Boondocking in a national park lodge parking lot?

If in doubt, ask....at the location in question.

In general, yes a LOT of places discourage/forbid overnight parking.

The rules are very explicit, camping only in approved campgrounds. Depending on the circumstances you may get a warning or summons, which means $$'s.

Think what your are proposing x 100 or 200...overnighting in the Old Faithful Lodge parking lot. Now think about Mary and Joe with a room at the lodge but no place to park because you are overnighting. Now see why the answer is "no?"

You will not get away with boondocking in any of the major national parks. I did get away with it in Rainier. I first checked with the rangers about being able to do "sunrise photography". I was told that should be OK and the rangers stopped patrolling that area after 5 pm. I was advised to be out of there early in the morning.

Even the national forests may not allow it. for example Tonto National Forest visitor center in Roosevelt AZdoes not allow overnighting.

As long as this is an active thread, let me ask another ? Staying a night or 2 in Old Faithful Lodge is on my bucket list. Do those places have parking for oversized vehicles?

realter wrote:
As long as this is an active thread, let me ask another ? Staying a night or 2 in Old Faithful Lodge is on my bucket list. Do those places have parking for oversized vehicles?

Yes.

realter wrote:
Any rules against overnighting in the parking lot of Old Faithful Lodge, or some other busy place?

I spent one night there in a small class C. This was 1978. Poor advance planing on my part left me with no available site in the CG's.

several times I've arrived at campground entrances after rangers closed their kiosk showing (full sign) for that campground area for the day and if the parking area was large enough we stayed right there off to the side and no slideout & ect until the next morning hoping to be first in line and so far the times I was asked why I was there they had no problem its another advantage of the small footprint of a TC.

JimK-NY wrote:
You will not get away with boondocking in any of the major national parks. I did get away with it in Rainier.

:? I guess this means that Rainier is not a "major national park."