Best Glamping near Gardiner, MT

9/6/19 Conveniently located, 6 miles from west entrance of park. We had a pull thru site, 45,. Level gravel site. I didn't like that our electric and water are on site 44 grass area right next to their firepit. Our picnic area not level. Table very worn. They have a lot of different sites including ones with patio and porch swing, tent sites, cottage. Sites that back up to highway get a lot of road noise. Bathhouse attached to store was average quality, clean, good water pressure. The bathhouse attached to the indoor pool/spa smelled really moldy. Nice play area with mini golf. Small fenced dog area. Good size laundry facilities and store.

We were in need of a place to stay while attending a field seminar in Yellowstone.  It is about a 30 min drive to Gardiner/Entrance to Yellowstone.  The owners have experience in the hospitality industry and it shows inside the tent.  We stayed in the Elk because we wanted a private bathroom. The room had 2 beds (super comfortable and well dressed), refrigerator, couch,  writing table and electric fireplace (more for ambiance vs really providing a lot of heat) and still very roomy. They provide a little lantern for night walks to bathroom or back to tent if you don't have your own flash light.   The deck off the front was ideal for sitting or practicing yoga.  You do have to walk to the bathroom/showers.  While we didn't have the opportunity to use the 2 community fire pits or horseshoes, butthey were well placed with a beautiful backdrop of mountains.  There is also a small building with a coffee/tea machine and another small refrigerator.  You can park right next to the tent.  

If you want to take a walk, there are some dirt roads to walk by other surrounding farms.  

The tents a pretty dispersed and seemed fairly private.  There was only one other couple on the premises so not sure when it is a full house.  They offer really nice kennels.  

My only ding is they have a few kinks to work out, but I feel they will figure it out.  They will be offering speciality breakfasts in the future, but now they are just store bought muffins with yogurt and orange juice.  The location gets you off the highway, but you do need to navigate a gravel road for about a mile.  Totally drivable for any car. 

I think if I stayed here again I would take one of their guiding trips.

Reserved a cabin at KOA in West Yellowstone; it had been raining, the area in front of our cabin was a lake!!    Our fire pit and picnic table were completely underwater.   We went to office & they assured us they would send someone over to take a look.   They threw down some boards to walk on, but fire pit was still underwater & we would have to navigate those boards to go to the restroom in the middle of the night!    

We went to the office again & asked if there was another cabin for us to move to; the manager said there was but it would be $100 upgrade!!   We asked if he would be negotiable as our cabin wasn't safe.   The manager kicked our family of 5 out, with the words.....good luck finding another place to stay in West Yellowstone this time of year!!    Luckily, we found, Hibernation Station in town - lovely place, fully furnished cabins with bathrooms.   Why anyone would stay at the crappy KOA cabins 7 miles out of town when you can stay at nicely furnish Hibernation Station cabins with bedding, private bathroom, fully equiped ktichen, walking distance to restaurants & wonderful management.    Shame on KOA for not ensuring better management.

I would love to give this campground 5 stars - the hosts were lovely. It's a beautiful, peaceful piece of property. Lots of trees, surrounded by mountains and a glass lake. If you are tent camping, there are gorgeous sites along the water and you get amazing sunset views each night. HOT showers, laundry facilities, and an outdoor kitchen for cleaning your catch if you head out on the lake. Ladies bathroom needs some better ventilation, but the showers were a nice size.

If you are RVing and staying here to spend your days touring Yellowstone… you just have to take note. It's a long, bumpy 5 mile drive into the camp (making it wonderfully quiet!). It was fine the first day, but it got old, especially after driving around Yellowstone all day. They also, if needed, pack the RVs in some weird spots. Where we thought it was a through road next to us, ended up being a RV spot later in the week…and we lost our pretty sunset views. It also was awkward for both of us as we were perpendicular to them.

If you plan on spending more than 4 nights there, you will love the serene getaway of it! If you are only there to sleep while visiting Yellowstone, you will find its location a bit of a hassle.

Let's be honest, Campfire Lodge & RV is not the cheapest place to stay. And, it's obvious why when you stay there. The upkeep is top notch. The RV pads are graded roadbase. Fire pits and tables for each spot. the spot we stayed in had full 30 amp hook-ups. Tall pine trees. And, a stones throw from the Madison River. What an amazing place to sit and relax. 

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. Bring your appetite and prepare yourself for an amazing breakfast or lunch. If you're a fly tyer the collection of hackle is off the charts. 

Close to Yellowstone NP, fishing on the Madison River, exploring West Yellowstone to Ennis Montana and so much more! What a great place. We'll be back for sure.

Cherry Creek Campground comprises a total of nine campsites, per Recreation.gov and seeing for myself camping here for almost a week. The campsite is first come/first serve, and as of June to July 2024, there is a $23 per campsite fee for a max of 8 people and one vehicle. This fee is relatively low compared to other NPS campgrounds, honestly. It is very well-maintained and clean and consists of one vault toilet (aka: “outhouse”, as well as one large garbage container that is bear protected located at the end of the dirt road/entrance to main campground. There are also several bear protected containers located for every two sites allowing storage for campers’ food and food-related items and supplies helping campers stay safe from frequent bears in the area by storing their food, spices, herbs, pots, pans, dutch ovens, anything aromatic that would attract bears (perfumes, cologne, toothpaste, etc. included, FYI) set away from the campsites, at the end of the vehicle parking for each campsite, so close to the site’s fire pit to use, but also at a good distance away from your tent. There is also an information board next to the campsites’ vault toilet and bear protected garbage container with notices on any warning or alerts in the area, bear education, and policies and rules of the campground. There is also small containers to retrieve envelopes with attached receipts to pay the site’s fees with cash and deposit it in the dropbox next to the board, or else you are able to scan a QR code to pay online. It is a pack in/pack out (including all garbage) campsite. It has a lovely meadow area, allows pets on leash, and right off the banks of Hebgen Lake. It’s so beautiful! We will come again!

Several years (10) ago I booked this KOA to travel with friends and visit Yellowstone.  They all backed out, and it ended up being an incredible trip with my Mom.  So much so that we are having our 11th trip this year.  I am also bringing my husband separately for his first time.

This KOA is well kept, clean, spacious, plenty of fun things to do, the staff is courteous.  And I love the different options that you have for staying there.  Tents, RV's, and Cabins.  The general store is great if you forget anything.  And the BBQ is wonderful for breakfast or dinner!  

The accommodations are perfect.  We have stayed in tents and cabins.  I love that each site has a picnic table, and fire pit.  If you choose a cabin, it consists of beds, a porch swing, and a space heater.  Unless you choose to upgrade (which we have done in the past as well).  Then you have a kitchenette and bathroom/shower.