Yellowstone National Park Travel Forum

I made a last minute decision to spend the labour day long weekend at yellowstone. Because my flight arrives at Bozeman on Saturday around 3pm, I will rent a car, drive south and spend the night somewhere in the park. This allows a full day in the park on Sunday and overnight at BZN for my return flight early monday morning.

I am trying to go budget this time. I dont know think I will have any chance to get a campsite in the park (Can I?) Will I be able to just park my car off the main road and sleep overnight there? Will the park allow that?

Or any suggestions?

Thanks a lot!!!

Pulling off and sleeping in your car is never allowed in the national parks. You could try this in a campground even if you don't have a camping spot and probably would not get caught. Or you might want to try doing it outside the park on forest service land where there are not so many restrictions. If you get caught doing this in the park, at best you will be told to move on, at worst, you will get a ticket or wake up with a bear in the back seat with you.

Thanks a lot Kathy! From your experience, is it likely for me to find a spot at a campsite in late afternoon this long weekend?

Otherwise, I guess I will be staying outside the park then. Is West Yellowstone a good place for the first night? Or any other places considering I will be driving from Bozeman?

Thanks again!

I really don't know that area but given the gas prices, people may be staying home and you may be able to get a camp site.

Here is a website for park lodging and other lodging links
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/lodging-in-yellowstone.htm

Here is the link for campsites
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/camping-in-yellowstone.htm

The West entrance is by far the most touristy, I would try to get a room there.

The Rangers are constantly "sweeping" the campgrounds and areas where visitors are located ~ they look for proper food storage( bears) , park tags, etc.

We got in trouble (really yelled at) for Spotlighting the animals. We didnt know we were "spotlighting" them, we just pulled over and they were in our headlights. Bison. LIve and learn.

1) Labor Day Weekend (LDW) is one the busiest times of the year for travel in the U.S.
2) even at other times, Yellowstone is one of the most difficult places to find an accomodation -- it's VERY popular.
3) Friday of LDW is NOT a good time to decide to find a place to stay at this very popular site on a heavy travel weekend.
4) you can not sleep in your car, outside of designated campground, at ANY national park. You will be found by the Rangers, and (if they're in a good mood) you will be asked to leave the park. If that means you have to find a place to sleep at 2 am, that's YOUR problem. Bad mood, and they arrest you on the spot.
4) if you're unable to find lodging at any of the nearby towns, then your best bet is to drive to the campgrounds of the adjacent national forests (NF). These camps are unimproved but will probably meet your needs. No guarantees of finding a spot at any of these NF sites, but it's better than the zero chance of finding something within Yellowstone itself at late afternoon.