Where to camp in Yellowstone and Zion/Bryce area

[Tin Hut]

Appreciate suggestions for camp/RV spots in the Yellowstone area as well as Zion-Bryce etc. Heading there May-June. Thanks

[drboyd]

Check here for reservations and info:

Campgrounds - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

[Farmer Dan]

Tin Hut
We usually stay at Fishing Bridge CG. Yes, the sites are cramped, as others will say. But we like it for the full hookups and its a decent location. No matter where you stay there will be a fair amount of backtracking due to the road setup in the park. We have also stayed at West Yellowstone in the Grizzly RV park. It was nice but even more backtracking is done if you stay there. If you are lucky the wildlife will show up on your routes to and from the CGs!!! Go out after dinner and cruise and you may see elk, buffalo, antelope or even a bear!!

Dan

[Bk Yd Safari]

A couple of years ago we stayed at Rocky Mountain RV Park in Gardiner, MT. Gardiner is located at the north entrance to Yellowstone and near the town of Mammoth Hot Springs. In the early morning and late afternoon we saw many elk in Mammoth. Also we saw elk in yards around the campground. The park in "bare bones" but the bathhouse is very clean. On leaving Yellowstone we traveled through and rode by Grizzly which looks very nice, but for us its just too far from many of the main attractions in Yellowstone.
We're planning a return trip this year and will probably stay at Fishing Bridge inside the park.
Safe Travels

[FCloud9]

Lucky you heading to these great National Parks!
We just camped at "Zion Camp" in Springdale last month in March without advance reservations (booked only 4 nights fours days prior ) but weather was spectacular and we stayed 8 nights! Great location with full hookups, walk to shuttle stop, walk for groceries, cafes, etc. Since campgrounds in Bryce were still closed for winter we stayed a week at "Kodachrome State Park" another great campground- quiet, beautiful landscapes surrounding sites, great hikes, approx. 25 miles from Bryce and Escalante about 15 miles.
Have a great trip,
FCloud9

[badkat]

We stayed at Mammoth CG. Just beautiful .. a bison came walking thru. Wonderful but noa hookups. Zion we stayed at the one that had no hookups. Got there real early..no hookups. Very nice.

[Utah Man]

We like Ruby's just outside Bryce for the hookups and convenient access to the Park. My daughter really likes their heated pool. There are other good boondocks options in the park and nearby, like Red Canyon. Suggest seeing Bryce from the trails, like the Fairyland Loop, if you have the time and energy. This is a photo of our pull-through camp spot at Ruby's last July.

[Len n Jeanne]

I would sure recommend revs at Zion & Yellowstone.

Zion NP, according to the ranger we spoke to in March, has only December and January as "off season" anymore. The Watchman CG does takes reservations, and since some of the sites have electricity, it's well worth it on hot days to use your AC. The South CG is first-come, first-serve, but vehicles start lining up by 9:00 am to nab any newly vacant sites.

We couldn't get a reservation within Zion NP for late March despite phoning two months in advance. We did get in at the Zion Canyon RV park in Springdale. It was so-so, but at least it was close and had hook-ups. Most NPS CGs are boondocking sites. The Zion River Resort in Virgin, Utah, is further out from the main canyon, but it has good access to the Kolob Terrace road area of the park (beautiful and much less crowded,) and looked a lot nicer. To tour the main canyon, you will have to park either by the visitor center or in town near the main entrance, and then take a shuttle bus. They run frequently, so this isn't a problem. But you have to expect crowds.

The CGs at Bryce are first-come, first serve. We would also recommend the RV park at Ruby's Inn. Lots of wooded sites and very close to the park.

We've stayed at Grant Village and Bridge Bay CGs within Yellowstone. They're fine, but also tend to fill up, so reservations are recommended. Just bring lots of risers: strangely some of the paved sites were really sloping! We're going back in August, but because we're traveling with non-RVing family members, we're staying at the Grizzly RV park in West Yellowstone while they stay at a nearby motel.

