Travel – Life on Route

Yellowstone National Park is one of those places that should be on your bucket list. And one of the best ways to get there and enjoy the park is in your RV. Whether you are looking for a full hookup campground or not, there are dozens that you can choose from in and around Yellowstone. The thing is, not all RV lengths and sizes are allowed at all these campsites. All campgrounds in Yellowstone are reservable so it's a good idea to check availability in advance and book ahead. You can do this through the Yellowstone National Park website. It's also a great reference for currently open campgrounds and current rates. Best Full Hookup Campgrounds Some of us love to have all the creature comforts of home when we are camping in our RVs. That's when campground with full hookups are amazing. Fortunately, there are a couple of options available in and near Yellowstone National Park. Fishing Bridge Village RV Park Fishing Bridge Village RV Park is centrally located within Yellowstone National Park, making it a great jump off point to easily explore the rest of the park. It's located at the mouth of the Yellowstone River, just as it leaves Yellowstone Lake. It's about 41 miles from Old Faithful. If you don't have a tow vehicle and prefer not to move your rig to explore, there are tours that can be booked through the campground activity desk. There are several walking and hiking trails you can easily access from Fishing Bridge Village. You can check out Pelican Creek Nature Trailhead, a short loop walk, and Fishing Bridge Trailhead, a long hiking trail connecting to other areas of the park. You can also walk down to Lake Village, about 40 minutes. It is the only campground in Yellowstone that has any type of hookups which makes it a very popular place for RVers. It boasts sewer, water, and electricity, both 50 Amp and 30 Amp. If you have your heart set on staying here you had better book well in advance. All 310 sites are reservable so it's unlikely there will be any open spots during peak season. It only permits hard-sided RVs and trailers due to grizzly bears in the area, i.e. no tents or tent trailers allowed. Fish Bridge Village is the only campground in the park to have hot water so it has coin-operated showers and laundry facilities. If you are staying here your nightly rate includes two showers per night. It also has a dump station at the entrance and open fires are not permitted. Fishing Bridge Village can accommodate most sizes of motorhome and truck-trailer combos. Many of the sites are double wide allowing for a 35" trailer with a truck parked next to it. When making your reservations you need to know the size of your combined vehicle length i.e. truck and trailer or motorhome and tow vehicle. West Gate KOA Holiday West Gate KOA Holiday is located only six miles away from the west side of Yellowstone National Park. It is located in Montana just outside of Yellowstone. This is the most popular entry point to Yellowstone and is about 38 miles from Old Faithful. This is a busy campground due to its close proximity to Yellowstone. You should make a reservation before you come here, and the cost of a site varies. Factors that affect the nightly rate include number of adults, number of children, pets, size of your rig, type of site, and hookups requested. While this campground can be a little pricey it has many amenities. Depending on the site you will have 30/50 AMP power, sewer, water, cable, WiFi, picnic table, and firepit. There is also a heated indoor pool, convenience store, and camp kitchen. On top of these, they have mini-golf, snack bar, bike rentals, laundry, and propane, but they are an extra fee. Old Faithful Geyser Mountain Side KOA Journey Mountain Side KOA Journey is a little past West Gate KOA at about 7.5 miles from Yellowstone's west gate. It's roughly 40 miles from Old Faithful. Like West Gate, you need reservations before arriving. The best sites fill up quickly. As with most KOA campgrounds cost vary depending on the size of rig, number of people, and what kind of site you want. The holiday park has a bus service that can pick you up, and then take you to the Yellowstone National Park. Of course, you can drive there yourself. Mountain Side has many of the same amenities as West Gate though it is lacking a pool. It does offer scenic views of the mountain side. This one can also accommodate bigger rigs with a maximum pull-through of 105 feet. Another bonus about Mountain Side KOA is it has easy access to Gallatin National Forest Trails and ATC trails. There is even a mining camp where you and your family can learn about the mining history of the region. To make KOA campgrounds a little more affordable, you can sign up for KOA rewards and get 10% off. Just confirm with your campground of choice that they participate in the "daily registration discount". Best Campgrounds for Small RVs (less than 25ft) in Yellowstone If you have a smaller RV, less than 25ft, you will have quite a few more options available to you in Yellowstone Park. These campgrounds will be basic with likely only pit toilets. But that's the great part about RVing, you have everything with you that you need. If you are looking for more help in planning your trip to Yellowstone check out my article, 11 Tips to Enjoy Yellowstone National Park in Your RV. Bridge Bay Campground Bridge Bay Campground