RV arrival guide

Montana

Arriving in West Yellowstone, MT with a rented RV

West Yellowstone is the busiest gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and during peak season (mid-June through Labor Day) the West Entrance handles 2-3x the volume of any other park entrance.

Sourced to municipal code, park-service and operator pages · last reviewed 2026-06-04

Rent a rig in West Yellowstone See the arrival briefing

MT city guideLive · open to hosts

West Yellowstone

Planning an RV, boat, or 4x4 trip around West Yellowstone? This guide walks you through the local terrain and seasons, where to find dump stations and propane, and the parking rules and campgrounds that matter most before you arrive.

Arrival briefing · MT

Your West Yellowstone arrival, on one dashboard

Every figure below is counted straight from this guide's sourced entries — parking rules that bite, where to dump and refill, and the campgrounds that actually take a rig. Nothing invented; a dash means we haven't sourced one yet.

RV campgrounds

Dump stations

Propane / diesel

Parking rules

14 field-sourced facts · last reviewed 2026-06-04

The town sits at 6,667 ft directly on the park boundary with US-191 (north to Bozeman), US-20 (west to Idaho Falls), and US-287 (south to Idaho Falls via Henry's Lake). West Yellowstone Municipal Code Chapter 10 caps continuous on-street parking at 72 hours and the historic downtown grid (Canyon St, Yellowstone Ave) bans oversize vehicle parking on the eight numbered streets.

The West Entrance opens to wheeled vehicles seasonally — typically third Friday in April through first Sunday in November — but RV traffic peaks Jun 15 - Sep 1 with wait times of 30-90 minutes 9 a.m.-noon. The closest serious campground option is Madison Arm Resort (8 mi N on Hebgen Lake) or Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA (4 mi W on US-20).

Inside Yellowstone, Madison Junction Campground is the closest NPS option to West Yellowstone (14 mi E on US-20) but it does not accept reservations — first-come, first-served only. Plan dump and propane in town, time park entries for 6-8 a.m. arrivals, base outside the park at Madison Arm or KOA, and book Madison Junction NPS arrivals before 9 a.m. for any chance of a site.

Bison grazing the open Montana plains — Montana scenery

Timing your trip

When should I plan my trip to West Yellowstone?

Best season to come

Mid-June through mid-September: West Entrance open, all NPS campgrounds operational, average highs 70-78 F. Trade-off: peak rates and West Entrance congestion.

Season to skip

Mid-October through April: West Entrance closes to wheeled vehicles in early November, snowcoach access only in winter, overnight lows below 0 F.

Read before you park

Parking ordinances that bite RVs

Continuous on-street parking limited to 72 hours; oversize vehicles prohibited on numbered downtown streets.

Citation: West Yellowstone Municipal Code Chapter 10

What this means for you: Move every 72 hours; park at peripheral lots or campgrounds and walk into downtown.

Read the citation

Yellowstone West Entrance seasonal opening: third Friday in April through first Sunday in November.

Citation: NPS Yellowstone Park Roads

What this means for you: Plan around seasonal closures; West Entrance peak congestion 9 a.m.-noon Jun-Sep with 30-90 min wait.

Read the citation

Madison Junction Campground (NPS) is first-come, first-served only.

Citation: NPS Yellowstone Campgrounds

What this means for you: No reservations accepted. Arrive before 9 a.m. peak season for any chance of a site.

Read the citation

Tanks + water

Where can I dump tanks in West Yellowstone?

Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA Dump

$15

3305 Targhee Pass Hwy, West Yellowstone, MT 59758

Potable water on siteApril 15 through October 15

Source

Madison Arm Resort Dump

$12

5475 Madison Arm Rd, West Yellowstone, MT 59758

Potable water on siteMay 15 through September 30

Source

Grizzly RV Park Dump

$10

210 S Electric St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758

Potable water on siteMay 1 through October 15

Source

Fuel + propane

Where do I top up propane and diesel?

AmeriGas Propane (Bozeman) - nearest large-tank attended

Bozeman MT (90 mi N)

Offers: Propane refill + bulk delivery

RV access: Industrial yard; phone ahead — closest large-tank service

Source

Town Pump (West Yellowstone)

210 Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758

Offers: Propane refill + diesel

RV access: Workable for rigs to 40 ft

Source

Exxon (West Yellowstone)

Yellowstone Ave corridor

Offers: Diesel at the pump

RV access: Tight in-town; larger rigs should fuel at Bozeman Pilot/Flying J Travel Center before pushing south

Source

Where to sleep

Which campgrounds actually take RVs?

Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA Holiday

$110/night

Kampgrounds of America

4 mi from downtownMax 80 ftBooks 12 mo out

Full hookup; pool; pancake breakfast; 4 mi from West Entrance

Operator site

Madison Arm Resort

$85/night

Private (Hebgen Lake)

8 mi from downtownMax 50 ftBooks 12 mo out

Full hookup; lake access; boat ramp

Operator site

Grizzly RV Park

$100/night

Private (in-town)

0 mi from downtownMax 75 ftBooks 12 mo out

Full hookup; walking distance to downtown and West Entrance

Operator site

Madison Junction Campground (Yellowstone NP)

$24/night

NPS (first-come, first-served)

14 mi from downtownMax 40 ftFirst-come / dispersed

No hookups; vault toilets; on Madison River inside park

Operator site

Baker's Hole Campground (Gallatin NF)

$22/night

USFS Custer Gallatin NF (Recreation.gov)

3 mi from downtownMax 32 ftBooks 6 mo out

No hookups; vault toilets; on Madison River outside park

Operator site

Public-land hubs near this city

State parks, National Forests, and NPS units around the city are the anchors for an RV or boat trip — check each unit's official site for current access, fees, and seasonal rules before you go.

Empty Montana highway running toward snow-capped peaks — On the road in Montana

Plan around the crowds

Which local events will move West Yellowstone RV supply?

Yellowstone West Entrance Seasonal Opening

Past editionApr 17, 2026 (8 a.m.)

First RV traffic surge; KOA West Yellowstone and Grizzly RV Park book solid Apr 17-19 weekend.

Event source

Peak Yellowstone summer congestion

Jun 15 - Sep 1, 2026

West Entrance wait 30-90 min daily 9 a.m.-noon; KOA and Madison Arm at peak rates with 3-night minimums.

Event source

Wildfire smoke season

Jul 15 - Sep 15, 2026 (typical)

Smoke from Idaho/Montana fires routinely degrades visibility in Hebgen Basin; check InciWeb daily.

Event source

Arrival playbook

Your first hour in West Yellowstone

Before you leave the lot

Confirm KOA West Yellowstone, Grizzly RV Park, or Madison Arm reservation BEFORE driving in; peak season fills 12 months ahead.
Top off propane at Town Pump West Yellowstone or Bozeman AmeriGas before driving in.

Within the first hour

Time park entries for 6-8 a.m. to dodge the 9 a.m.-noon West Entrance backup.
If aiming for Madison Junction NPS campground, arrive before 9 a.m. — first-come, first-served only.

Before bed

Buy a Yellowstone 7-day vehicle pass ($35) or America the Beautiful pass at the West Entrance.
Check InciWeb daily for Hebgen Basin fire activity Jul-Sep.

Before departure

Carry bear spray for any Yellowstone day-hike; available at West Yellowstone outfitters.

The mistake renters make

Avoid this trap

Arriving at the West Entrance gate between 9 a.m. and noon in peak season without a confirmed Yellowstone-area campground reservation already in hand.

30-90 min entry queue plus another 30-60 min to find a non-reserved site at Madison Junction (which is typically full by 9:30 a.m. in July-August). Most renters end up back outside the park at 4 p.m. competing for sold-out KOA cancellation slots.

Read the source

Ready to roll

See what's available in West Yellowstone

Browse RV rentals in West Yellowstone

Make it a trip

Rent an RV or boat in Montana

The rigs here are owned by local hosts. Browse what fits your West Yellowstone trip, or reach Montana owners directly.

Browse Montana rigs

What fits this trip

Boats RVs

RVs in West Yellowstone RV rental companies in Montana

Keep rolling

Pair this with a road trip

Yellowstone Grand Loop + Tetons: 7-Day Figure-Eight

7 days · 485 mi · starts in Jackson

West Yellowstone is the busiest gateway to the Yellowstone Grand Loop — fuel and dump at KOA before entering the park.

Open itinerary

Editorial sourcing

How we know — the sources we checked

Last reviewed 2026-06-04

For RV owners in West Yellowstone

List your RV in Montana

Set your own base price and keep control of pricing, availability, and which renters you accept — the full fee schedule is spelled out before you publish a listing.

List your RV in Montana