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Yellowstone National Park: reservations, fees, camping and weather
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and Montana and Idaho: what you need to book, what it costs, and when the weather is mildest. Checked November 2026.
Do you need a reservation to enter?
No vehicle reservation needed; an entrance pass is required.
Fees and passes
$35 per private vehicle (7 consecutive days).
Non-US residents aged 16+ pay an extra $100 per person on top of the entrance fee, unless they have an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance at every national park. US citizens and residents get free entry on national park fee-free days.
Camping: how to book
Campgrounds fill early in summer; reserve ahead where reservations are offered. Many Recreation.gov campgrounds open on a rolling window months ahead and sell out within minutes; if yours is full, set up a cancellation alert.
Campgrounds on Recreation.gov (5)
| Campground | Sites | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Campground (Yellowstone) | 87 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Lewis Lake Campground | 84 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Indian Creek Campground (WY) | 73 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Tower Fall Campground | 33 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Slough Creek Campground | 17 | Campground | Book ↗ |
From Recreation.gov's official data (RIDB), November 2026. Campgrounds run by park concessioners and some first-come sites aren't on Recreation.gov, so check the park's camping page too. When can I book?
Official planning pages
The park's own pages for the things that change: conditions, closures, camping and permits.
Key dates
- Wed 11 Nov 2026 National parks fee-free day: Veterans Day Confirmed
- December 2026 · exact dates not announced 2027 national park fee-free days announced Expected
Weather by month
| Month | Camping weather | Avg high | Avg low | Precip. | Snow | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor · 0 | 31°F | 12°F | 0.9 in | 11.5 in | 9 h 04 m |
| February | Poor · 0 | 34°F | 12°F | 0.8 in | 11.5 in | 10 h 18 m |
| March | Poor · 10 | 42°F | 19°F | 1.1 in | 10.9 in | 11 h 44 m |
| April | Fair · 48 | 50°F | 26°F | 1.4 in | 7.8 in | 13 h 23 m |
| May | Great · 92 | 60°F | 35°F | 1.8 in | 1.7 in | 14 h 46 m |
| June | Great · 100 | 70°F | 42°F | 1.9 in | 0.3 in | 15 h 31 m |
| July | Great · 100 | 81°F | 48°F | 1.3 in | 0.0 in | 15 h 13 m |
| August | Great · 100 | 80°F | 46°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in | 14 h 00 m |
| September | Great · 100 | 69°F | 39°F | 1.2 in | 0.6 in | 12 h 24 m |
| October | Good · 66 | 54°F | 29°F | 1.3 in | 4.7 in | 10 h 49 m |
| November | Poor · 2 | 39°F | 19°F | 1.1 in | 9.9 in | 9 h 25 m |
| December | Poor · 0 | 30°F | 12°F | 0.9 in | 12.6 in | 8 h 43 m |
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the Yellowstone Park Mammoth, WY weather station (6,195 ft). Higher trails are colder; temperatures usually drop about 3–5°F per 1,000 ft. "Camping weather" is our simple score: best with highs of 62–82°F, nights above freezing and under 3 in of precipitation. It rates weather only, not road closures, snow on trails or crowds. Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th. About NOAA normals ↗
Questions
Do I need a reservation to enter Yellowstone National Park?
No vehicle reservation needed; an entrance pass is required.
How much does it cost to enter Yellowstone?
$35 per private vehicle (7 consecutive days). Non-US residents aged 16+ pay an extra $100 per person on top of the entrance fee, unless they have an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
When is the weather mildest at Yellowstone?
Using NOAA averages at the park's weather station, average highs are between 60°F and 85°F in June to September. July is warmest (about 81°F) and January has the coldest nights (about 12°F).
Sources: Yellowstone fees and passes (nps.gov), NOAA station data. Rules change; always check the official park site before you go.
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