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See , National Parks , USA · May 10, 2023

An RV Travel Guide for Visiting Yellowstone National Park

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Visiting Yellowstone National Park is a bucket list experience for most RVers. Founded in 1872, Yellowstone Park was our country’s first National Park. More than 200 years later, Yellowstone still stands as an icon of American wilderness and rugged beauty.

This 2.21 million acre park is located on a geothermal hot spot and one of the most diverse landscapes in our country. Visitors can marvel at the brightly colored yellow rocks in Yellowstone Canyon, watch the Old Faithful geyser erupt, or observe wildlife in its natural habitat.

We visited Yellowstone in our first year as RVers. We were so excited about visiting this iconic park but quickly became overwhelmed by its size and all there was to see and do. Which is why we created this guide.

To help you make the most of your trip we’ve created a guide to visiting Yellowstone in an RV. It will give you the lay of the land, including where to camp, and how to get around. As well as share some of the top things to do in Yellowstone. Let’s dive in!

Quick facts about Yellowstone National Park

Ancestral Lands : Newe Sogobia (Eastern Shoshone), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), and Shoshone-Bannock tribes.

Closest towns : Gardiner, Montana, and West Yellowstone, Montana

Established : 1872

Size : 3,472 sq. miles or 2,221,766 acres

Annual Visitors : 3.1 million in 2022

Visitor Centers : There are ten in total. Below are the largest and most popular:

• Albright Visitor Center (open year-round)
• Canyon Visitor Education Center

Mammoth Hot Springs

• Old Faithful Visitor Center
• West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center

Entrance Fee (as of 2023) : $35 per vehicle per day or $80 for America the Beautiful Pass (annual parks pass)

Drive time through the park : 5 to 7 hours (with brief stops)

Getting around Yellowstone in an RV

Yellowstone National Park is massive. It’s as large as Deleware and Rhode Island combined.

We had no idea how large of a park it truly was until we arrived. With that being said, visitors should carefully plan where they are camping based on what they want to do in the park, and what is open for the season.

Yellowstone is broken up into four sections:

• North (wildlife and geothermal activity)
• East (wildlife and canyon)
• South (Yellowstone Lake)
• West (geothermal activity)

There are several “big destinations” in each of the areas. But we’ll talk more about those in a bit.

Few campgrounds are directly next to the big attractions directly. Meaning you’ll need to drive your RV from spot to spot or have a tow car for exploring.

Driving in Yellowstone can be a slow process. The entire loop in the park takes around five to seven hours to drive with infrequent stops. Road closures for repairs from June through September can cause delays in getting from point A to point B. In addition, you will likely have slowdowns from animal sightings and bison traffic jams (yes, bison traffic jams are 100% a thing).

Assume it will take longer than expected to get to your destination and don’t expect to drive the whole park in a day.

How long do I need for an RV trip to Yellowstone?

Because of its size, we do not recommend visiting Yellowstone if you only have a day or two. You can see the highlights in that short period, but you will not be able to enjoy it fully. We recommend staying at Yellowstone for at least three days if not more. However, five to seven days would be ideal especially if it’s your first time.

When to visit Yellowstone in an RV

Summer (June through September) is the best time for visiting Yellowstone in an RV.  July and August bring the warmest weather making these months the most popular time for visitors. June and September can be very cold after dark, with some snow lingering in early June. Bring layers with you if they plan to explore the park in the early mornings or evenings during these months.

If you want to camp in Yellowstone during peak summer season we highly recommend making a reservation in advance. You can make reservations up to six months in advance and these spots will go quickly. If you aren’t able to snag a reservation right away. Consider signing up for Arvie . This service will automatically search for cancelations for you and book your spot based on your desired dates and RV’s needs.

RV campgrounds in Yellowstone

There are twelve RV campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park boundaries. All of these are reservable up to six months in advance either through the National Park Lodges system or Recreation.gov. The only campground that offers first-come-first-serve camping is Mammoth Campground which is limited to vehicles under 30 feet.

The size of your RV will greatly determine where you can camp. If you have a big rig, like a class A or fifth wheel, you will need to park at one of the newer resorts in the park. These campgrounds will have more amenities but are often farther away from some of the top destinations.

A lot of RV campgrounds in Yellowstone prohibit the use of generators. This could force you to structure your trip around recharging your batteries if you don’t have an RV solar setup . Additionally, many campgrounds close down for renovations in the summer which can limit your camping options. Check the National Park website for the most up-to-date information before planning your trip.

If you aren’t able to snag a camping reservation and are relying on a first-come-first-serve camping spot at Mammoth. Get there before the sun rises to snag a spot in line. There is no guarantee you’ll get a spot, but the earlier you arrive the better your chances are.

There are alternative options if you are unable to get a reservation or you get a first come first serve spot at Mammoth. The north, east, west, and south entrances of the park have campgrounds to accommodate overflow from Yellowstone.

Most have electricity or water on site and are cheaper than the dry camping spots within the park. The negative is that you are outside of the park. Even though we were only 10 miles from the West Entrance at our campground, Rainbow Point Campground . It took us nearly an hour to reach Madison Campground (the most western campground in the park) each day.

Campendium has an extensive list of paid and free camping options outside of the park boundaries.

What to bring

You need to pay to enter Yellowstone National Park whether you are camping in the park or not. A National Parks pass will gain you entry or you can pay for the number of days you are visiting. If you plan to stay 3 days or more it’s normally more cost-effective to buy the annual pass , which is $80 at the time of this writing. You can buy your pass before your trip or if preferred you can buy it at the entrance of the park.

Since you are visiting Yellowstone in an RV, it’s a good idea to provision before arriving. This includes stocking up on groceries for your trip. The biggest town is near the park in West Yellowstone which is near the western entrance. Here you can find several restaurants, smaller grocery stores, and other shopping.

There are camp stores within the park where you can purchase basic food and pantry items if you need something. The seasonal camp stores can be found at Canyon Village, Grant Village, Fishing Bridge, and Tower Falls.

Hiking is a popular activity in Yellowstone National Park. We highly recommend having your favorite hiking gear with you. We personally never hike without a quality backpack that can carry water like this Camelback . We also love these Merino wool socks , hiking boots , and this hat from REI .

Yellowstone National Park has high bear activity and requires you to carry Bear Spray with you at all times on the trails. Don’t forget to grab yours before arriving!

The weather can change quickly in Yellowstone. No matter where you’re going, you should have a light jacket with you and a poncho in the event of rain. The nights will get cool even in peak summer months. So, bring a heavier jacket and pants to keep warm in the evenings and early mornings.

Wildlife is another huge draw of visiting Yellowstone National Park. You’ll want to have a good pair of binoculars to see the wildlife from afar. Of course, if you have a good camera you’ll want a proper long lens to capture the animals you’ll see. We saw the most insane camera setups at the park. Some were owned, but many were rented specifically for this trip.

You can rent professional camera equipment including lenses from Lensrentals. Prices are super affordable and they have a wide range of inventory to choose from.

Safety in Yellowstone

Before we begin, it’s important to emphasize that you are in the wild when visiting Yellowstone. You are responsible for your safety and well-being. Including bringing the right gear with you on hikes and staying safe outdoors.

Do not feed or touch wild animals. Always keep a safe distance from animals, geothermal areas, and cliffs. Stay on all boardwalks, sidewalks, and paths. The landscape here is delicate and the geothermal areas are extremely dangerous.

Around 50 people die visiting Yellowstone each year. Most deaths are from touching, attempting to swim, or accidentally falling into the geothermal springs.

What to do in Yellowstone

Our travel guide to visiting Yellowstone in an RV is broken up by the geographical area. We feel it’s much easier to plan your trip this way. If you are camping or staying within the park, you have the advantage of being much closer to each destination and reducing some drive time.

If you have the chance, break up your trip into different campgrounds. This means you’ll be driving less distances each day while still enjoying the diversity of the park.

West Yellowstone

The west side of Yellowstone is where most geothermal features can be found. The park itself has over 10,000 formations ranging from geysers to mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. Accounting for around half of the world’s geothermal activity.

If you only have a short time at the park, I’d recommend spending it here. After all, it’s not often you get to see geothermal features like these. The list below is going from southwest to northwest of the park.

Old Faithful

Old Faithful is by far the most popular and well-known feature in Yellowstone National Park. This geyser was named Old Faithful because its eruption pattern is super reliable. At least for now. Since 2000 Old Faithful erupts every 45 – 120 minutes, shooting water as high as 185 feet into the air. It’s not the largest geyser in the park, that title goes to Steamboat Geyser, but it’s still impressive to see.

Seeing Old Faithful erupt was the highlight of our trip. We loved it so much that we stayed for two eruptions. Old Faithful is located in the southwestern part of the park and is a huge hub. There is a hotel/lodge, restaurant, gas station, post office, visitor center, and gift shop.

That means it has a lot of people and a lot going on. Visit in the morning so you have time to hang around if you missed the eruption after you arrived. The visitor center has some useful information and a video on Yellowstone that’s worth a listen.

The National Park Service has a page for predicted eruption times for Old Faithful, so plan accordingly. You can also call Yellowstone (307) 344-7381 and push the correct extension to hear the next predicted time of eruption as well.

Upper Geyser Basin

The Upper Geyser Basin is the area that surrounds Old Faithful. Most people park their cars, watch Old Faithful erupt, then leave abruptly and call it a success. But there is a lot more to experience here.

If you have some extra time or want to take full advantage of Upper Geyser Basin take a nice walk along the Lone Star Trail. It’s 5.3 miles roundtrip and is nearly completely flat the entire trail, with over half of the trail being paved cement or wooden walkways. If you have more than a day or two this is definitely worth your time.

Biscuit and Black Basin

This will be a quick stop along our western route through Yellowstone. If you’re super short on time you can skip these, but if you’re dedicating a full day to the West side of the park definitely stop here and take in the area.

Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin was one of our favorite parts of Yellowstone. Specifically, Grand Prismatic Spring. You’ve probably seen a photo from National Geographic of a geyser bursting with colors. This is where you’ll find it.

Grand Prismatic Spring is home to a range of bacteria and thermophiles. This heat-loving algae displays a different color based on the temperature of the water coming from the spring. The colors are so vivid. As the steam rises it carries the colors with it making a rainbow in the mist. It really is something special.

There are a ton of other geothermal formations here as well. Like hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots. But Grand Prismatic is the main attraction by far. We also really enjoyed watching the geothermal water cascade into the Firehole River down below. This place gets busy. So come early or come late, but no matter when you come – you don’t want to miss it.

Lower Geyser Basin

Lower Geyser Basin was our first stop when visiting Yellowstone. After visiting Midway Geyser, Upper Geyser Basin, and Norris Geyser we realized how small the Lower Geyser Basin really is. If you’re short on time you can skip this. But we absolutely loved our walk through here. And were in awe of how beautiful the springs were.

Artist paint pots

Artist paint pots can be a quick stop on your trip. The hike to see the paint pots is only a one-mile round trip. There are stairs and a somewhat steep hill, so make sure you can make it to the top. Here you can find a great example of Liz’s favorite type of geothermal activity, mud pots.

• Norris Geyser Basin

Norris Geyser Basin is a massive geothermal area with a wide range of formations to admire. We walked around the boardwalks for nearly three hours. We loved learning about the different geysers and how this area of Yellowstone is constantly changing.

This is also where you will find Steamboat Geyser . Steamboat geyser is the largest geyser in all of Yellowstone. Since 2018 the geyser has erupted unpredictably after a 3.5-year dormancy. It has minor eruptions with water spewing as high as 6 feet and major ones which can shoot up to 300 feet high. We were there just 4 days after its first eruption in 2018 which had a lot of people talking.

East Yellowstone

The east side of Yellowstone National Park has much less geothermal activity. Although there is evidence if you look closely. This part of the park is more of the traditional forest and mountain experience you would expect from northern national parks. On the east side, you can enjoy beautiful mountains, grassy meadows, canyons, waterfalls, lakes, and rivers.

This is the second most popular area of Yellowstone. And in our opinion, it is a must-see. Even if you’re only there for a short trip. The list below is going from southeast to northeast on the east side of the park.

Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley is a passage from the southern part of the park headed toward Canyon Village. The valley is known for its abundant wildlife. If you’re looking to see Bison in their natural habitat this is a great place to stop.

Yellowstone Canyon

If you do this drive at sunrise or sunset your likelihood of seeing other animals will increase. Wolves, elk, and pronghorn deer can also be sighted here. But you are guaranteed to see a bison (or several hundred) when visiting Yellowstone.

Located in Canyon Village, this iconic canyon is aptly named for the yellow stone that can only be found in this area of the park. We’ve seen canyons all over the world now, but Yellowstone Canyon is truly amazing! The waterfall creates a permanent rainbow as the sun shines through. It turns what is already a beautiful scene into a killer one.

There are two drives you can make, the North Rim and South Rim which offer several vistas and overlooks. Stop at every overlook you can. The view changes so much from each vista point. However, if you’re tight on time, Artist Point, Lookout Point, and Inspiration Point are the highlights.

The South Rim Drive was under construction when we were there so we missed out on Uncle Tom’s Trail which we heard has pretty epic views.

There are several hikes down into the canyon to give you up-close views of the waterfalls. Yes, waterfalls are plural, as there are several. The hikes are often short but steep. If you prefer to enjoy the beautiful canyon from one of the vistas, there is no hiking or steep walks involved and plenty of overlooks for you to enjoy it from.

If you’re physically able or have the extra time, we suggest going the extra mile (or two or three) and getting to see Yellowstone Canyon from every possible view. That’s how we got that incredible photo with the waterfall. Plan to spend a decent amount of time here. It could easily take up an entire day if you really wanted it to.

Yellowstone River

If you’ve never gone on a white water rafting trip , Yellowstone River is the place to try it out. Since we were tight on time and focused on doing a majority of free activities. We opted to skip the river trip. When we visit again this will 100% be on our list. You can also relax near the Lamar River and do some fly fishing.

Mammoth Hot Springs is located on the northwest side of the park. It’s the only major geothermal area outside of the Yellowstone caldera previously discussed on the west side of the park. Mammoth hot springs geothermal formations are not only unique because of their location, but also because of how they are formed.

Unlike the geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots you’ll find in the caldera. Mammoth Hot Springs is mostly made up of terraces, specifically travertine terraces. Travertine terraces look like a geothermal set of stairs with water gently trickling down. The travertine is a brilliant white with steam gently rolling off into the air.

There is an upper terrace that you can drive through. And a lower terrace that is made up of boardwalks weaving through the hot springs. Most of the lower terrace has stairs, so if you are not physically able just do the upper terrace. Although you will only see a fraction of the geothermal features at Mammoth. Mammoth hot springs have limited parking so we suggest you come early or late.

Tower Roosevelt & Roosevelt Falls

Tower Roosevelt and Roosevelt Falls are one of the lesser-visited attractions in Yellowstone. It’s known mostly for its beautiful waterfall. But the area also has several hikes, picnic tables, and lodging. Since there is simply so much to do in Yellowstone, this is an area that is often explored if people have more than 4 or 5 days. Or are returning for a second, third, or fourth time to Yellowstone.

Lamar Valley

This wide-open prairie is located in the northeast area of the park. This is where we opted to view wildlife and saw lots of bison, elk, and pronghorn sheep. We unfortunately didn’t see any of the more elusive animals like a wolf, fox, and grizzly but we did get some pretty epic views of wildflowers, mountains, and endless green hills with buffalo sprinkled throughout.

