Many will argue that it doesn't get any better than camping in a national park. In Yellowstone, your choices are great, with a dozen campgrounds and hundreds of backcountry sites for a total of over 20,000 established sites.
For the 2026 season, all campsites require advanced reservations online or by phone through either recreation.gov (877-444-6777 daily, from 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. EST) or Yellowstone National Park Lodges (307-344-7311), with the exception of Mammoth Campground which offers first-come, first-served sites from October 15 - April 1. Beginning with the 2027 season, camping and RV reservations for Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant, and Madison Campgrounds and Fishing Bridge RV Park will be handled through recreation.gov and not Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
Because of the popularity of this park, most campsites are reserved months in advance, so it is recommended that you make reservations as early as you can. If you are looking for a site in a specific campground and nothing is available, keep checking every day, because last-minute cancellations do happen.
Below is a quick description of the campgrounds. Click on the campground name for more detailed information. If you notice any discrepancies between details on the park's camping webpage and details on the actual Yellowstone lodging or recreation.gov websites, it's best to stick with the information listed in the websites where you will be making your reservations.
Campgrounds Requiring Reservations Booked Through Yellowstone National Park Lodges
Madison (Open May 1-October 18, 2026)
Set beneath National Park Mountain (7,500' / 2,286 m) and near the confluence of the Gibbon and the Firehole rivers, which then form the Madison River, this campground has some history, as the national park "creation myth" has it that America's national park movement was spawned in the early fall of 1870 during talk around a campfire near the confluence.
This is a sprawling campground set in a lodgepole forest at the intersection of the West Entrance road and the Grand Loop, one that feels like a small community with 276 campsites (117 tent only), including 3 ADA accessible sites. There are also 3 group sites with varying prices depending upon the number in your group:
For 2026
$207.85 nightly for 10-19 people
$323.32 nightly for 20-29 people
$404.15 nightly for 30-39 people
$490.76 nightly for 40-49 people
$577.37 nightly for 50-60 people
Standard campsites go for $39.18 (taxes included) per night and reservations are required. Hiker/bicyclist sites are $10 per night, exclusive of taxes and are non-reservable. RVs up to 40 feet long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites, but these sites may not be level. When you make your reservation, you will be required to enter size of your tent (in feet) or the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. (e.g. the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open.) Car/vehicle campers, including truck campers and vehicles with roof-top tents, must book an appropriate-sized RV site. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount using the promo code PASS when booking a reservation.
Fishing Bridge RV campground (Open May 8-October 18, 2026)
Once upon a time there was a large campground here at Fishing Bridge, but its setting in habitat preferred by grizzly bears made it a bit too dangerous for tent campers. While they were moved in the 1980s, the RV campground -- hard-shelled rigs only, thank you -- remained, with 310 sites where you can plug in to electricity and water and avail yourself of showers and laundry facilities and a dump station. Recreational vehicles with a combined length (RV and tow vehicle) of up to 95 feet in length can be accommodated based on the availability of the right-size site. All sites are open, with a mix of pull-through and back-in sites. Prices run $96.92-128.88 per site (taxes included) and there is NO Senior/Access discount for sites at this campground.
Bridge Bay (Open May 15-September 14, 2026)
Set across from Yellowstone Lake, this is a great location for anglers and boaters. There are 431 campsites here (including 3 ADA accessible sites), some that can handle RVs. There are also 5 group sites with varying nightly rates depending upon the number in your group:
For 2026
$207.85 nightly for 10-19 people
$323.32 nightly for 20-29 people
$404.15 nightly for 30-39 people
$490.76 nightly for 40-49 people
$577.37 nightly for 50-60 people
Campsites go for $39.18 per night (taxes included). Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Use Promo Code PASS when booking a reservation. Hiker/bicyclist sites are $10 per night, exclusive of taxes.
Note: First-come, first-served sites are available from May 15 to May 21, 2026, but may be limited.
Canyon (Open May 29-September 20, 2026)
The 272 campsites here (including 3 ADA accessible sites), some for RVs, are set in a nice lodgepole forest. Though perhaps exhibiting a crowded feel at the height of summer, you're a short walk from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Showers and laundry are available, and Canyon Lodge with its restaurants and stores are nearby. Campsites go for $46.40 per night (taxes included). Hiker/bicyclist sites are $10 per night, exclusive of taxes. RVs up to 40 feet long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites, but these sites may not be level. When you make your reservation, you will be required to enter size of your tent (in feet) or the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. (e.g. the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open.) Car/vehicle campers, including truck campers and vehicles with roof-top tents, must book an appropriate-sized RV site. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Use Promo Code PASS when booking a reservation.
