RV Camping Outside Yellowstone

With boundaries in three states, and millions of acres of forest land surrounding the Yellowstone National Park, there's no shortage of scenic RV campgrounds outside Yellowstone. West Yellowstone, Montana, for example, boasts more than a dozen RV campgrounds.

Towns like Jackson and Cody, Wyoming also offer campgrounds close enough to use as your base camp. Many offer bus tours to the Park, so why not plan to spend at least one day getting familiar with Yellowstone with an experienced guide?

Use this link to choose the state and town you'd like to camp in and make your reservations early! The National Parks Service site also has a wealth of fascinating information to make planning your trip to Yellowstone easier.

RV Camping Inside Yellowstone National Park

With numerous campgrounds operated within the Park itself, and a wide variety of private RV campgrounds nearby, finding a place to park your RV rental isn't difficult. Here are some basic guidelines for finding an RV campsite within the Park:

• The twelve campgrounds within Yellowstone are operated by a private firm, and several are on a first-come-first-served basis for campsites.
• RV campers not planning to stay another night must check out by 10 a.m. at these campgrounds. Arm yourself with a plan for which campgrounds interest you and be there to claim your site.
• Here is a wonderful website with comprehensive information about all Yellowstone campgrounds, as well as many RV campgrounds outside the Park. You can also use this site to find how to reserve campsites in campgrounds that take reservations.
• Camping along roadways or in undeveloped areas isn't allowed at Yellowstone. One more important rule to plan for: generators aren't allowed after 8 p.m. at most campgrounds.
• Yellowstone is a wild and wooly place! Bears, wolves, bison and coyotes are only a few of the species roaming the park. Food, cooking utensils, coolers and anything that might attract animals must be stored inside your RV unless being used.
• Yellowstone is enormous! More than two million acres, spread across Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, make this Park the perfect place to camp for a week, or two. It also makes drive times outside the norm. It's common for campgrounds to be twenty or thirty miles beyond the closest entrance, so plan your arrival times accordingly.
• Your RV is a comfortable way to view the remarkable beauty of Yellowstone. Grand Loop Road takes you around the Park to most of the major attractions. Plan several hours to traverse this one hundred forty two mile series of figure eights, designed way back in 1883!

RV Camping In and Around Yosemite National Park

RV campers who have never experienced the extraordinary beauty of Yosemite owe it to themselves to make the trip. No matter what the season, there are special joys to be experienced at Yosemite National Park. To make your journey easier, we've pulled together some top tips for RV camping in and around Yosemite. Read through our ideas and then start planning your trip today. There's a world of wonder waiting when you journey to Yosemite.

Finding an RV Rental Near Yosemite
If you're in need of an RV rental before you camp, we suggest contacting the El Monte RV Modesto RV Rentals location. From Modesto Airport (MOD), we're only five miles away and can quickly get you down the road to Yosemite National Park. The Park's Big Oak Flat Entrance is about an hour and a half from Modesto.

RV Camping Within Yosemite
RV camping is allowed within Yosemite National Park, and can be a great experience with some preparation. The first thing you should know is that there are no RV hookups within the Park. During the summer, there are two dump stations available to make things easier.

There are ten campgrounds inside the Park boundaries that can accommodate RVs, with some specific length restrictions. Most of them have potable water and all are relatively inexpensive.

These campsites are primarily on the valley floor and can be crowded during the summer months. It's important to make your reservation far in advance, because Yosemite sees millions of visitors each year. Here's the Yosemite National Park Campground Reservations link for learning what dates each year those reservations can be made.

One more very important thing to know about camping within Yosemite National Park has to do with not tempting the wildlife by leaving food lying about. To keep yourself and your RV safe from hungry bears and other creatures, food must be kept out of sight and all windows, vents and doors of your RV closed tight.

To make yourself familiar with the rules and regulations of RV camping within Yosemite, click here to learn more about RV Camping in Yosemite National Park.

RV Camping Around Yosemite National Park
RV campgrounds can be found in beautiful mountain settings surrounding Yosemite. About fifteen miles west of the Park in El Portal, Indian Flat Campground is the closest RV camp to the Park on the Highway 140 route. Enjoy camping along the Merced River each night as you return from Yosemite.

Thirty miles west of Yosemite near the historic mining town of Mariposa, you'll find Yosemite West/Mariposa KOA Kampground. With a convenient shuttle to Yosemite, and a whole host of optional activities available, this campground is a great base for your trip.

Another beautifully scenic RV campground is twelve miles from the West Gate within the Stanislaus National Forest. Yosemite Ridge Resort in "Buck Meadows" features a waterfall and swimming hole your kids are sure to remember, plus a general store, vintage campsite buildings and an on-site restaurant.

One more place to consider for RV camping outside Yosemite National Park is High Sierra RV Park & Campground in Oakhurst, California. The spectacular mountain setting and abundant amenities make this one of the most highly-ranked RV parks in the area.

No matter where you camp when you visit Yosemite, it's a vacation of a lifetime. Sights like El Capitan and Half Dome restore our wonder for America's natural beauty. Yosemite Valley and the Falls are photo opportunities from every angle. Plan enough time to absorb the glory of Yosemite. It's definitely a place where you'll long to linger once you've arrived.

Buffalo, Rainbows, and Dragons Breath

I recently led an RV Rental caravan from Las Vegas through Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole Wyoming, and into Yellowstone.

The trip itself was a blast and I hope to be able to post details about each major tour area here.

There was one day that made the whole adventure come together for me. We had just left Artists Point in Yellowstone

headed back to camp and a brief rainstorm came and went. My wife and baby were seated in the back of the motorhome and she was still talking about the waterfall we had just seen.

Suddenly we saw coming toward the side of the motorhome what looked like a small wooly mammoth. Snorting and stomping as he came, the buffalo didn't seem to mind cars, trucks, or motorhomes as he pushed across the road and stopped traffic.

The big fellow joined a herd on the other side of the street. The sun came out of the clouds and above the herd a rainbow grew.

We later came to one of the many geological features of yellowstone, a hot springs area with a particular feature called Dragons Breath.

This feature actually puffed steam and made noise that made it seem like a dragon might really live at the bottom of this cave and be puffing steam up to warn us to stay away.

I suppose there are many memories I could keep in my head to remember this trip. I remember early mornings and coffee with friends, and the late nights with campfires and smores and songs and jokes. However, I suppose the lifetime memory I'll take with me from this trip is sitting in a motorhome with my family after a rainstorm with buffalos, rainbows, and dragons breath.

If you want to go to Yellowstone or another national park and see these things for yourself check out the El Monte RV Rentals National Parks page.