Most RV travelers’ bucket lists contain the big national parks, especially the legendary Yellowstone National Park. But where is the best place to stay? During the prime months of spring and summer, getting sites in this area is a challenge, so plan well ahead and do your research. Things are very far apart in the West, and not all parks have full hookups or dump stations!
Here we cover the most popular RV parks near Yellowstone’s 5 entrances. Before choosing one entrance over another, be sure to know your size of RV/trailer, and pick a route you are comfortable with based on your towing experience, confidence, and the size of your rig. Bigger rigs should be especially aware of the East and North East entrances as they will have steep grades and hairpin turns that aren’t suitable for large RVs or those uncomfortable with towing even smaller setups.
RV Camping Inside Yellowstone National Park
There are five campgrounds of note within the park, and they are all booked through Yellowstone National Park Lodges online. They are Fishing Bridge, Canyon, Grant Village, Madison, and Bridge Bay.
Fishing Bridge RV Park has a new dump station and more showers, laundry, and larger sites for 2022, including 172 renovated and paved sites, upgraded electric, and some pull-throughs. This is the only inside park site that has hook-ups, and no tents or soft-sided campers are allowed due to bear activity. Fishing Bridge and Canyon are really the only campgrounds
Bridge Bay Campground has RV and tent sites, but is un-level and doesn’t have hookups. Bridge Bay does have a dump station with potable water, weather-dependent.
Canyon Campground, near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River is also dry camping (no hookups) but has RV and tent sites, pay showers, and a weather-dependent dump station.
Grant Village Campground is a larger campground with over 400 sites, also without hookups.
Madison Campground, named for its proximity to the Madison River, has 270 sites without hookups and 3 group sites.
There are other camping spots throughout the park, but they mostly do not support RVs. If you arrive without a reservation, the chances of finding a campsite in the park are slim to none. Yellowstone National Park Lodges takes reservations for these five campgrounds.
Yellowstone National Park Adjacent RV Campgrounds
Depending on your entrance choice, you will have a few options to stay. Overall, the closer to the park you are, the higher the prices, the smaller the sites, and the fewer amenities you will get. But, the park fills up fast so saving time in the morning to get ahead of the crowd may be worth the investment.
RV Parks Near Yellowstone’s North Entrance
Close to Gardiner, Montana, the North entrance is the only year-round entrance and is close to the hot springs. This entrance is off Highway 89.
Yellowstone RV Park is located just one mile north of the North Entrance, right off Highway 89 in Gardiner. Open from late April to late October, this park is convenient to the entrance to beat the crowds. It has 46 RV sites, access to the river, and a lot of wildlife viewing opportunities. More expensive than some options, but reviewers say the proximity to the park is worth the expense. Park amenities include full hookups, some pull-throughs, dog friendly, showers, wifi, and laundry.
Yellowstone Destinations is north of Gardiner, still on Highway 89. This RV park has 53 sites, with just electricity, no dump station or sewer. Reviewers mention the lack of shade, but it is still convenient to the park.
RV Parks Near Yellowstone’s North East Entrance
Coming in from the North East, off 212, brings you to some of the most dramatic views and wildlife areas of the park. This entrance is VERY treacherous for RVs and larger rigs, and therefore there aren’t as many RV-friendly spots close to the entrance. Some folks prefer to stay further out and take day trips just to enjoy the journey into the park, which has some spectacular scenery.
Perry’s RV Park is near Red Lodge, Montana has 45 spots, and reviewers on CampgroundReviews.com recommend the upper spots for larger rigs. Wifi doesn’t work as well in the lower sections and the spots are tighter, but there are more trees and the spots are closer to the bubbling creek, making for a nice ambiance and a place to walk your dog. As this is a little farther from the national park it is slightly less expensive, in the $50 range. The town of Red Lodge is very quaint with restaurants and stores which makes this a nice basecamp location.
RV Parks Near Yellowstone’s East Entrance
The Eastern Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is accessed via Cody, Wyoming, the closest town, and brings you to Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, and other geothermal water features and geysers.
Yellowstone Valley Inn & RV Park is one of the most popular Yellowstone-adjacent camping options according to Campgroundreviews.com. 57 sites with full hookups give a home camp to explore the area, including the “stunning” drive from Cody to the East entrance of the park. Outdoor pool, indoor hot tub.
Buffalo Bluff RV Park is in Cody, and this newer RV park has 43 sites that are pull-through and have full hookups. As a new park, it is called “spartan” by reviewers, no trees, grass, or other amenities, but it is reasonably priced for the area, at around $50 a night.
Mountain View Resort is a small RV park next to a motel/cabins with 10 spots. Reviewers mention “friendly staff” and an “outstanding breakfast” served next door. 25 miles from Yellowstone, between Cody and the park. Some full hookups with shared water, no bathrooms.
