All parks › Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle, 7 days
- $35[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- July[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 4,762,988[3]
- Campgrounds
- 13[4]
Yellowstone National Park is a national park run by the National Park Service, with land in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming[5]. NPS lists a $35 entrance fee for a private vehicle, good for seven consecutive days from the day you buy it[1].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
| Fee or pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Vehicle[1] | $35 |
| Non-commercial Groups[6] | $20 |
| Motorcycle[7] | $30 |
| Snowmobile[8] | $30 |
| Per Person[9] | $20 |
| Nonresident[10] | $100 |
| Annual Entrance - Park[11] | $70 |
The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[12].
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[13] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[13] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[13] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[13] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[13] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[13] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[13] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[13] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[13] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS says Yellowstone is open every day of the year, but services and activities are limited at night and in some seasons[14]. The park has five entrance stations, and not all of them stay open all year[14]. The North Entrance near Gardiner, Montana is the only one open to wheeled vehicles year-round[15]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 975,109 recreation visits, and the quietest was November with 26,961[2]. Weather can change fast, snow is possible in any month, and NPS suggests bringing a range of clothing, including rain gear and a warm jacket, also in summer[16]. NPS notes that all opening dates depend on the weather[14].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 40,363 |
| February | 44,133 |
| March | 33,284 |
| April | 78,529 |
| May | 566,363 |
| June | 928,250 |
| July | 975,109 |
| August | 881,936 |
| September | 839,579 |
| October | 313,959 |
| November | 26,961 |
| December | 34,522 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list several campgrounds in Yellowstone[4]. The largest is Bridge Bay Campground with 432 sites, followed by Grant Village Campground with 430 sites[4]. Nightly fees for an individual site listed by NPS range from $10 to $89[4]. NPS notes that camping is allowed only in designated areas[14].
- Bridge Bay Campground, 432 sites[4]
- Grant Village Campground, 430 sites
- Fishing Bridge RV Park, 310 sites
- Madison Campground, 276 sites
- Canyon Campground, 273 sites
- Norris Campground, 112 sites
- Mammoth Campground, 87 sites
- Lewis Lake Campground, 84 sites
- Indian Creek Campground, 73 sites
- Tower Fall Campground, 33 sites
- Tower Fall Campground, 31 sites
- Pebble Creek Campground, 27 sites
- Slough Creek Campground, 17 sites
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or kept on a leash of six feet or shorter, wherever they are allowed[17]. Pets cannot go into public buildings, onto public transportation or onto designated swimming beaches, though service animals are excepted[17]. NPS lists 3 activities in Yellowstone where pets are permitted, including the Abandoned Railroad Bed Bike Trail and the Old Lake Road Bike Trail[18].
Before you go
- The Yellowstone annual park pass costs $70 and you can buy it at any entrance station, per NPS[11].
- Yellowstone accepts the America the Beautiful pass[12]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80[13].
- NPS lists a $100 nonresident fee for visitors who are not US residents and are 16 or older, on top of the standard entrance fee, but NPS says holders of an Annual or America the Beautiful pass are exempt[10].
- Not every entrance is open all year, so check access for your entrance and dates[14].
- Fees and hours change, so confirm them on the official NPS park page before your trip.
Questions people ask
- How much is the entrance fee for Yellowstone National Park?
- NPS lists $35 for a private vehicle, and that pass covers seven consecutive days[1]. A motorcycle pays $30[7]. Visitors on foot or bicycle aged 16 or older pay $20 per person[9].
- When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?
- It depends on what you want. In 2025 July had the most recreation visits at 975,109 and November had the fewest at 26,961[2]. Some entrances close for parts of the year, and dates depend on weather[14].
- Can I bring my dog to Yellowstone?
- Where pets are allowed, they must be on a leash of six feet or less, or crated or caged[17]. NPS lists 3 activities in the park where pets are permitted[18].
- Is Yellowstone open in winter?
- NPS says the park is open daily all year, but services are limited at certain times[14]. The North Entrance is the only one open to wheeled vehicles all year[15]. The West Entrance is listed as open to snowmobiles and snowcoaches from December 15 to March 15[19].
- How many campgrounds are in Yellowstone?
- NPS and Recreation.gov list several campgrounds, with nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $89 listed by NPS[4].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $35. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 4,860,242, 2022: 3,290,242, 2023: 4,501,382, 2024: 4,744,353, 2025: 4,762,988. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
- Yellowstone National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Non-commercial Groups: $20. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $30. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Snowmobile: $30. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Per Person: $20. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Nonresident: $100. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $70. National Park Service
- Yellowstone National Park accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- Operating hours, All Park Hours: Yellowstone is open daily, year-round, although activities and services are limited at night and certain times of year. The park has five entrance stations, but not all entrance stations are open year-round. Make sure to... National Park Service
- Operating hours, North Entrance: Near the gateway community of Gardiner, Montana, the North Entrance is the only park entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year. November through April, the North Entrance provides the only access to Cooke City, Montana. US... National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Yellowstone National Park. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 88 things to do at Yellowstone National Park: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Snow Pass Ski Trail, Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail, Yellowstone Lake Overlook Trail, West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail, Trout Lake Trail, Abandoned Railroad Bed Bike... National Park Service
- Operating hours, West Entrance: Adjacent to the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, the West Entrance is usually open (weather-dependent) to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through early November, and to tracked-oversnow (snowmobiles and... National Park Service