This question is for those who have traveled to Yellowstone National Park. We recently returned from a trip by car to Yellowstone. We were fortunate to find a cabin in the park to stay. We noticed the campgrounds were full. There are hundreds of wide level turnouts throughout the park. Those who have been there know what I'm talking about. I know it is prohibited to park there overnight. At the same time the park is huge and there are so many turn-offs. Have you ever heard of a camper taking advantage of them when they can't get a campsite? This is just idle curiosity and nothing else.

The NPS has pretty strict rules. Camping in a turnout in a park like yellowstone is not something they are going to like at all. Each year the Park Service puts more emphasis on law enforcement and less on maintenance, natural history, and dealing with the public.

Yellowstone has a capacity limit. Allowing camping in turnouts would contribute too many people.

stargirl96 wrote:This question is for those who have traveled to Yellowstone National Park. We recently returned from a trip by car to Yellowstone. We were fortunate to find a cabin in the park to stay. We noticed the campgrounds were full. There are hundreds of wide level turnouts throughout the park. Those who have been there know what I'm talking about. I know it is prohibited to park there overnight. At the same time the park is huge and there are so many turn-offs. Have you ever heard of a camper taking advantage of them when they can't get a campsite? This is just idle curiosity and nothing else.Overnight camping is only allowed in the designated campgrounds or back country campsites. No, you cannot just camp in a pullout or even pitch a tent along a trail. The rangers will not only move you along, they are very likely to write a citation that has a hefty fine attached. They take the rules very seriously.

Most national parks will have a substantial fine assessed by the ranger if you are found spending the night in your RV

It took me a while to realize that I'm not the first one to think like this with my RV :-)

Yellowstone | Good Sam Community

ppine
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2020
The NPS has pretty strict rules. Camping in a turnout in a park like yellowstone is not something they are going to like at all. Each year the Park Service puts more emphasis on law enforcement and less on maintenance, natural history, and dealing with the public.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2020
Yellowstone has a capacity limit. Allowing camping in turnouts would contribute too many people.
wapiticountry
Explorer
Jul 19, 2020
stargirl96 wrote:
This question is for those who have traveled to Yellowstone National Park. We recently returned from a trip by car to Yellowstone. We were fortunate to find a cabin in the park to stay. We noticed the campgrounds were full. There are hundreds of wide level turnouts throughout the park. Those who have been there know what I'm talking about. I know it is prohibited to park there overnight. At the same time the park is huge and there are so many turn-offs. Have you ever heard of a camper taking advantage of them when they can't get a campsite? This is just idle curiosity and nothing else.
Overnight camping is only allowed in the designated campgrounds or back country campsites. No, you cannot just camp in a pullout or even pitch a tent along a trail. The rangers will not only move you along, they are very likely to write a citation that has a hefty fine attached. They take the rules very seriously.
PartyOf_Five
Explorer
Jul 19, 2020
Most national parks will have a substantial fine assessed by the ranger if you are found spending the night in your RV
PartyOf_Five
Explorer
Jul 19, 2020
It took me a while to realize that I'm not the first one to think like this with my RV :-)
TexasShadow
Explorer II
Jul 20, 2020
the park rangers watch that pretty close. I suppose you could get away with it once or twice, but not sure what the penalties are.
2chiefsRus
Explorer
Jul 20, 2020
ok, so you know it is prohibited but if someone on the internet, who you don't even know, tells you that they have done it, then you would be willing to try it yourself? Not much reward for so much risk in my opinion.
Dick_B
Explorer
Jul 20, 2020
On our one and only trip to Yellowstone we stayed at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone just outside the west entrance. I guess I don't understand the attraction of staying INSIDE the park.
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jul 20, 2020
There are some other places where you might hole up for a few hours, like the parking area at Old Faithful (it's quite large), and I'm sure there are some other spots inside the park perimeter. Or stay just outside the park, as was also suggested. Probably a few places out there you could spend the night. Check for BLM/USFS places nearby.
ReneeG
Explorer
Jul 20, 2020
There are plenty of FS and out of the way campgrounds just on the outside that you shouldn't even think of this.

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