Where to Stay in Yellowstone National Park: The Best Lodges, Hotels & Gateway Towns for Families
If you are planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, you’ve probably found yourself wondering where you should stay.
Yellowstone is huge. At over 2.2 million acres, driving from one side of the park to the other can take several hours, so where you sleep each night can have a huge impact on how much time you spend exploring versus sitting in the car.
After spending nearly a week exploring Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, one of the best pieces of advice I can give about where to stay in Yellowstone is to split your time. Depending on your park priorities and which areas you want to spend the most time in, I highly recommend staying in at least 2 different areas.
Whether you’re hoping to stay inside the park or in one of the nearby gateway towns, here’s everything you need to know before booking your Yellowstone adventure.
Should You Stay Inside Yellowstone National Park?
If your budget allows, I highly recommend spending at least part of your trip inside the park.
Yellowstone is too large to drive in and out every day without losing valuable sightseeing time, unless you are ok limiting yourselves to only seeing certain areas of the park. Staying inside the park lets you beat the crowds at the entrance, catch early wildlife at its most active time, and enjoy the most popular spots before parking lots fill up.
The biggest advantages of staying inside the park include:
- Less driving each day
- Easier access to sunrise and sunset wildlife viewing
- More flexibility with your itinerary
- The chance to experience Yellowstone after many day visitors have left
Lodges inside the park book incredibly fast—often a year in advance—so reserve your accommodations as early as possible if you’re traveling during the summer.
Best Lodges Inside Yellowstone National Park
Roosevelt Lodge
Best for: Those looking to explore the Northern Loop, like the Cowboy Cookout or Lamar Valley
Tucked among towering pine trees near Tower-Roosevelt, this historic lodge feels rustic in all the best ways. Cabins here are very basic, with no A/C, internet or TV.
The location is prime for exploring the northern part of the park, like Tower Fall, the Northern Range, and Lamar Valley early the next morning before the roads became busy.
I highly recommend a stay here after enjoying dinner at the Old West Dinner Cookout, where you ride in horse-drawn wagons out into the backcountry for a chuckwagon-style dinner.
It also makes for the best spot to explore Lamar Valley early in the morning or late in the evening, which is the prime time to see wildlife in Yellowstone, as the lodge is located right next to the road entrance.
Nearby attractions:
- Lamar Valley
- Tower Fall
- Forces of the Northern Range Trail
- Calcite Springs Overlook
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel
Best for: Those looking to stick to the north part of the park, or with a morning flight
This is a great starting or ending spot for your time in Yellowstone National Park, as it is located right by the north entrance and located less than 2 hours from the Bozeman Airport.
The hotel sits just minutes from the famous Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, making it easy to explore first thing in the morning before continuing to nearby hikes like Bunsen Peak.
You can choose to stay in hotel rooms, cabins, or if you are looking for budget friendly options, they offer a more rustic cabin without a bathroom (don’t worry, the community bathroom is only a few doors down).
We stayed in the rustic cabin, which slept 6, and thought it was a very comfortable stay. We loved waking up and seeing elk grazing out our window!
Nearby attractions:
- Mammoth Hot Springs & Albright Visitor’s Center
- Bunsen Peak trail
- North Entrance
Old Faithful Area
Best for: That classic Yellowstone experience + being close to popular thermal features like Old Faithful
If seeing Yellowstone’s famous geothermal features is your top priority and you are looking for a class Yellowstone experience, staying near Old Faithful is hard to beat.
You’ll have easy access to:
- Old Faithful
- Upper Geyser Basin
- Morning eruptions before the crowds
- Grand Prismatic Spring
- Biscuit Basin
- Black Sand Basin
This is one of the most popular areas in the park, so expect accommodations to book quickly.
Canyon Village
Best for: Being centrally located
If you’re only planning to stay in one location, Canyon Village offers one of the most central home bases in Yellowstone.
From here, you can easily reach:
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- Hayden Valley
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Yellowstone Lake
- Old Faithful
- Lamar Valley (early morning drive)
Because it’s so centrally located, Canyon Village is a favorite among first-time visitors.
They offer a variety of room types, from standard and deluxe style lodge rooms to rustic cabins.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins
Best for: Relaxing lakeside scenery
Located along the shores of Yellowstone Lake, this historic hotel offers one of the more quiet options for Yellowstone lodging.
It’s an excellent choice if your itinerary includes:
- West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Yellowstone Lake boat tours
- Hayden Valley
- Fishing Bridge
Families looking for beautiful views, quick access to Yellowstone Lake, and few crowds will enjoy this area.
