Yellowstone Lodging - Yellowstone National Park Lodging

Yellowstone National Park is the world's first national park with over 2.2 million acres of wilderness, wildlife and scenic wonders. Most first time visitors don't realize there are 5 entrances/exits. With careful planning, visitors should have a happy and successful trip. Yellowstonelodging.com will help you plan your visit in or around the park.

Visitors can lodge in Yellowstone or stay in one of the the 5 gateway communities surrounding the park. This guide will help you decide your best option.We first recommend you plan your trip by jotting down notes on what you want to see. Trust us, 2.2 million acres is a tremendous amount of wilderness to explore, fortunately for most visitors Yellowstone National Park has a fantastic roadway system, the Grand Loop road that figure eights through the park.As an example if exploring geysers is your main priority, you may want to consider staying at Old Faithful. If you must see wolves, then your best option is Cooke City or Canyon. With bears, Roosevelt or Cooke City would be a good choice.

Time of season and weather also has a great bearing on where to stay. For geysers, it doesn't matter. Waterfalls are best viewed during the spring and early summer. Wildlife are more active during early spring and summer and again during the fall.

There is so much too see in and around Yellowstone National Park it can be mind boggling. We suggest obtaining some brochures, a guide book or better yet purchasing a Yellowstone DVD. We highly recommend "The Wonders of Yellowstone DVD". You and your family can view the DVD together and plan your trip instead of what a lot of tourists end up doing which is getting stuck in a traffic jam and scrambling to find a place to stay when everything is booked and wasting fuel.

"The Wonders of Yellowstone" - 98 Minutes - ~Telly Award Winner for Nature and Wildlife~ Two years in the making and just released, "The Wonders of Yellowstone" video has been highly requested, produced in DVD format and is only available through YellowstoneNationalPark.com. Take a complete tour of Yellowstone National Park as our Narrator Cathy Coan, guides you to all the wonders of the park including the geyser basins, wildlife, waterfalls and much more. More Info or Order Online

Lodging

After planning your trip, now it's time to find a place or places to stay. Again there are many lodging choices and we'll give you a brief summary based on the entrance you decide. For more details, go to one of our Lodging Community Directories located at the Top Menu Bar.

Yellowstone National Park - Lodging in the park has some great advantages. The most obvious is your right there where the action is but you're still going to want to commute. Lodging reservations in the park fills up the quickest so plan months in advance for the most popular hotels including the world famous Old Faithful Inn.

West Gate - West Yellowstone, MT - If your driving or flying from Bozeman, MT or Idaho Falls, ID then you should consider the West Gate entrance. West Yellowstone is the largest of the gateway communities that is actually located at an entrance to the park and has one of the most lodging options of all the communities.

South Gate - Jackson Hole, WY - Jackson is great choice if you plan on visiting Grand Teton National Park along with Yellowstone. Though lodging prices can be higher there are some great campsite options throughout the Teton corridor.

North Gate - Gardiner, MT - Gardiner is the North Entrance to Yellowstone and just up the road is Mammoth Hot Springs, the park headquarters. Unique to this entrance is its year round access for over road vehicles. Lodging and camping can be found at both locations.

East Gate - Though Cody, WY is located through the East Entrance, in between lies the picturesque Wapiti Valley where you'll discover some great cabins, quest ranches and smaller out of the way motels.

Northeast Gate - The Northeast Entrance is a short jaunt to two secluded little towns Cooke City and Silver Gate. For wolf and bear watchers this is your best lodging choice it gives you quick access to the Lamar Valley and Soda Butte where you can find some of Yellowstone's largest wolf packs.

These are you lodging choices which we go into detail throughout our site. We hope this lodging planner provides a successful trip to Yellowstone National Park. For airport information and driving distances, please visit the Maps Directory for each Gateway Community.

Yellowstone National Park Lodging
There are 9 lodging facilities in Yellowstone and all are located adjacent to the Grand Loop road. Lodging is operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts. Each lodging facility is strategically located to a prime destination within Yellowstone. Check the Activities Directory for the major features near each lodging location. We'll begin at the north entrance at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins
Mammoth Hot Springs is just inside the North Entrance from Gardiner Montana. Mammoth is the park headquarters. In addition to the Hot Springs Hotel, there is a hospital, restaurant, restrooms, picnic area and gas station. The Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins has rooms from cabins to suites ranging from $80 to $450. It is open during the winter from late December to early March and during the summer from mid May to early October.

