The Joys of Camping in Yellowstone National Park 

If you are looking for a holiday destination where wildlife roams
free and you can relax in the peaceful environment, then the
Yellowstone National Park is the perfect location.  You can choose
between a winter or summer lodge, a luxury hotel, or a camping
resort. 

Camping is one of the most economical choices when it comes to
vacationing, and you can save a great deal of money for other
vacation expenses.  Camping in Yellowstone National Park is even
more fulfilling because you can get more in touch with nature.
  

Campgrounds 
There are a total of 12 campgrounds located in the Yellowstone
National Park.  Seven of the campgrounds are operated by the
National Park Service at Indian Creek, Mammoth Norris, Slough
Creek, Pebble Creek, Lewis Lake, and Tower Fall.  The sites at all
of these campgrounds are available on a limited basis; therefore,
first-come, first-serve is the basic rule. 
 
Other campgrounds include:  

        Fishing Bridge RV Park
 
The Fishing Bridge campground is located near the Yellowstone
Lake, with full RV hook-ups and other camping amenities.  It is
designed for hard-sided campers only, with various length
restrictions.  There are coin laundry facilities, electricity, water, a
camp store, pay showers, sewer hook-ups, and a sanitary dump
station.  There are also sightseeing tours available for all guests.   

        Madison Campground

Located 14 miles east of the Western entrance of Yellowstone
National Park, the Madison Campground is perfect for camping in
Yellowstone National Park.  It is only 16 miles north of the Old
Faithful geyser, if you are looking for sight seeing attractions.  The
facility offers sanitary dump stations, but there are no utility
hookups or showers.  This is a good camping spot if you are not
looking for many amenities, but are only wanting to be in the
wilderness.  

        Canyon Campground

The Canyon Campground is close to the Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone Park, which is near the center of the park.  There is a
campground store, a restaurant, pay showers, coin laundry
facilities, and a sanitary dump station.  However, there are no
utility hook-ups on site.  

Camping Regulations 

It is not permitted to camp in a vehicle overnight, in picnic areas,
picnic grounds, or any other area that is not considered a
campground.  There are also no overflow camping areas, so you
need to plan in advance.  However, there are campgrounds
available in communities outside of the park.
  
In addition, camping is limited to 14 days per group, between June
15th and September 15th.  During the rest of the year, 30 days is
the maximum limit.  On the other hand, there are no stay
restrictions at the Fishing Bridge RV Park.  The required check-out
time for all campgrounds within the park is 10:00AM.   

To have the ability to camp in Yellowstone is a wonderful
experience.  Each visitor in the park needs to have the opportunity
to hear the wildlife and the flowing waters.  Therefore, there are
specific "quiet hours" set into place from 8:00PM until 8:00AM.  At
the Fishing Bridge RV Park the quiet hours are between 10:00PM
and 7:00AM.  During the quiet hours, generators and other noise
disturbances are not allowed.  Generators are only allowed in six
campgrounds, including the Fishing Bridge RV Park.   

Group Camping 

Sites that are available for group camping are Grant, Bridge Bay,
and Madison campgrounds.  It is only allowed from late May until
the end of the peak season for all large organized groups, as long
as they have a designated leader if it is a youth group.  The fees
for group camping vary from $35 to $60 per night, depending on
the campground and the size of the group.
  
When camping in Yellowstone National Park, you will have a
wonderful experience being more in touch with the natural
surroundings.  Remember that food and other odors attract bears,
such as utensils, coolers, toiletries, and trash bags.  They need to
be in tent trailers or tents if they are not being used.