Yellowstone · Where to stay

Where to stay in Yellowstone

West Yellowstone suits a first trip to the geysers, Gardiner is best for wildlife and winter, and Cody and Jackson work for a night or two on a longer road trip. Here is how the four gateway towns compare, how to book the lodges inside the park, and the best hotels in each town.

Updated November 5, 2026 · By Atlas Ranger Editorial · How we research · Booking links are affiliate links (disclosure)

Rocky hills above a river valley and green meadows in Yellowstone National Park
Photo by Austin Cooper on Pexels

Where to stay in Yellowstone: the short answer

Yellowstone base towns compared

Airport and town-to-entrance drives are by road, from OpenStreetMap routing. Inside the park, times are the National Park Service's averages, and wildlife or road work can make them much longer.

AreaAirportPark entranceKey sightsHotels
West YellowstoneFirst trips, Old Faithful, geyser basinsBZN 91 mi · ~2 hrWYS in town, May to mid-OctIn townWest EntranceOld Faithful ~65–75 minVia Madison JunctionHotels
GardinerWildlife, Lamar Valley, winter tripsBZN 88 mi · ~1 hr 40Year-round flightsIn townNorth Entrance, open all yearMammoth 15 min · Tower ~55 minHotels
CodyYellowstone Lake, a real town, a first or last nightCOD 3 mi · ~6 minYear-round flights52 mi · ~75 minEast EntranceLake Village ~2 hr 15Hotels
JacksonCombining Yellowstone with Grand TetonJAC 10 mi · ~17 minYear-round flights57 mi · ~90 minSouth Entrance, through Grand TetonOld Faithful ~2 hr 45Hotels
01

West Yellowstone

First trips, Old Faithful, geyser basins

West Yellowstone is the town right at the West Entrance, and it is the easiest base for a first trip. The road in leads to Madison Junction in about 30 minutes, then Old Faithful in 35 to 45 minutes more, passing the Firehole River and the geyser basins. Trip.com lists 52 stays here, and restaurants and shops are walkable. It is the only base with a seasonal airport, with flights from Salt Lake City from early May to mid-October.

  • Airport BZN 91 mi · ~2 hr WYS in town, May to mid-Oct
  • Park entrance In town West Entrance
  • Key sights Old Faithful ~65–75 min Via Madison Junction

Private car from Bozeman Airport →

Why stay here

  • Closest base to Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic
  • The widest choice of rooms outside the park
  • Walkable town with shops and restaurants

Worth knowing

  • Lines at the West Entrance build quickly in summer
  • A long drive to Lamar Valley
  • The road in is closed to cars from early November to mid-April
02

Gardiner

Wildlife, Lamar Valley, winter trips

Gardiner is a small town at the North Entrance, under the Roosevelt Arch. Mammoth Hot Springs is just 15 minutes up the road, and Tower Junction, the way into Lamar Valley, is 40 minutes more. It is the only entrance you can drive through all year, which makes it the natural winter base. Elk often wander through town, as the hotel listings show. It is much smaller than West Yellowstone, so book early.

  • Airport BZN 88 mi · ~1 hr 40 Year-round flights
  • Park entrance In town North Entrance, open all year
  • Key sights Mammoth 15 min · Tower ~55 min

Private car from Bozeman Airport →

Why stay here

  • The closest base to Lamar Valley wildlife
  • The only entrance open to cars all year
  • A shorter drive from Bozeman Airport than West Yellowstone

Worth knowing

  • A small town, so rooms sell out early in summer
  • A long drive to Old Faithful
  • Fewer shops and restaurants than West Yellowstone
03

Cody

Yellowstone Lake, a real town, a first or last night

Cody is a larger town east of the park, about 52 miles from the East Entrance through the Shoshone valley. It takes about 75 minutes to reach the gate, then another hour to Lake Village, so this works best for one or two nights rather than a whole trip. In return you get more of a town, with its own year-round airport a few minutes away. The East Entrance is usually open to cars from early May.

