Located near the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park the Madison Campground is extremely popular.
This campground has great amenities and is located in a wonderful part of the park. Right off of the main loop road you can easily visit the Old Faithful area, the town of West Yellowstone, Grand Prismatic Spring, Firehole Lake Drive, geyser basins, and more
Madison Campground is one of the five campgrounds in Yellowstone that takes reservations.
Madison Campground
Check out our ultimate Yellowstone Camping guide to learn about each campground within the park. Madison Campground is centrally located on the west side of Yellowstone NP. The campground is set close to many of the highlights of Yellowstone including Grand Prismatic Spring, Firehole Lake Drive, Madison River, and Norris Geyser Basin.
It is a nice campground to start a trip to Yellowstone and get a feel for the park.
Season: May - October
Number of Sites: 278
Location in the park: 14 miles east of the town of West Yellowstone and 16 miles north of Old Faithful.
Campsite cost: $27.00
Rates do not include taxes or utility fees and are subject to change.
Interagency Access and Senior Pass holders receive a 50% discount.
Hiker/bicyclist Nightly Fee - $8.00
Payments accepted:
Reservations: Yes, see below for more details
Campground Address:
Latitude/Longitude: N 44 38.725 W 110 51.687
Elevation: 6,800 feet (2073 m)
Accessible Sites: Three accessible campsites (reservable), with an extended picnic table and a raised fire grate.
The closest accessible shower is at Old Faithful Inn (16 mi. south).
Pets Allowed: Yes, You will want to be aware of the park pet policy
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Madison Campground Reservations
Are campground Reservations Available? Yes
Yellowstone Campground reservations open on May 1 for the next year.
Example May 1, 2025 = Summer 2026 reservations
May 1, 2026 = Summer 2027 reservations
Reservations are done through the lodging reservation site or by calling Reservations Office
Open Daily
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MDT
Call Direct at +1-307-344-7311
You will need to know the dimensions of your tent (in feet) and/or the combined dimension of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles. (e.g the length of your truck in addition to the length of your trailer when fully open.)
You want to make sure that if there is a chance your tent or RV may change you reserve a site for the largest one. If you arrive in the campground with a larger RV or tent then you made a reservation for you may not have a spot you fit in.
Specific sites can be requested but are not guaranteed. Site allocation depends on reservations, sizes requested, and the number of nights. The campsites are handled similarly to hotel rooms and designated on the day of use.
Madison Campground Amenities
Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring. The campground frequently has ranger programs, especially during the busy summer months.
Flush Toilets: Yes
Showers: No
Payphone: Yes
Is wifi available? No
Is cellular Phone Service Available? No
Is camp host available on site? Yes
Is firewood available for purchase? Yes
Amenities at each campsite:
Firepit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
Bear Box in site/area? Yes, Bear boxes are available for most tent sites.
Potable Water? Yes
RV Camping at Madison Campground
When calling to make a reservation, be prepared to give the size of your tent (in feet) or the combined length of your RV and any other vehicles or towed vehicles.
RV Length: Total vehicle length can not exceed 30'
Sites that accommodate RVs are either pull-through or back-in with limited width for slide-outs and MAY NOT BE LEVEL
Dump Station: Yes, seasonally open
Generators: Generators can be used from 8 am - 8 pm.
Hookups:
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
How to get to Madison Campground
This campground is reached by the Grand Loop Road and is near the intersection of the road that leads to the West Entrance. It is 14 miles east of the West Entrance and 16 miles north of Old Faithful.
Important Dates for Campground
Madison Campground Regulations
The maximum number of people in a campsite: Maximum 6 persons per site
The number of cars per campsite: Tent sites allow for up to two tents and two vehicles. RV sites allow for one RV (tow included) only. (For reference, 2 motorcycles = 1 vehicle)
Check-in Time: check-in any time of day that there is an unoccupied site.
Checkout time: 11 AM.
Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Maximum Stay: Camping is limited to 14 days from July 1 through Labor Day, and 30 days for the rest of the year. There is no stay limit at the Fishing Bridge RV Park.
Don't forget to pack
Earplugs - Especially if you are in a tent you may get a lot of road noise.
Food storage containers
Fire Starter
Smores Kit
Madison Campground Photos
Additional Yellowstone National Park Resources
Things to do in Yellowstone - These are the top things to do that you don't want to miss during your trip!
Yellowstone Lodging -Check out all of the lodges you can stay in while visiting Yellowstone NP.
Yellowstone Camping - Check out all of the campgrounds available within the park including Bridge Bay, Canyon, Grant and more.
Yellowstone Waterfalls - Epic waterfalls you can see in the park.
Yellowstone National Park Facts - Learn more about our 1st National Park and fun facts about the wildlife in the park.
Jackson Lake Lodge - Find out what it is like to stay in this gorgeous Grand Teton NP Lodge.
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel - Find out what it is like to stay in this great Yellowstone lodge.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel - Room photo and videos, what to expect when staying at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel
Camping Tips from a Park Ranger - These are the tips I learned from managing a campground for years.
Fun Yellowstone National Park Tours and Activities
4-Hour Morning Kayak on Yellowstone Lake with Lunch- Admire the tree-fringed banks, beaches, and thermal pools of Yellowstone Lake from the water on this morning tour.
After a kayak lesson and time to familiarize yourself with your kayak, set out to explore the West Thumb with your guide. You will paddle for approximately two miles along the West Thumb Geyser Basin as you look for elk and bear along the lakeshore and marvel at the steaming geysers in this incredible area of the park!
Click here to book your tour for the 4-hour Morning Kayak on Yellowstone Lake with Lunch!
Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch - the lush riverside plains of the Lamar Valley are a wildlife watching hotspot within Yellowstone National Park. With this guided hike, you get to explore the natural landscapes as you venture off-road and seek out little-known spots, increasing your chances of seeing wildlife. Look out for buffalo, wolves, eagles, and other animals along the way and watch them from a safe distance in their natural habitat. Tour includes lunch, bear spray, binoculars, trekking pole, backpack(if necessary), coffee and/or tea.
Click here to book your tour for the Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch.
Yellowstone National Park Private Wildlife Tour - Book your private tour with Yellowstone Exposures to ensure a truly unforgettable day with a local expert. Have your day designed and mapped for you by a local professional so that you can utilize it to the fullest.
With snacks, High-quality spotting scopes and binos. Your guide will take photos and video throughout the day. Included a full picnic lunch, snacks, and refreshments.
Click here to book your tour for the Yellowstone National Park Private Wildlife Tour.
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