Yellowstone in September

We prefer to go to Yellowstone in early June before families with school age kids arrive. We have always been successful getting a site at Mammoth with a morning arrival.

Last year we decided to try to get into Norris. A late morning arrival on June 10th found a number of sites available. They have a DIY check-in stand, so we were able to choose a site, then register for the night. IMO the best sites are in the first loop on the right. These sites are adjacent to the Gibbon River and a beautiful meadow. Several Bison were grazing in the meadow. Our first day there we toured that loop looking at the departure dates on the site posts. Early the next morning we moved to what IMO was the best site in the campground and registered for the rest of our stay.

Site 8 at Norris

Try the USFS campground just north of the town of West Yellowstone on US 287. It's called Baker's Hole. About 1/2 electric, vault toilets, no showers, no dump station, water spigots about every 4-5 sites.

We stayed there in 2011 and the camp host told us it pretty well cleared out after Labor Day. We arrived on a Thursday in August and had our pick of electric sites.

Here's the Nat'l Park site on campgrounds and closing times. They all vary. Mammoth is open year-round with no reservations. If you get there early morning you'll get a site. Madison and Slough Creek stay open until toward the end of October. Even with reservation campgrounds they usually have openings if you get there early morning. People always cancel. September is a wonderful time to go. Good luck!

Yellowstone Campgrounds

I was up there the last two weeks of September in 2012 and the remaining open campgrounds were filling up in the afternoon or even before noon in some cases (10:30 a.m. one day at Pebble Creek). The weather was really nice for late September and that probably contributed to the crowds.

When they closed down the big campgrounds like Canyon and Grant there was a rush of camper trying to find spots in some of the outlying campgrounds.

The two campgrounds I am most interested in for the first nights would be Norris and Mammoth. Neither takes reservations.

The web site shows Norris being open until 9/30. Indian Creek, Canyon, and Bay Bridge close in early Sep.

I have a 20 ft TT, so I don't need a real big site.

Last year we just drove up on the Friday before Labor Day and had no problem getting a site. It was dry
camping but water, restrooms and showers were in walking distances. There were many open campsites.
Some of the lodges and concession areas were closing after the holiday but thinner crowds and great fall
weather we will do it again soon. Just go and enjoy. Bob

We stayed in Grant Village

Yellowstone Park Campgrounds

Scroll down for opening/closing dates for each campground and other info.

Tower, Norris, Indian Creek, Roosevelt all close soon after Labor Day. As does Fishing Bridge.

yellowstone is pretty popular in Sept, for the color and for hearing the Elk in rut, etc. so make reservations if you can.

Many of the campgrounds in and around the park are closed or closing by mid September. The campgrounds that remain open stay pretty full. Also, since the weather can turn foul at any moment, the demand for full service sites is pretty High. Not much tenting going on in late September. It's our favorite time of the year. Cool and crisp, elk in rut and the Brown trout running up the rivers. Unfortunately, it is no longer a secret and there are bigger crowds every year.