South Yellowstone

The south side of Yellowstone National Park is home to Yellowstone Lake. This tranquil and forested area has some areas of geothermal activity. Many people skip over this area when visiting Yellowstone, but it’s a beautiful stop that should be considered depending on how much time you have.

The list below is going from southwest to southeast .

West Thumb Geyser Basin and Grant Village

If you’re driving into Yellowstone from Grand Teton National Park this is a great place to make a quick stop. Walk around the boardwalks of West Thumb Geyser Basin and enjoy the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake.

It’s one of the only areas of the park where you can enjoy a beautiful lake view in addition to geothermal formations. If you are short on time, just make a quick stop here on your way to Yellowstone Lake or as you enter the park from Grand Teton.

Yellowstone Lake

At a whopping 136 square miles of lake, Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park. You can find beautiful lake views, a quiet place to escape the hustle and bustle of the park, and fun recreational activities for the whole family.

Boats, kayaks, and canoes are permitted on this lake. We would have loved to spend a day on the gorgeous water taking in the views and seeing this park from a different perspective. Swimming is not recommended, as it stays around 41 degrees even in the summer.

If you’re lucky you might see a beaver or a moose here. Shoshone Lake (also on the south side of the park) is supposedly a great place to see Moose in the early morning.

Top things to do in Yellowstone if you are short on time

If you’re visiting Yellowstone in an RV you should dedicate the proper amount of time to see and do as much as possible. However, if you absolutely don’t have the time, then these would be our top things to do in Yellowstone.

• Grand Prismatic Springs (Midway Geyser Basin)
• Old Faithful (Upper Geyser Basin)
• Mammoth Hot Springs OR Yellowstone Canyon (your choice because both are breathtakingly beautiful and unique)
• If your main goal in coming to Yellowstone is to see animals, then do Hayden Valley early in the morning.

If you want to see animals

A lot of people come to Yellowstone to experience the wildlife that is rarely seen outside of these park boundaries. There are hundreds of bison throughout the park in addition to black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, marmots, bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn, moose, bald eagles, and fox to name a few. There are two main areas to view wildlife, although most parts of the park have some animal or another throughout.

• Lamar Valley (Northeastern Part of Yellowstone)
• Hayden Valley (Eastern Part of Yellowstone)

If we could only choose 3 geyser basins

It’s such a shame not to be able to see all of the geyser basins when visiting Yellowstone. Every single formation is unique and beautiful in its own way. This is definitely not a “see it once, don’t need to see it again” kind of thing.

If you’re short on time and simply don’t have the ability to see all the geyser basins these are our top 3.

Visiting Yellowstone National Park is sure to be a trip you’ll remember for years to come. While many revisit the park to explore it more intimately. This guide should help you plan your first RV trip to our country’s first national park.

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About Liz Brumer-Smith

One-half of the Eat See RV team. I'm the face you'll find in most videos and the main author of our blog. If I'm not vlogging or writing you can probably find me reading a good book, hanging with friends and family, relaxing near water, eating something tasty, or savoring kitty cuddles.

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May 12, 2023 at 2:12 pm

This guide is so thorough and helpful! We are going back to Yellowstone on sunday (it will be my third time) but I’ll definitely reference your post for all of the best tips!!

May 12, 2023 at 2:51 pm

So glad it was helpful for you. Hope you have the most amazing trip to Yellowstone!! I know there’s some epic hiking. Looking forward to seeing what you do.

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8 RV Tips for Yellowstone National Park

Bring your rv home where the buffalo roam, but follow these tips and tricks..

Yellowstone is great for RV camping, but RVers should avoid mountain roads, know where to dump and store food away from bears. Follow these eight tips to RV camping in Yellowstone.

1. Routes To Avoid

Driving an RV can feel like riding on the back of an enormous dinosaur when you are traveling on narrow mountainous roads. That’s why it’s important to research your route to and from Yellowstone National Park to avoid driving stressful steep grades and harrowing hairpin turns. For starters, you may want to avoid the Bighorn Mountains east of Cody, Wyo ., which is the closest town to the park’s East Entrance. Also, if you’re wanting to be cautious, you may avoid the Beartooth Highway that links Red Lodge, Montana to the park’s Northeast Entrance . There are safer, alternate roads to get you where you need to go.

However, reader Kim Gipple had this to say about driving an RV over Beartooth, “We wondered how hard it would be to navigate an RV on this road. The road was smooth and well maintained and there are guardrails where needed. Curves and pull-offs are well marked. Speed limits, including those around curves, are appropriate even for an RV.”

“Other drivers and cyclists were cautious and respectful,” Gipple says. “Overall, this was a piece of cake!” Read the full story about her 31-day national park RV adventure .

2. RV Size Really Matters

To make a Yellowstone site reservation, you need to give the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. Know the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open. Sites accommodating a maximum combined length of 40 feet or more are limited. Most campsites in Yellowstone will not accommodate oversized units. If you arrive at the campground/RV Park with equipment that differs from your reservation specs, campground staff will not be able to accommodate you.

3. Know the RV Campgrounds Inside Yellowstone

RVs are welcome at all campgrounds within Yellowstone, but the following seven are the most RV-friendly. All campgrounds require reservations, with the exception of Mammoth Campground Oct. 15-Apr. 1.

Fishing Bridge – The Upper Loop of the RV park has 172 renovated and paved sites ranging from 40-feet to 95-feet in length. The 40-foot sites are double-wide and back-in. Most of the new sites include pull-through drives, and all of the Upper Loop has upgraded 50 amp/30 amp and 110-volt electrical service and picnic tables. (All other sites/loops were not renovated. There are 30- to 35-foot double-wide, back-in sites in other loops and 30-foot single-wide back-in sites. Some  RV sites are single-wide and will not accommodate side-by-side parking of RV and a tow-vehicle. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Bridge Bay –  Bridge Bay has RV, tent and combination RV/tent sites. RVs up to 40 feet long can fit into pull-through and back-in sites. The sites may not be level, so  plan accordingly. There are no utility hookups, but an RV dump station is just outside the campground entrance near the Bridge Bay Marina and Fishing Bridge RV Park. Whether the dump station is open is dependent on weather and may not be available early summer and late fall because of freezing temperatures. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Canyon –  Canyon Campground offers RV, tent and combination RV/tent sites. There are no hookups. RVs up to 40 feet long can use pull-through and back-in sites. Sites may not be level.  There is an RV dump station in the campground. The availability of the dump station is dependent on weather and will be closed with freezing temperatures. Pay showers and coin laundry are available. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Grant Village – Grant Village has more than 400 sites that are a mix of tent, RV and combination tent/RV sites. It  can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet in certain sites. The sites may be back-in or pull through. Sites may not be level.  There are no hook-ups, but there is an RV dump station, which is open, pending whether freezing temperatures close it temporarily. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Madison – This campground accommodates RVs up to 40 feet long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites. There are more than 270 individual sites and three group sites. The campground can accommodate RVs and tents. There is a dump station. Reserve at www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodging/camping/

Mammoth – You’ll find sites that can accommodate rigs up to 30 feet in length at this campground and generator use is allowed. There are 82 sites available, some sites year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve at www.recreation.gov .

Norris – Norris Campground’s 111 sites include those that can fit an RV up to 50 feet in length. The campground has flush toilets and generator use is allowed. Reserve at www.recreation.gov .

4. Full-Service for RVs Is at Fishing Bridge

Fishing Bridge Campground is the only park campground with full hook-ups and a dump station. It underwent renovations in 2022 which include new and larger sites.  Four comfort stations were renovated  to current ADA (accessibility) standards.

It’s easily accessible from the East Entrance, a 53-mile drive from Cody, Wyo. RV sites here accommodate a tow unit and towed unit side by side. A 35-foot site will accommodate an 18-foot truck and a 35-foot unhooked trailer side by side in the site. Adjust for slide outs.

Be aware that grizzly bears frequent this area north of Yellowstone Lake. For this reason, Fishing Bridge RV Park is for hard-sided campers only. No tents or tent campers are allowed.

5. Leveling with You

Yellowstone’s RV sites at Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village and Madison campgrounds have dumping stations and are either pull-through or back-in with limited width for slide-outs and may not be level. Mammoth is the only park campground open year-round and can accommodate RVs up to 75-feet-long. There are no hook-ups or dump station.

6. Best Yellowstone Entrances to Park Your RV

The West and North Entrances give you the quickest access to iconic park attractions such as  Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful with the least amount of driving and hill climbing. You’ll be able to spend more time outdoors, enjoying Yellowstone’s incredible sights.

Both West Yellowstone, Mont ., at the park’s West Entrance, and Gardiner, Mont ., at the North Entrance, are home to a variety of full-service, privately owned RV parks .

7. Other Gateway Options

From Yellowstone’s South Entrance, you can drive two miles to Headwaters Campground , which has an RV park with hook-ups, pull-through sites and a dump station. It’s also close to Grand Teton National Park.

Near the Northeast Entrance, there is Soda Butte Campground with 20 RV spaces, 1 mile from Cooke City along US-212. This campground has no hookups.

From the East Entrance, drive 29 miles to Green Creek Inn and RV Park, which is approximately half way between Yellowstone and Cody, Wyoming . Green Creek offers pull-through and back-in sites, as well as water, electricity and sewer.

8. Keep Your Food Away From Bears

Bears have incredibly strong sense of smell , so avoid a run-in with them by storing all your food-related items from forks and trash to grills and coolers in a hard-sided vehicle or in your campground’s shared food storage box.

Pssst. Want to receive a printed insider’s guide to Yellowstone, where to stay and what to do? Order our free stunning Yellowstone Trip Planner filled with an inspiring itinerary, gorgeous photographs and everything you need to plan your dream vacation.

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5 Day Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary – The Best Way to Explore America’s 1st National Park

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One of the best ways to see America’s first national park is in an RV. Joe and I spent four days exploring Yellowstone National Park in a Class B RV with Charley the yellow lab. In this post, I share our five day Yellowstone RV trip itinerary including places to visit, where to camp and tips for planning your RV road trip.

Watch the videos below to see what it’s like to explore Yellowstone in an RV and some of the camping options inside and outside the national park.

5 Day Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary

Before we dive in, I want to mention that driving a Class B RV through Yellowstone is much easier than driving a small Class C RV or even something bigger. You will encounter narrow roads, tight parking lots and short narrow pull-outs for wildlife viewing and hiking trails.

Whether you’re taking your own RV to the park or taking a rental RV , the smaller the RV the better.

>>Use this link to Browse Yellowstone RV Rentals<<

Let’s get started planning your Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary!

Table of Contents

Day 1: Cody, WY

Cody, Wyoming is a great place to start your Yellowstone RV road trip.

Plan to spend the day at Buffalo Bill’s Center of the West where you can fuel up on chuck wagon coffee, biscuits and beans before even stepping foot inside the center. There are five museums at the center including the Cody Firearms Museum and the Draper Natural History Museum which has exhibits on all the wildlife found in Yellowstone National Park. There is designated RV parking at the center.

Tip: Cody is also a good place to stock up on bear spray before you get to Yellowstone National Park. If you have the time to buy online, it will be less expensive than at a local outfitter or inside the national park. Bears aren’t the only concern as bison and elk can also be dangerous.

Night 1 Camping Options

You can choose from a handful of RV parks in Cody, Wyoming or spend the night at Walmart like we did.

Learn more about Overnight RV Parking at Walmart

Day 2: Cody, WY to Yellowstone

Drive Beartooth Pass to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The views on highway 120, 296 and 212 are worth it especially of Granite Peak and Castle Mountain. We spotted a moose in Silver Gate, a two mile drive from the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone.

Depending on the time of year, check the road conditions for closures. There is limited to no cell coverage on parts of this drive so check before you leave. While we were in Cody, the North entrance was closed due to snow, but opened the next day.

Northeast Entrance has an oversized vehicle lane on the right for RVs and buses. Past the entrance is a sign with the status of every campground inside the park. If you do not have reservations, this is one place to check campground availability. Given the size of the park, by the time you arrive at the campground, it may be full.

Pets are allowed inside Yellowstone National Park in developed areas. You will not be able to bring your pet on any of the trails or boardwalks. Read the full pet policy on the park’s website .

Make your way to Mammoth Hot Springs via Tower Rosevelt. The earlier you start your day, the more time you’ll have to experience everything on this drive.

Barronette Peak overlook is a good spot to scan for Mountain Goats. We spotted several goats with babies on the hillside. They were difficult to see with the naked eyes, but we got to see them through a spotting scope.

Lamar Valley is a popular spot for wolf sightings. We saw a pack of wolves near Slough Creek. This area is also filled with bison and pronhorn.

Tip: There is Verizon LTE coverage in the Slough Creek area.

Trout Lake Trail is a short and easy 1.2 mile loop natural trail with beautiful views . The trailhead parking area is around 1.5 miles south of Pebble Creek Campground. Although it’s a short trail, it’s worth taking your time to enjoy the wildlife and the views. By the time we finished the trail, the sun was starting to set and we wanted to get to our dispersed camping spot before dark.

Night 2 Camping Options

There are several campgrounds between the Northeast Entrance and North Entrance of Yellowstone. Check the NPS website for availability and status. Many of the campgrounds were closed during our visit.

Tip: For the best shot at a first come, first served campsite, arrive early in the morning. You can check online for status and availability or inquire at the park entrance.

If you cannot find accommodations in Mammoth Hot Spring, Grainer has a few RV park options. We found a great dispersed camping spot on NF 3243 using Allstays .

Tip: rent or bring a good pair of binoculars with you.

• You can rent a Canon 10×42 at Yellowstone Forever in Gardiner. Rental rates start at $15 for 24 hours and the binoculars have to be returned to the same location.
• You can also rent or buy Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes through Optics Yellowstone in Gardiner by giving them a call 406-224-5277.

Day 3: Mammoth Hot Springs & Tower-Roosevelt

Start your day at the Albright Visitor Center. It’s a great place to get information from rangers and volunteers as well as drop off your recycling and fill up your water bottles.

Parking in the Mammoth Hot Springs can fill up quickly especially if you are in a large RV. Arrive early to grab a spot and plan to keep your RV parked there until you’re done exploring the area. One of the benefits of taking a small RV to Yellowstone is more parking options.

See the Mammoth Hot Springs. The well maintained boardwalk offers great viewpoints of the various springs in the area. We spotted a bull snake and an elk on our walk.

Beaver Ponds Trail is a popular 5 mile loop that starts near Liberty Cap. Give yourself 2 to 3 hours to complete the trail through the forest to Beaver Pond. Unfortunately, the park rangers closed the trail when we arrived due to grizzly bears in the area.

Drive to Tower-Roosevelt to see Undine Falls and Wraith Falls. Undine Falls is a pull over area where you can walk a few steps down to see the falls. Wraith Falls is a short and easy trail to a beautiful waterfall. On the drive to Wraith Falls we saw a coyote after the car in front of us slammed on their brakes.

Tip: cars are more dangerous than wildlife. We had many close calls with cars coming to a sudden stop in front of us or crossing over the center line. Be extra careful when you’re driving an RV through Yellowstone.

Bear jams are a real thing. We experienced several on the drive to Tower-Roosevelt. Luckily, when Joe decided to pull over to make a cup of coffee the black bear and cubs came to us. What followed was a massive jam of bear proportions. We even came across an abandoned car in the middle of the road with all the doors open because the occupants ran outside to look at bears on the hillside.