Best Gateway Towns Outside Yellowstone
If lodging inside the park is sold out—or you’re looking for more amenities than the in-park accommodations offer—there are several excellent towns just outside Yellowstone’s entrances.
West Yellowstone, Montana
Best for: First-time visitors interested in seeing the highlights
West Yellowstone is the most popular gateway town for good reason.
Located just outside the West Entrance, it offers:
- The largest selection of hotels
- Vacation rentals
- Family-friendly restaurants
- Grocery stores
- Ice cream shops
- Easy access to Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic
If you’re staying outside the park, this is the first place I recommend.
Here are my top picks for where to stay in West Yellowstone:
- Under Canva West Yellowstone: A unique glamping experience for families
- Yellowstone Park Hotel – Indoor pool + free Wifi
- Holiday Inn West Yellowstone – Indoor pool + breakfast
Find other great West Yellowstone lodging options here:
Gardiner, Montana
Best for: Focusing on Lamar Valley and Mammoth Hot Springs area
Gardiner sits just outside Yellowstone’s North Entrance and is a great option for visitor’s interested in focusing on wildlife.
From here, you’ll have easy access to:
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- Lamar Valley
- Roosevelt area
- Bozeman Airport
It’s also one of the few entrances that remains open year-round.
My top picks for where to stay in Gardiner are:
- Dreamcatcher Tipi Hotel – Glamping under the stars in a tipi
- Ridgeline Hotel Yellowstone – Indoor pool + onsite resturaunt
- Absaroka Lodge – located on the river + A/C
Find more lodging options in Gardiner here:
Cooke City, Montana
Best for: Wildlife photographers
If your main goal is spending sunrise in Lamar Valley every morning, Cooke City is hard to beat.
Located just outside the Northeast Entrance, it’s one of the closest places to stay for wolf watching, bear sightings, and exploring Yellowstone’s quieter northeastern corner.
Throughout our entire time in Yellowstone, we heard so many people recommend this area if wildlife is your top priority! Moose, bears, and mountain goats seem to frequent this area.
Because it’s more remote, services are limited compared to West Yellowstone.
Top places to stay in Cooke City:
- Cozy Cabin – located just minutes from Lamar Valley
- Silver Gate Lodging – family suites available
Cody, Wyoming
Best for: Extending your road trip
Cody is about an hour from Yellowstone’s East Entrance and makes an excellent stop if you’re combining Yellowstone with other Wyoming adventures.
Highlights include:
- Buffalo Bill Center of the West
- Rodeos
- Western history
- Family attractions
While it’s farther from Yellowstone’s main attractions, it’s a fun destination on its own with lots to do.
How Many Places Should You Stay?
If you’re visiting Yellowstone for several days, I highly recommend staying in two different locations instead of just one.
That’s exactly what we did, and it made exploring such a large park much easier and really minimized backtracking.
A sample plan could look like:
Nights 1–2: Roosevelt Lodge or Gardiner
- Lamar Valley
- Northern Loop
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- Tower area
Nights 3–4: Canyon Village, Old Faithful, or West Yellowstone
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- Hayden Valley
- Old Faithful
- Grand Prismatic Spring
- Yellowstone Lake
Splitting your stay minimizes driving and allows you to experience different areas of the park without constantly backtracking.
Tips for Booking Yellowstone Lodging
- Reserve park lodging 9–12 months in advance for summer visits, as they sell out quickly
- If your preferred lodge is sold out, keep checking for cancellations
- Consider staying inside the park for at least part of your trip to minimize drive times
- If you’re traveling with a larger family, compare cabins, vacation rentals, and hotels outside the park, as well as VRBO options for more space
Final Thoughts
There isn’t one “best” place to stay in Yellowstone—it really depends on which part of the park is your biggest priority.
If wildlife is at the top of your list, staying near Roosevelt or Gardiner will put you close to Lamar Valley for those amazing sunrise or sunset drives.
If you’re dreaming of geysers and colorful hot springs, Old Faithful or West Yellowstone are excellent choices.
And if you’re hoping to experience a little bit of everything, consider splitting your stay between two (or even three!) different areas of the park. That’s the strategy we used, and it allowed us to spend more time exploring Yellowstone and less time driving across it.
If you’re still contemplating where to stay in Yellowstone, I can promise you this: waking up surrounded by Yellowstone’s incredible landscapes is an experience your family won’t forget, so try not to stress about it!
