Canyon Campground
The Quick Take
Canyon Campground is Yellowstone's base camp for waterfall chasers. Parked at nearly 8,000 feet in a thick lodgepole pine forest, it sits within walking distance of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone -- the kind of scenery that makes you forget you just paid forty bucks for a site with no showers. This is one of the park's larger campgrounds, which means it hums with activity all summer, but the trade-off is real convenience: Canyon Village puts restaurants, a general store, and laundry facilities right next door. You will not find electrical hookups or flush toilets here, so come prepared for a more rustic experience than the address suggests. The nearby trails to Mount Washburn and along the canyon rim are among Yellowstone's best. Choose Canyon if you want a central location with serious hiking out the door and do not mind trading a few creature comforts for proximity to the park's most dramatic geology.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 273 sites are reservable.
Book at Yellowstone LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
Paths in the campground area are compacted gravel/dirt with limited gradient change. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:Unless posted otherwise, wood and charcoal fires are permitted in all campgrounds except the Fishing Bridge RV Park.
- Generators:Where permitted, generators may only be operated from 8 am to 8 pm (60 dB limit).
- Bear Safety:All odorous items that may attract bears, including food, cooking gear, toiletries, and garbage, must be kept secured when not in use.
- Checkout:Checkout time is 11 am.
- Occupancy:Campsite occupancy is limited to six people per site.
- Stay Limit:Camping is limited to 14 days from July 1 through Labor Day, and 30 days for the rest of the year.
Pro Tips
Canyon fills fast through the concessioner reservation system -- book the moment your travel window opens, typically mid-spring for summer dates. Midweek arrivals in September, just before the campground closes, offer the best shot at snagging a site without months of planning.
The South Rim Trail to Artist Point is a fifteen-minute walk from camp and spectacular at sunrise, before the tour bus crowds arrive. Pair it with the Uncle Tom's Trail descent for a leg-burning perspective on the Lower Falls that most day-trippers skip.
No showers on-site, but the Canyon Lodge nearby sells shower access. Bring quarters for the laundry facility and pack layers -- nights at this elevation routinely dip into the thirties even in July. Use the bear boxes religiously; this is prime grizzly country and rangers enforce food storage rules with fines.
Photos
NPS / Neal Herbert
NPS / Neal Herbert
NPS/RenkinGetting There
Directions
Located off the Grand Loop Road near Canyon Village and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
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