Tower Fall Set off a bit from Grand Loop Road in an evergreen forest, Tower Fall is a small, quiet campground at the west end of the Lamar Valley. A general store and the overlook to the Tower Fall waterfall are a stroll away.

Slough Creek Located creekside in the Lamar Valley, this 23-site, generator-free campground is a popular base for anglers and wildlife-watchers (and my favorite in the park, thanks to its out-there feel, small size, and lovely setting).

Pebble Creek The park’s most out-there option, Pebble Creek is a small, primitive campground deep in the Lamar Valley and another great spot for spotting wildlife and fishing.

Indian Creek This primitive campground just west of Sheepeater Cliff between Mammoth and Norris sits in an evergreen forest at 7,300 feet, close to the Gallatin Mountains. Its mountain views, fishing ops, and remote feel make it one of the park’s best camps.

Central

Norris This midsize campground on a hill features shady sites (a few near the Gibbon River), the Museum of the National Park Ranger, and frequent bison visits.

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