2 closures · 1 information notice
The parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, is closed to all travel until further notice due to the possibility of another event at the site of a hydrothermal explosion that occurred July 23, 2024.
Most roads are closed to prepare for commercially-guided snowcoach and snowmobile travel during the winter season, which will begin December 15 (weather depending). The road between the North and Northeast entrances is the only road open year-round to regular vehicles.
Expect a single lane of traffic with up to 15-minute delays, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 through November 24, 2026. Oversized/overweight vehicles (8'6"+ wide, 75'+ long, 80,000 lbs+ gross vehicle weight) will not be able to cross the bridge during this time.
Bridge Bay Campground—elevation 7,800 feet (2377 m)—is located near Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest, high-elevation, fresh-water lakes in North America. Campers at Bridge Bay will enjoy spectacular views of the lake and the Absaroka Range rising above the lake's eastern shore. This campground is reservable through Recreation.gov and operated by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
Canyon Campground—elevation 7,900 feet (2408 m)—lies in a lodgepole pine forest at Canyon Village, south of the Washburn range and near the breath-taking Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Canyon Village offers stores, restaurants, and lodging. Nearby hikes include Cascade Lake, Mount Washburn, and the Canyon Rim trails. This campground is reservable through Recreation.gov and operated by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
Fishing Bridge RV Park—elevation 7,800 feet (2377 m)—is located near the Yellowstone River where it exits Yellowstone Lake on its way toward the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Only campground in Yellowstone to offer water, sewer, and electrical hookups. Because grizzly bears frequent the area, no tents or tent campers are allowed. This campground is reservable through Recreation.gov and operated by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
Grant Campground—elevation 7,800 feet (2377 m)—is located in Grant Village, just off the Grand Loop Road at the south end of Yellowstone Lake. It is one of the larger campgrounds in the park. Group and wheel-chair accessible sites are available. Nearby there are stores, a restaurant, gas station, visitor center, and boat ramp. This campground is reservable through Recreation.gov and operated by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
Located about eight miles south of Mammoth Hot Springs on the road to Norris, Indian Creek Campground—elevation 7,300 feet (2225 m)—sits near the base of the Gallatin Mountains and offers breathtaking views of Electric Peak. The area offers easy access to fishing and hiking. The campground is away from the main road and provides a quieter, more primitive, experience than many other locations. This is a reservable campground run by the National Park Service.
Lewis Lake Campground—elevation 7,800 ft (2377 m)—is about eight miles from the South Entrance and a short walk from the southeast shore of Lewis Lake. A boat ramp is located near the campground information and registration area. Canoes, kayaks, and motor boats are allowed on Lewis Lake. Boat permits and an aquatic invasive species inspection performed by park staff are required. This is a reservable campground run by the National Park Service.
Madison Campground—elevation 6,800 feet (2073 m)—sits about 14 miles east from the town of West Yellowstone and 16 miles north of Old Faithful. Nearby, the Gibbon and Firehole rivers join to form the Madison River. In early summer, meadows teem with wildflowers and bison. In September and October, you can often hear bugling elk. This campground is reservable through Recreation.gov and operated by Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
The only campground in the park open year-round, Mammoth Campground—elevation 6,200 feet (1890 m)—is located five miles south of the park's North Entrance. Scattered juniper and Douglas fir trees provide shade during hot summer months. The campground is close to fishing, hiking, and the Mammoth Hot Springs. Great wildlife viewing opportunities abound with elk and bison occasionally passing through the campground. The campground is run by the NPS.
Norris Campground will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Pebble Creek Campground was significantly impacted by the 2022 floods and will remain CLOSED until further notice for flood recovery work.
Near some of the best wildlife watching opportunities in the park. Located at the end of a two-mile dirt road, this campground is best suited for tents and small RVs. There are plenty of hiking and fishing opportunities in the area, including the Slough Creek Trail which begins nearby. Nighttime offers a quiet, unimpeded view of the stars and the possibility of hearing wolves howl. Elevation: 6,250 ft (1905 m). This is a reservable campground run by the National Park Service.
Tower Fall Campground—elevation 6,600 feet (2012 m)—is located on the north side of the steep, winding, road to Dunraven Pass. The campground is near the Tower General Store and Tower Fall. The Lamar Valley, with spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities, is located nearby as are several hiking trails. Roosevelt Lodge, a short drive from the campground, offers dining and horseback riding. This is a reservable campground run by the National Park Service.
Here you can gather park information, orient yourself to the rest of the park (including road conditions, and campground and lodge availability), shop for souvenirs, explore exhibits to learn more about the wildlife and history of Yellowstone, join a ranger program, pick up a fishing permit (fees are payable by debit or credit card), or use the restrooms.