Tip: give yourself more time than you think you need. From bear jams to construction inside the park, you will likely need more time to get from point a to point b.

Petrified Tree is on the way to Tower-Roosevelt area. Since we have been to Petrified Forest National Park , we decided to skip it and head to Tower Fall Trail.

Tip: there is decent Verizon cell coverage at Tower General Store. The speed is slow, but it’s good enough to check email. If you’re wondering why I am including cell coverage throughout this post, one of the main reasons is because we run our business on the road and need to have internet access .

Night 3 Camping Options

Camp at Tower, Mammoth Hot Springs or drive back to Gardiner. Since Tower Campground and Mammoth Hot Springs were both full during our visit, we drove back out to the dispersed camping spot in Gardiner.

Day 4: Norris & Canyon Village

Drive to Norris Campground as early as you can for a first come, first served campsite. While it’s great to enjoy dispersed camping in the national forest , Joe and I both wanted to maximize our time inside the park. Of course, if you are able to book a campsite in advance, you won’t need to wake up early like we did.

There is plenty of wildlife viewing between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin. We spotted elks, cranes, swans, and goose on the drive to the campground. Many credible sources said grizzlies are in this area, but we did not see any during our visit.

See Yellowstone’s Tallest Active Geyser. Norris Geyser Basin is home to Steamboat Geyser and when it erupts, it can be four times the height of Old Faithful. Plan your time around a daily ranger talk at this geyser to learn more about it and when you an expect to see the next eruption.

Tip: there is limited RV parking at Norris with cars taking up some of the RV spots when the lot is full. Arrive early to save yourself the headache of trying to find a parking spot. Smaller RVs like vans can fit in the standard parking lot.

Explore the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone . There are several trails in the area where you can take in the views of the canyon.

• Lookout Point for a view of the waterfall.
• Grand View offers amazing views of the canyon.
• Red Rock Trail offers a better view of the waterfall.
• Brink of the Falls will get you up close and personal with the falls. If you only have time for one trail, I would recommend Brink of the Falls. It is a short and steep 3/8 mile trail out and back with an elevation change of 600 feet.

Mud Volcano is worth it. If you have the time, take the easy 2/3 mile trail to see Sour Lake, Churning Caldron, Grizzly Fumarole.

Look for Wolves in Hayden Valley. On the drive back to Canyon Village we saw a black wolf and bald eagle on the other side of Yellowstone River.

Refresh at Canyon Village. It’s day four and if you’re like us, you’re ready for a real shower (not an RV shower) with unlimited hot water. For less than $5 per person, you can get a real shower at Canyon Village and do your laundry. You can also stock up on essential items and get Verizon LTE service in this area.

Tip: If you are staying at Canyon Campground, your reservation comes with a voucher good for two showers per day.  

Night 4 Camping Options

Camp at Norris, Madison or drive outside of the park to West Yellowstone, Montana. We really enjoyed Norris Campground and would highly recommend it if you are able to reserve a site there. Joe and I joked that we paid $20 for a parking spot since we didn’t spend anytime at the campground, but it was well worth it.

Tip: you can extend your first come, first served campsite at Norris by going to the campground office. The next morning, there was a long line of people waiting for a campsite to open up. Another reminder to arrive early if you do not have a reservation.

Day 5: Grand Prismatic Spring & Old Faithful

See the Grand Prismatic Spring. This is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone with vibrant colors as a result of bacteria and algae in the water. As Joe said in the video above “seeing the array of colors and the steam rising from the spring was awe-inspiring.” Keep in mind, the colors vary depending on the time of the year.

Tip: the parking lot for Grand Prismatic Spring is quite small. There are pull outs past the parking area where you can leave your RV and take the walking path to the spring.

Finally Make Your Way to Old Faithful. The most well known geyer is worth seeing on your road trip through Yellowstone. Check the visitor center or ranger stations for estimated time of the next eruption.

Beehive is the Best Geyser in Upper Basin. While you’re waiting for the predictable Old Faithful to erupt, hang out at Beehive to see if you can catch an eruption. It’s our favorite geyser in the Upper Basin.

Tip: Verizon cell service is extremely slow in the Old Faithful area. The best cell signal we found inside Yellowstone is at Mammoth Hot Springs and Slough Creek.

Depending on what you want to do and see, you can always add more days to your Yellowstone RV Trip Itinerary. An event in Idaho cut our trip short, but we could have easily stayed for another two or three days.

Thanks for reading!

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6 thoughts on “5 day yellowstone rv trip itinerary – the best way to explore america’s 1st national park”.

Great tips. We spent 3 season working in Yellowstone and had our Roadtrek also. I would add more days as there are a couple of more geyser basins that should bee seen. Also I think visiting the visitor centers at Old Faithful and Canyon and Mammoth. Wealth of info to obtained. Also if overnighting in the park, there are several great Ranger talks to take in. It is just so huge. we worked 18 months and only scratched the surface. Enjoy what ever your time in YNP. It is truly WONDERLAND.

Thank you for sharing your Yellowstone recommendations.

Great post and great video! I was wondering what month of the year it was? That is exactly the type of landscape I am hoping for – snow on the mountains, but sunny days. Thank you!

We were there early June, good weather and not too crowded.

I have wanted to visit Yellowstone for a long time and this itinerary looks perfect – cheers for sharing!

Great tips on touring Yellowstone! Summer season has become overwhelming there so we time our visits in September. It’s still very busy but not as bad as the summer months.

There are great camping areas outside the west entrance in the Island Park areas just 25 miles into Idaho. The Henry’s Fork of the Snake river flows from its source at Big Springs and the area has abundant wildlife, elk, moose, antelope and an occasional bear or two. Lots of other off the beaten path things to do…explore the lava tubes, mine for opals or visit historical towns like Virginia City just over the border into Montana all a very short drive from Island Park and from West Yellowstone.

Keep those great travel tips coming and safe travels!

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Yellowstone RV Trip Tips: How To Plan

We loved our trip to Yellowstone National Park and wanted to share our Yellowstone RV trip tips. There is so much to plan before your trip to Yellowstone. We’ll share the best time to go, where to park, planning your itinerary and how to prepare for your trip. This park is so popular it requires a lot of advance planning. We are here to help you get your trip started off on the right foot.

When To Visit

One of the best Yellowstone RV trip tips is knowing when to go to Yellowstone. You can encounter a lot of inclement weather in Montana/Wyoming area. The summers can be miserable hot and very busy but the winters bring road closures and extremely cold temperatures. We found September to be the best month to visit the park. Nearly 4 million people visit the park each year, most of them visit between June and August. Yellowstone recommends April, May September and October. September only gets about 16% of the average of annual visits. We were there in September and it was so nice to easily find parking, crowd free hikes and viewpoints. This is certainly a Yellowstone RV trip tip to take into account when planning your trip.

Where To Park

There are 12 campgrounds inside the park but only 5 of these can be reserved. Some of these campgrounds don’t even open until mid June and close as early as mid September. The rates for these range from $15 to $47. You can also grab a spot outside the park. There are many RV parks within 10 miles of the park entrances. We chose to stay at the West Gate KOA. It was just 6 miles from the west entrance . This KOA had everything we needed and more. It was nice to be this close to the park without having to camp in the park. As I mentioned before the park is extremely popular and even though there are lots of RV parks and campgrounds, they go fast. Make your reservation as soon as you know you are going to Yellowstone. You will also find RV parking in almost all attraction lots making it easier for you to get in and out. This should be the top Yellowstone RV trip tip on our list.

Plan Your Route

One of the things we didn’t expect was all the mountain passes and difficult roads we would be traversing in Yellowstone. This is an important Yellowstone RV trip tip so you don’t get stuck in a difficult spot in your RV or camper van. You will certainly want to avoid Bighorn Mountains east of Cody, Wyoming as well as Beartooth Highway between the Northeast entrance and Red Mountain Lodge, Montana if the weather is bad. We stayed mainly in the west side of the park with the exception of our drive to Lamar Valley to see the wildlife at sunset.

Prepare For Sudden Weather Changes

The weather in Montana and Wyoming can be extreme with many changes happening during the night. Most of the park is situated at an elevation of at least 6,000 ft. The weather can be very unpredictable. It can rain, snow, be hot or cold in any month of the year. Be sure to bring layers to sleep at night too as the temps can change a lot at night. We were there in September and experienced highs in the 70’s and lows in the 30’s and it even snowed a couple nights.

Yellowstone RV Trip Tips

These are so many things to take into account when planning your trip to Yellowstone National Park. It’s important to take into account these Yellowstone RV trip tips as you make your plans. If you have a pet, you should not bring them on this trip. There are very strict pet laws in Yellowstone to protect your furry friend. Yellowstone is bear country as well as many other wild animals who should not come in contact with your pets. Be prepared to be patient. Yellowstone is crowded and traffic jams are harder to maneuver in an RV/camper van. There are so many great photo opportunities at this park, so bring your equipment. Be aware that there is minimal to no cell service in the park. This is a great time to unplug and enjoy life to the fullest.

Allie Marmion

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RV Destination Guide: Yellowstone National Park

 TripSavvy / Vince Fergus

Yellowstone National Park is the country’s oldest National Park , signed into law by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, 40 years before the National Park System was created. It continues to draw millions of visitors a year with its spectacular geothermal features, abundant wildlife, and breathtaking views. There’s no wonder that this American gem is the most visited National Park by RVers in the United States.

Let’s look at the accommodations offered by Yellowstone to RVers and tips and tricks on getting the most out of your visit to this scenic territory. 

A Brief History of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most visited sites in the world. Sitting on top of a super volcano, this National Park boasts some of the most beautiful geysers in the world. Old Faithful, one of the most active and popular geysers in the park, is a sight to see. President Ulysses S. Grant declared Yellowstone a National Park in 1872. A wide range of ecosystems exists within the park, as well as geothermal features studied worldwide. Settled by Native American tribes over 10,000 years ago, Yellowstone is one of the largest areas of land under National Park Service jurisdiction.

Read More: Learn more about Yellowstone National Park by visiting the National Park Service’s website .

 TripSavvy / Vince Fergus

Where to Stay at Yellowstone National Park

There are 12 different campsites within the Yellowstone boundaries with over 2,000 individual sites. Each site has its amenities and limitations. Make sure that your particular RV of trailer meets the size restrictions of the campsite you choose. We will highlight five of these campgrounds to give you a general feel of what camping at Yellowstone is like and some ideas for what to see at each one:

Bridge Bay Campground

Bridge Bay Campground is 30 miles from the East Entrance to Yellowstone and close to Yellowstone Lake. It is an excellent campsite for fisherman due to its proximity to the Bridge Bay Marina on Yellowstone Lake. There are dumpsites but no utility hookups. 

Canyon Campground

Canyon Campground is in the heart of Yellowstone and less than a mile away from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone; this site offers a gateway to all parts of the park nestled in a quiet forested backdrop. Canyon is also close to many park amenities such as food, gas, and a maintenance shop but does not include utility hookups. It does, however, include a dump station.

Grant Village Campground

Grant Village Campground offers quaint grounds tucked into the southwest shore of Yellowstone Lake and are only a few miles from the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Grant Village is also near several trailheads that snake around the different geothermal attractions. Grant Village is less than a mile from RV dump stations, showers, and stores, along with a dump station, but does not include utility hookups. 

Madison Campground

Madison Campground is near the Madison River, and the confluence of the Madison, Gibbon and Fire hole rivers, this site offers up fantastic fishing. Madison is located 14 miles east of the West Yellowstone entrance and 16 miles north of Old Faithful. Madison is also not far away from the Upper, Midway, and Lower Geyser Basins. No utility hookups provided but dump stations are available.

Fishing Bridge RV Park

Fishing Bridge RV Park is the only Yellowstone operated RV campsite that offers full utility hookups. Fishing Bridge is located near the mouth of the Yellowstone River and is a great site to go bird watching. RVs and travel trailers are limited to 40’ at Fishing Bridge. 

All these campsites can be booked through Xanterra Parks and Resorts. It’s best to book an RV parking spot at Yellowstone well in advance, even up to a year to ensure the best possible location for you and your family. What's stopping you from visiting one of the most popular National Parks in the world? Book today!

What to Do Once You Arrive at Yellowstone National Park

Every trip to Yellowstone must include a visit to Old Faithful. Once you get that out of the way, you can explore everything else the park has to offer according to what you like to do when you travel. With nine visitor centers across the park, you’ll stumble upon the history and culture of the park wherever you go. Historical and educational tours are available, but they fill up quickly so book a time before you arrive. Horseback riding, hiking , fly fishing, kayaking, and rock climbing are available. There are front country and backcountry routes to take to get to everywhere you’d want to go.

Pro Tip: Make sure to plan your daily excursions well. Millions of people travel to the park each year, so it gets crowded. By planning your days out, you’ll get to do and see what you came there to do while others scratch their heads because they didn’t think to plan.

When to Go to Yellowstone National Park

To get the most out of your trip, it’s essential to pick the best time of year to make it. Most of the best RV sites at Yellowstone don’t open until late spring and early summer and begin to close their gates around early September. 

The busiest times of the year are the middle of June through the end of July. If you prefer the colder weather to crowds , it is best to go at the earliest and latest parts of the season. If you want perfect weather and are comfortable with a busy park, it’s best to visit end of spring, beginning of summer. Book your trip up to a year in advance to guarantee RV parking at Yellowstone National Park for your next road trip adventure.

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Planning an RV trip Yellowstone National Park

Once upon a time in a thirty-four foot Fleetwood RV I traveled to Yellowstone National Park with my boyfriend, his eleven-year-old daughter, his seventy-seven-year-old Anglo-Indian mother and our two mutt rescue dogs who hate each other. This ramshackle group of characters had a few fights and a lot of fun as we drove, hiked and cooked up some amazing Anglo-Indian cuisine in the tiny kitchen of our 1999 Fleetwood Storm. It was a one-month long summertime journey on the highways of America where we saw all the beauty that the west coast has to offer, encountered a lot of bison and had some crazy outdoor adventures to last a lifetime. Looking back at our journey to our eventual destination, Yellowstone National Park, we learned a lot of things about RV travel and Yellowstone National Park in general. We learned that RV travel takes so many more hours then car travel when everything from gassing up takes three times longer to things constantly break and always need to be repaired in a town with a population of 50. We also learned that there are so many awe-inspiring things to see just off the highways of this grand country of ours.

Yellowstone RV Trip

When traversing the wild and wonderful bison filled world of Yellowstone National Park you may be overwhelmed especially in the planning stages of your trip, and especially if you are new to RV travel like we were. Traveling across country in a brand new, yet gently used 1999 RV and driving over 3,000 miles in one summer is a big endeavor for first time RVer’s but when the final destination is a place as enchantingly gorgeous as awe-inspiring Yellowstone National Park, well the bumps in the road are well worth the journey. One thing you need to know about planning an RV trip to Yellowstone National Park; It’s never to early to start planning! Especially when RV campgrounds book out a year in advance! If you are journeying to the wildlands of Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park like we did in a 35 foot RV, you may be exceptionally overwhelmed when planning such a big endeavor and driving cross country into an unknown and moose studded wilderness. Let me offer some well-researched advice on how to have an amazing RV outdoor adventure filled vacation.

