Madison Campground in the Heart of Yellowstone National Park

Looking for more to explore near Madison Campground?
Take a short hike overlooking Grand Prismatic Spring, or head to the Upper Geyser Basin for geysers galore, including that perennial favorite, Old Faithful.

AMENITIES

• Flush toilets
• Drinkable water
• Dishwashing sinks located in each restroom building
• No showers
• Picnic tables and fire rings at all sites
• Bear boxes at all sites — please store all food or scented items in the bear box or in your vehicle
• No cell service
• No electric, water, or sewer hook-ups
• Paved parking pads
• Garbage & recycling services
• Dump station for RVs
• Camp store selling firewood, ice, and other supplies — scavenging for downed dead wood is also allowed

ABOUT THE SITES

• Madison Campground has 278 campsites. There are also three group campsites available.
• Campsites are available for reservations online up to one year in advance through Xanterra. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially for late May through September. For a summer stay, book online as far in advance as possible, as sites can fill up immediately for peak season dates.
• Madison Campground is open from early May through mid-October.
• Campsites cost $38.15 per night in 2025.
• Since Madison Campground is located within Yellowstone National Park, you must either pay an entrance fee of up to $35 (valid for up to seven days) or use the America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass) to enter the park. You can purchase an annual American the Beautiful pass ahead of time online, or in person at any entrance station to Yellowstone National Park.
• Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free or reduced price pass — seniors, fourth graders, and active military do! Fourth graders must print a voucher ahead of time to qualify.

• There are no electrical, water, or sewage hook-ups at any campsites.
• Specific campsites are assigned upon arrival. When you book online, you will choose what type of campsite you need, but you won’t get to choose a specific site. You can choose from larger or smaller tent sites, and RV sites that accommodate a variety of different vehicle lengths. Keep in mind that driveways can be narrow, and be sure to choose a site long enough to fit your RV if that’s a concern.
• Many sites are close together, but there’s a lot of variance. If you request a site with a larger tent pad or one that fits a larger vehicle when you book, you will probably end up with a larger site, although that’s not guaranteed. It really comes down to which specific sites are available that meet your criteria when you check in.
• Most sites are partially shady, but again, it varies.
• Our campsite, #193, was spacious with a pull-through driveway. I booked a site that could accommodate a 40′ RV after reading that campsite driveways at Madison could be smaller than advertised.
• Be bear aware! Keep a clean campsite and store all food or scented items of any kind in the bear box at your campsite or in your vehicle. Further information is posted at Madison Campground.

FUN STUFF

• Relax by the river. The Madison River is a short walk from any of the campsites at Madison Campground. It’s absolutely gorgeous, especially during those magical golden hours at dawn and dusk. It’s also a prime place to spot elk, with early morning and evening being the most likely time to catch wildlife out and about.
• Go fishing. Fly fishing is popular in the Madison River, and it’s common to see fisherfolk out in the water. To find out more about fishing in Yellowstone, including current regulations, please visit the Yellowstone National Park website.
• Ride your bike. You can bike along the roads through Madison Campground, and Yellowstone National Park also offers bike-friendly trails. Please note that scooters and skateboards are not allowed on the campground roads.
• Gaze at the stars. Trees may block the view of the heavens from some campsites, but the stars shine bright over Yellowstone on a clear night. Head down to the river for a spectacular view.

NEARBY & NOTABLE

• Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone’s largest and possibly most stunning technicolor hot spring, is just 10 miles south of Madison Campground. Hike the Overlook Trail and the Midway Geyser Basin Trail for two strikingly different vantage points.
• Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin are located 17 miles south of Madison Campground. This is a great place to not only watch Old Faithful erupt, but also take an extended boardwalk hike along the Firehole River. Don’t be surprised if you encounter a few bison along the way.
• West Thumb Geyser Basin is situated along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. This small geyser basin is one of our favorites, filled with lucid blue pools and mini geysers bubbling up at the edge of the lake.
• Norris Geyser Basin lies 14 miles northeast of Madison Campground. If you’re very lucky, you might catch an eruption at Steamboat Geyser, Yellowstone’s largest geyser. Unlike Old Faithful, Steamboat isn’t predictable, but the basin is an active thermal area with an otherworldly landscape to explore.

