12 Best RV Parks & Campgrounds Near Yellowstone

Countless visitors are drawn to Yellowstone National Park each year for all kinds of activities, with many guided tours of the park being held and lots of people choosing to camp or park an RV in the area around the park in order to make the most of their trips and have plenty of time to explore its forests and admire its scenery. If you're planning a camping or RV trip in Yelllowstone National Park, you'll have several unique RV parks and campgrounds to choose from.

What are the 12 Best RV Parks & Campgrounds Near Yellowstone?

The 12 Best RV Parks & Campgrounds Near Yellowstone according to local experts are:

• Yellowstone Holiday RV Campground
• Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA
• Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park
• Bridge Bay Campground
• Grant Village Campground
• Lewis Lake Campground with Boat Launch
• Buffalo Crossing RV Park
• Fox Den RV and Campground
• Canyon Campground
• Madison Campground
• Yellowstone Park - Mountainside KOA Journey
• Fishing Bridge RV Park

Of all the national parks of the United States, Yellowstone stands out as one of the most beautiful and iconic. Spread out across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, this national park was established in 1872 as the first ever national park on the planet. It was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant and was has always been considered to be one of the most aesthetically and naturally incredible locations in all of North America, with its forests, canyons, mountains, rivers, and unique geological landmarks like the 'Old Faithful' geyser providing a perfect backdrop for all sorts of outdoor recreation and activities like hiking, camping, kayaking, climbing, fishing, biking, and so much more.

The park stretches out across a little more than 3,400 square miles in total and is home ot the biggest supervolcano in North America in the form of Yellowstone Caldera and one of the continent's biggest lakes in the form of Yellowstone Lake. Made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, Yellowstone National Park is also home to hundreds of different animal species, including several endangered species, and is considered a key location for the conservation of American wildlife, with the likes of bison, elk, wolves, and bears living in the park.

Glamping in Yellowstone

Glamping is a term that many people hadn’t even heard of a few years ago, but right now it’s all the rage. If you’re unfamiliar with the idea, glamping blends together camping and glamor, offering the fun and excitement of camping, including beautiful views of natural surroundings and recreational activities, but cuts out all of the inconvenience. Instead of buying and setting up your own tents and sleeping bags, everything is provided for you on site, just waiting to welcome you in. Many glamping locations can often all sorts of unique, eco-friendly forms of accommodation from yurts and cabins to treehouses and renovated trailers or wagons.

Many glamping locations can be found around areas of natural beauty like state parks or national parks. Yellowstone is one of the most famous national parks of all, attracting a huge amount of visitors each and every year. Established back in 1872 and stretching mostly across a large part of Wyoming, Yellowstone also crosses over the borders into Montana and Idaho. It was the first ever national park in the United States and is famous for its unique landmarks like the Old Faithful geyser and Yellowstone Lake. Covering an area over 3,000 square miles in size, there’s a lot to explore at Yellowstone and it’s no surprise that some fantastic glamping can be found at the park.

There are two major glamping sites currently situated at Yellowstone, but you can also find many individual cabins, lodges, and unique accommodations up for rent around the local area. These glamping areas give you the perfect base to enjoy your evenings and get some much-needed rest after full days of exploring the national park. All kinds of activities can be enjoyed at Yellowstone National Park, including fishing, hiking, cycling, and climbing, so there’s something for everyone and one of the very best ways to visit is to book a glamping stay.

Best Glamping in Yellowstone

As previously mentioned, Yellowstone has two major glamping locations right now. Each has its own unique accommodations and advantages and they’re both very popular and highly rated with the many people that visit the park each year. Read on to learn some key details and information about the best glamping spots in Yellowstone.

If you're interested in glamping in general, you'll already be familiar with Under Canvas as this is one of the best brands in the business, boasting glamping locations in several beautiful areas around the United States including Zion National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone location is situated just 10 minutes from the western entrance of the park, offering beautiful views and a huge array of activities and amenities. On-site dining can be enjoyed at Under Canvas, and the staff will also organize a whole host of exclusive adventures and activities for guests including zip lining, horseback tours, helicopter rides, rafting sessions, and more.

When it comes to accommodation at Under Canvas Yellowstone, you've got a lot of options to choose from. One of the most popular choices is the Stargazer tent, which is suitable for up to four people and comes with a private en-suite bathroom as well as a viewing window in the roof to let you look out at the stars before drifting off to sleep. Other options include Deluxe, Suite, and Safari tents, each with their own furnishings and advantages.

890 Buttermilk Creek Road West Yellowstone, MT 59758, Phone: 406-219-0441

Conveniently situated in the beautiful Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana, Collective Yellowstone is a perfect glamping spot for people who want to appreciate the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone National Park while also enjoying the comfort and class of great quality accommodation. Delicious food is served on site including breakfast and lunch menus, along with farm-to-table dinners and even the option to have a 'barbecue in a box' and enjoy your own private meal by the lake. Activities organized at this location include fly fishing tours, Moonlight Basin expeditions, in-tent massages, hiking, rafting, and more.