In late June of 2017, we drove 1,000 miles to Yellowstone National Park. We took the long way from our home in alpine Big Bear Lake, California to the mountains of Montana and Wyoming. We met up with friends in awe-inspiring Telluride, Colorado along the way, Dispersed camped near simply gorgeous Jacob Lake at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and swam in Lake Powell on a 110 degree summers day. We had so many outdoor adventures in our month on the road and made memories to last a lifetime in the great outdoors of America. And then, eventually, we made it to gorgeous Yellowstone National Park, our summer fun destination!

I’m going to Yellowstone! What do I need to know?

• Make your reservations at Yellowstone National Park a year in advance.
• Always account for drives to take about two hours longer then you expect it to if traveling in an RV.
• There is always road work everywhere in the summer months and this will make drives take longer.
• Driving more than 6 hours in one day in an RV is just exhausting.
• Pack a ladder and every tool you may need, and even the ones you may not need if driving an RV cross-country.
• You can never pack too much duct tape.
• Staying inside the park is recommended.
• Get out on the roads of Yellowstone National Park as early as possible, even mid-morning the traffic is terrible.
• All food and beverage located inside the park is terrible and overpriced. Bring your own.

Plan your road trip to Yellowstone with our simple but effective Road Trip Planning strategy!

Home is Where You Park It

Where to hang your hat.

Our goal for this trip was to stay inside Yellowstone National Park, but I tried booking a campsite in February for our June trip, and all the sites that would fit our needs were already booked. This is why I recommend booking your campsite a year in advance. There are not many campsites available inside the park, and these fill up quickly. That being said, we camped at Rainbow Point Campground in West Yellowstone. This campground was great, right on Hebgen Lake but staying outside the park was not ideal. It was just a pain to have to drive to the park to see all the things each day. If we were to stay again in an RV, I would book at either Bridge Bay Campground or Fishing Bridge RV Park. Both of these campsites look pretty and are centrally located in the park.

Pebble Creek Campground is located in scenic Lamar Valley where all the wildlife viewing for bison and wolves is located. This would be my first choice for campsites, but all these sites are first come, first serve. I’m not keen on the idea of driving 1,000 miles to a campground without having a reserved spot. There are two campsites near Yellowstone Lake that both take reservations and our next trip I will be looking into booking one of them for sure. Bridge Bay Campground sits just below the snow peaked Absaroka Range rising above the eastern shore of Yellowstone Lake. This is a great location, close to the lake and very convenient to all kinds of attractions, general store, etc. in YNP.

Fishing Bridge RV park was our first choice when booking our trip, but booking only eight months in advance, we could not get a site that fit our needs. This site offers full hookups that are great for RV use. It’s a good thing we choose not to book here anyway as we had friends staying with us camping in a tent and this site is only for hard-sided RVs. This site is in a densely Grizzly bear populated area, and that is why there is no tent camping here. Grizzlies are the crazies of the bear family and not to be taken lightly. There are so many fun things to do inside Yellowstone National Park and staying outside the park makes it a lot harder and more time consuming to get to all the fun!

• Fly fishing on the Yellowstone River (or learning how to. You can easily get a guide in the park)
• Hiking Black Tail Deer Creek Trail.
• Hiking at Lava Creek Trail.
• Biking the ten-mile Fairy falls bike trail
• Check out geysers like West Thumb, Old Faithful, and the Grand Prismatic.
• Fishing at Yellowstone Lake.
• Soak and relax in natural hot springs in the area.

Driving the roads of Yellowstone National Park

The best advice I can give you for going for a scenic drive in Yellowstone National Park is to hit the roads as early as possible and be patient. Daybreak is the best time to start out. Obviously, the main reason for this is you will see way more animals at dawn. The problem with this being that when you see an animal, there will usually be gridlock traffic as everyone gets out of their cars to photograph the animal. People see a bison, and they just lose their mind and their will to think logically. We had to stop multiple times on our journey through Yellowstone National Park to let bison pass in and around our car or RV. Whatever you do when travelling through beautiful Yellowstone National Park, pay attention to the warnings about wildlife and stay the proper amount away from the animals. When we had to stop for twenty minutes because a herd of about a hundred bison were passing right in front of our RV, we watched so many tourists getting out of their cars with their kids and approaching the bison, getting right in their path just to grab a few photos. Ridiculous. Don’t be that tourist. One week after we left Yellowstone National Park some dumb dumbs were attacked by a bison and had to be airlifted to the hospital. Don’t be that person on the news.

The other big reason to start your day early is anytime after 9:30 AM there is so much traffic everywhere you go in the park. Not only are there a lot of tourists checking out the sights but there are constant traffic delays for animal sightings. Our first full day at the park we left camp in West Yellowstone at 9:30, then got stuck in a bison traffic jam for half an hour and followed so much traffic all over the park, plus every lot for parking was full of cars and packed with tourists.

This brings me to a good point. Days in Yellowstone National Park can be long, congested, scenic and sometimes frustrating. If you go out driving and hiking and doing all the scenic things in Yosemite National Park;

DO NOT BUY COFFEE IN THE PARK!

Let’s face it, any time you buy anything concessional at a national park, a Dodger game or Disneyland it’s beyond expensive and terrible. Yellowstone National Park was the worst example of this ever! Thanks, Yellowstone National Park for giving me the experience of having the worst coffee I have ever had in my entire life! Our second day at the park, we had driven into the town of West Yellowstone at 7 Am bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for a day of fun in Yellowstone National Park. Okay, not exactly bright-eyed and bushy tailed. We arose from our warm bed inside the RV at 5 AM and were leaving West Yellowstone for the park right after sunrise. We were ready to see some animals, and we could use a cup of Joe. Unfortunately for us the coffee stop advertising espresso and cappuccino was still closed as the hour approached six AM and most of these coffee stops in West Yellowstone don’t open until 8 or 9 a.m. As we drove through the park, I was drowsy and running on fumes as we approached Canyon Village and their awesome general store. Awesome if you don’t order a cappuccino or regular cup of coffee! The latte tasted like a cup of sugar milk water with a teaspoon of coffee drizzled in, and the French roast tasted like hot water with a coffee flavor. I’ve never in my life had coffee quite this bad. It was a waste of twelve dollars. Yes, twelve dollars. Food and drink in the park is expensive and not great although they do have some authentic Montana snack items like huckleberry elk jerky. ($15) That was delicious but pricey.

Take my advice; When you travel into the park for the day pack a picnic lunch and bring your own homemade coffee in a thermos. Everyone could go for a hot Starbucks latte on a cold and windy thunderstormy day in Yellowstone National Park, but you won’t find that in YNP. Come out for an early morning drive well prepared for a day of fun with snacks and drinks to keep your body fueled for fun.

Family fun in West Yellowstone National Park

It’s late afternoon or early evening, and you have escaped the crowded roads and the congested parking lots of Yellowstone National Park. It’s early afternoon, and you are craving a bison burger and maybe looking for a delightful family-friendly thing to do that is very outdoorsy. Did you get to see any wolves while exploring the Lamar Valley? Well if you didn’t, then never fear because West Yellowstone has the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center !

The rates for the Discovery center are very low ($13 a day for adults and $8 for kids) This discovery center is non-profit, and all the animals you are seeing in captivity cannot survive in the wilds. The eight Grizzlies who live here were orphaned as cubs and could not survive in the wild. The six wolves that live at the park live in three different packs and were all born in captivity and are not able to live in the wild. This discovery center is a great way to see some of the animals you may not get to see while hiking through the park. (Okay let’s face it, these are the animals you do not want to see while on a hike!) The discovery center also hosts two remarkably interesting birds of prey/ raptors.

So, what do you do in the evenings in a cowboy town? Have you ever had a fun night out at the rodeo? It’s so Montana!  The Yellowstone Rodeo is held every late July in West Yellowstone. Rain or shine this is a terrific way to spend an evening in West Yellowstone! Take your family and kids to see a true wild west show; Calve roping, bucking broncos and steer roping all take center stage on sweltering summer nights in West Yellowstone. This is a great family-friendly thing to do that so many people can only experience in cowboy country like Montana or Wyoming.

Check out the areas surrounding the park

When leaving through the south entrance, you drive directly into the Grand Tetons, and this is such a gorgeous drive, Even if a fire a few years ago burned through the first few miles of this scenic drive. You cruise by beautiful Jackson Lake and fields of wildflowers on your way to the crazy high Grand Tetons jutting into the blue Wyoming skyline.

At the very end of the Tetons is Jenny Lake; An awesome lake to check out but extremely crazy crowded anytime in the summer months. The best way to spend a day in the Tetons is to start a bike ride near the town of Jackson, Wyoming, and bike into the Tetons and Jenny Lake. There is a great paved cycling trail that parallels the main road into the Grand Tetons. You can even do this bike ride in the early springtime as soon as the snow melts and have the park all to yourself! It’s pretty much the only way to get a secluded trip to Jenny Lake. After the bike ride, stay at the awesome RV Park in Jackson, walking distance to downtown and the world-famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Is it a museum or a great watering hole? You decide. The Cowboy Bar has some great western memorabilia and is located in the town square, the happening downtown of Jackson.

Note: Yellowstone can be extremely busy at times, check out this peaceful and solitary hike of Lembert Dome if you’re looking to escape some of the crowds. Click the Search icon and search for Lembert Dome!

Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding areas are chock full of family-friendly fun things to do that don’t have to break the bank! Grizzly bears, geysers, and ginormous cowboy hats all await you this summer whether you are in the part of the park that lies in Wyoming or Montana!

What advice do you have for the Perfect RV Trip to Yellowstone National Park ?

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6 thoughts on “Planning an RV trip Yellowstone National Park”

Love this! I also found out about the coffee situation the hard way :/

We are also new to RVing – we have a 27 ft camper and are planning on visiting Yellowstone in the fall of 2020. I will check out Bridge Bay and Fishing Bridge campgrounds – your thoughts on the KOA’s at west Yellowstone?

My son and I stayed at Red Rock RV Park during late May/early June this year. It’s in Idaho near Henry’s Lake, less than half an hour from the west gate. Great people running the place and they almost doubled the number of sites this year. Great facilities and they even had UTV’s for rent. We had no problem getting a reservation less than a month beforehand. (but that was very early in the season) I would totally recommend this place.

Thank you, This was very helpful. We are planning our first trip to Yellowstone this summer in an RV and cannot figure out if we will need to rent a car or just drive the RV from place to place during the days? Thoughts? Did you have a separate vehicle or will be able to find parking and be able to move throughout the traffic each day in the RV and then head back to our spot each evening?

Hi Anna, I’m just wondering if you found out the answer to this question? I’m planning for next summer now and wondering exactly the same thing!

I see there was a question about renting a car to see the park and leaving the RV parked at the campground. Is this a good idea and who would you use for this rental?

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Yellowstone RV Parks: 2024 Guide to 12 Campgrounds Inside the Park

Yellowstone National Park , a vast natural wonderland, is a dream destination for many RV travelers. Its unique geothermal features, abundant wildlife, and stunning landscapes make it a place like no other. There are 12 RV parks and campgrounds inside the park, all of which must be reserved in advance.

Yellowstone no longer has first-come, first-served campsites available, with the exception of Mammoth Campground between October 15th and April 1st. Mammoth must be reserved in the peak season from April through mid October.

Yellowstone RV Park Guide for 2024

Map of yellowstone rv parks & campgrounds, sleeping in your vehicle in yellowstone, yellowstone rv park full hookups, 1. bridge bay campground, 2. canyon campground, 3. fishing bridge rv park, 4. grant village campground, 5. madison campground, 6. indian creek campground, 7. lewis lake campground, 8. mammoth campground, 9. norris campground, 10. pebble creek campground, 11. slough creek campground, 12. tower fall campground, national park lodges campgrounds, recreation.gov campgrounds, enjoy your trip to yellowstone.

For those planning to explore Yellowstone in the comfort of their RV, here’s a guide to RV parks in Yellowstone National Park. This post provides details for the 2024 camping season, as details frequently change year-to-year.

This list of 12 RV parks and campgrounds are all located inside Yellowstone National Park and are operated by the National Park Service and its vendors. There are no private RV parks or resorts in the park, although many are located just outside the park’s borders.

There are over 2,000 campsites available in the park that accommodate RVs.

In 2024, three campgrounds will be closed. Only nine campgrounds will be open in 2024. Hence, space is even more limited, so make your campsite reservations as soon as you are able.

The Google Map below shows the location and names of each of the 12 RV parks and campgrounds inside Yellowstone National Park. Click on the map to zoom in, out, or get specific directions in Google Maps.

The nine Yellowstone RV parks and campground that are open in 2024 are in red. The three campgrounds that are closed in 2024 are in brown.

Car camping and overnight parking in vehicles (including RVs) are only permitted in designated campgrounds, not in pullouts, parking areas, picnic grounds, or elsewhere in Yellowstone Park.

There is only one campground within the park that offers full hookups — Fishing Bridge RV Park. We visited Yellowstone and stayed at Fishing Bridge in our Airstream.

12 Yellowstone RV Parks & Campgrounds

Details on each individual campground is listed below. We also provide direct links to each campground’s reservation system.

Bridge Bay Campground in Yellowstone is located on the north side of Yellowstone Lake.

• 2024 dates open: May 17th to September 1st
• 431 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 60 feet
• Nightly fee: $33 + taxes
• Handicapped accessible sites: yes
• Pay showers/laundry available: no
• Flush toilets available: yes
• Full hookups available: no
• Generators allowed: yes
• Dump station available: yes
• Follow this link to make reservations for Bridge Bay Campground .

Though there are no hookups, the campground has a dump station, potable water, and access to boat rentals and scenic cruises on Yellowstone Lake. The location is convenient for visiting the Lake area and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

This large campground provides campers with beautiful views of the lake and mountain ranges.

Bathrooms are available, but showers are not.

Some of the campground loops are out in the open in a meadow (which the bison like to frequent), while others are in the trees.

If you want to have options for using solar panels, be sure to select a campsite on one of the more open loops (loops A, B, C and D).

Canyon Campground is a fantastic Yellowstone RV park base for exploring the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

• 2024 dates open: May 31st to September 14th
• 272 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 40 feet
• Nightly fee: $39 + taxes
• Pay showers/laundry available: yes
• Follow this link to make reservations for Canyon Campground .

It accommodates RVs up to 40 feet, offering no hookups but providing services like dump stations and potable water. The campground is close to the Canyon Village, where you can find dining, shopping, and educational exhibits.

All 272 campsites can be reserved.

The campsites are located in a lodgepole pine forest near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.

It is located in a forest, so solar panels will not work well in the Canyon Campground.

Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone is the only RV campground in the actual park that has full hookups. Because of this, it is very popular and reservations fill up fast.

• 2024 dates open: May 10th to October 12th
• 310 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 95 feet
• Nightly fee: $89/$99 + taxes
• Full hookups available: yes
• Follow this link to make reservations for Fishing Bridge RV Park

Situated near the beautiful Yellowstone Lake, this campground provides direct access to fishing and boat launches, as well as being a prime spot for observing the park’s varied wildlife.

The campsites are very close together.

Only hard-sided campers are allowed to stay here as there are grizzly bears in the area.

Grant Village Campground is a large campground located on the southwestern shores of Yellowstone Lake.