• Waterfalls abound in Yellowstone National Park. Two that are especially close to Madison Campground include Gibbon Falls and Firehole Falls. The Gibbon Falls viewpoint is a five-mile drive east of the campground along Highway 89. Firehole Falls is located along the one-way scenic drive through the Firehole Canyon. This beautiful two-mile detour starts just one mile south of Madison Campground. In summer, check out one of Yellowstone’s only swimming holes here on the Firehole River.
• The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a 45-minute drive east of Madison Campground. This stunning canyon features awe-inspiring viewpoints, a variety of hiking trails, and a visitor center together with other services at Canyon Village.
• West Yellowstone, the western gateway town for Yellowstone National Park, is located 14 miles west of Madison Campground. It’s a good place to get gas and groceries. Our family visited the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, a wildlife park that houses rescued grizzlies and wolves. It’s a great way to see these incredible animals at close range, especially since sightings within Yellowstone are relatively rare. For us, it was an unexpected highlight of our trip. There are several restaurants in town, and we enjoyed dinner at Hanks Chop Shop.

THE VERDICT

Madison Campground is a prime location from which to explore the wonders of Yellowstone National Park. Of course, Yellowstone is so large that no single campground is going to be conveniently close to all the sights, but Madison is about as good as it gets. Although relatively pricey at $38.15 per night, the location easily makes it worth the price. We visited in October when most of Yellowstone’s campgrounds are closed, but Madison is a top pick for peak season visits as well. Its proximity to the park’s many geyser basins, including Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful, make it an ideal campground for first-time visitors.

The campground is beautifully situated near the Madison River. Yellowstone National Park can feel overwhelming, and being able to walk from our campsite and enjoy the peace and calm of the river was exactly the respite we needed after a full day of touring. We lucked out with a spacious pull-through site, #193, that was assigned to us when we checked in. I relished the extra space and relative privacy, but would have been happy with just about any of the sites (other than those right next to the restrooms). Yes, many are pretty “cozy” (aka small, with little separation from your neighbors), but the campground is lovely and the vibe during our stay was mellow and respectful.

If you’re a tent camper, you may prefer one of the tent-only sites, which are located in their own separate loops. This minimizes the chance that you’ll be bothered by generator noise during your stay. Fortunately, even though there are no electrical hookups, we experienced very little generator noise from our neighbors in the RV loop.

Restrooms were clean, and even heated! This was a boon on cold autumn mornings. I also appreciated the convenience of purchasing ice and firewood at the camp store. The only downside for a long stay is the fact that there are no camp showers. But hey, you’re camping, just smear on some extra deodorant! When it comes to camping at Yellowstone National Park, we highly recommend Madison Campground.

The timing of our arrival to Madison Campground in Yellowstone National Park could not have been better. It was a sunny October afternoon, with plenty of time to set up camp before dinner, and even enjoy a little free time to explore. Our first stop was the registration office at the campground entrance, where we checked in and were assigned campsite #193, a large pull-through site adjacent to the E Loop.

From the looks of it, my reservation request for a site that could accommodate a 40′ RV paid off. Either that, or it was sheer good timing. Site #193 was large and reasonably private, with a good mix of sun and shade. We raised the pop-up roof tent, set up the canopy, and even found a good spot to hang the hammock.

After confirming that it was OK to scavenge for dead wood, the kids took it upon themselves to search for free wood around the campground. Our older son, J, found a hefty log abandoned at an empty campsite and lugged it back to ours. Together with a hammer and our long-suffering little camp axe, he and his brother set to tackle the beast. Wouldn’t you know it, the axe blade got stuck. Who would have thought?

Fortunately, after a lot of effort, we managed to dislodge the blade. My husband, Michael, also managed to very carefully hew the log into appropriately sized firewood for our small fire pit. As J would say, it was worth it for the free firewood.

Eager to explore more of Madison Campground, I encouraged the boys to look for a way down to the river. Sure enough, a small path next to our site led the way. After following the brief but steep sandy trail through the trees, we crossed the road and arrived at the Madison River.

It was evening, and a soft golden glow was just beginning to settle over the riverbank. A few fishermen stood in the shallow water, and along the shore a couple of pairs of elk wandered in search of their evening meal. Each pair consisted of a mother with her calf, now nearly fully grown. From a safe distance, I watched them graze at the water’s edge. Yellowstone recommends that visitors stay at least 25 yards from elk. In keeping with that requirement, the I took full advantage of my zoom lens to capture the shot below.

Back at the campsite, we enjoyed our first dinner in Yellowstone. In total, we spent four nights at Madison Campground, waking to cold, sunny mornings and spending our evenings huddled around the fire. At night, we heard the howl of wolves in the distant hills, and in the early morning bull elk bugled their noisy mating calls. But after that first evening, I saw no more elk by the river. Perhaps it was simply poor timing on my part.

On our fourth morning, it was time to pack up and prepare for departure. Once again we were greeted by blue skies that followed us as we drove through the campground one final time before heading north toward Bozeman. We saw a lot in Yellowstone, including many wonders unlike any we have encountered elsewhere. But of all the things we were lucky enough to experience, some of my most treasured moments were at Madison Campground.