Yellowstone Park in June, any suggestions on where to stay?

[TexanSam]

This summer we went and stayed in Cody. It was kind of a haul to drive all the way back to town at the end of each night. Next time I go I would do this-

- Fly into billings, drive the beartooth highway to cooke city to stay for night 1
- Drive into the park day 2 and stay somewhere in the park (it will likely be the most expensive night)
- Spend the rest of that day in the park and drive to cody that evening.
- Have a day in cody

 

[Beignet]

My wife and I stayed at Slough Creek campground on our honeymoon in 1990. Didn't even need a reservation back in the good old days. It's popular for good reason. Centrally located in my favorite corner of the Park. Highly recommended!

Bit different now for sure. Last year we had to wait until the final weekend of October to even snag the last backcountry site in Slough near the park boundary. Lucked out with warm, sunny afternoons and had a great time though.

 

[INMT]

Vimeo

vimeo.com

Does this mean your a road hunter too?

 

[brymoore]

My wife and I stayed at Slough Creek campground on our honeymoon in 1990. Didn't even need a reservation back in the good old days. It's popular for good reason. Centrally located in my favorite corner of the Park. Highly recommended!

Slough Creek is my favorite campground. It’s still first come, first serve for camping. Great location to fish in the general area and the Lamar valley.

 

[BigHornRam]

Slough Creek is my favorite campground. It’s still first come, first serve for camping. Great location to fish in the general area and the Lamar valley.

Didn't know that. Do know that Peeble Creek campground has first come, first serve spots, and is in an equally nice location, although I have yet to camp there.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Didn't know that. Do know that Peeble Creek campground has first come, first serve spots, and is in an equally nice location, although I have yet to camp there.

We have camped at Pebble Creek CG several times and agree, it is a really nice location. It was wiped out by the floods, then rebuilt, but we haven't been there since.
Once summer fishing starts, the fly fishermen really take it over.

 

[BigHornRam]

We have camped at Pebble Creek CG several times and agree, it is a really nice location. It was wiped out by the floods, then rebuilt, but we haven't been there since.
Once summer fishing starts, the fly fishermen really take it over.

I stopped in, and talked to the host a couple summers ago. It looked nice and was full. She said some sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Some are first come, but show up early in the morning if you want a spot.

 

[MLC]

Pebble Creek has not been open since the flood. Last summer (August) it did not look like it would be open again this year. The last year it was open it was mostly reservations only through Recreation.gov. But there were some first come first serve sites. Reservations for all park campgrounds are very hard and frustrating to obtain. Slough Creek is reservation via Recreation.gov. There may be a few first come first serve site also. Again, very difficult to get reservations. Tower CG also has not been open for a few years. The Park Services seemed in no hurry to re-open the closed campgrounds.

 

[BigHornRam]

Pebble Creek has not been open since the flood. Last summer (August) it did not look like it would be open again this year. The last year it was open it was mostly reservations only through Recreation.gov. But there were some first come first serve sites. Reservations for all park campgrounds are very hard and frustrating to obtain. Slough Creek is reservation via Recreation.gov. There may be a few first come first serve site also. Again, very difficult to get reservations. Tower CG also has not been open for a few years. The Park Services seemed in no hurry to re-open the closed campgrounds.

Looking back, I stopped in, in June of 2021, before the flood year. Time flies.....

 

[brymoore]

I just looked up Slough Creek. It is reservable now. I stayed there about 4ish years ago. My oldest son spent the summer working at Mammoth. I thought it was still first come, first serve last year as we almost tried to stay there but I could be wrong. Reservations would make it easier to camp at versus the long early morning drive to get in line for a camp spot at 5:00 in the morning.

 

[MLC]

I just looked up Slough Creek. It is reservable now. I stayed there about 4ish years ago. My oldest son spent the summer working at Mammoth. I thought it was still first come, first serve last year as we almost tried to stay there but I could be wrong. Reservations would make it easier to camp at versus the long early morning drive to get in line for a camp spot at 5:00 in the morning.

In my opinion/experience, the early morning drive was much easier. Try to make reservations and you’ll see why.

 

[brymoore]

In my opinion/experience, the early morning drive was much easier. Try to make reservations and you’ll see why.

I’ve camped with reservations several times at other spots. I didn’t have any issues.

 

[Kevin W]

Thanks all, today we reserved two places in the park for 5 days of viewing and exploring. We reserved at the Lake Lodge and Canyon Lodge. We also picked our week in the month of August. Thanks again, everyone!!!

 

[noisy]

Thanks all, today we reserved two places in the park for 5 days of viewing and exploring. We reserved at the Lake Lodge and Canyon Lodge. We also picked our week in the month of August. Thanks again, everyone!!!

My wife and I ended up staying at Lake Lodge last summer when a thunderstorm delayed our kayak launch on Yellowstone lake. Never been in the place before even though I've been to Yellowstone dozens of times. So anyway we're hanging out in the awesome lobby area and suddenly this string quartet starts setting up in the middle. People start showing up with bottles of wine and food, etc. This quartet apparently plays regularly in the summer and it was a party! Not sure if they'll be playing in June when you are there, but if so definitely check it out. Totally unexpected and really fun. The views of Yellowstone Lake from the common area of the lodge are amazing.

 

[Cousin Basil]

If you have never been there, I will also suggest this book.
Yellowstone Treasures
It has suggested routes for efficient sightseeing and better, it has a a little short history for each site, geysers, reflecting pools, etc. as you walk the trail and drive point to point. Very interesting. My wife took it and read it to our home schooled boys (7 and 14 at the time) while we walked around. Had some people following us and listening along.....

 

[Allen02]

I took my lover to camp in Yellowstone National Park before. The scenery there was very beautiful and my lover loved it there.

 

[MLC]

I’ve camped with reservations several times at other spots. I didn’t have any issues.

At Slough Creek or Pebble Creek? And you just logged in to Recreation.gov, and were able to secure the date(s) you wanted? First or second try?

 

[brymoore]

At Slough Creek or Pebble Creek? And you just logged in to Recreation.gov, and were able to secure the date(s) you wanted? First or second try?

I camped at Slough before reservations-. I’ve never camped at Pebble Creek.

Otherwise, yes, go to the website and -pick your date to see what’s available.

This thread inspired me to reserve a cabin at Mammoth for a long weekend over the 4th of July. Relatively easy.

 

[Beignet]

At Slough Creek or Pebble Creek? And you just logged in to Recreation.gov, and were able to secure the date(s) you wanted? First or second try?

If you want the primo campgrounds you’ll need to be ready to purchase the morning they become available. Usually 6 months in advance for a lot of federally managed things.

 

[LuketheDog]

Thanks all, today we reserved two places in the park for 5 days of viewing and exploring. We reserved at the Lake Lodge and Canyon Lodge. We also picked our week in the month of August. Thanks again, everyone!!!

The evening fireside ranger wildlife talks at Grant Village are entertaining if you find yourself down that way, there is an old ranger there who does the grizzly bear talk who is absolutely hilarious. He got my daughters so wound up for walk back to the campground in the dark afterward, they were absolutely freaked out.