• 2024 dates open: June 7th to September 7th
• 429 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 50 feet
• Follow this link to make reservations for Grant Village Campground

It accepts vehicles up to 50 feet in length and, like most of the others, does not offer hookups but does have a dump station and potable water. The campground is near the Grant Village visitor center, restaurants, and shops.

It has a total of 429 campsites that can be reserved in advance, along with bathrooms and hot showers. There are stores nearby, as well as a gas station and other amenities. There are several pull-thru campsites available in this Yellowstone RV park.

Madison Campground is centrally located in Yellowstone National Park near the west entrance to the park.

• 2024 dates open: May 3rd to October 19th
• 276 campsites
• Follow this link to make reservations for Madison Campground

It has a total of 276 campsites which can be reserved in advance. Of these, some are reserved for tent campers only, but there are over 200 RV campsites available.

There are bathrooms with flush toilets as well as kitchen sinks available, but no showers available for campers.

The campground is located alongside the Madison River, which makes for a nice ambiance.

Indian Creek Campground is located near the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. It is a more secluded option for RV camping within Yellowstone National Park, known for its proximity to nature and wildlife.

• 2024 dates open: June 14th to September 8th
• 70 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 35 feet
• Nightly fee: $20
• Flush toilets available: no
• Vault toilets available: yes
• Generators allowed: no
• Dump station available: no
• Follow this link to make reservations for Indian Creek Campground

Indian Creek Campground provides a rustic camping experience, favoring the simplicity of the outdoors over modern amenities.

The campground is located approximately 8 miles south of the Mammoth Hot Springs area, making it conveniently close to some of Yellowstone’s famous thermal features, while also offering easy access to the park’s northern entrance.

The campground features tent and RV sites, though it lacks hookups, emphasizing a more traditional camping experience. It has spacious campsites, offering a degree of privacy not always found in busier Yellowstone RV parks and campgrounds (such as Fishing Bridge RV Park).

Indian Creek is located among a landscape of rolling hills and open meadows, providing opportunities for spotting wildlife, such as bison and elk, which frequently roam the area.

Lewis Lake Campground is located near the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park. It is conveniently located a relatively short drive from some of Yellowstone’s most famous attractions, including the West Thumb Geyser Basin and Old Faithful.

• 2024 dates open: June 15th to October 14th
• 84 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 25 feet
• Handicapped accessible sites: no
• Follow this link to make reservations for Lewis Lake Campground

This campground is located just a short distance from the shores of Lewis Lake, making it an ideal spot for anglers and boaters looking to explore the park’s aquatic environments.

Lewis Lake Campground is known for its relatively secluded and quiet atmosphere, providing a quiet setting and close to the lake’s clear waters. The area is a haven for wildlife, with opportunities to see various bird species, elk, and occasionally bears.

Basic amenities include potable water and vault toilets, ensuring a comfortable yet rustic camping experience. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table and fire ring.

For those interested in hiking, there are several trails accessible from or near the campground, offering everything from leisurely walks to more strenuous hikes.

Mammoth Campground is the only campground in Yellowstone National Park that is open year-round. It is located about five miles from the north entrance of Yellowstone.

Between October 15th and April 1st, reservations are not accepted and it is first-come, first-served. Mammoth must be reserved from April through mid October.

The campground sustained infrastructure damage during flooding in 2022 which is currently being repaired. It is expected to be open in 2024, but the exact dates are TBD.

• 2024 dates open: Open in 2024, but dates TBD
• 82 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 30 feet winter limit (mid-Oct through April); 45 feet limit May through mid-Oct
• Nightly fee: $25
• Follow this link to make reservations for Mammoth Campground

This campground is strategically located near the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces, a remarkable geothermal feature offering stunning terraced limestone landscapes shaped by centuries of mineral-rich water flow.

Set against the backdrop of rolling hills and open meadows, the area is frequented by wildlife, including elk and bison, which often roam through the campground, offering unique wildlife viewing opportunities right from your RV door. The proximity to the Mammoth Hot Springs area also means that visitors have easy access to walking trails that meander through the terraces, as well as the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the Albright Visitor Center.

The location of Mammoth Campground near the park’s north entrance, close to the gateway town of Gardiner, Montana, offers convenient access to dining, shopping, and other services.

Closed in 2024

Closed in 2024.

Slough Creek Campground is a smaller campground in Yellowstone National Park. It is located in Lamar Valley at the end of a two mile dirt road, so is best suited for smaller RVs.

• 2024 dates open: June 15th – October 14th
• 16 campsites
• Maximum RV length: 30 feet
• Follow this link to make re servations for Slough Creek Campground

Slough Creek Campground, located in the northeastern quadrant of Yellowstone National Park, is a haven for anglers, wildlife lovers, and those seeking a deeper connection with nature.

This campground provides a more remote camping experience compared to the park’s larger campgrounds. It is situated along the banks of Slough Creek, one of Yellowstone’s most famous fly-fishing streams, known for its abundant populations of cutthroat trout.

The campground’s location offers great opportunities for wildlife watching. It is not uncommon for campers to spot bison, elk, and occasionally wolves and grizzly bears from their campsites.

Hiking trails in the area lead into the Lamar Valley, known as one of the best places in the park to view wildlife, particularly during the early morning and late evening hours. ( We saw wolves in the Lamar Valley! )

Amenities at Slough Creek Campground are minimal, with potable water and vault toilets available. Each campsite comes equipped with a picnic table and a fire ring, allowing for cozy evenings under the stars. (If you’re interested in stargazing, see some great RV parks near designated Dark Sky communities. )

Yellowstone Campsite Availability

Not surprisingly, Yellowstone’s RV park campsite reservations fill up very fast. It’s best to book as far ahead as you can.

The two campground reservation systems, run by the National park Lodges Campgrounds and Recreation.gov, both provide status updates for campsite availability. This can help make it a little easier to find times that would work for your schedule.

See below for examples.

The five RV parks that can be reserved through the Yellowstone National Park Lodges website show available dates if you’re still in the planning phases of your trip. For example, see the screenshot below for availability in July 2024 (as of March 2024).

The seven campgrounds (4 in 2024) that can be reserved through Recreation.gov also show which campsites are available when in each of the Yellowstone RV parks.

The screenshot below shows availability in July 2024 for the Lewis Lake Campground (as of March 2024).

Have a great trip to Yellowstone National Park! Camping in the park makes everything so much closer and easier to manage, as Yellowstone is huge!

The park spans approximately 2.2 million acres, making it one of the largest national parks in the United States. It covers parts of three states: primarily in Wyoming, but with extensions into Montana and Idaho. This vast area encompasses a wide range of geological features, including geysers, hot springs, volcanoes, rivers, and canyons, as well as a diverse ecosystem that supports a variety of wildlife and plant species.

Enjoy your time taking it all in. Plan now to secure your space in one of the Yellowstone RV parks!

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Things to Do on a Yellowstone National Park RV Road Trip

The first national park in the U.S. offers spectacular sights and plenty of space. Taking an RV trip to Yellowstone can feel daunting—but with some extra planning, it’s absolutely worth it.

• Featured Trip Guides
• RV and family road trips

Created by Togo RV - September 1st 2020

RVers can cover ground at Yellowstone at a decent pace by planning stops along the park's two loops. We outline highlights for RVers and recommended campgrounds nearby.

Read the full story on Togo RV .

Yellowstone Lake, WY, US

Fishing Bridge Campground

While it’s a bare-bones RV park, visitors note that it has a high price tag for national park standards. As long as you go into your experience with expectations in check, Fishing Bridge is an excellent jumping-off point for exploring close-by sites like Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

159 Grant Campground Rd Yellowstone Lake, WY, US

Grant Village Campground

This large (430 sites) campground is located in the national park off the Grand Loop Road at the south end of Yellowstone Lake. There are no hookups, but you're near stores, a restaurant, gas station, visitor center, and boat ramp in the town of Grant Village.

West Entrance Rd., WY, US

Madison Campground

Click to discover a great deal!

This in-the-park campground is 14 miles from West Yellowstone and 16 miles from Old Faithful. There are over 200 sites that can accommodate RVs and the campsite is close to popular fly-fishing rivers.

210 S Electric St., West Yellowstone, MT, US

Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park & Cabins

Offers manicured sites and full hookups right in the charming little town of West Yellowstone. The location is within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, and other attractions like the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

3305 Targhee Pass Hwy PO Box 348, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Yellowstone Park-West Entrance KOA

Click to find bookable tours and activities here

This campground is only 5 minutes from the park's west entrance and has a swimming pool, dump facilities, playground, and a recreation area. If you have a larger rig, this campground can accommodate you; it also has full hookups and some pull-through sites.

250 Parkline Trail Madison River, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Baker's Hole Campground

This campground is managed by USDA and is first-come, first-served. There are 33 sites with electric hookups and an additional 40 sites for dry camping. It's located near the west entrance along the Madison River.

Yellowstone National Park, WY, US

Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-elevation lake in North America, with more than 140 miles of shoreline. Private boats are allowed, but the cold water temperatures and frequent, sudden winds make it suitable only for experienced boaters.

Grand Loop Rd, West Thumb, WY, US

West Thumb Geyser Basin

At West Thumb Geyser Basin, you can walk along the boardwalk and see the lake and geysers at the same time, including at least one geyser that’s actually in the lake.

Yellow Stone National Park, WY, US

Old Faithful Geyser

It’s one of the more popular park attractions, so arrive early to beat the crowds. While in the area, make sure to explore the Upper Geyser Basin for even more geysers and other geothermal phenomena. For history buffs, the Old Faithful Inn offers free historic tours.

Grand Loop Road, WY, US

Midway Geyser Basin

You’ll find Midway Geyser Basin just a few minutes away from Old Faithful. Here you’ll find the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring, the third largest hot spring in the world.

201 South Canyon, West Yellowstone, MT, US

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Located in West Yellowstone, this is a not-for-profit wildlife park where you can see grizzly bears and gray wolves in an outdoor habitat. Animal residents are unable to survive in the wild and provide an educational opportunity to visitors.

Near Canyon Village, WY, US

Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone

You'll recognize the 1,000-foot-deep canyon from Artist Point as you approach the gushing falls. Make sure you drive the North and South Rim roads for the best views.

Canyon Vlg, Canyon Village, WY, US

Canyon Visitor Education Center

Don’t miss the Canyon Visitor Education Center for exhibits on the supervolcano that’s responsible for Yellowstone’s one-of-a-kind landscape.

NE Entrance Rd, Yellowstone National Park,, WY, US

Lamar Valley

The Lamar Valley offers a glimpse of some lesser-seen wildlife, like the 100 or so wolves who live inside the park. Here, you’ll also find the Lamar River Trail, which is a 20-mile out-and-back trail.

14 Jardine Rd, Gardiner, MT, US

Rocky Mountain RV Park & Lodging

Located less than a quarter of a mile from the North Entrance to the park, this campground offers full hookups, bathhouses, river views, and quietness.

Mammoth Hot Springs, WY, US

Mammoth Campground

For an in-park option without hookups, stay in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, which is close to the town of Gardiner, Montana. Note that sites here cannot accommodate RVs longer than 30 feet. This corner of the park is a long haul from most of the other popular attractions, so there will be fewer crowds. It’s also the only campground in the park that’s open year-round.

Mammoth Hot Springs, Mammoth, WY, US

Mammoth Hot Springs

Located in the far northwest corner of the park, you can get up close to the hydrothermal action via a boardwalk trail that winds through the area. This is also the site of Fort Yellowstone. And, while you’re at this end of the park, make sure to visit the north entrance gate and the Roosevelt Arch.

S Entrance Rd, WY, US

Yellowstone National Park

While massive at 3,472 square miles spanning across three states, much of the trip planning has already been done for you—just follow the park’s two big loops. RVers can cover ground at a decent pace by planning which stops to make along the loop each day.

With some extra planning and a well-devised itinerary, a trip to Yellowstone in an RV can be simple, fun, and sure to wow the whole family.

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• THE JOURNEY

7-Day Yellowstone + Grand Teton National Parks RV Road Trip

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are iconic destinations with abundant wildlife, hiking trails, scenic drives, and majestic mountains. In just seven days, you can fully explore these parks by RV and find the best things to see and do, without feeling rushed. Yellowstone National Park is one of the largest in America, with historic lodges and geothermal features such as geysers and bubbling mud pots. Grand Teton National Park has stunning mountains, alpine lakes, and many historic sites. Both parks offer wonderful activities such as wildlife viewing, photography, and hiking. Blacksford RV recommends a seven-day itinerary that will guide you on an unforgettable RV adventure to discover the best things to see and do in Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

After picking up your Blacksford RV rental (near Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport), travelers will stock up on food and supplies in Bozeman and head south to West Yellowstone, Montana. The two to three hour drive down the dramatic and beautiful Gallatin Road (US-191) passes Big Sky, Montana, a wonderful place to stop if you have extra time. Roadtrippers will travel along the Gallatin River most of the way, before reaching the bustling village of West Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park’s most popular West Entrance.

“From West Yellowstone, one can reach Grand Teton National Park two ways,” said Becky Goodell, owner and CEO of Blacksford. “Continue south on US-20 to Jackson, Wyoming, or drive through Yellowstone itself to Grand Teton National Park via the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Either route will take two to four hours.”

Before heading out on an RV adventure, it’s a good idea to make campground reservations for Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Campgrounds and RV parks in and around both parks fill up quickly during the warmer months. The National Park Service’s online reservation system allows travelers to reserve in-park campground sites 13 months in advance. Of the 12 RV-friendly campgrounds in Yellowstone, only five accept reservations: Bridge Bay, Fishing Bridge, Canyon, Grant Village, and Madison Junction. Several in-park Yellowstone campgrounds are on a first-come, first-served basis.

In Grand Teton, all RV campgrounds require advance reservations and can be reserved at  Recreation.gov . The five campgrounds are: Gros Ventre, Signal Mountain, Colter Bay, Lizard Creek, and Headwaters. If connectivity and amenities are a priority, then you may prefer to stay just outside Yellowstone’s West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana, and just outside Grand Teton National Park in nearby, upscale Jackson, Wyoming. Both towns offer plenty of shops, restaurants, grocery stores, bars, entertainment, tours, and other services.

“Many first-time RVers are nervous about parking their RV at campgrounds and points of interest inside the park,” said Goodell. “Blacksford’s RVs are easy to drive, much like driving a large SUV or van, and campgrounds make it relatively easy to cautiously park your RV at your campsite.”

Both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks have RV parking at various points of interest. Parking for RVs and cars inside the park can require patience during the busy season when parking lots are crowded. Plan to wait a few minutes at popular sites to get a parking spot.

7-day Yellowstone to Grand Teton itinerary:

Day 1 – Bozeman to Big Sky and West Yellowstone Day 2 – Old Faithful and geothermal features Day 3 – Wildlife, Lamar Valley & the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Day 4 – Zip-lining, rafting, fishing, rodeos, & museums near West Yellowstone Day 5 – Drive to Grand Teton National Park Day 6 – Driving, hiking and rafting in Grand Teton National Park Day 7 – Final morning in Jackson, Wyoming, and return to Bozeman

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The First U.S. National Park Is Still Iconic as Ever — How to Visit

Here’s everything you need to know before planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park.

• Planning Your Visit

How to Get There

• Best Time to Visit

Best Things to Do in the Park

Wildlife and natural features, places to stay, places to eat.

