Backcountry Permits
If you want to sleep in the Yellowstone backcountry, you have to get a permit, follow limits for length of stay and campfires, and stay in a designated area. The permit is free if you pick it up at the park during the final 48 hours before you begin your trip or on the day of your trip. Or you can reserve a site by paying a $20 fee to Yellowstone. If you wish to make a reservation, you must do so in writing, and you still need to pick up your permit in person upon your arrival in the park. Yellowstone reservations can be made starting on April 1 of the current year and are generally not accepted after early November. If you're going during the park's busy season, you'd be wise to make a reservation.
In Yellowstone, permits can be obtained at any ranger station (most of which are open 8am-7pm during the summer), no more than 2 days before embarking on a trip. To make a reservation by mail (for a $20 fee), write the Backcountry Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. Phone reservations are not accepted, but if you want information about the system, call tel. 307/344-2160.
Boating Permits
For motorized craft in Yellowstone, the cost is $20 for annual permits and $10 for 7-day permits. Fees for nonmotorized boats are $10 for annual permits and $5 for 7-day permits. Boating permits are required for all vessels. Motorized boating is restricted to designated areas. Boating is prohibited on all of Yellowstone's rivers and streams except for the Lewis River Channel, where hand-propelled vessels are permitted. U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices are required for each person boating.
Fishing Permits
In Yellowstone, park permits are required for anglers 16 and over; the permit costs $15 for 3 days, $20 for 7 days, and $35 for the season. Youths ages 12 to 15 also must have a permit, but it's free. Children younger than 12 may fish without a permit. Permits are available at any ranger station, any visitor center, Yellowstone Park General Store, and most fishing shops in the gateways. The season usually begins on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and continues through the first Sunday in November. Exceptions to this rule are Yellowstone Lake, its tributaries, and sections of the Yellowstone River, which have shorter seasons.