The closest airport is the Gallatin Field Airport (BZN) about 90 miles away in Bozeman, Montana and the Logan International Airport (BIL) in Billings, Montana is 180 miles.

Roosevelt Lodge Cabins
Though he never stayed there, the Roosevelt Lodge Cabins is named after Theodore Roosevelt who loved this area of the park. It is located between Mammoth and the Northeast Entrance. The Roosevelt Lodge and Cabins are western and rustic. They are open from about mid June to early September. Rates vary from mid $60 to over $100.

Canyon Lodge and Cabins
Canyon Lodge is the midway point on the Grand Loop Rd and is centrally located in the park between Mammoth and the West Entrance. These facilities are a mixture of motel and lodge rooms and cabins. It is the closest lodging facility near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and is a favorite among hikers. There is also full facilities and a recently rebuilt visitor center. Lodging is available from early June to late September and rates vary from around $100 to $180.

Old Faithful Inn
The most popular lodge in Yellowstone and for good reason. One could spend hours hanging out at the Inn. First built in 1903 it has steadily added wings till the late 20's and now has over 300 rooms. When visitors first walk inside Old Faithful Inn you immediately look up towards the 85 foot ceiling laced with log beams and staircases throughout. Your eyes then gaze upon the gigantic stone fireplace and thoughts of the workmanship put into this National Historic Landmark. There are restaurants, ice cream parlors, various souvenir shops and bookstores but the main attraction is out the front door, Old Faithful Geyser.

Old Faithful Inn is open from early May to early October. Rooms range from Old House (original rooms) to Suites and rates are over $200 to $500, the Old Faithful gushing is free.

Old Faithful Lodge Cabins
Though Old Faithful Lodge Cabins is adjacent to the Inn, it is just as historic being built in the 20's out of the same log and stone. Guests can appreciate the price too. It is open from mid May to late September. Rates are about $70 to a little over $100.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins
Also next to the other lodges and it even sounds like the other historic facilities however this lodge is the newest facility in the park constructed in 1999. This facility has the look of a modern lodge and cabin construction. It is open from late April to late October and during the Winter from late December to early March. Rates are about $100 to $200.

Grants Village
Something had to have Ulysses S. Grant's name on it after all he did enact the world's first national park. Grants Village is it. This facility is a fairly modern looking structure reminiscent of a rocky mountain ski resort compared to the other facilities in the park. It has 2 restaurants, a visitors center, gas station and it's own marina. It is open from late May to early October and rates are around $150.

Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins
Another Historic Landmark jewel situated in a pristine location right on Yellowstone Lake. With 110 miles of shoreline, it is North America largest high altitude lake. Originally built around the same time as Old Faithful Inn, the lake hotel has received a few expansions and renovations right up to 1990. It is open from late May to late September. Rates vary from $130 to $550

Lake Lodge Cabins
Cabins near Yellowstone lake in a more private tranquil setting. Probably the most secluded logging facility in Yellowstone with the least number of tourists. The main lodge has two fireplaces. Due to bear activity, it is the last facility to open. It is open from about mid June to early October and rates go for about $70 to $180.

Reservations can be made at Xanterra Parks and Resorts at (800) 439-7375.

Yellowstone National Park Entrance Fee
The entrance fee is $25 for a private, noncommercial vehicle; $20 for each snowmobile or motorcycle; or $12 for each visitor 16 and older entering by foot, bike, ski, etc. This fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Remember to keep your admission receipt in order to re-enter the parks. Snowmobile operators must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license.

Advance reservations are not needed to enter the park. Annual or Lifetime Passes are possible alternatives to the above fees.

Park Annual Pass
The $50 park annual pass provides entrance to pass holder and accompanying passengers in a single private non-commercial vehicle at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Pass is valid for 12 months from date of purchase. Purchase your pass at one of the park’s entrances.