Campers seeking glamping near Yellowstone National Park can find elevation-appropriate accommodations outside park boundaries. The West Yellowstone area sits at approximately 6,600 feet elevation where nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing even in summer months. Sites near the west entrance offer convenient staging for the park's geothermal features while providing more amenities than primitive park camping.
What to do
Fishing from shore or boat: Henrys Lake State Park Campground offers excellent fishing access with boat slips available. "Beautiful lake setting, surounded by snow capped mountains even in July, great fishing, boating, hiking and nature walking. We chose it rather than Yellowstones crowded campgrounds," notes a camper.
Rock climbing adventures: Red Cliff Campground provides developed sport climbing routes. "The Cliffs themselves are developed for rock climbing with bolted sport routes from 5.6 up to 5.11 and 5.12," reports a visitor who enjoyed the technical climbing options.
Wildlife viewing excursions: Beaver Creek Campground puts you in prime wildlife territory. "They gave us a few tips about tenting in bear country, and advised us to look out for a few moose who inhabit the grounds," shares one visitor who appreciated the heads-up about local wildlife.
What campers like
Affordable alternatives: Mammoth Campground offers in-park camping at lower rates than luxury accommodations. "Mountainside sites with a view! Mammoth Campground is very clean and well kept. The sites are tight but we spent of our time off exploring and never found this to be an issue," explains a camper.
Quiet glamping options: Madison Arm Resort provides secluded luxury tent sites away from crowds. "Second time we stayed here... we had a spot on the lake, great access to the beach and a couple trails for walking the dogs... The boys enjoyed the kayak rentals," notes a repeat visitor.
Evening programs: Indian Creek Campground offers educational ranger events. "A variety of site types... Campfire programs both during the day and night, plus the ranger station has fishing poles and nature backpacks to check out for kids for free," explains a camper who appreciated the structured activities.
What you should know
Early arrival requirement: For non-reservation sites, timing matters significantly. "Looking at their booking calendar, that may have been a bit of a fluke for mid-week July (yesterday it says they booked up at 7:30 am), but it's definitely a better bet than other, more popular campgrounds," advises one Indian Creek visitor.
Road conditions: Access to some glamping sites involves unpaved roads. "We camped here during the July 4th holiday. There is a 5 mile long dirt road for the drive in. Be aware of changing road conditions due to the weather," warns a Beaver Creek Campground visitor.
Bear safety requirements: Secure storage is mandatory, not optional. "BEAR SAFE FOOD STORAGE IS REQUIRED BY LAW. Bear boxes are provided at many sites, or lock up your stuff in a hard-sided vehicle. You may see elk, deer and bear," notes a Red Cliff Campground reviewer.
Tips for camping with families
Free equipment loans: Some ranger stations provide gear for young explorers. "Campfire programs both during the day and night, plus the ranger station has fishing poles and nature backpacks to check out for kids for free," shares a visitor to Indian Creek.
Kids' activities: Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA Holiday offers structured recreation. "Staff is always friendly and helpful. Lots of activities for the kids. Lots of trees, clean, relaxing. We have been there 3 times twice as tent campers and once as RV camper," reports a repeat visitor.
Early-morning strategy: Consider pre-dawn arrivals to avoid midday crowds. "We got up early (4am) and drive to the hot spots in Yellowstone to beat the crowds, find a parking spot, cook breakfast and then hit the trails before they are packed by noon we are on the way out when literally hundreds of vehicles are bumper to bumper," advises a family who stayed at Beaver Creek.
Tips from RVers
Unexpected tight spots: Be prepared for less separation than advertised. "The RV spots were very close together... Sites that back up to highway get a lot of road noise. Bathhouse attached to store was average quality, clean, good water pressure," notes a visitor to Yellowstone Park West Gate KOA.
Hookup configurations: Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch requires special attention to utilities. "Level Sewer connection had an odd configuration. We had to dig a bit of dirt out in order to make a connection," reports an RVer who needed to troubleshoot upon arrival.
Big rig considerations: Red Cliff Campground accommodates larger vehicles with some limitations. "Many sites will accommodate large rigs, but small to medium trailers and RVs/camper vans are the norm. No cell service," reports a visitor, noting the practical aspects of site selection.