Daniel Ribar/Travel + Leisure

Yellowstone National Park, which straddles Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, is Travel + Leisure readers’ favorite national park , and it was the most popular park in 2023 according to Google . So what’s all the fuss about? Well, it has otherworldly geothermal elements, is a treasure chest of iconic megafauna and elusive predators, and, frankly, is simply stunning. 

You could spend years here and still find something new to be awestruck by. Unfortunately, many people who visit barely scratch the surface. T+L spoke to two Yellowstone experts, Daryl Hunter and Linda Veress, who want visitors to take a bigger bite out of the park. “I recommend people get out of their vehicles and walk around, go for a walk. So many people will just drive around and around. Even if it’s just a short walk around the boardwalk, being outside, experiencing the peace makes a huge difference,” Veress said. 

“A mistake some people make is they go to the first puff of steam they see, and then they see it, and it’s okay, and then the second one, and it is okay. And then they’re tired of looking at okay springs, and they drive right by the good ones and miss them,” Hunter said. 

We don’t want you to miss the good ones. Enter: this guide to Yellowstone National Park. 

Meet the Experts

• Daryl Hunter has lived near Yellowstone since 1987, exploring every corner of the park as a wildlife and landscape photographer and interpretive guide. 
• Linda Veress is a park spokesperson who has worked and lived in Yellowstone for ten years.

Planning Your Visit 

Daniel Ribar/Travel + Leisure

You don’t need to reserve a spot for your vehicle to enter Yellowstone National Park. Just remember that if you’re coming in through the South Entrance, you’ll pass through Grand Teton National Park first. There are separate entrance fees for each park, ranging from $20.00 to $35.00.

That said, you'll need to book accommodations and campsites well in advance — Yellowstone gets packed fast. “It’s not a place that [visitors] want to show up and think that they’ll be able to get a place to stay at the last minute,” Veress said. 

If everything is booked inside the park, no problem — there are gateway communities you can stay in. “The closest ones will be West Yellowstone and Gardener. Those are just outside the park entrances. Some people will drive in from Jackson or Cody, but those are farther away,” Veress said.

Once you’re in the park, plan your time wisely. “You can spend a big week out there. Most people spend about three days or so,” Hunter said. If you only have a few days, follow Hunter’s advice: “Do the lower loop the first day, the upper loop the second day. The upper loop has more wildlife and fewer thermal features, and the lower area has many thermal features.” He also recommends that if you’re that close, you might as well drive to Jackson Hole for a day and see Grand Teton . 

Tamas-V/Getty Images

Yellowstone has five entrances. The year-round North Entrance and the Northeast Entrance are closest to the northern loop, Mammoth Hot Springs, and more wildlife; the West Entrance is excellent for seeing geysers; the East Entrance is on the lake; and the South Entrance is closest to Jackson. You’ll need a car if you’re not on a guided tour.

Consider flying into Bozeman, Montana , or Jackson, Wyoming. You can also fly into Salt Lake City or Idaho Falls. Car rentals are typically cheaper from Idaho Falls or Bozeman than from Jackson. You can even fly into Jackson, spend a few days there before heading to Yellowstone, and then drop off your car in Bozeman or vice versa.

Best Time to Visit 

kwiktor/Getty Images

The best time to visit Yellowstone National Park varies depending on what you’re after. The summer season, typically from mid-April to the end of October, is ideal for traditional sightseeing, camping, and hiking. Most of the park’s roads are open during this time, allowing easy access to popular attractions.

To avoid crowds, consider visiting in May or June before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. These times offer a more peaceful experience with fewer visitors and better rates. Additionally, scheduling visits to popular areas like Old Faithful during early or late hours can help avoid peak crowds.

The park is quieter in the colder months, but has limited access. Only one road remains open year-round, so there are fewer opportunities for exploration unless you hop on a snowmobile tour. Access to the park’s interior is restricted to these guided tours. “You can stay at the snow lodge at Old Faithful and take ski trips. It’s a different way to see the park,” Veress said.

Visit Lower Geyser Basin.

To get a good sense of Yellowstone’s geothermal features, Hunter likes “everybody to see the Lower Geyser Basin , where the Fountain Paint Pot is. If you go to those two, you don’t have to go to other springs if you don’t have a lot of time.” The Fountain Paint Pot Trail is an easy half-mile trail. 

See Grand Prismatic Spring.

Grand Prismatic Spring is an iconic sight in Yellowstone. The Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail allows you to see its shocking blue and orange colors from above, or you can follow the wooden walkway right next to it. 

Ride a snowmobile or snowcoach.

If you visit Yellowstone in the winter , you have some exceptionally neat options to explore the park. Roads close, which limits your transportation to snowmobiles and snowcoaches — the only ways you’ll be able to see Old Faithful and Lower Falls. “If you don’t like being cold, you can take the snow coach. And make your reservations a long time ahead,” advised Hunter. Excursions sell out quickly.

Take a vintage car tour.

Hunter highlighted the unique experience of touring Yellowstone in vintage vehicles with retractable canvas roofs and panoramic windows. These historic yellow buses were initially introduced in the 1920s. Today, eight vintage White Motor Co. buses can show you the park in style.

Go for a ride.

“We have commercially guided outfitters that do either day or overnight horseback rides in the park,” Verress said. So, although no barns are actually in park bounds, you can still get in the saddle. For a truly memorable trip with another kind of ungulate, look into llama treks. 

See Lower Yellowstone Falls.

Many people Hunter has taken on tours prefer this spectacular waterfall — in what’s dubbed the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone — to Old Faithful. “Lower Yellowstone Falls is a highlight for everybody,” he said. 

Best Hikes 

Yellowstone offers plenty of accessible flat and paved paths and boardwalks that can easily take up an entire day, but if you have the time and ability, definitely head out on a day hike. Hunter especially likes the 1.6-mile hike to Fairy Falls, which shares its trailhead with the path to Grand Prismatic Overlook. You can extend your journey to Spray and Imperial geysers if you're up for further adventure. 

Storm Point Nature Trail takes you to a beautiful lake lookout (and a colony of yellow-bellied marmots). The kid-friendly Mystic Falls, Fairy Creek, and Little Firehole Loop is 3.5 miles and offers waterfalls and panoramic vistas of Biscuit Basin. The Lamar River Trail to Cache Creek takes you through meadows that become blanketed in wildflowers in June and July.

Yellowstone’s incredible wildlife is one of its main draws, the keystone species being majestic bison and elk, grizzly and black bears, and gray wolves. 

The best time to catch a glimpse of grizzly bears and wolves is in the spring, particularly in northern regions like the Lamar Valley. “A good place to see black bears is in the vicinity of Tower Junction,” Hunter said. “There is a five-mile radius right around Tower Junction.” But you can also see them further south: “The Hayden Valley has gotten really good over the past 10 years,” he said.

If you’re eager to see bison, July and August are your best bets, especially in Hayden Valley where hundreds of bison will likely be roaming and causing traffic jams. “That’s the breeding season, and it’s a fun time to watch them because they’re all animated and looking for the ladies,” Hunter said.

Come September, during the rut — when male elk battle for dominance — early mornings come alive with elk bugling. Mammoth, Hayden Valley, and Madison Valley are great spots to see the show.

Courtesy of One&Only Resorts

Like anything, the best place to stay Yellowstone depends on your preferences, as luxury accommodations rub elbows with affordable lodges and campsites. Since Yellowstone is vast and involves significant driving, Veress recommends prioritizing where you stay based on what you want to see most. Different parts of the park offer distinct experiences, such as geothermal areas, wildlife viewing, and the lake area. For instance:

• Consider staying near Old Faithful or West Yellowstone for geothermal attractions and activities. “You can get some good lodging just on the border of Yellowstone and West Yellowstone, Montana, and Gardener, Montana,” said Hunter. “It’s usually easier to get reservations in those places, and you’re still right next to the park. 
• For hiking and higher elevations, lodging near Cooke City might be preferable.

Old Faithful Inn

Many lodgings within Yellowstone are old-fashioned and antique in style but still wonderful because of their historical charm. Yellowstone’s in-park lodge, Old Faithful Inn , built in 1903, is right by the eponymous geyser and, according to Hunter, “a work of art.” He elaborates: “That’s a cool place to stay. Make sure that you get one of the rooms with the bathroom.” The older rooms don’t have ensuite bathrooms; you must go down the hall. But they’re still an incredible look at how things were in the early 1900s. 

Lake Hotel and Cabins

Lake Hotel , constructed in 1895, is another charming historic venue. Its architecture resembles the colonial style commonly found on the East Coast during that era. 

Glamping with Excursionist

For an incredibly luxe experience, Excursionist , a luxury tour operator, offers a private camp experience . They’ll build you and your travel mates a custom camp with flushing toilets, cozy comforters, and private naturalist-led tours. 

One&Only Moonlight Basin

Located in Big Sky, Montana, One&Only Moonlight Basin is about an hour from Yellowstone. Although not within the park, it’s a more than acceptable luxury option when the in-park hotels inevitably book up a year before your planned trip. 

Getting out into nature is what it’s all about, right? Yellowstone has 2,000 campsites across 12 campgrounds, plus endless backcountry sites. The best Yellowstone campsites for a night in the great outdoors include Mammoth Campground (the only campground open year-round); the seasonal Madison Campground , where you can see bison grazing and meadows blooming in spring and summer and elks in the fall; and Grant Village Campground , which is close to conveniences like a restaurant, gas station, and visitor center.

Yellowstone National Park’s dining options range from full-service restaurants in historic hotels like Mammoth Hotel and Old Faithful Inn to grab-and-go eateries. Bear Pit Lounge at Old Faithful Inn offers dining right by the iconic geyser.

Outside the park in West Yellowstone, try Madison Crossing ’s locally inspired menu, which includes bison nachos, trout cakes, and elk strip steak. Espresso West is a popular coffee cabin known for its simple setup and menu of morning staples.

Of course, you can’t beat a packed lunch picnic.

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Road Trip

By: Author Robyn Robledo

Posted on Last updated: March 18, 2024

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip is always a family favorite. To be able to experience sharp jagged mountains, beautiful lakes, and glaciers in the same trip as the geysers, hot springs, and wildlife is pretty amazing!

Before I get into the things to do in Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, it’s important to know when planning this road trip that Glacier has very extensive reservation requirements for the summer of 2024.

Get all the details on Glacier Naitonal Park Reservations here.

In case you have difficulty getting a Glacier entrance permit, know that there are a lot of great hikes to do just outside of Glacier as well as a few options if you decide to change your road trip from Yellowstone to another destination.

Related Blog : Things to do in Polson, Montana

From the north entrance of Yellowstone to the entrance of Glacier National Park, you’re looking at just over 6 hours.

Late May through mid-October is the best time of year in order to avoid too much snow and ice. We think Glacier is best in September, because then you’ll get ideal conditions, and fall colors, AND you’ll avoid the summer crowds.

Inside Yellowstone, you have six locations for lodging to choose from as well as numerous campgrounds . For Glacier National Park, you have a few options for cabins/hotels inside the park and a lot to choose from for camping . See our guide to camping in Glacier to help you know which campground is the best.

Our family enjoys Glacier significantly more than Yellowstone, however, you have to see Yellowstone at least once in your life so, I recommend allotting a little more time in Glacier National Park than in Yellowstone but still making time for both.

Thinking of adding in the Tetons or doing this road trip in reverse order? Read our Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier National Park blog.

Table of Contents

Best Time For This 7 Day Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Itinerary

With this one-week road trip itinerary you should feel like there’s always a full day of excitement ahead of you, without feeling like it’s going to be a constant rush of hurrying from one thing to the next.

The best time for this road trip is September. July is typically great weather while August could be a little on the hot side.

Related Blog : Visiting Glacier National Park in September

May and June will bring great weather, however, it’s very common for the Going-To-The-Sun-Road to not be open until early July.

If you arrive in Glacier and it is still closed, look into biking the Going-To-The-Sun-Road instead. you can rent bikes and e-bikes near Lake McDonald.

Where To Fly Into for a Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Road Trip

The best airports for this Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip would be Missoula, Kalispell (also known as Glacier International Airport), or Billings. We use Skyscanner to find the best deals on flights.

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Road Trip Map

Related Blog: 21 Helpful Road Trip Tips with Kids

Where to Stay in Glacier National Park

Numerous lodging choices surround Glacier National Park. While staying within the park offers a delightful experience, securing lodge accommodations can be challenging. Detailed campground insights are available for tent campers and RVers. For proximity to Glacier, Great Northern Resort and Glacier Outdoor Center are excellent alternatives if park lodging is unavailable. Opting to stay inside the park is ideal for those uninterested in dining, shopping, or nightlife.

Personally, I love the cozy, bustling town of Whitefish and recommend staying at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake or The Firebrand .

Whitefish could be its own destination. It has tons of things to do in town, from hiking to swimming in the lake to breweries to restaurants, to live music. Whitefish is only a half-hour drive from West Glacier, making it a great jumping-off point for your road trip.

An hour to the north you have the Canadian border. Three hours west you have the wonderful lake town of Sandpoint. Four hours west and you’re in Washington. And to the east, you have all the untamed vastness of the Montana wilderness to enjoy.

Favorite Places To Eat in Glacier & Whitefish

There isn’t anything that knocks my socks off inside Glacier. When we visit Glacier we either pack our own food or are camping in our RV and cook our meals.

Just outside of West Glacier near Glacier Guides Rafting Co is a Mexican food truck, Wandering Gringo Cafe, that has huge servings.

In Whitefish, we love to eat at Amazing Crepes, Piggyback BBQ, Montana Tap House, and Casey’s (although they might be closed). For coffee, go to Folklore Coffee and get ice cream at Sweet Peaks.

For music and nightlife, see who’s playing at The Great Northern .

Where To Stay in Yellowstone

There are five entrances to Yellowstone, and driving through all of Yellowstone alone is practically a full-day venture. Taking this into account, you should book accommodations relative to where you enter the park.

When driving to Yellowstone from Glacier (or Whitefish) it’s about the same amount of time to drive to the west entrance as it is the north entrance.

Therefore, choosing to base out of West Yellowstone or Gardiner both work. For the simplicity of this itinerary, I’ll write it as if you are starting in Gardiner.

Like Glacier, you can be staying inside Yellowstone at one of the lodges or campgrounds. Again though, it can be hard to get a room in one of the lodges or a campsite.

Gardiner has many affordable options for hotels if you can’t get something inside of Yellowstone.

One Week Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Itinerary

Glacier national park overview.

If this is your first time visiting Glacier National Park, you’ll want to orient yourself with this map first.

There are 4 key areas of Glacier that you will want to prioritize.

• West Glacier , which is not seen on this map but is to the west of Avalanche. This is where most people enter Glacier National Park if they are coming from Whitefish, Colombia Falls, or Missoula. This is also where Lake McDonald is.
• Logan Pass , which is the summit of the Going-To-The-Sun Road, and driving this road and stopping at Logan Pass is the bucket list item when visiting Glacier.
• St Mary’s , which, while still beautiful, in my opinion not worth stopping at if you are only spending a few days in Glacier National Park
• Many Glacier , which has the best strenuous day hikes in Glacier but also a great place to visit and just take in the views. The challenge is that driving from West Glacier to Many Glacier is about a 2-hour drive and that is without traffic or stopping to take in the views or hike.

I’ve done both the Going-To-The-Sun Road, and Logan Pass, and hiked Grinnell Glacier in Many Glacier all on the same day before but it was a really, really long day.

