Camping

Camping at Yellowstone's 12 developed campgrounds can be a happy affair, with the stars overhead, the scent of pine, and friendly neighbors from all over the world. The campgrounds are spaced throughout the park.

For those who carry their tents on their backs and want no neighbors other than their hiking buddies, there's plenty of room out there. Some areas in the Yellowstone backcountry are delicate habitat -- the southeast arm of Yellowstone Lake is an example -- and visitors must camp in designated areas for a limited time only. This in no way diminishes the sense of being in a true wilderness. Check with the Yellowstone Backcountry Office (tel. 307/344-2160) for rules, reservations, and advice.

Getting a Campsite -- The National Park Service has shifted management of five major campgrounds to Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which means, predictably, higher fees, but, thankfully, it also means you can make reservations. The other seven campgrounds still managed by the park are available only on a first-come, first-served basis. These lower-cost campgrounds are at Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Mammoth, Norris, Pebble Creek, Slough Creek, and Tower Fall. I happen to like the Norris and Lewis Lake sites, which tend to be available when others are full. Check with rangers about campsite availability when you enter the park; generally, you need to arrive early to get a site -- some campgrounds fill up as early as 8am.

Xanterra Parks & Resorts operates the large campgrounds at Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant Village, Madison, and Fishing Bridge. Some are rather barren of trees unless you get a site on the fringes. Reservations can be made by calling tel. 307/344-7311; by writing Xanterra Parks & Resorts, P.O. Box 165, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190; or online at www.travelyellowstone.com.

Regulations -- You can set up your tent only in designated areas, and stays are limited to 14 days between June 15 and September 15, and to 30 days the rest of the year, except at Fishing Bridge, where there is no limit. Checkout time at all campgrounds is 10am. Quiet hours are enforced between the hours of 8pm and 8am (or 10pm-7am at Fishing Bridge). No generators or loud music are allowed during these hours.

The Campgrounds

These are campgrounds, not motels, so the amenities are sparse, but some have laundry facilities, showers, bathrooms, and potable water, which are luxuries to campers who've experienced the world's more primitive campgrounds.

In the northeast area of the park, the Tower Fall campground is near a convenience store, restaurant, and gas station at Tower Lodge, 19 miles north of Canyon Village and 18 miles east of Mammoth. Slough Creek campground is in a remote section of the Lamar Valley near the northeast entrance; the good news is that there are fewer people, good fishing, and the possibility of wolf sightings; the bad news is that restroom facilities are pit toilets.

Canyon campground is the busiest in the park. Sites are in a heavily wooded area; the store, restaurants, visitor center, and laundry at Canyon Center are all nearby.

Because it's in an area of spring bear activity, attempts have been made over the years to close the Fishing Bridge RV Park. It's still open, but only hard-sided camping vehicles are allowed here.

Bridge Bay is located near the shores of Yellowstone Lake, so you get tremendous views, especially at sunrise and sunset. Unfortunately, though surrounded by the forest, much of the area is wide open, so there's not a whole lot of privacy. It's close to the marina (where fishing charters originate) and the boat-rental operation.

Madison is in a wooded area just south of the river, a popular spot with good access to fishing and hiking. Norris is one of the park's better camping areas, with attractive, wooded locations in the heart of the park, close to wildlife activity and the Gibbon River. These camp areas seem less like outdoor motels than the big campgrounds on the park's east side.

There are three National Forest Service campgrounds in the West Yellowstone area, all located in the Gallatin National Forest. They accommodate both RVs and tents, but during some periods in late summer they accept hard-sided vehicles only. All three are first-come, first-served, so it's best to stake out a spot early. The heavily forested Bakers Hole, just 3 miles north of West Yellowstone on U.S. Hwy. 191, is popular because of its fishing access. Both tents and RVs are accepted, and 30 sites have electric hookups. Lonesomehurst, 8 miles west of the park on U.S. Hwy. 20, and then 4 miles north on Hebgen Lake Road, is only 1/3 the size of Bakers Hole and fills up quickly in summer. It has tent and RV sites, some of them right on the shore of Hebgen Lake. Rainbow Point is reached by driving 5 miles north of West Yellowstone on U.S. Hwy. 191, then 3 miles west on Forest Service Road 610, and then north for 2 miles on Forest Service Road 6954. Tucked away in the forest near Hebgen Lake, it accommodates both tents and RVs (no hookups) and has boating and fishing access. For further information on these campgrounds, call the Hebgen Lake Ranger District (tel. 406/823-6961). You can find a wealth of information on the Forest Service website at www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin.

In addition, there are a few RV parks in or near West Yellowstone. While these parks have full utility hookups and are generally designed for hard-sided vehicles, if there's space left over and you're willing to pay the price for a utility hookup that you won't be able to fully utilize, an owner of an RV park might allow you to pitch your tent. The shady Hide-Away RV Campground, 320 Electric St. (tel. 406/646-9049), has cable TV hookups and showers. Rates are $27 to $29 for sites with hookups, and $19 for tents. The Madison Arm Resort on the south shore of Hebgen Lake (tel. 406/646-9328) has both RV and tent sites ($30 and $22 per night, respectively), a marina, and a peaceful setting. Both are open from mid-May to early October.