Best RV Parks & Resorts near Cooke City, MT

We were able to haul our 45-ft fifth wheel and find level ground. There are some additional locations to park higher on the hill but the road to get there is a little more rough. I've seen smaller camper vans but we couldn't haul our big rig up there. We boondocked here all week. Not far from Yellowstone and the town of Cody with amenities. The sheep mountain hiking trailhead is right here and lots of off-roading trails for single and double track. Great views. It was rainy and windy half the time we were here (late May). The roads were dirt but still solid and well maintained. Some of the hiking and OHV trails got muddy up on the mountain.

Camped here many times over the years, it was our favorite place in the park. It's a bit more like a National Forest CG because it's somewhat off the beaten path and quiet. It is certainly more crowded these days than it used to be, back then it rarely filled.  

The site are good, some more private than others. It is NOT a place for Big Rigs, I think the length limit was 35' last time I was there (vehicle + trailer or whatever you're pulling) and they strictly enforced that. The volunteers at the entrance cabin actually brought out a tape measure and measured my 4Runner and 17' Casita at 31' so we got in. Many rigs behind us in line were too big and were turned away.

The creeks (Indian & Obsidian) contain small Brook Trout. For supplies, Mammoth is the closest place. 

Have been the in June, July August & September.

The campground is totally on the reservation system unlike a few years ago. No 1st come, 1st serve anymore.

When it comes to Yellowstone camping can be difficult unless you plan far in advance and prices can soar in the summer months.   For those wanting a little better price points and convenient access to the northern most entrance visiting the Gallatin National Forest is a great option for finding that perfect location and still maintaining access.

I visited this area and was very impressed with the campground and the spacing it provided.   But more importantly I was happy to see that unlike the Yellowstone campgrounds which lack cell signal, at this location I was able to utilize my services through AT&T.    Sure that might not be something everyone considers when traveling, but when you work remotely being able to access the internet through my cell phone is very important.  I had been in the park for several days so stopping here was a good catch up opportunity.

The sites were each well spaced and offered a soft grassy pad for my tent when staying, unlike the darkened dry grassy lands around.   It was almost as though this location was an oasis, despite having no services.

Each sight provides a bear box, picnic table and fire ring, overall very standard for this area.    Additionally there were basic vault toilets which were very well maintained.  One person at the campground actually joked about that being a great hiding place should a bear enter camp...lol

Camping at this location has a 16 night limit and sites are only $7 per night, which is $20 less expensive than the closest Yellowstone campground.  Similar rules apply to this campground as others in the area.   There are no trash services so you have to pack in and out all of your trash.   Generators can be use throughout the camp during certain hours and there are fire restrictions during certain conditions and times (posted on the entry kiosk).   This is an honor system campground with a pay box at the entry, however I did notice it was patrolled at least once nightly by area Forest Service, unlike the pull off sites just beyond camp.

TIPS:

• If you need anything you can stop off just before turning onto the road at any number of stores, shops or restaurants in the low laying community.
• If you need high speed WIFI Subway in the local community has the best access for free.
• West Entrance allows you to split to to east which is where you will spot more wildlife versus the Western side of the park where you will find more of the geothermal features.

Full hookup campground in the heart of Yellowstone. This is a large, busy campground with oddly shaped spots where you park beside your trailer. Big rigs may find it a tight fit but our small trailer was fine. Nearby store is well stocked and gas was available as well. Lake Lodge and Lake Hotel are nearby and offer lots of food choices. Showers were adequate but busy and expect to wait during peak season. No wifi or cell service. If you are looking for scenery you won't find it here, but it's a great base for your Yellowstone explorations due to the central location.

NOTE: Only hard-sided units are allowed here due to bears frequenting the campground.

Pebble Creek Campground in Yellowstone National Park is one of the most private options for camping in the park. The campground is smaller than most of the others, only about 30 sites, and not built for big RV rigs. This keeps out a lot of traffic, in addition to being a first-come-first-served campground. In order to secure a site at this campground, which is open from mid-May to mid-September, you need to arrive early, sometimes by 6:30 AM. The day we pulled in for a site, we were the first ones to arrive at 6:30 AM and the campground was full b 8:00 AM.

