Things to Do on a Yellowstone National Park RV Road Trip

While it’s a bare-bones RV park, visitors note that it has a high price tag for national park standards. As long as you go into your experience with expectations in check, Fishing Bridge is an excellent jumping-off point for exploring close-by sites like Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

This large (430 sites) campground is located in the national park off the Grand Loop Road at the south end of Yellowstone Lake. There are no hookups, but you're near stores, a restaurant, gas station, visitor center, and boat ramp in the town of Grant Village.

This in-the-park campground is 14 miles from West Yellowstone and 16 miles from Old Faithful. There are over 200 sites that can accommodate RVs and the campsite is close to popular fly-fishing rivers.

Offers manicured sites and full hookups right in the charming little town of West Yellowstone. The location is within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, and other attractions like the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

This campground is only 5 minutes from the park's west entrance and has a swimming pool, dump facilities, playground, and a recreation area. If you have a larger rig, this campground can accommodate you; it also has full hookups and some pull-through sites.

This campground is managed by USDA and is first-come, first-served. There are 33 sites with electric hookups and an additional 40 sites for dry camping. It's located near the west entrance along the Madison River.

Yellowstone Lake is the largest high-elevation lake in North America, with more than 140 miles of shoreline. Private boats are allowed, but the cold water temperatures and frequent, sudden winds make it suitable only for experienced boaters.

At West Thumb Geyser Basin, you can walk along the boardwalk and see the lake and geysers at the same time, including at least one geyser that’s actually in the lake.

It’s one of the more popular park attractions, so arrive early to beat the crowds. While in the area, make sure to explore the Upper Geyser Basin for even more geysers and other geothermal phenomena. For history buffs, the Old Faithful Inn offers free historic tours.

You’ll find Midway Geyser Basin just a few minutes away from Old Faithful. Here you’ll find the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring, the third largest hot spring in the world.

Located in West Yellowstone, this is a not-for-profit wildlife park where you can see grizzly bears and gray wolves in an outdoor habitat. Animal residents are unable to survive in the wild and provide an educational opportunity to visitors.

You'll recognize the 1,000-foot-deep canyon from Artist Point as you approach the gushing falls. Make sure you drive the North and South Rim roads for the best views.

Don’t miss the Canyon Visitor Education Center for exhibits on the supervolcano that’s responsible for Yellowstone’s one-of-a-kind landscape.

The Lamar Valley offers a glimpse of some lesser-seen wildlife, like the 100 or so wolves who live inside the park. Here, you’ll also find the Lamar River Trail, which is a 20-mile out-and-back trail.

Located less than a quarter of a mile from the North Entrance to the park, this campground offers full hookups, bathhouses, river views, and quietness.

For an in-park option without hookups, stay in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, which is close to the town of Gardiner, Montana. Note that sites here cannot accommodate RVs longer than 30 feet. This corner of the park is a long haul from most of the other popular attractions, so there will be fewer crowds. It’s also the only campground in the park that’s open year-round.

Located in the far northwest corner of the park, you can get up close to the hydrothermal action via a boardwalk trail that winds through the area. This is also the site of Fort Yellowstone. And, while you’re at this end of the park, make sure to visit the north entrance gate and the Roosevelt Arch.