The Best Tent Camping Near Yellowstone

Tent camping in or near Yellowstone National Park brings you closer to this natural wonderland and its surrounding environs than any other type of lodging available. Imagine waking up to the sights, sounds and smells of nature as you prepare for yet another day of exploring the park's attractions by foot, pedal, saddle or paddle. By nightfall, your weary limbs will rejoice as you snuggle into your sleeping bag following a healthy campfire cookout.

Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park has 11 developed campgrounds that allow tent camping. Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village and Madison accept advance reservations, and the other seven campgrounds are first-come, first-served.

The park also has roughly 300 backcountry tent campsites for hikers, horseback riders and paddlers. These require a permit, and some can be reserved in advance. Plan a Yellowstone backcountry camping and hiking trip, and stay fit while experiencing the park's wildlife and wonders closeup.

Shoshone

East of Yellowstone National Park, Shoshone National Forest lines both sides of U.S. Highway 14/16/20, offering six low-cost, tent-friendly campgrounds. These include Big Game, Clearwater, Elk Fork, Newton Creek, Rex Hale and Wapiti.

Only 14 miles from the park's boundary, first-come, first-served Newton Creek Campground has 22 campsites on the North Fork of the Shoshone River. Arrive with a fishing license and cast for a healthy trout dinner to complete your day's adventures.

Gallatin

Gallatin National Forest offers 15 developed, tent-friendly campgrounds in Montana within 35 miles of Yellowstone's border via the park's North, Northeast and West Entrances.

Hiking and fishing opportunities abound at these rustic campgrounds. The closest, Eagle Creek Campground, sits a mere 2 miles north of Yellowstone's North Entrance just off of U.S. Highway 89 on Jardine Road. You'll camp in one of 16 first-come, first-served sites on the shores of the Yellowstone River.

Caribou-Targhee

Caribou-Targhee National Forest's Big Springs Campground lies only 25 miles south of West Yellowstone, the city closest to Yellowstone National Park's West Entrance.

This campground accepts advance reservations. It has 15 tent campsites and one group campsite that can accommodate up to 40 people, along with access to an interpretive hiking trail. Caribou-Targhee has 10 additional campgrounds situated close to the park's west/southwest border.

Teton

South of Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park has five developed campgrounds within its boundaries. The most remote and least crowded of these, first-come, first-served Lizard Creek Campground, also happens to be closest to Yellowstone.

Even closer to Yellowstone, Flagg Ranch Resort lies on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway linking the two parks, offering reservable tent campsites along with resort amenities such as showers and a restaurant.