Yellowstone National Park is a massive area of land spanning portions of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The park has incredible scenery, with hot springs, lakes, and mountains, as well as wildlife to see. It’s also the perfect destination for those looking for outdoor activities like hiking and fishing or who just want to enjoy the natural beauty.
You’ll find lodging throughout (and near) the park – including campgrounds, lodges, and hotels. In this post, we’ll walk you through your options to help you find one that fits your needs!
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I (The Stoke Fam) earn from qualifying purchases. Read more. We encourage you to follow all state and federal guidelines during your adventures. As status continues to change, we suggest you double-check to ensure destinations are open and have the amenities you need prior to heading out.
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Sleeping Arrangements
When visiting Yellowstone, you have a few options for where to sleep. First, we
When visiting Yellowstone, you have a few options for where to sleep. First, we recommend deciding how you want to travel and what’s important to you. For instance:
- Will you be camping in a tent? A campervan or RV? Or maybe you want to stay in a hotel or lodge. And, maybe the rustic cabins available in the park are more your style.
- What amenities do you need? Will you be bringing most of your meals or do you need a dining room? Are you okay with more rustic accommodations or do you need an indoor pool or hot tub?
Knowing this first makes it easier to narrow down the best places for you.
Planning Strategy
Once you decide on your preferred sleeping arrangements, it’s time to start planning your accommodations.
One thing we see people doing often is booking one location for the duration of their stay. While that can be convenient for settling into your room or campground, you may want to consider your itinerary first before making any lodging commitments due to the park’s vast size.
We actually think it’s a good idea to split your stay into 2-3 different lodging options to maximize your time.
For instance, if you end up staying outside the East Park Entrance and are spending your day visiting Old Faithful Geyser area, you will need to plan for approximately one and a half hours of drive time each way. That can significantly cut into your plans for exploring!
We recommend you read through this 3-day itinerary (we have additional suggestions from 1-7 days) and make a rough draft of your road trip plans using the Roadtrippers app first. (Use code: STOKEFAM for $5 off.) That way, you’ll be able to stay in the best areas for quick access to your destinations each day – whether you’re planning to visit the Grand Prismatic Spring or spend the day at West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Then, once you’ve decided where to stay in (or near) Yellowstone, you can make adjustments to your itinerary as necessary as you secure your lodging.
If you’d prefer, you can go straight to a map of where to stay in Yellowstone.
When to Book
IIn addition, keep in mind that you’ll want to book your accommodations as far ahead as possible, as it’s common for things to book up 6-12 months in advance during high season! This is especially true for popular places within the park itself. Lodging in nearby towns may not book up quite as fast, but anything that is a short drive will still book quickly.
Operating Seasons
Not all lodging within the park is open year-round. In fact, very few are open during the winter, such as Mammoth Campground and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins.
During the summer season, you’ll find plenty of options starting in late May or June, with a few opening in April. The majority of campgrounds and lodges close down by late September or October.
You can find up-to-date details and this year’s opening and closing dates on the NPS website.
Campgrounds
Yellowstone has a total of twelve campgrounds, which vary in size and amenities. Some campgrounds are primitive, and others have showers, laundry facilities, dump stations, and more. If you’re on a tight budget or plan to spend a lot of time in the park, camping is often the best option to save a little cash.
You can find the details for each campground at the National Park Service website, including operating dates, shower facilities, and fees. Of those twelve, five are reservable with Yellowstone National Park Lodges. All of these have accessible sites, flush toilets, a dump station, and allow generator use from 8 am to 8 pm. Canyon, Fishing Bridge, and Grant Village offer laundry facilities and pay showers (not currently available in 2021).
- Bridge Bay Campground – The largest campground, Bridge Bay has 432 sites and also has group sites available.
- Canyon Campground – A popular campground, this is one of the best campground options if you’re hoping to be more centrally located.
- Fishing Bridge RV Park (closed for 2021) – This is the only campground in the park with full hookups, but it is closed for 2021.
- Grant Village Campground – This campground is also one of the biggest with 430 sites and has group sites as well.
- Madison Campground – Located near the Madison River on the west side of the park, this campground is a great place to stay when you’re exploring the western side of the park.
In addition, these campgrounds are reservable through Recreation.gov:
- Mammoth Campground – This is the only year-round campground and is located near the north entrance to the park.