Guests will all be staying in Collective's luxurious Summit Tents, offering the best levels of privacy and comfort. These tents are equipped with either a king or two single beds, with additional rollaway beds also available at an added fee. Electrical outlets can be found in each tent to charge up your devices, along with en-suite bathrooms with hot running water and eco-friendly bath products. A wood-burning stove will keep the place nice and toasty, even on cold days, and every guests is also given complimentary breakfast and campfire kits to make their own s'mores.

Big Sky Roadway, Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730, Phone: 970-445-2033

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More Ideas: Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Located in West Yellowstone, Montana, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited nonprofit educational wildlife park, offering up-close experiences with bears, wolves, and birds of prey for families and children. In 1993, the Grizzly Discovery Center was opened by Lewis S. Robinson, intended as a sanctuary for Yellowstone-area bears that were no longer able to live in the wild due to overly domesticated or aggressive behavior.

History

Robinson sold the Center to New York management company Odgen Entertainment in 1995, which added a wolf exhibit featuring 10 wolves born in captivity. After Odgen Entertainment announced its intentions to close the Center in 1999, three of the Center’s managers formed a nonprofit corporation and purchased the Center and several plots of nearby undeveloped land for a sum of $1.7 million. Following the nonprofit acquisition, which included financing as part of a 30-year United States Department of Agriculture development program, the Center entered into a partnership with nearby Yellowstone National Park to host park programming. In 2002, the Center rebranded as the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center and added two buildings at the north end of the facility for museum exhibits.

Permanent Exhibits and Animals

Today, the Center operates as a nonprofit facility offering educational programming about grizzly bears, wolves, birds of prey, and other animals native to the Rocky Mountains. It is located one block from both the entrance to Yellowstone National park and the IMAX/Yellowstone Giant Screen Theater. Center admission allows visitors to explore the facility for two consecutive days, with facilities open 365 days a year.

All of the Center’s bears are rescued nuisance bears or orphaned cubs that were deemed unable to survive on their own in the wild. Bears reside in a combined indoor and outdoor naturalistic habitat that features a pool, waterfall, and private areas, and are regularly rotated to provide socialization among different groups of animals. Food is hidden throughout the habitat to provide bears with simulated natural opportunities for hunting, fishing, and discovery. Two groups of wolves reside at the Center, including the original High Country Wolves, which were rescued in 2006, and the River Valley pack, an unplanned captive-born litter. A seasonal raptor exhibit with weekly programs is also offered between May and November, showcasing birds of prey that can no longer be released into the wild.

The Center’s museum features the Bears, Imagination, and Reality exhibit, which was developed by the Science Museum of Minnesota and permanently installed after a United States tour. At the interactive exhibit, the mythology of bears in American art and folklore is compared to scientific knowledge about the animals collected by researchers and wildlife experts. More than 25 taxidermy mounts are showcased within six thematic areas, shaped around naturalistic habitat settings that explain the animals’ food, behavior, and social traits.

Between the Center’s two wolf habitats, a Naturalist Cabin offers up-close wolf experiences from the comfort of a safe, climate-controlled space with floor-to-ceiling windows. A large fireplace area is offered for relaxation, and interpretive exhibits and a National Geographic film on wolves are offered as educational resources about the animals. Daily Wolf Pack Chats and Enrichment programming is also presented by Center staff.

Future plans for exhibits include a Riparian Habitat Pavilion, examining the effects of bears and wolves on complex ecosystems including river otters, boreal toads, and cutthroat trout, and an expanded bear exhibit that will allow housing for more bears and a new underwater viewing cave platform.

Ongoing Programs and Education

Staff presentations and demonstrations are offered daily at the Museum Theater, including programming presented in conjunction with Yellowstone park rangers. Rotating daily presentations include Wildlife Watching discussions, Raptor Rap presentations, and meet-and-greet events with resident Karelian bear dog Nakiska, who helps with bear management at the Center. Demonstrations on animal safety are also offered, including pepper spray demonstrations and educational programming on human-bear interactions and feeding. A 30-minute Keeper Kids program is also offered for children ages 5-12 throughout the summer months, including ranger-led experiences hiding food within bear habitats.

Guided and self-guided tour opportunities are offered for elementary and secondary student groups of all sizes, including joint tour opportunities with the nearby IMAX/Yellowstone Giant Screen Theater. Personalized classroom outreach programs may be scheduled on an individual basis by contacting the Center’s Education Department. As a committed wildlife conservation facility, the Center works with a variety of area programs to preserve and protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, the Wind River Bear Institute, and the National Park Service.

201 S Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, Phone: 800-257-2570

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More Ideas: National Bison Range

A good place for visitors to start their time at the National Bison Range, MT is the Visitor Center. The center's knowledgeable staff are available to provide all kinds of information on the area, including information about current flower in bloom, photo opportunities, and wildlife sightings. There are several exhibits within the Visitor Center that display the conservation and natural history of bison. Exhibits covering Native American history, local history, and the history of the Refuge can also be found. Guests can also view an orientation video.