The Albright Visitor Center is located at Mammoth Hot Springs, five miles south of the North Entrance at the northern part of the upper loop of the Grand Loop Road. It is housed in one of the old stone buildings of Fort Yellowstone, a US Army fort built during the early days of the national park.
Stop by the Canyon Visitor Education Center to learn more about the geologic story of the area, including the Yellowstone volcano, and view a room-size relief map of Yellowstone. You can also get orientation information, pick up a fishing permit (fees are payable by debit or credit card), shop for a souvenir, find out what ranger programs are available, watch a 20-minute film, or use the restrooms. Restrooms are available 24 hours a day.
The Canyon Visitor Education Center is located in the Canyon Village complex near the center of the Grand Loop Road system. It can be accessed from three different directions.
The distinctive stone-and-log architecture of this old building—known as "parkitecture"—was one of several prototypes for park buildings around the country. Today, the visitor center and museum highlight the ecology of Yellowstone Lake, focusing on birds. Also stop by to visit with a ranger and find out when ranger programs are scheduled, buy a fishing permit (payable by debit or credit card), pick up a souvenir, or take in some truly stunning views of Yellowstone Lake and the surrounding mountains.
Fishing Bridge Museum is situated near the north shore of Yellowstone Lake on the East Entrance Road. It can be accessed from the east and west directions.
Fire plays an important, natural role in the ecosystems found in Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region. Learn more about this and the fires of 1988 in the exhibit hall, gather park information and trip ideas, shop for souvenirs at the park store, join a ranger program, buy a fishing, boating, or backcountry camping permit (fees are payable by debit or credit card), or use the restrooms.
Grant Visitor Center is located on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake, a short distance south of the West Thumb Geyser Basin. There are two directions from which to access Grant Village.
Located about halfway between Old Faithful and West Yellowstone, you can stop here for park information as visitors have been doing since 1930. The structure is an example of "parkitecture" or designing a building in a way that reflects the surrounding ecosystem. You can also shop for souvenirs in the park store or use the restrooms.
Located just south of Madison Junction. Madison can be reached from two different directions, so check your map carefully before driving.
Once a US Army outpost built in 1908, this visitor center houses exhibits that celebrate the history of the park ranger profession. The current structure replaced previous structures dating back to 1884.
Located off the Grand Loop Road at the entrance to Norris Campground.
Situated on the ridge overlooking the Norris Geyser Basin, this historic building is staffed during the summer with rangers who provide park information and facilitate ranger programs. Visitors have been seeking information here since 1930 when the museum was built as a "trailside museum" to serve people traveling in their own automobiles without a guide. Restrooms are located in the parking lot.
The Norris Geyser Basin Museum is located 1/4-mile west of Norris Junction just off the Grand Loop Road. It can be accessed from three directions so check a map carefully before planning your trip.
Located near Old Faithful Geyser, this visitor center offers views of the geyser's eruption from the tall, windowed front of the visitor center. Additionally, you can gather park information, talk with a park ranger at the front desk, shop for souvenirs in the park store, delve into the natural wonders of Yellowstone in the exhibit hall, join a ranger program, or use the restrooms.
Located in the Upper Geyser Basin, Old Faithful Visitor Education Center can be accessed from two different directions so check your map before traveling.
This facility is closed until further notice as of July 2026. A small facility at the start of the West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalks, where you can visit with a park ranger and gather park information, shop for souvenirs in the park store, or join a ranger program. The structure was built in 1925 and is an example of historic ranger-station architecture in Yellowstone.
A few miles north of Grant Village on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb can be accessed from three different directions.
Located in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, there is a desk staffed by National Park Service rangers (summer and winters only). The building is open year-round and a second desk is staffed by the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce. Stop by to obtain backcountry and fishing permits, get park information or to use the restrooms.
Located inside the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce, in the town of West Yellowstone.
Located in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, there is a desk and backcountry office staffed by National Park Service rangers (summer and winters only). The building is open year-round and a second desk is staffed by the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce. Stop by to obtain backcountry and fishing permits (fees are payable by debit or credit card), to get park information, or to use the restrooms. Call 307-344-2876 for additional information.
Located inside the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce
Changes detected in official NPS alerts for Yellowstone.
Unpredictable alpine weather. Freezing temperatures can occur any month of the year; winter access is primarily over-snow vehicles.
Before embarking on hikes, backcountry routes, or winter travel, verify immediate conditions directly with National Park Service staff:
Alerts, closures, and operating notices on this page are fetched directly from the official U.S. National Park Service Developer API. Records are compared using content hashes to detect genuine status updates over time. Secondary topic labels assist quick trip scanning and do not alter official NPS classifications.