Travel + Leisure Camping Guide To Yellowstone National Park

Above, the South Entrance into Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since we're all stuck at home (for the most part), now is a great time to plan a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Mind you, during normal times, the reservation campgrounds in Yellowstone are generally booked solid months in advance of the summer vacation season. During two of times I took a Yellowstone camping vacation, I stayed nearby at a KOA Kampground in West Yellowstone, Montana. But if one is dead set on wanting to camp in the national park, an article by Travel + Leisure will be helpful.

Above, The Beast at the West Entrance/Yellowstone KOA in West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They begin it with:

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. 

Thanks to our current stay-at-home climate, the pleasures of camping sound more alluring than ever: pristine air, nighttime skies dotted with millions of stars, and a soothing cacophony of nature sounds. With that plus lakes, streams, active geysers, and fragrant conifer trees — all spread in a vast wilderness many miles from civilization — it’s easy to see why Yellowstone National Park is one of the world’s best places to camp. 

As of publication, however, the park is completely closed to visitors due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The National Park Service stated, “In consultation with local county health officers to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the park is closed to all visitors until further notice.” 

That includes all campgrounds. However, self-quarantining provides plenty of time to start planning your next camping trip for when the park finally reopens. 

(Need a quicker cure for cabin fever? You can tune in to the Yellowstone National Park webcams for a taste of the great outdoors while you stay safe inside.) 

Camping in Yellowstone National Park is a must-do for outdoorsy types and adventure lovers, but deciding between the 12 different campgrounds, which comprise over 2,000 campsites scattered throughout the park (not including the 300-plus backcountry campsites along the nearly 1,000 miles of trails), can be a task in itself. 

Yellowstone National Park Lodges take reservations for five of the campgrounds, but the other seven are first-come, first-served, and nightly fees vary. Services available at each campground also vary, especially depending on size. For example, some of the larger campgrounds have an amphitheater to host an evening ranger program.

With that in mind, here are our top picks for Yellowstone National Park campgrounds, so you can plan the camping trip that’s right for you.

To read more, go here.