Best Tent Camping near West Yellowstone, MT

Arrived on a Saturday afternoon and there were 3 spots open (only 6 sites). My site had a bear box, nice picnic table and fire ring (fire ban currently). There’s two clean vault toilets. It’s just 10 minutes to red lodge but you feel very remote. There’s a creek running through some campsites which drowns out any neighbor noise. There’s a nice trail that starts in the campground (willow creek) and it’s about 4 mi RT with 900 feet elevation gain. Super peaceful trail and wasn’t very busy for a Saturday. There’s plenty of trees around for shade. I had 2 bars of LTE so could work remotely. And it’s free!

Madison Campground is a huge campground with 278 site, needless to say you will not be camping alone here, or with much privacy. The campground is set amongst lodge pole pines. While this is a large campground the sites are decently sized and not right on top of each other, but close. We had a quiet stay, but with the size of this campground your odds of that one loud group or family being near will be quiet high. Allow yourself plenty of time to check-in, as the process will be quite slow if numerous campers show up at the same time. The campground appears to have two heated restrooms per loop, with a dish washing station at them. You will not have to throw out much trash during your visit, the campground has a large recycling area, including compost. You can recycle type 1& 2 plastic, cardboard, aluminum& steel cans, glass bottles and camp stove fuel bottles. The campground roads are all paved as are the parking pads. Each site has a picnic table and metal fire ring. Bear food lockers are located through out the campground, but you might need to share with fellow campers as each site does not have their own. Of the 278 site, 62 are tent only and there are 3 group sites. Cost to camp is$28 per night. The price is a little steep, but this campground has the advantage of being fairly centrally located to most of the top attractions in the park, plus you are only 15 miles away from West Yellowstone where you can stock up on everything you might need.

Cabin Creek Campground is a nice small pleasant 16 site campground sitting in a mature pine and Douglas Fir forest.  The site is 22 miles from West Yellowstone and the park.  Campground is right next to the highway which makes for some road noise, but it settles down at night.  Each site has a picnic table and metal fire ring.  Campground has a vault toilet and water, trash service and recycling is available.  Sites are nice and roomy with plenty of flat ground for your tent.  One site is Accessible. If you want to go hiking, the 6 mile Cabin Creek Trail begins at the campground.

This campground is in the Earthquake lake geologic area.  The area was forever changed by the 1959, 7.5 magnitude earthquake.  Earthquake Scarp Interpretive Area is located just adjacent to campground.  You can learn more about the earthquake by stopping at the interpretive sites along the highway or checking out Earthquake Lake Visitor Center which is 5 miles down the highway

Campground is in middle of park so it’s not a quick drive in but the drive is beautiful! The campground is easily laid out and clean and fire rings at each spot. Bear boxes located throughout campsite area you may have to share with your neighbor. Wake up and go for a walk and you will see a lot of wildlife in campgrounds. The staff at checkin is friendly. There is a marina if you want to rent a boat or look to launch your own. RV dump station and water refill are conventionally located at exit. The park has a 8pm-8am quiet hours (no generators) which is fine as it dropped to 40 at night so perfect for RV and camping.

Eagle Creek campground is a nice small 16 site campground a few miles above Gardiner Montana and only a few minutes from the Yellowstone entrance.  Getting to the campground requires a steep 2 mile drive which the road recommends 4 wheel drive for to help with the incline and to prevent washboard.  Sites sit in a grassy open area with willows and other small trees and bushes around the edge.  Small creek runs along the campground.  Site #1 would the site to get it you can, out of view from the rest of camp and has two picnic tables.  The site has a vault toilet.  All sites have a metal fire ring and picnic table. Bear proof food lockers for food storage at most sites.  No water or trash service.  I filtered water from the creek.  Their is a horse Corral adjacent to campground.  Campground was nice and quiet at night with great view of the night sky.  No cell service.

Palisades campground is a small 11 site campground on the shore of the Madison River.  This campground is in the open as it has no trees in the campground, so you will have no protection from the wind or sun, and minimal privacy.  The sites are nicely spread apart.  While at first glance it does not look like the greatest area for a tent due to the small boulders in the area, on closer look I found plenty of good spots to set up a tent, this is due to the large amount of room either between sites or behind each site.  Two accessible vault toilets serve the campground.  Each site has a picnic table and a metal fire ring,  most sites also have a bear locker for food storage, but some sites will need to share.  Water is available in the summer season.  Nearby day use area has a boat launch.  No trash service is available so be ready to haul out your trash. Cost is $12 a night.