For visitors who are more outdoor enthusiasts or eager to see wildlife, some of the best opportunities for photography and wildlife viewing available can be had at the National Bison Range. Wildlife in the area are accustomed to vehicles passing by, and if visitors follow some hints and tips that can be found on the site's website or at the Visitor Center, there will be a greater likelihood of catching a glimpse of animals. Following certain guidelines will also make things more enjoyable for fellow wildlife viewers and less stressful for the wildlife.

The primary means of getting around the National Bison Range is by car. Visitors can choose from a number of different drives to explore the land. One such drive is the Red Sleep Mountain Drive, open from the middle of May to early October. The one-way nineteen-mile loop road features a 10% grade and several switchbacks. Visitors should allow 1.5-2 hours for the drive. Bighorn sheep can be seen at higher elevations, and two walking trails can be found along the drive.

One of the trails along the Red Sleep Mountain Drive is the half-mile Bitterroot Trail. This roundtrip walk is fairly rocky, but fairly flat. The trail is a good place to view the bitterroot, Montana's State Flower, in bloom during the summer, hence the trail's name. Wildflowers are also found prominently along the walk. The Refuge's highest point can be reached by the roundtrip one-mile High Point Trail. The trail starts at the Geology Display, presenting information about Glacier Lake Missoula, along the Service Road. The trail features a steep incline, however, the view from the top cannot be seen on any drives. It's possible to spot Bighorn Sheep from this trail as well.

The roundtrip fourteen-mile Prairie Drive is open to visitors year-round. This gravel road heads along the flats, providing access to Alexander Basin and Mission Creek. Pronghorn antelope can be seen in the open, and white-tail deer can often be found at the creek bottoms. The one-mile West Loop offers a much shorter drive for those short on time. White-tail deer, bison, and several species of grassland birds can be seen along the way during the summer.

Two other trails available to visitors are the Nature Trail and the Grassland Trail. The Nature Trail, found in the Day Use Area, is a one-mile path traveling along Mission Creek and around ponds. Dense junipers and large cottonwoods offer cavity nesting birds a great habitat in which to live, including northern saw-whet and pygmy owls, wrens, chickadees, and woodpeckers. Behind the Visitor Center, the short Grassland Trail offers views in the spring of prairie wildflowers.

58355 Bison Range Road, Moiese, Montana, Phone: 406-644-2211

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More Ideas: Lewis and Clark National Forest

Located in north and central Montana> along the upper Missouri River system, the Lewis and Clark National Forest is named after Lewis and Clark because of their expedition through the waterways and lands. Elevation in the national forest ranges from 4,500 feet to the Rocky Mountain Peak's 9,362 feet. Landscapes from mountain peaks to rugged ridges to broad prairies can be seen throughout the land. Twenty miles of nationally-acclaimed blue-ribbon trout stream on the Smith River provide excellent fishing opportunities, along with fourteen boat camps. More than sixty other streams support westslope cutthroat trout, one the upper Missouri River basin's native fish.

Forests of lodgepole pine and douglas fir surround beautiful mountain meadows and grassy parks. The Lewis and Clark National Forest also consists of the Bob Marshall-Great Bear-Scapegoat Wilderness Complex. A handful of small man-made and natural lakes, as well as 1,600 miles of perennial streams, provide visitors with an opportunity to fish for mountain whitefish and trout. A broad array of other wildlife also call this national forest home, including gray wolf, peregrine falcon, grizzly bears, lynx, black bears, bald eagles, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, blue grouse, deer, and elk. There are also several popular sites for viewing migrating waterfowl.

Within the Lewis and Clark National Forest is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The building, which spans 25,000 square feet, features a permanent exhibit hall, a retail store, a classroom for curriculum-based hands-on activities, and a theater that seats 158 people. The center follows the expedition of Lewis and Clark, and can be found near the Missouri River's great falls. The Interpretive Center brings the story of the adventure during the nineteenth century to life, from the vision of President Thomas Jefferson of the expansion of America to the native peoples of the west and the experiences of the expeditionary corps. Visitors can also learn about the area's native animals and plants, as well as try their luck with wilderness skills.

The lands of the forest were established and defined in 1897 by the federal government, after the Treaty of 1896 with the Blackfeet, which established their adjacent reservation. The Lewis and Clark National Forest is one of the nation's oldest forest preserves, named after the men whose expedition that explored the Louisiana Purchase passed through the region from 1804 to 1806. Before this time, various Native American peoples inhabited the area for at least eight to ten thousand years. When the expedition passes through the region, different parts of the expansive forest territory were used by people of the Crow, Flathead, Cheyenne, Sioux, and Blackfeet nations for seasonal winter camps and hunting. The forested areas offered shelter from the winter.

Visitors have the chance to stand exactly where Lewis and Clark once stood, think about what they saw and explore what has changed since their time. Formally known as the Lewis and Clark National Forest, this forest was combined with the Helena National Forest in 2015. The national forest is now known as the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

4201 Giant Springs Road, Great Falls, Montana, Phone: 406-791-7700

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