Ultimate Yellowstone National Park Lodging Guide {Video}

This Ultimate Yellowstone National Park Lodging Guide was made to help everyone plan the perfect Yellowstone Vacation. Here you will find a map showing the location of each park lodge and cabin with park highlights, information and photos about the lodges themselves, reservation information and the amenities you hope to find during your stay.

I have personally stayed in several of these lodges and have articles breaking down the lodges that I have stayed at in full detail to help you best prepare for your epic adventure to Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone National Park Lodging Guide

President Ulysses S. Grant did something very special on March 1, 1872. Grant signed an act into law that created a sanctuary for plants and wildlife. This act has set a standard that has become an icon of the United States and has led the way towards conservation throughout the world.

This was the day that Grant signed into law establishing Yellowstone as America's first National Park. Not only was it America's first National Park, but it was also the world's first National Park paving the way for millions of acres of land throughout the U.S. and the world to be protected for the benefit and the enjoyment of the people. 

 

Yellowstone Lodging Map

Since it's early beginnings, visitors have flocked to Yellowstone to see what it has to offer. I would go as far as to say it is a pilgrimage for the citizens of the United States to come and see the wonders of Yellowstone and the American West.  Today, you will find that it is not only an American destination but also an international destination bringing in millions of visitors each year.

Seventy-Five percent of these visitors show up in three months: June, July, and August. Needless to say, if you are wanting to visit Yellowstone, you need to come prepared and have already made reservations to one of its many beautiful park lodges, cabins, or campsites.  These spots sell out months in advance, even hotels in surrounding cities like West Yellowstone and Gardiner fill up fast. 

Benefits of Yellowstone Park Lodging

There are several benefits to staying in a National Park Lodge or Cabin. I would say the biggest benefit is that these lodges and cabins put you in the heart of the park! You can simply wake up and you are already in the park.

There is no need to drive up to and wait through a long entrance line than have to drive to your first destination as you are already there. Many of the park's lodges have restaurants and/or coffee shops to get your day started off right.  The lodges are spread throughout the park giving you several options of places to visit. 

Park Ranger John Pro Tip:

Yellowstone National Park is massive! The park itself is 3,472 square miles or over 2.2 million acres! Yellowstone is bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

There are also 251 miles of road in Yellowstone with a seventy-mile upper loop and another ninety-six mile lower loop with the highest speed limit being 45 MPH.

This means that you should plan on staying several days to really get a chance to see Yellowstone. I almost forgot about the traffic. You are going to be one of the millions of visitors who flock to Yellowstone each summer so bring your patience and do not plan on seeing everything in one day.

My best advice is to plan on seeing a different section of the park each day. I made a map showing where each hotel and cabin is located within the park. I also added the highlights near each hotel so you can plan what to see when staying at each hotel. 

Old Faithful Inn

 The Old Faithful Inn is as almost as iconic as Yellowstone itself! This National Park Rustic (Parkitecture) style lodge swoons visitors each year with its natural wood architecture. Rooms are hotel room-style accommodations and considered a bit outdated by today's hotel standards but new hotels don't have over 100 years of history and Old Faithful at their front door either!  It's worth taking a day off from modern amenities to have a room just steps away from the heart of Yellowstone. 

Old Faithful Inn Activities:

Tour The Old Faithful Inn

Visit Lower Geyser Basin and Firehole Lake Drive.

Visit Midway Geyser Basin including Grand Prismatic Spring

Visit Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin 

Visit Upper Geyser Basin including Old Faithful.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Completed in 1999, the Snow Lodge is the newest of the park’s full-service hotels and offers five different room-type options. The lodge still has a rustic feel while bringing out a more modern touch. Amenities like coffee makers, refrigerators, and full baths vary by room type but televisions, radios, and air conditioning are not available in park lodging.

Snow Lodge Activities:

Tour The Old Faithful Inn

Visit Lower Geyser Basin and Firehole Canyon Drive

Visit Midway Geyser Basin including Grand Prismatic Spring

Visit Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin 

Visit Upper Geyser Basin including Old Faithful.

Snow Lodge Address: 

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel 

The Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins were named after nearby springs which offers a warm welcome to summer and winter visitors. The Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel just recently underwent major renovations of the public spaces and guest rooms. I personally think this is one of the best hotels for your money in Yellowstone! There are lots of activities in the Mammoth area including shopping and dining and is one of the best areas to go out and see wildlife. 

