Steam drifts off the geyser basins on a cold morning, a bison walks down the centre line, and the traffic simply waits. Yellowstone sets its own pace. An RV, with your kitchen and bed already parked inside the park, lets you keep to it.
There are two sensible fly-in options for a Yellowstone and Grand Teton RV trip. Bozeman (BZN) is close to the park. Salt Lake City (SLC) is farther away but usually has cheaper flights and more rental vehicles.
Quick answer
| Bozeman (BZN) | Salt Lake City (SLC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive to park entrance | ~90 mi / 1.5–2 h to West Yellowstone or Gardiner [A] | ~320 mi / 5–5.5 h to West Yellowstone; ~290 mi to Jackson/Grand Teton [A] |
| Flights | Fewer, often pricier [A] | More choice, often cheaper [A] |
| RV supply | Smaller, sells out in summer [A] | Larger [A] |
| Best for | Short trips (5–7 days), Yellowstone only | 8–12 days including Grand Teton |
Want it night by night? See the 10-day Yellowstone & Grand Teton itinerary, day by day, with campground windows and drive times. When campsites open: Recreation.gov guide.
When to go? Heat, snow, road and campground seasons, month by month: best time for Yellowstone & Grand Teton.
Something stranger, west of Yellowstone? Virginia City, Bannack ghost town, the EBR-I atomic museum and Craters of the Moon: an unusual 5-day summer RV loop from Bozeman.
- Season: most park roads and campgrounds are open roughly late spring to early autumn. Check nps.gov/yell for opening dates — snow can close roads into June [A].
- Realistic all-in cost, 10 days, 2 people from SLC: about $2,200–6,700 by campervan or $2,900–8,300 by Class C for US residents; $2,400–6,800 / $3,100–8,400 if you live outside the US [A], the cost table below rounded outward to the nearest $100.
Sample 10-day loop from SLC
Route at a glance · schematic, not for navigation; positions approximate [A]. ☾ N1 = night 1.
- Day 1: Salt Lake City (SLC): pick up the RV
- Day 2: SLC → Idaho Falls → Jackson → Grand Teton (Gros Ventre or Colter Bay)
- Day 3: Grand Teton: Schwabacher Landing or Mormon Row at sunrise, Jenny Lake, Oxbow Bend at dusk; same campground
- Day 4: Grand Teton → Yellowstone South Entrance → Grant Village
- Days 5–6: Old Faithful and the geyser basins, nights at Madison or Grant Village
- Day 7: Canyon area and Hayden Valley, night at Canyon
- Day 8: Lamar Valley and Mammoth, night at Mammoth or Gardiner
- Day 9: Exit West Yellowstone → Idaho Falls
- Day 10: Idaho Falls → SLC, return the RV
- Bozeman option: Fly into BZN, drive to Gardiner (via Livingston) or West Yellowstone the same day
| Day | Leg | Approx. drive [A] | Overnight idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land at SLC, pick up RV | – | SLC area |
| 2 | SLC → Jackson / Grand Teton | ~290 mi / 5 h | Grand Teton campground (e.g. Gros Ventre, Colter Bay) |
| 3 | Grand Teton | – | Same |
| 4 | Grand Teton → Yellowstone (South Entrance) → Grant Village / West Thumb | ~60–90 mi | Grant Village or Bridge Bay |
| 5–6 | Old Faithful, geyser basins, Grand Prismatic | short legs | Madison or Grant Village |
| 7 | Canyon area, Hayden Valley | ~40–60 mi | Canyon campground |
| 8 | Lamar Valley / Mammoth | ~60–80 mi | Mammoth or Gardiner |
| 9 | Exit West → toward SLC (break in Idaho Falls) | ~200 mi | Idaho Falls area |
| 10 | Return RV at SLC, fly out | ~210 mi | – |
From Bozeman, cut days 1–3 and 9–10: fly in, drive to Gardiner or West Yellowstone the same day, and spend 4–6 days inside the park.