The sites are nestled among pine trees, most are level, and all have tent pads. Our site was NOT level, but with our small RV (17') trailer, we were able to find a spot that allowed us to level the rig. There are fire rings and picnic tables at all sites, as well as bear boxes for food storage (ours had two). There is no running water at this site (aside from a hand pump), or electricity, and generators are NOT allowed (to our relief!). There are a few outhouses that are well-maintained and clean. There is no dump station here, and the closest is quite a drive, so RV's need to be prepared to haul out black water. Propane can be filled in Cooke City, about a 15-minute drive to the east, out of the park.

Evenings get quite cold, as this campground sits just under 7000 feet in elevation, so plan your sleeping arrangements accordingly. In mid-June we woke one morning to frost, and most nights bottomed out in the 30's.

On our first evening at the site, a bull moose wandered through the field next to our campsite over the course of an hour or two. We were also able to use binoculars and a camera zoom lens to spot mountain goats on nearby Mount Norris, across the road from the campground (see photo). Bears and wolves are both visitors to this area, as well as coyotes and bison. Lamar Valley is just a couple of minutes away to the west. Wildlife lovers will find this campground to be in a fantastic location!

The camp hosts have been working in Yellowstone campgrounds for almost 20 years, and were extremely helpful and cordial. They are firm with following rules, so don't expect to pull over any tricks on these two. We enjoyed all of the campers we met, including some from Georgia, New Zealand, and Cody, Wyoming.

Mammoth Hot Springs campground is the only (year-round) campground open in Yellowstone from late fall to spring. This campground has about 85 sites, and half of those are open in the winter. Summer time makes this campground feel quite crowded, and allows for RVs up to 75 feet, but in winter there is a tight turn that makes it only open to RVs under 30 feet. The campground is set in tiers on a hillside, so if you get a site near the top, you have an excellent view of the surrounding valley and Electric Peak.

This campground has drinking water available but no dump station. We usually haul to Billings and dump at Cabela's there, or stop at Canyon campground if heading out the East Entrance. In the off-season this campground is a very nice stay - quiet even though it is close to the road, and not usually full until spring. The town of Gardiner, MT, is only a few miles north, which offers restaurants and gas (although there is also both available in Mammoth Hot Springs). Just up the hill above the campground is the town of M. H. Springs, which is a nice place to spend time. If you are traveling with kids, be sure to stop in the awesome Visitor Center and museum. Lots of hands-on stuff to explore. Just up from the Visitor Center are the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces, a geological feature sure to knock your socks off in any season.

For the more adventurous souls like us, you can access the Boiling River Trail to the north of the campground and jump in the river, even in the middle of winter. The Boiling River flows into the Gardner River, creating the perfect all-season hot tub. In addition to thermal features, there are tons of wildlife viewing opportunities right from the campground, especially elk, bison, and bighorn sheep.

Although not our favorite campground in the park, MHS Campground, being open all year, is an ample location to stay on your Yellowstone vacation.

Access to Rex Hale was easy following the website instructions. Basically, you follow the signs through Cody to Yellowstone National Park via US 14, the park is right off US 14. There was no formal check-in. We had a reservation and that was noted on the post at our back-in site 9 with 50/30 AMP. There was confusion on our part whether we needed to get water before or after arriving based on several campground(CG) reviews. We called the ranger station the day prior who confirmed the water was on at the CG. Then we found out upon arrival that the sites as you come into the CG on the right side of the road up to site 12 have not only electric but also water! This was a recent addition and why water had been nonexistent or off in recent CG reviews. We were told there was a camp host but the host had actually already departed for the season. There was no cell signal nor OTA channels. There are about 30 sites with only sites 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12 having electric and, now, water. The middle sites, the far CG end to the east and along the riverside of the CG have no utilities. There are water spigots periodically placed throughout the CG. There are several vault toilets but no showers. There is no dump station in the CG, but there is one in Buffalo Bill State Park near Cody. We were staying at an RV park in Cody and just dumped there. We were very impressed with this CG and really enjoyed our spacious site, the mountain views and the peacefulness of the place. We were here when they closed the CG for the season on 20 September and would definitely come back.

Pros:

Water, sewer, electricity

Level sites

Center point of Yellowstone

Convenience store nearby

Friendly staff

Clean well taken care of campground

Cons:

The site we stayed in was $100 a night

No wood fires allowed

We stayed in loop E for 3 nights while exploring Yellowstone. The campground was very nice and I would say worth $100 a night. It was a good place to leave from each morning to see the sites, we typically would beat the crowds coming from the gates by about an hour to our first destination of the day. As of June '23 loop E is mostly pull through sites for larger rigs. The other two loops are a little tighter but have more tree cover.