- Norris Campground (closed for 2021) – This campground has two spots for RV’s up to 50 feet long, flush toilets, and allows for daytime generator use.
- Pebble Creek Campground – Pebble Creek has vault toilets and does have some longer pull-through sites available for RV’s.
- Slough Creek Campground – A smaller campground with only 16 sites, this campground has vault toilets RV sites up to 30′.
Lastly, if you don’t have a reservation, you can choose to opt for a first-come, first-serve site. You can check to see if sites are full on the park’s website, but keep in mind that when you’re in Yellowstone, cell phone signal is limited. You’ll get the best coverage near places like Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, and Grand Village.
- Indian Creek Campground – Indian Creek Campground is located between Mammoth Springs and Norris Geyser Basin on Grand Loop Road, has vault toilets, and can accommodate a select number of RV’s up to 35 feet.
- Lewis Lake Campground – The largest campground that doesn’t take reservations, Lewis Lake has 84 sites, vault toilets, and can accommodate RV’s 25 feet or less.
- Pebble Creek Campground – Some of the sites at Pebble Creek are reserved for first-come, first-served guests.
- Tower Fall Campground (closed for 2021) – Tower Fall Campground has vault toilets and has sites for RV’s 30′ or less, however, it does have a hairpin curve in the loop that you’ll have to be able to navigate.
We were able to book our campsites in September 2-3 weeks out (I would not recommend waiting this long 😅 ). We spent one night at Grant Village Campground and two nights at Canyon Village Campground.
The remainder of the campgrounds are first come first serve. You can find details on the current status on the NPS Campgrounds page. You’ll find what times they filled today and yesterday to help you anticipate availability.
It is also important to note that boondocking and dispersed camping are not allowed in Yellowstone. Unfortunately, you cannot just pull off and sleep in your car or camper on the side of the road. That means, if you choose to go with first-come, first-serve campsite options, your closest available lodging could be a long drive away.
Note: There are currently guidelines in place regarding the pandemic. Changes are happening frequently and closures may happen. We strongly encourage you to confirm details when booking your lodging. You can read more details on current policies, closures, and restrictions here.
Grant Village
The campsite we ended up with at Grant Village was a pull-through site, which made it super easy to pull in after dark. This was a great place to camp on the way up from Jackson Hole and Grand Teton as it is located near the southern entrance of the park.
Canyon Village
Our site at Canyon Village Campground was back in. It wasn’t as easy as the pull-through site at Grant Village, but it definitely offered us more privacy behind the van. John had a much easier time pulling in than I did. 🤷🏻♀️
Both areas had shower and laundry facilities, a dump station, and convenience facilities. The Grant Village showers were larger and newer inside. John and the boys said they did not notice a difference at either one. However, I had much hotter water in the women’s showers at Canyon Village for whatever reason.
Lodging Inside Yellowstone National Park
Within Yellowstone, you have several options for park lodging in the summer months if camping isn’t your jam. Though, it’s good to remember that lodging in the park is typically a bit more sparse than you may be used to. Even the lodges and cabins are without televisions, radios, and air conditioning.
There are nine lodges that offer hotel rooms or cabins within the park boundaries that generally open in the late spring and stay open through the fall.
These are:
- Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabin – If you’re arriving through the northern entrance or if you’re planning to spend the day exploring the town of Gardiner and the Roosevelt Arch, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabin is the perfect place to stay.
- Canyon Lodge & Cabins – If you’re looking for a lodge in a central location, this is one of your best options!
- Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins – Located in the Old Faithful Area, this is one of the few Yellowstone Lodges that remains open during the winter months as well.
- Old Faithful Inn – This iconic national historic landmark is a must-see, whether you choose to stay here or not. The high ceilings of this lodge make it the ideal home base for seeing Old Faithful erupt since it’s only a short walk from the geyser.
- Lake Lodge Cabins – If you want a unique experience with views of Yellowstone Lake from a rocking chair on the porch, this is an excellent choice for you! Guest rooms are cabins that have one to two double beds.
- Old Faithful Lodge Cabins – This lodge is another great option if you’re looking for easy access to Old Faithful and the Old Faithful Visitor Center.
- Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cottages – Located at Lake Yellowstone, this is a perfect spot for exploring West Thumb and Yellowstone Lake.
