Popular national parks can get crowded during their busy seasons, so it’s important to make the necessary reservations before embarking on your trip. Not all parks have the same requirements when it comes to bookings and reservations, so it’s important to do the research for that specific park.
If you’re planning a trip to the beautiful Yellowstone National Park, you may be wondering: do I need a reservation in advance in order to enter Yellowstone?
Yellowstone does NOT require a timed reservation ticket in advance to enter the park. However, reservations are required for most campsites, all hotels, and some restaurants in the park! And although you don’t need a timed entrance reservation for Yellowstone, you will still need to purchase a park pass for entry.
The park does get big crowds during the busy season, so it’s important to plan ahead and make the necessary preparations before arriving.
I’m Matt and have been to Yellowstone over 30 times and I write travel guides to help people travel to the West (including Yellowstone!) Keep reading for the things you need to know about planning a successful trip.
Yellowstone National Park, the country’s oldest national park, has 5 separate entrances. There is the North Entrance, Northeast Entrance, South Entrance, East Entrance, and West Entrance.
The best entrance for you to enter the park through will depend on two main questions: what direction you’re coming into the park from, and what you want to see and do first once you enter the park. We cover more about how to get to Yellowstone and which entrance to use in our Yellowstone Trip Planner.
We also offer a self-guided travel guide that will give you a game plan and daily itinerary for seeing the park. It is helpful to purchase our travel guide before acquiring lodging because once you see our game plan, it will help you decide where you want to stay and what entrance you want to use.
Yellowstone is open all year round, but only the north entrance is open all year. The park’s visitor center at Mammoth Hot Springs is open every day all year round. Not all of the amenities or campgrounds are open all year round, but you can check the hours on the National Park website.
The busy season for Yellowstone is June-September. If you’re thinking about visiting any other time, you must read about when the roads open and close in our article When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?
Yellowstone is also open 24 hours per day. So if you arrive at the park entrance when the ranger booth is closed, you can just drive into the park.
If you haven’t paid for a park pass yet, just pay when you stop at a visitor center or the next time you pass through the booth when it’s open.
Although you do not need a reservation ticket to enter the park, that does not mean there are no reservations required anywhere in the park. There are several activities and amenities the park has to offer that will require you to make a reservation beforehand.
Most Yellowstone campsites have moved to a reservation-only system, though some are still first-come, first-served.
Some campgrounds are reservable a year in advance and some only 6 months in advance. If you try to get a first-come, first-served campsite, you’ll typically need to arrive extremely early in the morning.
There are also many campgrounds nearby Yellowstone.
Campsites inside Yellowstone are managed by TWO different websites, so it’s important to understand how they work. Luckily for you, we produced an article and video all about camping in Yellowstone to help you out!
You can book your lodging up to 13 months in advance inside Yellowstone, so if there’s a certain place you’d like to stay inside the park, it’s best to book as early as possible.
Dinner reservations are only required at certain restaurants in the park during certain seasons. For hotel restaurants, priority is given to guests but visitors not staying at the hotels may make dinner reservations up to 60 days in advance.
Dinner reservations are not accepted at any of the park’s other restaurants, and breakfast and lunch do not require reservations.
There is one unique dining experience in the park, and that’s the Roosevelt Old West Cookout, which you do need reservations for! (But nearby Roosevelt Lodge does NOT accept reservations).
There are several businesses you can book a horseback-riding trip with during your stay at Yellowstone, so if you’re lucky you may be able to score some reservations on short notice, but there is no guarantee that this will be the case during your stay.
It’s best to make a reservation as soon as you decide that horseback riding is an activity you would like to experience on your trip, so spots don’t fill up completely before you book.
You must pay a fee to enter the park. The minimum fee is $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. For $80, you can buy an America the Beautiful Pass that will allow you entry to any other U.S. national park, forest, or monument. This pass is good for 1 year after purchase.
Those 62 years of age and older can purchase a Lifetime Senior Pass for $80. This pass provides access to all national parks and public lands in the U.S. and does not need to be renewed.
How to Get in for Free:
Download our Free Quick and Easy Guide to Yellowstone’s entrances!
Yes! That’s what we’re here for. Our Yellowstone Travel Guide is the BEST way to see Yellowstone efficiently. We provide you with a daily step-by-step itinerary to get you to the best places at the best times.
Yellowstone is a big place with MANY attractions. If you wing it, you’ll be bombarded with a series of signs and you’ll find yourself wondering “Should I stop here?” Be prepared!
What’s more, we provide an audio guide, which includes 3 hours of stories and fascinating information about Yellowstone’s bears, bison, wolves, and geysers. Get your itinerary and audio guide now!
YELLOWSTONE TRIP PLANNER: To read or watch all of our content about Yellowstone National Park, check out our Yellowstone Homepage
ENTRANCES: Yellowstone has 5 entrances: The West Entrance, the East Entrance, the Northeast Entrance, the North Entrance, and the South Entrance. Learn which entrance to Yellowstone is right for you with our Free Quick and Easy Guide
THINGS TO DO: Don’t miss all that Yellowstone has to offer including Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone Lake, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth Hot Springs, and West Thumb and Grant’s Village
GREAT CITIES TO STAY OR CHECK OUT: Learn all about where to stay and where to camp when visiting Yellowstone and things to do in Cody, Wyoming, and other areas surrounding Yellowstone
WHERE TO EAT: Check out the best places to eat including the Old West Dinner Cookout and also where to get groceries and eat picnics in Yellowstone National Park
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Find out if you need a reservation or bear spray and binoculars, as well as tips for driving in and flying to Yellowstone
WATCH: Enjoy videos of gorgeous Yellowstone National Park while learning our best tips for visiting by watching our Yellowstone YouTube Playlist
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