That’s why for this itinerary, I recommend doing Going-To-The-Sun Road one day and Many Glacier the next.

There are other areas to explore in Glacier if you have more time, such as Two Medicine, which has our favorite hike , Polebridge, and Waterton Park.

Day 1: Glacier National Park

On your first day in Glacier National Park, you will be checking off your bucket list of the “Going-To-The-Sun Road.”

The Going-To-The-Sun-Road is a narrow, winding, often crowded road that requires your vehicle be shorter than 21 feet, less than 10 feet high, and have a width of less than 8 feet. Not an option for most RVs.

If you have a small vehicle, you may opt to drive it yourself, however, in the busy months of July and August, it is usually better to just ride the shuttle. Note that the shuttle typically only runs through Labor Day.

Besides taking in the beautiful views on the Going-To-The-Sun Road, you may want to do a hike today.

The most popular hikes include The Highline Trail, Hidden Lake Overlook, and Avalanche Lake. These hikes and many others are covered in more detail in our Best Hikes in Glacier blog.

Going-To-The-Sun Road has a lot of places you can stop to take in the views. If you are lucky to be there during the shoulder season, then take your time and enjoy the journey.

During the busy months, it’s much easier and more enjoyable to just use the shuttle system.

If you are visiting Glacier in July or August, and aren’t taking the shuttle, you want to get up to Logan Pass early because parking is so limited.

Day 2 : Many Glacier or Two Medicine

Many Glacier is hikers heaven!

There are 3 amazing hikes in the Many Glacier – Grinnell Glacier, Iceberg Lake, or Cracker Lake. The hardest part will be deciding which one to do because they are all great.

Note that if an epic & challenging hike isn’t your thing, there are easy hikes that you may want to do instead at St Mary’s Lake.

Optional detours of variations to day 2. If you don’t want to drive the long drive out to Many Glacier but want to hike, there are some beautiful but stout hikes along Highway 2 about 30 minutes past West Glacier.

Many Glacier also offers boat tours as well as kayak, canoe, and row boat rentals.

Note that in summer, you now need an entrance reservation for Many Glacier and Two Medicine.

Day 3: Flex Day

Your Glacier National Park reservation is good for 3 days so today would be a good day to have a chill day in Glacier.

Head to Lake McDonald where you can also pay for a boat tour, and rent canoes, kayaks, boats, and bikes.

Now, if you want more adventure, today would be a great day to hike the Danny On the trail at Whitefish Resort, mountain bike at Lion Mountain, or go Whitewater Rafting instead.

Whitefish Resort also has downhill mountain biking, ropes course, zip line, kid’s strider park, alpine slides, and more.

Near West Glacier, there is also a ropes course at Glacier Highline, Amazing Fun Center, Big Sky Waterpark, and a ton more options for activities.

You can also choose to check out Kalispell, Flathead Lake, Polson , Blacktail Mountain, or Big Arm.

Day 4: Exploring Montana

Today is your driving day. The most direct way from West Glacier to Yellowstone is on Highway 83. This takes you past Holland Lake which has a nice hike to Holland Falls.

You’ll also pass Seeley Lake , one of our favorite winter destinations. You’ll next pass through Helena, Bozeman, and Livingston and have an endless list of things you can do.

Since we chase epic hikes, my recommendation is to drive through the cities listed above and instead, hike to Pine Creek Lake . This is a really hard hike but takes you to one of the most gorgeous alpine lakes in the US. Or you can do the much easier hike to Pine Creek Falls from the same trailhead.

If you are entering Yellowstone from the west entrance, the most direct way takes you through Ennis, a great wild west town to stop at. From here you could also drive out and explore Virginia City.

For just a little longer drive, you could go through Big Sky which has a lot of options for hikes and other things to do there. We enjoy hiking Beehive Basin although it can be really crowded, especially in summer.

Day 5 – North Circle of Yellowstone

Phew! You made it to Yellowstone!

With all the options between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone, you can see how easy it would be to spend a month on this road trip.

Two days should be all you need for a well-rounded Yellowstone trip, filled with a variety of sights and hikes. Although you could easily spend several weeks in this wonderful place, we’re confident that given two full days you’ll be very satisfied with the overall experience.

Here’s a map to orient yourself to Yellowstone. You can see how Yellowstone looks like the number 8 with two circles.

On this first day in Yellowstone, you’ll do the top circle, and on the second day the bottom circle.

Now for the northern loop. You will have to backtrack Hayden Valley to reach Canyon Village. Once there, you’ll hike the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone which should only take 1-2 hours.

Your best chance of seeing wildlife is to get up early and head out to Lamar Valley. Look for where all the photographers are set up with their huge cameras and bring a pair of binoculars with you or rent the high-powered ones in Gardiner.

Utilize early mornings for wildlife sightings in Lamar Valley, join photographers’ spots for probable sightings, and explore Yellowstone’s major attractions on the northern loop.

Hopefully, you got lucky and saw the pack of wolves, a bear, or at least a lot of bison. Now, backtrack through Lamar Valley all the way to Yellowstone Falls, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Norris Geyser.

Ideally, you’d turn south at Tower Junction and head to Canyon Village, but that road seems to always be closed now. If it happens to be open, then do that last part inversely.

Adventurers will want to finish off this busy day by hiking Mount Washburn . This is a 7-mile hike so you’ll need about 3 hours of daylight to get it done or watch sunset from the peak and hike out with headlamps .

Today, you’ll be doing the southern loop of Yellowstone, specifically, the Grand Prismatic, Old Faithful, West Thumb, Grant Village, Fishing Bridge, and Mud Volcano.

Ideally, you’d get up really early again and try to get to Grand Prismatic at sunrise to get the best photos and fewer crowds.

Be sure to allow a few hours for Old Faithful so that you don’t miss seeing it erupt. While it is fairly consistent, you may have to have some patience.

Plus, it’s fun to watch it erupt twice, once up close and the second time by hiking up to the overlook.

You’ll also want to have time to hike the Upper Geyser Basin and see all the other, less famous, geysers erupt.

If you have enough time, and your legs aren’t too exhausted from this much hiking, you should also partake in the two-and-a-half mile Mystic Falls hike, which starts from the Upper Geyser Basin.

Rounding out the day, head through Hayden Valley where there’s a high likelihood of seeing a majestic herd of Bison. Near sunset, there is also a higher likelihood of seeing a bear.

Day 7 – Grand Tetons, Jackson, or back to the Airport

If you flew in for this Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip, today is the day to head back to the airport.

If you are on a road trip and have the luxury to keep driving south, then today is a great day to explore Grand Teton or head east to Mount Rushmore .

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Shorter Itinerary

If you have less than a week to visit these two fabulous locations, then we suggest that you start by cutting Whitefish from your itinerary. It’s a wonderful town, but you want to maximize your two major destinations first.

If you have to shorten it even further, you can either A) make Glacier a one-day adventure, or B) make Yellowstone a one-day adventure.

If the former, then you should stick to experiencing the Going To The Sun Road and getting in the hardest hike you think you can do. It’ll be a long day, but it’ll be worth it for the sights you’ll see.

If you shorten Yellowstone, read our One Day Guide to Yellowstone .

You may also want to just stick to seeing only one of these places. You’ll have a better experience overall by seeing one place thoroughly than by rushing through both of them.

Longer Itinerary

Now, maybe you have the opposite problem, in that you have to add some days to your trip. Fortunately, you have plenty of options there. 

If you need something to add a couple of days to your trip after Glacier National Park, then Waterton Lakes is a great addition to your itinerary. It’s located across the Canadian border and it’s only about two hours from Glacier.

You could also spend a lot more time exploring Two Medicine, The North Folk, Rising Sun, and the Goat Haunt areas of Glacier.

Rent a boat and spend the day on Flat Head Lake, which is just south of Glacier. Explore the towns of Lakeside, Big Fork & Polson that surround Flat Head Lake.

If you’ve had your fill of big mountains and raw nature, you can head westward three hours to the wonderful town of Sandpoint, Idaho. There are a ton of things to do here, both nature and leisure-related, and it is one of our favorite destinations to visit in the US.

If you want a bigger city to spend time in, however, Spokane is only an hour further away than Sandpoint is. You can enjoy the bustle of a populous city while also being just a few minutes away from nature.

If you want a few days added at the end of your trip, then Grand Teton is our number one suggestion. You can spend a long time taking in all the nature here. Check out the best hikes in Grand Teton here . 

If you’re coming in from the East, then put the Beartooth Highway on your itinerary by only adding an hour or two to your total driving. The Beartooth Highway is a mountain pass road that will treat you to some stunning views of the Wyoming wilderness. 

And as mentioned earlier, there is also Seeley Lake, Helena, Big Sky, and Bozeman.

Last, while you can get the majority of Yellowstone in two days, Yellowstone is ideally enjoyed over the course of three or four days, and not just because there are so many places to hit.

You see, one of the biggest draws of Yellowstone is the wildlife, from wolves to bears, to bison, and more. They all occupy the park, but the thing is, seeing them requires a little bit of luck and the best way to improve your chances is to visit on multiple days and simply wait. It can be time-consuming and sometimes boring, but that’s the best way to see all of Yellowstone’s incredible animals.

Tip: Download our free Adventure Resource Bundle with pack lists, hiking guides, and more

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Road Trip Accommodation Tip

We typically experience this Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip in our thirty-foot RV, and while we do consider this somewhat of the ideal thing to do (primarily because it gives you flexibility and comfort), we do think staying in cabins and hotels is still a great option.

If you do go this route, accommodations will cost quite a lot more. If you are trying to save do this Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip on a budget, you could pack a tent and try car camping .

Reminders for Glacier & Yellowstone

• Don’t forget to check each National Parks’ website for up-to-date conditions: Yellowstone and Glacier
• This trip is best between late May and early October, otherwise, you’ll have to compete with snow and ice.
• The perfect time to avoid crowds is September .
• Buy an annual pass instead of an individual park pass. Each park costs $35 for a vehicle entrance, whereas an annual pass for all National Parks is $80. If you visit one more National Park sometime in the next year, then you’ll end up saving money.
• Download offline maps and take screenshots beforehand. Both of these parks have spotty reception at best, so make sure you have all your necessary information before entering.
• Hit grocery stores before going to the parks. There aren’t a whole lot of places to eat in either of these parks, and what places there are, usually serve mediocre food at very high prices.
• Make sure to reserve campsites and book hotels at least five months in advance 
• If you’re making this an RV road trip, then keep in mind anything over 30 feet is going to be tough to work with. The roads in both of these parks are narrow, and only a few of the campgrounds will accommodate big rigs. If you consider yourself an excellent driver, then you can get away with having an RV that’s up to forty feet long, but we wouldn’t suggest it.

Hopefully, this got you excited and ready for your Glacier National Park to Yellowstone road trip. If I’ve left any leaf unturned, just as in the comments and I will do my best to get you the info.

Before you go, you’ll want to grab these 3 things:

• Our free Adventure Resource Bundle with pack lists, trail guides, and more.
• Download our free Hiking Fitness program, Fit To Hike , or sign up for 6 weeks of coaching and get in the best hiking shape of your life!
• Download our Glacier to Yellowstone Travel Guide for only $17. It contains links to road conditions, weather, popular hikes, a complete itinerary, and helpful offline maps.

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Yellowstone Summer Road Trip Itinerary from Pennsylvania

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Yellowstone Summer Road Trip Itinerary

Last year when we upgraded our pop-up camper to a bigger travel trailer, we vowed to do some epic road trips in the new RV. We knew that it would get a lot of use at various semi-local campgrounds in the mountains or at the beach, but we also had high hopes of some longer journeys across this magnificent country of ours.

We logged 5 or 6 weekend camping trips in the new rig last year and earlier this year including – Hershey, Poconos, Jersey Shore, Knoebels. We set our sights on Disney for the fall of this year and then started to think about a possible road trip destination for the summer. We probably tossed at least a dozen ideas into the hat for consideration, but in the end we chose Yellowstone National Park .

When you tell people that you’re heading to Yellowstone, a typical response is, “Oh!” Then you say that you’re driving to AND camping in Yellowstone and their eyes widen and you get an emphatic, “OHHHHH!” It has been just over a year of these responses since we booked our campground in Yellowstone in late Spring 2016 for Summer 2017. That is because apparently Yellowstone campgrounds book out WELL in advance and if you want your first choice, you have to book early.

Yellowstone National Park has 12 campgrounds inside the park itself. Of those 12 campgrounds, only 5 take advance reservations. Of those 5 campgrounds that take reservations, only 1 of them offers full hook-ups for campers (water/electric/sewer). Well, you know this girl is a GLAMPER , so of course I’d prefer a campsite with full hook-ups. We booked our stay at Fishing Bridge RV Park and started to plan out the rest of our very epic road trip over the months that followed.

Yellowstone Video Highlights:

Yellowstone is a long long ways from the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA where we live. We knew that we were signing ourselves up for some seriously long amounts of time in the car. We estimated driving about 5000 miles round trip and when all was said and done, we logged just over 5300 miles in 2 weeks.

Once we had our final destination set and booked, it was time to look at the actual route to see how we might be able to break up the drive (or at least the drive out West, since on the way home we tend to drive straight home). I noticed that we would be near several places that Laura Ingalls Wilder lived . Those towns (and the annual summer celebrations that take place in them) helped to shape much of our drive to Yellowstone.

We gave ourselves 2 weeks for our journey and that allowed for plenty of time (4 nights) in Yellowstone.

I will be writing up lots of travel related posts zeroing in on specific places we visited and things we saw in the days/weeks/months to come! Here is just a quick overview of our entire itinerary, with some pictures.  I have also chronicled the entire trip on our Facebook page , so be sure to pop over for a look.

Day 1 – Home (Bucks County, PA) to Sunny’s Campground (Wauseon, OH) 552 miles

Day 2 – Wauseon, OH to Autumn Woods RV Park (Rochester, MN) 570 miles * Slight detour to see Lake Michigan for all of 10 minutes

Day 3 – Rochester, MN to Laura Ingalls Wilder Birthplace and Museum (Pepin, WI) 64 miles Pepin, WI to Walnut Grove, MN 201 miles

Day 4 – Stayed in Walnut Grove ( Plum Creek Park Campground ) * Visited Ingalls Dugout Home Site on the banks of Plum Creek, visited Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Attended the Wilder Pageant

Day 5 – Went to Family Festival in Walnut Grove City Park where Lily entered the Laura look-alike contest. Walnut Grove, MN to Ingalls Homestead (De Smet, SD) 111 miles

Day 6 – Stayed in De Smet * Visited Ingalls Homestead (also where we were camping), took historic walking tour of De Smet to see various buildings of importance to LIW and her books

Day 7 – De Smet, SD to Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort (Spearfish, SD) with slight detour to Wall Drug , random roadside attraction 368 miles * Unhitched camper at campground, spent a couple of hours doing some laundry while the kids swam in the pool. Then took a night drive down to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. 134 miles

Day 8 – Spearfish, SD to Fishing Bridge RV Park (Yellowstone National Park) 451 miles * Slight detour to see Devil’s Tower National Monument

Day 9 – Yellowstone National Park (Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin, Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail in the Midway Geyser Basin, main viewing spot for Grand Prismatic Springs, Hayden Valley) 100 miles

Day 10 – Yellowstone National Park (Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction, Mud Volcano Loop) 102 miles

Day 11 – Yellowstone National Park (Fishing Bridge Visitor Center, Lower Falls, Fountain Paint Pot Nature Trail, Firehole Canyon Loop, Firehole Lake Loop, Old Faithful, Lake Butte Overlook)  100 miles

Day 12 – Yellowstone to Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort (Spearfish, SD) 463 miles * Slight detour to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Day 13 – Spearfish, SD to Autumn Woods RV Park (Rochester, MN) 608 miles * Slight detour to see the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD

Day 14 – Rochester, MN to Sunny’s Campground (Wauseon, OH)  607 miles * Took route through Eastern Iowa.  Stopped briefly at LIW Burr Oak historic site and Field of Dreams movie site .

