Yellowstone campgrounds

Several years ago we camped in the park and my folks stayed in West Yellowstone. They had an additional 2 hours of driving everyday to meet up with us. They haven't stayed outside the park since.

To us it is worth staying in the park for the proximity to early morning and late evening animals. It also gives more time around the fire, and to cook good camping meals.

What is the biggest difference between inside/outside of the park? Are the non-hook up sites much more rustic and further apart than the private CG's? (as would be typical) But is the difference drastic enough to highly recommend a night or two inside the parks CG's?

Yellowstone is HUGE. If you can, plan on staying in two different locations.

You can probably narrow your choices if you tell us a little more info. Inside or outside the park? FHUs? When in June, as in before or after schools close for the summer?

We really like Rainbow Point about 15 minutes away from West Yellowstone. It's much more "woodsy" than Grizzly and is right on the shores of Hebgen Lake. There are sites with electric and without.

Last couple of times at Yellowstone we stayed at Grizzly RV. Well kept campground and located just outside the entrance to the park. This summer we will be going with the grandkids and want to put out a tent. No tents at Grizzly, so we will be at KOA West Yellowstone. So many great private campgrounds which offer reservations and extras bordering Yellowstone, much depends on your requirements for a camping vacation. I saw one about 15 minutes from West Yellowstone right on the river, with fishing and swimming access, horseback riding next door, sounded great but the boys are still young, maybe in a few years.
Happy Trails.

2gypsies' link is exactly what you need. Note that there's a chart with details on the campgrounds, and a batch of them do NOT allow generators. Those are the walk-in ones that the NPS operates, no reservations taken and generally smaller sites.

The last 2 visits to Yellowstone was in July (2010) & Aug (2009). We stayed at Mammoth CG in 2009 & Grant CG in 2010. We have been 4 times all together & never had a reservation. Madison, Canyon, Bridge Bay as well as Grant & Mammoth CGs all should be places to consider. Checking the site given above should help on rig size. Mammoth has some sites which would work. There were really large rigs there. We came in from North Dakota in 2009.

South entrance via the Tetons is the easiest route into as is the North entrance by Mammoth. West entrance would be easy enough, but take a lot more driving to get around to it. East entrances one will have to do some climbing.

Here's an older post with info from our past trips, etc. DesertHawk's Recommendations for Yellowstone Area.

Here's the official Yellowstone campground site:

Yellowstone Campgrounds

You will see that 5 accept reservations and 7 do not accept reservations.

For those not accepting reservations plan to stay the previous night outside the park but close by so you can get to the campground early morning when folks are leaving.

Have a good trip!

At that length I think canyon is out. I would look at Madison or Grant Village.

Canyon is our favorite and Madison is 2nd.