Grant Campground
Derek E.
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2018

Yellowstone's Southern Campground

When driving out West for a family camping summer trip, we decided to spend a couple of days at Yellowstone. We saw Bison (not Buffalo per my daughter), elk, deer, wolves, and tons of smaller animals. This was my second trip to the park (I'm out near DC) and, while you can't go wrong with Yellowstone's wide variance in sites and things to do, this review will be on the Grant Campground as I'm sure there are other resources for the entire park.

The first time I visited Yellowstone, we stayed at a KOA near the West Gate. While I remember that trip fondly, I found that KOA appeals to a different type of traveler. One that is okay with being "closer" to nature without losing any of the frills of a home. The real bugger about it was that we had to wait about 45 minutes for the line getting into the park. I knew I wanted to be inside from that point on and the location of Grant really sells itself here. Essentially, the park is free to roam around if you stay within its boundaries before the gates open to the public.

By staying on the southern side of the park, you get to explore the area around Yellowstone Lake, specifically the West Thumb. There are active geysers which smell of sulfur, but nothing I noticed near the campground.

The campground itself was VERY busy compared to every other place we stayed. Hey, it's Yellowstone and that was to be expected. Just give yourself plenty of time to settle in. We were in line for over an hour getting checked-in. I'm not sure how normal that was, but it was the middle of August.

The generators and the RVs with their TVs, radios, etc. were TOO LOUD for our taste. I felt like our tent was on top of the next site, but that could be because every other National Park I've stayed at has had at least 30' between my tent and someone else's. The close confines, though, helped us out in the end as there were a few wolves that came through the campground at night. Still, I prefer to "get away" from those things when I camp. Just me, I suppose.

The summer was still chilly enough for us to need long john's and a knit cap. The facilities were awesome throughout the park and Grant was no different. There were over 20 showers available, but they were tiny. Think the size of a regular bathroom stall sans the toilet. Food, supplies, and wood were all easy to get to, but pricier than other places. You HAVE to try the Bison Burgers if you are a meat eater.

The layout of Yellowstone let's you drive in a figure eight and you should probably give yourself a couple of days minimum to see the sites. I loved that the southern gate is less busy than the others. I believe that is because driving south essentially takes you to another awesome park, Grand Teton National Park. There really is a cool feeling you get being close to water when the day winds down.

I would say that you may want to consider Lewis Lake campground if you are comfortable staying even further south. It's a bit less busy, but Lewis Lake was probably the prettiest body of water I saw the whole time in Yellowstone. Still, Grant did a great job for our time there.

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Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
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  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018
  • Review photo of Grant Campground by Derek E., August 20, 2018