RV Parks Near Yellowstone’s South Entrance
The South entrance allows you to visit two national parks in one day, as proximity allows you to visit Grand Teton National Park, as well. The closest town is Jackson, Wyoming.
Virginian RV Park is located in the town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This small park has 103 spots, some with hookups. The location is the good and bad with this park. While you can easily walk to many things in town, it is also a smaller site park and has road noise and traffic. Proximity and lack of camping options make this an expensive place to camp (upwards of $100) but there aren’t many options in this area, and Jackson is a high-end tourist town. So if you want to see the sights, this may be a great option for the location.
In Wilson, WY, The Fireside RV Resort has 60 spots, a few with full hookups, but on CampgroundReviews.com there seems to be a theme where they switch you to “no water or sewer” after you make a full hookup reservation. The spots are tight but can accommodate bigger rigs than the parks can. Reviewers mention not to be fooled by “resort” or “resort fees” as there aren’t any resort amenities. This is in a town adjacent to Jackson, and the location seems to be the best feature of this park.
Just south of the town of Jackson, Snake River Cabins & RV Village is a park with 93 spots and cabins. There are more amenities at this park, including a dog park and convenience store, showers and laundry as well as full hookups, wifi, and cable. Like most parks in this area, reviewers complain about tight spaces and lack of amenities for the price, but this park is 15 minutes south of Jackson and close to Yellowstone and Grand Teton so sites are at a premium.
RV Parks Near Yellowstone’s West Entrance
The west entrance, off Highway 20, is the park’s busiest entrance and also closest to the famous geysers. There are many more RV park options on the west side.
Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone is only 4 blocks from the West Yellowstone Park entrance and has 220 sites, most with full hook-ups and 50 amp service, including spots for RVs up to 45 feet in length. Wifi, pet-friendly, cable tv, paved, and lots of amenities including convenience store, laundry, and playground. Walking distance to restaurants and shopping, but over $90 per night.
Buffalo Crossing is also in West Yellowstone and literally backs up to the park fence. You can’t get much closer to the park without being INSIDE the park. It’s a perfect place for walking to the town of West Yellowstone’s shopping and restaurants without using a car. It’s also next door to a visitor center, and the Grizzly and Wolf Experience. There is minimal grass and no playground or resort amenities, but the park gives you a $20 credit for the gift shop and has clean, hot showers. $78-85/night for back in or pull through.
Pony Express Motel & RV Park is also adjacent to the park, in West Yellowstone. This small park has 16 spots, is big rig friendly, and has wifi and cable along with full hookups. Laundry and showers on-site and pets are allowed.
Fox Den RV Park & Campground has 47 sites a little farther from the park fence, but still very close in West Yellowstone. This park has tent sites, back-ins, and full hookups, and reviewers mention “fast wifi and good cell reception” along with “shade trees” which can be a pro or a con, as some folks had a hard time backing larger rigs around trees. Walking distance to town, and overflow lot for tow vehicles if needed.
The West Yellowstone KOA is a large park with 280 sites, just outside of town. This campground has the general KOA feel, full hook-ups with more amenities for kids such as mini-golf, playground, and pool. Many reviews on Campendium mention the amenities aren’t worth the high season price, but proximity to the park during peak summer months makes it worthwhile. Reviews also mention that the wifi gets bad during the evenings when most people are online.
Not to be confused with the previous KOA, Yellowstone Park-Mountainside KOA, which is just slightly farther west, has 120 sites, with full hookups. Reviews on Campendium are mixed, saying there is a pretty river, but the sites are very unlevel with sewer uphill from campers and that the park is overpriced for the few amenities.
Not an RV Park, but a U.S. Forest Service campground, Baker’s Hole Campground just north of West Yellowstone town on 191, has 73 sites, mostly back in, some with electricity for a VERY reasonable $18-$20 a night with pass. There is no dump station, but some reviewers say you can dump at Madison Campground inside the park, or at RV parks in town (pay). Many reviewers on Campendium.com say that the park is “clean and beautiful” and right next to the river, but “can be loud from road noise.” Might be a good tradeoff to save quite a bit of money if you can win a spot at this first-come-first-served campground!
Heading north out of the western entrance, you can also snag a spot at Madison Arm Resort, which is on the shores of Hegben Lake. With 91 sites, this campground has a small store, and many trees, and reviews say that it is clean and friendly with decent wifi. Down a 5.5-mile rutted dirt road, campers say that “it was worth the drive to get peace and quiet” but they “could still work remotely.” Still close to the park, but not on a busy road/or in town might be a great mix for your family!
No matter which entrance to Yellowstone National Park you chose, there are RV park options. Plan ahead, and be ready to trade amenities for proximity as most of the close parks do not have fancy resort amenities. Price is also dependent on proximity, but the park gets very busy, so spending the money to stay closer may allow you to beat the crowds and get more out of your visit to one of the National Park System’s crown jewel parks.
Looking for more National Park guides for RVers? Check out our RVers Guide to Mesa Verde National Park.