Note: First-come, first-served sites are available from May 29 to June 4, 2026, but may be limited.
Grant Village (Open June 26-September 27, 2026)
This is where the campsites removed from Fishing Bridge showed up. This location, with its 429 sites (including 3 ADA accessible sites), is slightly better than Bridge Bay if you like boating, as it's on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. Along with the campground, you'll find a restaurant, grocery, visitor center, post office, gas station, showers, and laundry here. There are 8 group sites with varying prices depending upon the number in your group:
For 2026
$207.85 nightly for 10-19 people
$323.32 nightly for 20-29 people
$404.15 nightly for 30-39 people
$490.76 nightly for 40-49 people
$577.37 nightly for 50-60 people
Standard campsites go for $46.40 per night (including taxes). Hiker/bicyclist sites are $10 per night, exclusive of taxes. RVs up to 40 feet long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites, but these sites may not be level. When you make your reservation, you will be required to enter size of your tent (in feet) or the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. (e.g. the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open.) Car/vehicle campers, including truck campers and vehicles with roof-top tents, must book an appropriate-sized RV site. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Use Promo Code PASS when booking a reservation.
Note: First-come, first-served sites are available from June 26 to July 2, 2026, but may be limited.
Campgrounds Requiring Reservations Booked Through recreation.gov
Mammoth (Open year-round)
Offering 85 campsites (including 5 ADA accessible sites), is the only campground open year-round. Reservations are required through recreation.gov April 17-October 15, 2026. Sites are first-come, first-served outside before and after these dates.
Mammoth Campground is five miles south of the park’s North Entrance. Benefits of being here are the restaurants and stores at Mammoth. Most sites are pull-through but some are tent-only. Maximum RV length for the majority of sites is 40 feet, although a few sites will accommodate lengths up to 75 feet. During the winter, RV length is limited to 30 feet. The nightly fee for a standard site is $25 and Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount.
Due to Norris’ remote location, the park does not have the staffing required to effectively respond to emergency incidents (law enforcement, emergency medical services etc.) and facility maintenance and repairs. Therefore, it remains indefinitely closed and has been removed from Yellowstone's website and publications.
Tower Fall (Open May 22-September 27, 2026)
This campground has only 31 sites (one ADA accessible, according to recreation.gov), but it is close to Roosevelt Lodge with its restaurant and service station. There's a camp store across the road from the campground. It has some sites that can handle RVs up to 30 feet. The nightly fee for a standard site is $20 and Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Reservations are required through recreation.gov.
Slough Creek (Open June 15-October 12, 2026)
This is the park's smallest campground, with just 16 sites (including one ADA accessible site# 12), but its location near wolf territories in the northeast corner of the park makes it much in demand. Fourteen sites can handle RVs up to 30 feet. The nightly fee is $20 and reservations are required through recreation.gov. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are seasonally available.
Pebble Creek Campground was significantly impacted by the 2022 floods and will remain CLOSED until further notice for flood recovery work.
Indian Creek (Open June 12-September 13, 2026)
A moderately sized campground with 73 sites, including two ADA accessible sites (#8 & #58), Indian Creek Campground is located a bit south of Mammoth and across from Sheepeater Cliff. It has vault toilets. Thirty-five sites can handle RVs up to 30 feet long, and 10 sites can handle RVs up to 35 feet long. The nightly fee is $20 and reservations are required through recreation.gov. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount.
Lewis Lake (Open June 15-October 11, 2026)
Located on the southern shores of its namesake lake, not far from the park's South Entrance, there are 85 sites here, including one ADA accessible site (#30). Some sites can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet. There's also a boat launch, but no camp store. The nightly fee is $20 and reservations are required through recreation.gov. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are available seasonally.
Backcountry Camping
Yellowstone maintains 293 designated backcountry campsites, and a Backcountry Use Permit through recreation.gov is required year-round for all overnight stays. Each designated campsite has a maximum limit for the number of people and stock allowed per night.
The maximum stay per campsite varies from 1 to 3 nights per trip. Campfires are permitted only in established fire pits. Wood fires are not allowed in some backcountry campsites. A food storage pole is provided at most designated campsites so that food and attractants may be secured from bears.
For details on arranging a backcountry trip, reserving campsites, and obtaining the requisite permits, visit the park's backcountry page.
- By Kurt Repanshek - April 25th, 2026 6:25am