- Roosevelt Lodge & Cabins – This lodge makes the ideal place for exploring the east side of the park and highlights such as Lamar Valley.
- Grant Village – Located near the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village has several buildings with deluxe lodge rooms that feature two double beds, making them a good value for families.
However, if you’re traveling in the winter, you’ll only have two to choose from: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Old Faithful Snow Lodge. All of these are booked through the Yellowstone National Park Lodges website.
Because of the pandemic, there are ongoing changes, that may include reduced amenities, limited availability and/or day use only. Please double-check here for the most current updates.
Hotels & Lodging Nearby
Though lodging inside the park is often the most convenient, it is also generally more expensive and books up quickly. As a result, you may find yourself looking for alternative accommodations nearby. If you’re looking for options with more amenities than camping or rustic cabins, you may find these to be a great option.
For the best hotels that are conveniently located, we would consider the following to be excellent accommodation options:
- Less than a mile from the West Entrance in the town of West Yellowstone, the Kelly Inn West Yellowstone is in an excellent location with great reviews.
- For lodging in the town of Gardiner, near the North Entrance, the Yellowstone Gateway Inn would be a great choice. This hotel is only about 10 minutes from the park.
- Near the East Entrance, the Bill Cody Ranch is a unique stay highly rated by travelers approximately 30 minutes from the park.
Options are somewhat limited near the South Entrance, as Grand Teton National Park is so close. However, though technically in Grand Teton National Park, a popular option is the Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch and is only about 40 minutes from the South Entrance of Yellowstone.
That said, because the park is so large, I would do my best to stay in the park or near the West or North Entrance if you must. You don’t realize how large Yellowstone National Park really is until you’re there. If you’re planning to spend more than one day in the park, it’s not likely that you’ll want to drive thirty minutes to an hour every day just to get to and from your hotel. Especially considering that early morning and late evening are the best times for wildlife viewing!
Now that you’ve got a good idea of where you might want to stay, use the search bar below to help find your lodging.
Booking.comMap of Lodging Options
Sometimes it’s helpful to see the layout on a map as you plan your trip. I mapped out several of these suggestions so you can see them in relation to several of the main attractions in the park.
Here’s a preview, but if you’d like to zoom in and see all the details, just click on the map.
Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park has plenty of places to stay, whether you’re more of a camping person or a hotel person. Ultimately, when choosing your lodging, we suggest picking the option that will give you as much time as possible to do the things you love – whether that’s taking a scenic drive, hiking in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, or photographing bighorn sheep.
Ready to Plan All the Details of Your Trip?
Grab a copy of our printable Yellowstone National Park Trip Guide & Itinerary and take the stress out of planning – you’ll even get links to our personal Roadtrippers maps, packing lists, and itineraries already done for you!
Just download your maps ahead of time, print (or download) the guide, and off you go!
The Yellowstone National Park Trip Guide & Planner is a round-up of some of our most popular Yellowstone posts (plus a bunch of sweet bonuses)! It Includes:
- 50+ Page Printable Trip Planning Guide. You can also download it to your iPad and use with an app like Goodnotes!
- 2021 updates & info
- Quick tips, FAQ’s and things to know before you go
- Must-see attractions & activities
- Suggestions & tips for where to stay
- Tips on activities, attractions, and lodging
- Detailed 3-Day Itinerary and suggestions for alternate trip lengths
- A link to the Full 3-Day Roadtrippers map with all points mapped for the entire trip
- DetaDetails & Confirmation Page to track your reservation information
- Plenty of pages for brainstorming & notes
- BONUS: Customizable Yellowstone Packing List
- BONUS: Kid Activities: Yellowstone Trip Journal & Road Trip Bingo
Additional Resources for Planning Your Yellowstone Trip
Because planning a trip to Yellowstone is so much more than simply where you’ll stay, I’ve put together a few additional guides to help you make the most of your Yellowstone vacation.
- Getting Started: Planning a Trip to Yellowstone
- Tips for Visiting: Don’t Visit Yellowstone Without Knowing These Things
- Itinerary Suggestions: Yellowstone 3-day Itinerary (Plus Suggestions from 1-7 Days)
- Things to Do: 10 Activities You Shouldn’t Miss in Yellowstone National Park
- What to Pack: Yellowstone Packing List: What You Need (and What You Don’t)
- Best Small RV’s for Families (Under 5,000 lbs)
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