What it really costs (10 days, 2 people, from SLC)
| Item | Campervan | Class C |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle rental (base rate) | $1,100–$2,800 | $1,600–$3,800 |
| Mileage (~1,100–1,300 mi) | $0–$510 | $0–$510 |
| Fuel | $240–$570 | $400–$760 |
| Campgrounds (9 nights) | $400–$950 | $400–$950 |
| Park entry (US residents) | $70–$80 | $70–$80 |
| Kits, prep, cleaning, generator | $50–$400 | $50–$400 |
| Insurance / protection | $250–$400 | $300–$500 |
| Taxes and service fees | $80–$800 | $120–$1,090 |
| Airport ↔ depot transfer (both ways) | $40–$120 | $40–$120 |
| Total, US residents | $2,230–$6,630 | $2,980–$8,210 |
| Park entry, visitors from outside the US | +$170–$180 | +$170–$180 |
| Total, visitors from outside the US | $2,410–$6,800 | $3,160–$8,380 |
Same lines and totals as the full cost page; the cost page explains what drives each line and lists the sources. Lines marked [A] there are our estimates.
Campsites: what to book, and when it opens
Every campground in Yellowstone and Grand Teton needs a reservation in summer. From 2027 all of Yellowstone's campgrounds, including the five lodge-run ones, are booked on Recreation.gov, about 6 months ahead. The dates below are the 2026 seasons; 2027 dates may differ.
| Campground | How to book | Window opens | Max RV length | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov from 2027 | ~6 months, rolling | 60 ft | 2026: May 1 – Oct 17; run by the lodge operator |
| Grant Village (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov from 2027 | ~6 months | 50 ft | 2026: Jun 26 – Sep 26; showers and laundry |
| Canyon (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov from 2027 | ~6 months | 40 ft | 2026: May 29 – Sep 19 |
| Bridge Bay (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov from 2027 | ~6 months | 60 ft | 2026: May 15 – Sep 13 |
| Fishing Bridge RV Park (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov from 2027 | ~6 months | 95 ft | 2026: May 8 – Oct 17; only full hookups in the park; hard-sided RVs only |
| Mammoth (Yellowstone) | Recreation.gov | 6 months | 30 ft on Recreation.gov (NPS table: 45 ft May–mid-Oct) | Open all year; first-come Oct 15 – Apr 1 |
| Indian Creek · Slough Creek · Tower Fall · Lewis Lake | Recreation.gov | 6 months [A — check each campground] | 35 · 30 · 30 · 25 ft | Smaller, no hookups; Tower Fall has a hairpin curve |
| Gros Ventre · Colter Bay · Headwaters (Grand Teton / Rockefeller Pkwy) | Recreation.gov | 6 months | 45 ft | Colter Bay RV Park: full hookups, back-in sites 30 ft, pull-throughs 45 ft |
| Signal Mountain · Lizard Creek (Grand Teton) | Recreation.gov | 6 months | 30 ft · 25 ft (NPS table: 30) | Jenny Lake is tents only (vehicles max 14 ft) |
Book the exact rig you will drive. The lodge operator won't accommodate you if you arrive with different equipment from what you reserved, and rental RVs can't be delivered to or picked up from campsites in Yellowstone. No sleeping in pullouts or parking areas in either park.
How the windows work: release times, a date calculator, the 15-minute cart, cancellation alerts and BLM back-ups are in our Recreation.gov guide.
Sources, checked 2026-10-28: NPS Yellowstone camping · Yellowstone National Park Lodges camping · NPS Grand Teton camping · Gros Ventre · Lizard Creek · Colter Bay RV Park · Mammoth. Rules change each season; confirm on the campground page before you pay. [A] = our estimate.
Booking tips
- Campgrounds first. In-park campgrounds in Yellowstone and Grand Teton book out early for July and August. Length limits per campground are in the campsite table.
- Wildlife and distances: in-park driving is slow. Plan 30–60 miles a day, not 200.
- One-way options: SLC → BZN one-ways exist with some fleet operators and can save a day of driving, but expect a one-way fee [A]. See Class C vs. campervan for which vehicle suits these roads.
Before you get quotes
See the full 10-day cost breakdownEvery line: rental, miles, fuel, campgrounds, fees
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