Day 15 –   Wauseon, OH to HOME!!! (Bucks County, PA)  552 miles

Stay tuned for all sorts of tips, reviews and other trip related posts ! This was truly a trip for the books. The kids were incredibly well behaved for 98% of the journey and kept themselves occupied with lots of road trip boredom busters that I brought along. Bob and I always travel ridiculously well together and had a blast singing to more music genres than I can even list (yes, if you’re wondering, Amazon Music Unlimited totally ROCKS and we jammed to everything from The Beatles to 90s grunge to country and EVERYTHING in between. Even some Seal. HA!!)

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5 thoughts on “Yellowstone Summer Road Trip Itinerary from Pennsylvania”

Oh my gosh!!! I am so stoked to land on this page!

I too live in Bucks county and started to plan a car camping trip to Yellowstone!

Thank you for sharing your trip plan!

That is awesome!! So glad it’s helpful.. have an amazing trip!

Thanks! I book marked your site and will be reading up everything.

Me too. I’ll be starting from harrisburg, thank you!!

So fun!! I hope you have the best trip!

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How to do the great American road trip: Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks

T he officious clerk in the check-in office for Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone National Park, USA , pushed a piece of paper towards us, and insisted: “We expect you to read this.”

Glancing down the “Do’s and Don’ts” for the campground was the standout item: Be Bear Aware. This included no food to be stored outside our RV, all trash to be disposed of in bear-proof receptacles and, if we were going hiking, we should carry bear spray.

Bear spray? Bear-proof receptacles? Were they serious? Deadly serious, as it turned out. Grizzly and black bears roam Yellowstone freely and visitors need to act accordingly. Even the dog’s food could not stay in the RV’s storage bay; it had to be inside the rig.

That sobering info wasn’t going to dent our enthusiasm for piloting our RV, Indefatigable (or Fati for short), into the heart of America’s first national park, though. Bookings for Fishing Bridge – the only RV park inside Yellowstone offering full hook-ups of electric, water and sewer – are hard to get and we had to be online at 12.01am a year in advance to snag one.

In truth, most of our route planning up until this point, two months and 3,743 miles into our year-long trip, had been predicated on arriving in northwest Wyoming in mid-July for the exact day of our Fishing Bridge booking.

Read more on USA travel :

• The great American road trip part 1: Florida to Minnesota
• The great American road trip part 2: Minnesota to Montana
• The ultimate US travel guide

From a short visit eight years ago, we thought we knew what to expect from this immense tableau of wildlife and geology – 3,472 square miles of untamed wilderness and one of the world’s most extreme environments. As it turned out, we had barely scratched the surface. With our RV, we were immersed in Yellowstone at its most beguiling, from the coyotes yipping at night to the constant backdrop of mountains that reach up 11,000ft, still dusted with snow in places.

The main plateau is where the herds of bison roam in summer, interspersed with pronghorn, elk, deer, wolves and bears. We revelled in this kaleidoscopic wildlife parade, using a newly acquired spotting scope to zoom in on a grizzly with two cubs, a wolf feasting on a bison carcass and a young black bear munching its way across a hillside of wildflowers.

With so little evidence of anything man-made, it was easy to imagine we had travelled back in time to a post-Ice Age scene of sheer, unadulterated nature, a realm purely of animals, birds and the raw undercurrent of the planet’s largest array of geothermal features.

We paid our respects to Old Faithful, the park’s most reliable of its 500-plus active geysers; marvelled at the outlandish colours of West Thumb Geyser Basin; and held our noses at the sulphurous stink of Brimstone Basin, among a welter of seething, bubbling volcanic-induced ruptures in Yellowstone’s fabric, which included the aptly-named Dragon’s Mouth and Mud Volcano.

Fishing Bridge proved the perfect location for daily excursions in our car, including the essential areas of the Hayden and Lamar valleys, the loop around Lake Yellowstone, the Canyon of the Yellowstone and the nerve-shredding Dunraven Pass, with its 9,000ft elevation and sheer, guardrail-less hairpin bends.

With so little evidence of anything man-made, it was easy to imagine we had travelled back in time to a post Ice Age scene of sheer, unadulterated nature

One unforgettable lunchtime was provided by Lake Lodge, where we grabbed a couple of thick ranch beef burgers and took them to the front porch, sitting on rocking chairs and watching bison grazing the open prairie, backed by Yellowstone Lake and the snow-capped peaks of the Absaroka Mountains.

Our research into the best way to enter the park also paid off. Cutting across the northeast corner of Wyoming into Montana along motorway I-90 gave us an essential recce of the north and east entrances, convincing us that the entry via US-191 and West Yellowstone was the most viable in our RV.

It also provided the ideal route to our next destination back in Montana: Glacier National Park . Exiting at West Yellowstone gave us another chance to soak up the scenic splendour of the Gallatin River valley, where much of the 1992 Brad Pitt epic A River Runs Through It was filmed.

A world-class location for fly-fishing, river-rafting and hiking, the Gallatin provided a not-so-micro microcosm of the captivating terrain of two states that make up for the relative paucity of people – Wyoming is the least-populated state in the US, Montana is fourth – with giant helpings of epic countryside.

Rivers, lakes and thick pine forests are the endless currency of western Montana, bringing to mind the Lake District – if the District stretched as far as London and was baked under a 32C summer sun. The hills were reminiscent of the Brecon Beacons – if the Beacons were the size of England, rather than just south Wales.

Glacier soon filled our windscreen as we reached Browning via Interstate 15 and US-89, a mountainous, pine-tree-choked bulk that is so popular reservations are needed to enter the park in summer between 6am and 3pm. The main reason is Going-to-the-Sun Road. This 50-mile stretch of super-scenic highway was completed after a tortuous 12-year construction process in 1933 and is one of the world’s most breathtaking roadways. Not for the faint-hearted, it features a 3,300ft climb to Logan Pass along a precipitous route that is a mere scratch on the towering cliff face.

This granite curtain is swathed in wild flowers in spring and summer and provides much of Going-to-the-Sun Road’s perilous pathway

Although closed to long vehicles, it is serviced by the signature Red Bus Tours , vintage 1930s, 16-seat, open-top buses boasting suitably modernised engines and brakes. The route teeters on the verge of a near-certain-death plunge at multiple points, but the majestic, 360-degree splendour of being immersed in the Rockies eased our feelings of insecurity, notably along the seven-mile extent of the Garden Wall, a 9,500ft ridge that marks America’s Continental Divide.

This granite curtain is swathed in wildflowers in spring and summer and provides much of Going-to-the-Sun Road’s perilous pathway. From its near-vertical sides, the road is practically suspended above the 3,000ft drop, providing an unshakeable symbol of the mountain’s palpable elemental force. It should be said Red Bus Tours have a 100 per cent safety record since their inception in 1936, hence it never felt overtly dangerous; it also provided overviews of other key features, notably the historic 1913 Lake McDonald Lodge, Avalanche Creek, Bird Woman Falls and the Weeping Wall.

Another essential experience was provided by that tasty Montana staple, the huckleberry. This humble fruit is the stuff of multiple state recipes, and we eagerly sampled it as syrup on our pancakes, in a gorgeous fruit pie and, best of all, as the principal flavour of palate-pleasing ice cream.

For all our explorations in and around the park, Lake Five Resort was our base, ideally situated on a beautiful lake just outside West Glacier. Getting there was also an adventure as it included crossing the Marias Pass on the Continental Divide, requiring some careful driving along the steep-sided valley. But here we faced a dilemma. Sticking to our original itinerary, heading west to Washington and Oregon, meant almost 2,000 miles in seven weeks, and a lot of one and two-night stays. With Fati starting to show the strain of our non-stop travel, it potentially put our whole schedule at risk. We needed to slow down, but we were also falling head-over-heels in love with the scenery and towns of Montana and Wyoming.

If we altered course, we could save 1,000 miles of wear and tear on Fati and experience more of these two captivating states and their magnificent landscapes. It was decision time...

How to do it

• For driving around Yellowstone, a large RV isn’t ideal. Consider also hiring a car for your stay.
• Don’t be tempted to take the north-west entry via Gardiner. The hairpin-strewn new road to Mammoth Hot Springs is a challenge for cars, let alone RVs.
• In windy conditions, it is essential to slow down or pull off the road for a while. The side of an RV can be like a sail and blow you sideways.
• You can rent bear spray at Canyon Village and Old Faithful in Yellowstone.
• An excellent wildlife spotting scope is the Gosky 20-60x80 .

RV Factfile

• A great planning and resource app is called The Dyrt .
• In Montana, Cruise America has RV rentals from both Bozeman and Billings.
• When things go wrong, consult myrvresource.com .

Read more on the best USA hotel reviews

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Taking a road trip? These Western NC places voted among top 10 in US to stay. What to know.

Several Western North Carolina locations have been voted as top choices in the country for road trip lodging this summer, according to USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice . From vintage trailers by the river to midcentury roadside motels, the choices in WNC alone have a little something for everyone.

It isn't the first time WNC has topped a 10Best list . Methodology provides locations chosen by an expert panel to voters in the community, who choose their favorite options to add to the lists.

Here's what to know about the WNC options chosen by readers for the 2024 10Best road trip roundup.

More: Asheville, WNC communities earn multiple 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for beer, breweries

Best glamping 2024

Coming in at first place on this list is Sky Ridge Yurts. Located at 200 Sky Ridge Drive in Bryson City, Sky Ridge Yurts has eight structures available for booking. 10Best praised the three-person Santeelah and six-person Fontana, and mentioned the cooking areas, full baths, heating and air conditioning available in each that make the yurts a true glamping experience.

10Best glamping spots

• Sky Ridge Yurts (Bryson City, North Carolina)
• Beaver Island Retreat (Beaver Island, Michigan)
• Piney River Ranch (Vail, Colorado)
• Treebones Resort (Big Sur, California)
• Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo (River Ranch, Florida)
• Nomad Ridge at The Wilds (Cumberland, Ohio)
• Little Arrow Outdoor Resort (Townsend, Tennessee)
• The Destination (Dadeville, Alabama)
• The Resort at Paws Up (Greenough, Montana)
• Borealis Basecamp (Fairbanks, Alaska)

More: WNC city voted among 10 Best Small Towns in the South: Here's why

Best roadside motel 2024

Two WNC options made the 2024 10Best list of best roadside motels. First was the Sunset Motel at third place. Located at 523 S Broad St. in Brevard, the motel has a wide range of rooms including a separate cottage on the property available to reserve. Rooms feature midcentury modern themes.

Rhodes Motor Lodge was the other WNC choice on the list, coming in at seventh place. The lodge at 1377 Blowing Rock Road in Boone features two stories of rooms all facing the Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact, the views were among the specific features praised by 10Best. Their house bar and restaurant, Canteen, serves homestyle meals and a rotating selection of local craft beer and ciders, plus wine and cocktails.

10Best roadside motels

• The Groovy Nomad (Trenton, Georgia)
• Sugarloaf Mountain Motel (Virginia City, Nevada)
• The Sunset Motel (Brevard, North Carolina)
• Roadrunner Lodge Motel (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
• Bear Cove Inn (St Ignace, Michigan)
• The Local - St. Augustine (St. Augustine, Florida)
• Rhode's Motor Lodge (Boone, North Carolina)
• The Starlite Motel (Kerhonkson, New York)
• Americana Motor Hotel (Flagstaff, Arizona)
• The Ozarker Lodge (Branson, Missouri)

More: West Asheville eatery is No. 2 on national Best New Restaurants list: What's on the menu

Best national park lodge 2024

Pisgah Inn, located at 408 Blue Ridge Parkway near Canton, was sixth on the list. The inn, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Pisgah National Forest, has a rich history beginning in 1919, when it first opened, and is one of only two remaining park lodges on the 469 miles of the parkway.

At an elevation of 5,000 feet, Pisgah Inn features views of the forested mountains and plenty of nearby hiking trails. 10Best also mentioned the quality of the meals served at the inn's dining room.

10Best national park lodges

• Jackson Lake Lodge (Grand Teton National Park)
• Paradise Inn (Mount Rainier National Park)
• Old Faithful Inn (Yellowstone National Park)
• Skyland (Shenandoah National Park)
• El Tovar Hotel (Grand Canyon National Park)
• Pisgah Inn (Blue Ridge Parkway)
• The Ahwahnee (Yosemite National Park)
• Many Glacier Hotel (Glacier National Park)
• The Inn at Death Valley (Death Valley National Park)
• Glacier Park Lodge (Glacier National Park)

More: This NC amusement park ranked in the top 10 countrywide; Coaster, entertainment praised

Best vintage trailer hotel 2024

Asheville River Cabins was fourth on the list of best vintage trailer hotels of 2024. At 318 Wanderlust Ridge in Arden, Asheville River Cabins offers reservations for private cabins and vintage Airstream trailers. Its website suggests hiking the property's river trail or tubing down the river.

Currently, riverfront Airstream rentals start at $159 per night. Airstreams are equipped with full kitchens and private fire pits.

10Best vintage trailer hotels

• The Vintages Trailer Resort (Dayton, Oregon)
• Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground (Buellton, California)
• SkyStream Resort at SkyPark Camp + RV Resort (Skyforest, California)
• Asheville River Cabins (Arden, North Carolina)
• Sou'wester Historic Lodge & Vintage Trailer Resort (Seaview, Washington)
• Hart's Camp (Pacific City, Oregon)
• AutoCamp Yosemite (Midpines, California)
• AutoCamp Cape Cod (Falmouth, Massachusetts)
• Lake Bastrop North Shore Park (Bastrop, Texas)
• Camp LeConte Luxury Outdoor Resort (Gatlinburg, Tennessee)

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].

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Raft Guide Yellowstone Raft Company

Guide on the Famous Yellowstone River! Training available for excellent Candidates!

We are located in beautiful Gardiner, Montana at The North Gate of Yellowstone. Gardiner is a fun seasonal town that is buzzing in the Summer. Our closest city and airport is in Bozeman, MT.

WE ARE HIRING NOW! Come join us in beautiful Montana!

• You are paid per trip. Wages are BOE. Guides can typically expect 1-3 trips per day + tips.
• We train Our Guides and once a Guide is checked off they can start guiding. We are open until late or end of September and we usually keep a few employees longer to close the business down. *We can typically be flexible with school schedules, just ask.
• Housing is available for $75 per month. Wifi, Showers, BBQ and Kitchen on property. Space for Tent's, RV's and Vans.
• We are located in Gardiner, MT.

How to Apply

Please visit the link below for Yellowstone Raft Company to apply. Attaching a resume and/or cover letter is appreciated.

You can see a video in the link below about our town, featuring our rafts, staff, and store.

Contact Info

• Patrik (please leave a voicemail if there is no answer)
• [email protected]
• (406) 570-8448
• www.yellowstoneraft.com