This was my first free camping experience and I was pleasantly surprised with the location and overall space. I was visiting Yellowstone from Atlanta and had already spent a few nights at the park and needed a more budget friendly option. This location had a great variety of dispersed camping spots but very few campers. From what I could tell, I was one of 5 different camping groups. I was solo so it was comforting to know there were other groups out there. However, It seems to be mostly RVs and I was the only one with a tent - maybe due to the colder nights this time of year? The only con would be the swarms of mosquitoes and gnats but that was nothing a little bug spray and lemon grass incense couldn’t alleviate. Overall, plenty of good spots - you May just have to scout around a bit. I found a great spot by the creek. Also, be sure to keep out of the areas marked “private property” 😄
3 years ago
effyroqz
This was my first free camping experience and I was pleasantly surprised with the location and overall space. I was visiting Yellowstone from Atlanta and had already spent a few nights at the park and needed a more budget friendly option. This location had a great variety of dispersed camping spots but very few campers. From what I could tell, I was one of 5 different camping groups. I was solo so it was comforting to know there were other groups out there. However, It seems to be mostly RVs and I was the only one with a tent - maybe due to the colder nights this time of year? The only con would be the swarms of mosquitoes and gnats but that was nothing a little bug spray and lemon grass incense couldn’t alleviate. Overall, plenty of good spots - you May just have to scout around a bit. I found a great spot by the creek. Also, be sure to keep out of the areas marked “private property” ð
3 years ago
Joe the Computerguy
Lots of spots in this area. We didn't stay in this exact spot but within a 1/4 mile of it. Get a MVUM from the forest service office in Island Park. Easy enough to see where you are allowed to stay and can confirm with Google Maps if looking for more specific spots. Rangers DO drive through and check in with campers and they do try and prevent squatters overstaying their welcome. All the rangers we met were great. Lots of dust. Lots of off-road vehicles utilize the miles and miles of trails. But one of my top picks for boondocking for sure. West Yellowstone and Yellowstone NP is 30 minutes away. ATT was good (with a poor signal strength) with external antennas on the roof. 35 DL and 5 UL Verizon was not so good. Friend needed to utilize a booster and I could not get connected without a booster. Walmart is an hour away and the local "grocery" store (more like a convenience store) was expensive as would be West Yellowstone stores. So come stocked up or know the the drive to Walmart is a half day affair. Not many places to go out and eat unless you go to the tourist trap that is West Yellowstone. The main road into the area is paved but not exactly smooth. That's a 3 mile drive. Then onto the forest roads which are generally good but gravel and that's where the dust comes from. This is a BUSY place. There are many permanent summer residents that have houses. They rent the land from the forest service as I understand it. They have signs up and they don't like visitors near "their" land. Weekends are clearly busier than weekdays. Weekends ARE BUSY. Most of the off roaders would stay later in the morning and finish up early evening. We got a nice level spot that could hold 5-6 full size RVs with trees and good solar. It had a nice large fire ring. The end of our stay a fire ban was in place. Their were a number of fires and we were receiving the smoke/haze about half way into our stay so solar was almost cut in half. Unfortunately we needed to run the genset more than we wanted but not much could be done about that. It is about 6400 foot elevation so that kept temp manageable during the day with highs in the 80s and cool at night in the 40s. This is bear country. The ranger said this with confidence - "There is a 100% chance a grizzly will see you. There is a close to 0% chance you will see them. Be bear aware and leave nothing outside that will attract them. Know all the items that will attract them" After boondocking a few weeks on the other side of Yellowstone and the Tetons this was a nice change of pace.
3 years ago
ericamb22
There are plenty of spots but there are also spots a lot better and closer to Yellowstone. A pro is that is was nice and flat but the cons included a massive swarm of mosquitos like nothing I’ve ever seen (and I’m from the south), loud dirt bikes for hours, and lack of reception. I could make phone calls but had absolutely no LTE, despite what others reported.
3 years ago
Annelise
I work in YNP and I needed to make the two hour drive out to get groceries. On my way home towards West Yellowstone it started snowing so hard I couldn’t see the road and driving conditions were terrible. Luckily I have everything i need in my car to car camp so I pulled up this app, found this campsite, and stayed the night. It was quiet, there was one RV there and they just kept to themselves. I was able to get home without any hiccups the next morning. Will camp here again whether the situation is life threatening or not.