is inside Yellowstone National Park and it is only an hour away from the main attractions, about 36 miles from Old Faithful. It is a popular campground option for people with smaller RVs because of its location. It is also right on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. There are 432 campsites, all of which are close to the water. If you are into fishing and water sports this is a great option. There are also some hiking trails from the campground. The maximum RV size is 30ft but some sites have room for parking a second vehicle which means you can stay here if you have a trailer and a combined length under 60 ft. Bridge Bay has flush toilets, potable water, and dishwashing stations. It also has a dump site and generators are permitted from 8 am to 8 pm. Mammoth Campground Mammoth Campground is only minutes away from Mammoth Hot Springs and the developed area around Fort Yellowstone. It's at an elevation of 6,200 feet and only five miles south of Gardiner, Montana. It is about 52 miles from Old Faithful. It is one of the best campgrounds if you like to hike and fish. There are many tails around the Mammoth Hot Springs area. You can also do some sightseeing activities here, as there are elk and bison that occasionally show up. The Mammoth Campground is open the whole year but is only reservable in the summer months. There are 85 sites but most will only accommodate rigs up to 30ft. There are a few sites that can fit larger units. This is why I recommend Mammoth to smaller vehicles. The campground has minimal facilities. There are flush toilets and potable water but that's about it. Generators are permitted from 8 am to 8 pm. Mammoth Hot Springs Norris Campground Norris Campground is close to the Norris Geyser Basin. It's about 32 miles from Old Faithful. The campground is in a lodgepole pine forest. This campground has two sites that can accommodate trailers up to 50 feet in length. It also has five sites that can take 30-foot trailers. Since it's limited in how many large vehicles it can accommodate, I recommend it for smaller trailers and RVs. There are 111 campsites, flush toilets, and generators are allowed from 8 am to 8 pm. The hiking trail here is the Norris Geyser Basin Boardwalk. It is a one-mile trail where you get to see the most active geyser in Yellowstone National Park. A walk along the trail allows you to witness the hissing of the steam, and also get to see the Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest geyser. It can shoot up to 300 feet of water up in the air. Best Basic Campgrounds in Yellowstone Most campgrounds in Yellowstone are what I consider basic. You have a nice spot to park your RV and most likely a picnic table but that's about it. The following campgrounds are a great option if you don't mind camping without any hookups. These campsites can fit larger motorhomes or trailer/truck combos. Grant Village Campground Grant Village Campground is centrally located right on Yellowstone Lake. It is about 22 miles from Old Faithful and 26 miles from Grand Prismatic Spring. It is one of the largest campgrounds in the park, with over 400 sites. Many sites can fit a combined length of up to 40ft but there is the odd site that can fit up to 50ft in length. Grant Village has many amenities such as a restaurant, dump station, potable water, laundry, and flush toilets. It also has a gas station, visitor center and boat ramp. Just up the road from Grant Village is West Thumb Geyser Basin. This area has several geysers and some nice boardwalks along the Yellowstone Lake. Canyon Campground Canyon Campground is centrally located in Yellowstone National Park. It's about 55 miles from Old Faithful. It is the closest campground to Yellowstone's Grand Canyon. It also is a beautiful wooded setting within a lodgepole pine forest. It does boast many amenities nearby that most other campgrounds do not have. It has showers, flush toilets, a dump site, and generators are allowed from 8 am to 8 pm. Nearby is Canyon Village which has restaurants, and a store. Canyon has 273 campsites which are a mix of tents and RV camping. Some sites can fit vehicles with a combined length of 40 feet. But there are more options for rigs 30ft and under. Grand Canyon in Yellowstone Madison Campground Madison Campground is also very centrally located. It's only 10.5 miles from Grand Prismatic Spring and 17 miles from Old Faithful. Due to its proximity to these sights, it is a very popular campground. There are 276 campsites here that can fit rigs from 30-40 ft and some sites have space for an extra vehicle to park as long as it is under 20ft. There are very few amenities here, but it does include flush toilets, a dump site, and generators are allowed from 8 am-8 pm. Madison Campground is close to the Madison River. There are a few trails near the campground if you enjoy hiking. Final Thoughts Before you travel, make sure you visit Yellowstone National Park’s website and make a reservation for your stay. Different campgrounds have different maximum sizes and not all can accommodate all RV types and lengths. Each campground has its amenities, so choose one that is going to fit your needs. I recommend you decide which areas in Yellowstone you want to see and how far you want to drive each day to see the different sites. This can help you pick sites that are close to your must see attractions.