Yellowstone is a really big park with a slow speed limit, something to factor in when considering where to stay.
Fishing Bridge is basically an RV park, with hookups. That's advantageous but the RVs are really packed in tightly, like sardines there.

If you're going to Yellowstone, the Tetons NP is very close and well worth a visit. Coulter Bay CG usually has vacant sites.

[Dingo Girl]

I stayed at Indian Creek CG at Yellowstone. Very nice and secluded. It's on'the other side of Mammoth hot springs from the north entrance. Not sure if there were hookups or not as I was on the Harley with a tent.

[polarlyse]

Yellowstone is tough to get a space during peak season unless you plan EARLY. A few years ago we found plenty of space in the National Forest just outside of W. Yellowstone. Nice sites and a short ride to the west entrance.

[KJRitchie]

I'm going to Zion and Bryce in June. I made my reservations at Watchman in Zion (electric loop) and North Campground in Bryce when my 6 month window opened up so that was back in January. All the national parks that have reservable campsites have to be reserved when your 6 month window opens up. Gone are the days when you could get a site if you just arrived by 3pm.

Kelvin

[ericpeltier]

We stayed 8 nights last June 2014 at Madison Campground. It was perfect for us. No hookups was fine. Bath-house was basic. Easy drive to West Yellowstone for supplies. Sites were not packed together.

But you might need reservations......Each day we were there, there were 2-5 cars at the entrance, HOPING for an open site. I don't think it would be fun to spend my whole day waiting for a site.

I'll 2nd the vote for Tetons. They were a delightful surprise.

[Doc Foster]

Originally Posted by Farmer Dan

Go out after dinner and cruise and you may see elk, buffalo, antelope or even a bear!!

If you are an early riser, get up before sunrise, drive far from any of the campgrounds or visitor centers and park near any big meadows near a stream. You are likely to see wildlife. One of the time I did this, I watched a coyote dance around in a field catching mice or voles or whatever. I enjoyed this show for almost an hour until someone else showed up and decided to walk out into the field to get a better picture. Needless to say, the coyote disappeared. Many rangers will give you an idea of where/when to best see wildlife that week. Of course your chances of seeing wildlife grow quite a bit if you leave the pavement. Enjoy, I have visited Yellowstone 3 times over the years and plan to visit again - so much to see.

[Idea]

We are planning our first trip in our AS and will be traveling from Kansas to Yellowstone in May. Planning on a great adventure, Hopefully we will be able to make a reservation, I did not realize there was such a demand. We have a lot to learn!

[Reganzo]

Has anyone camped at the Headwater RV campground at Flagg ranch? We are heading there the middle of June and I would be interested in opinions. Thanks in advance

Regards,

Reganzo

[n2916s]

Headwaters is pretty ordinary but it is strategically located if you plan to explore Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

Mike

[Tim A.]

West Yellowstone has a number of commercial RV parks and offers easy access to much of Yellowstone Park. We regularly stay there at Grizzly RV park. It is not cheap by any means, but is very well run and particularly convenient. The facilities are first rate.

Tim

[youngpeck]

Originally Posted by Reganzo

Has anyone camped at the Headwater RV campground at Flagg ranch? We are heading there the middle of June and I would be interested in opinions. Thanks in advance

Regards,

Reganzo

If you want to get off the pavement, you can follow Grassy Lake Road west from Flagg Ranch, crossing the Snake River and bearing south and west. There are about a dozen clean and developed (tables, toilets, but no hookups) campsites along this road, "first come-first served" with no fees. Most will easily take a truck and trailer. It's a good gravel road, with easy access back to the highway and Flagg Ranch for supplies.

[hurricane22]

When visiting Zion stay at the Willowind rv park in Hurricane, Utah. That way you can visit Snow Canyon State Park in St George as well. You'll be glad you did.

[Idea]

We camped at fishing bridge in Yellowstone. We found the campsite very adequate, the services great and the staff helpful and courteous. Not all of the roads were open and there is road construction in some areas. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed watching a wide variety of wildlife.