  • Airport COD 3 mi · ~6 min Year-round flights
  • Park entrance 52 mi · ~75 min East Entrance
  • Key sights Lake Village ~2 hr 15

Why stay here

  • A real town, open beyond the park season
  • Airport minutes from your hotel
  • A scenic approach to Yellowstone Lake

Worth knowing

  • Too far for daily trips into the park
  • The East Entrance is closed to cars until May
  • Old Faithful is a very long day from here
04

Jackson

Combining Yellowstone with Grand Teton

Jackson is the town south of Grand Teton National Park. The South Entrance is about 57 miles north, through Grand Teton, and each park charges its own entrance fee. Old Faithful is a drive of about two and three quarter hours by road, so this base suits a two-park trip with a few nights in Jackson and a few nearer the geysers. The airport is just 10 miles from town.

  • Airport JAC 10 mi · ~17 min Year-round flights
  • Park entrance 57 mi · ~90 min South Entrance, through Grand Teton
  • Key sights Old Faithful ~2 hr 45

Why stay here

  • The best base for Grand Teton
  • The most restaurants and shops of these towns
  • Airport very close to town

Worth knowing

  • Too far for daily trips into Yellowstone
  • Two parks means two entrance fees
  • The South Entrance is closed to cars until May

Staying inside Yellowstone, and when to book

Yellowstone has nine lodging options inside the park, all run by one concessionaire, Yellowstone National Park Lodges, so they are not sold through our partners. Book on its site or call 307-344-7311, as early as you can. The National Park Service lists these typical seasons:

  • Old Faithful Inn: May to mid-October, a National Historic Landmark next to the geyser basin.
  • Old Faithful Snow Lodge: year-round except a short closure in March and April. It is reached only by snowcoach or snowmobile in winter.
  • Old Faithful Lodge Cabins: early May to early October, the lower-priced choice in that area.
  • Canyon Lodge and Cabins: mid-May to late October, with more than 500 rooms and cabins.
  • Lake Yellowstone Hotel: mid-May to early October, the park's oldest operating hotel.
  • Lake Lodge Cabins: early June to early October, among the lower-priced options.
  • Grant Village Lodge: late May to early October, on the lake and nearest to Grand Teton.
  • Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel: year-round except a short closure in March and April.
  • Roosevelt Lodge Cabins: early June to early September, rustic and closest to Lamar Valley.

These rooms have no air conditioning or TVs, and most have limited or no Wi-Fi. Our hotel links above are dated to September, the best month to visit Yellowstone. Rooms fill fastest from June to September, while winter stays are limited to Gardiner, West Yellowstone and the two winter lodges.

Questions people ask

Where is the best place to stay in Yellowstone?

For most first-time visitors, West Yellowstone is the best base outside the park, as it is closest to Old Faithful and the geyser basins and has the most rooms. Gardiner is better for wildlife and winter. Inside the park, Canyon Village is the most central.

Is it better to stay inside or outside Yellowstone?

Inside if you can get a room, as you avoid the entrance lines and can be at the sights at dawn. Park lodges have no air conditioning or TVs, and most have limited or no Wi-Fi. Outside gives you more choice and hotels with modern amenities, at the cost of a longer drive each day.

What town is closest to Yellowstone?

West Yellowstone and Gardiner both sit right at park entrances. Cooke City, at the Northeast Entrance, is also close, but it is much smaller. Cody and Jackson are larger but about 52 and 57 miles from their nearest entrances.

How far ahead should I book Yellowstone hotels?

Book as early as you can for June to September. The National Park Service says in-park lodging fills quickly, and campgrounds can be reserved up to six months ahead on a rolling basis. Gateway towns have more rooms, but the smaller ones, such as Gardiner, also sell out in summer.

Which entrance should I use for Yellowstone?

Use the West Entrance for Old Faithful and the North Entrance for Mammoth and Lamar Valley. The National Park Service warns that it takes hours to drive between entrances, so choose the base nearest what you most want to see, and check the road status first.

How this guide was put together

Park drive times and airports are from the National Park Service's directions page, and in-park lodges from its lodging page, read November 2, 2026. Road distances outside the park are from OpenStreetMap routing. Hotel scores and details are from each hotel's own Trip.com listing that day.

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