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel Activities

Watch for Elk and Bison in the Mammoth Hot Springs Area

Explore the boardwalks of the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

Drive through the Roosevelt Arch

Explore Historic Fort Yellowstone

Look for wildlife in Lamar Valley

 

Lake Yellowstone Hotel 

My wife and I completely fell in love with the Lake Lodge! The Yellowstone Lake Lodge is filled with the feeling of understated beauty and riches. It all begins as you pull up to valet parking and a beautifully decorated front porch offering guests a spectacular rocking chair view of Yellowstone Lake. The lobby inside delights your senses with beautiful seating in the lobby overlooking the lake, a piano, and a bar just outside the main dining room. Needless to say, this is the lodge we keep talking about going back to. 

Lake Yellowstone Hotel Activities

Take a boat tour of Yellowstone Lake

Explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin

Look for wildlife in Hayden Valley

Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Lake Yellowstone Hotel Address: 

Yellowstone National Park

459 Lake Village Rd.

Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

Lake Yellowstone Hotel Phone Number:  (307) 344-7311

Canyon Lodge Yellowstone

Canyon Lodge is the largest sustainable lodging option in the National Parks! Canyon Lodge is open from the beginning of June through early October. The lodge has 400+ guest rooms that include 2-Bedroom Suites, Superior Lodge Rooms, and Standard Lodge Rooms. All 5 new lodges are LEED Certified. The main public building that houses the restaurants and gift shop was redesigned and reopened in 2017.

Canyon Lodge Yellowstone Activities

Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Look for wildlife in Hayden Valley

Look for Wildlife in Lamar Valley

Explore the Norris Geyser Basin

Visit the Museum of the National Park Ranger

Grant Village Lodge

Located near the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village features 6 two-story buildings each containing 50 rooms, none of the buildings have elevators. The lodging complex features a full-service restaurant, a lakeside restaurant with a casual menu, lounge and gift store. The village is also nearest to Grand Teton National Park.

Grant Village Lodge Activities 

Explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin

Drive south and explore Grand Teton National Park 

Have lunch at the Historic Flagg Ranch at the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

Drive over the Continental Divide

Grant Village Lodge Address: 

Yellowstone Lodge Reservations

It is easy to make your reservation for one of the lodges and/or cabins in Yellowstone National Park. Simply click here or call (307)344-7311

Yellowstone Cabins

Yellowstone National Park provides numerous cabins to rent throughout the summer in Yellowstone National Park. Cabins are one of the most sought-after accommodations in Yellowstone as they are ideal for families. You can expect cabins to rent out as quickly as any of the National Park Lodges so make sure to try and book early. 

Old Faithful Lodge Cabins

The Old Faithful Lodge Cabins is open typically between May through October. The Old Faithful Lodge Cabins are located near the Old Faithful Inn and include a one-story main lodge built in the 1920′s featuring massive logs and stone pillars.

Tremendous views of the Old Faithful Geyser can be seen from the lobby area, which houses a bakery/snack shop and cafeteria-style food court. The Old Faithful Lodge Cabins have two room types, one with a bath and the other without. Remember these are rustic cabins and do not have a coffee maker, televisions, radios, and air conditioning. 

Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge Cabins

Mammoth Hot Springs has three different cabin options if you decide to not stay in the Mammoth Hot Springs Lodge. These options include: 

Frontier Cabin

Frontier cabins are simple yet comfortable cabin-style units with a shower, sink, and toilet. No telephones. Typically two queen beds are included. 

Hot Tub Cabin

There are four hot tub cabins that are similar to Frontier Cabins, but each unit features a private 6-person hot tub within a fenced enclosure. A shower, toilet, and sink are included. No telephones. The hot tub cabins each have one queen bed. 

Cabin without Bath

The cabins are simple cabin-style units without a private bathroom but include a vanity sink. Shared bathrooms with private showers are located nearby. No telephones. Furnished with one queen bed.

Televisions, radios, and air conditioning are not available in park lodging.

Canyon Lodge Cabins

Western Cabins

Units are built-in modules of 4 or 6 units include private full bathrooms. Each is spacious with modern furnishings and two queen beds.

No telephones. Televisions, radios, and air conditioning are not available in park lodging

Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins

Lake Lodge Cabins

There are 186 cabins that were built in the 1920s but completely remodeled in 2003-2004. Cabins are configured with two double beds and a private bathroom with a shower only (no tub.) Coffee maker, fan, and clock included in the cabins. Access to the business center is included with all Lake Hotel rooms and cabins.

Televisions, radios, and air conditioning are not available in park lodging. 

Roosevelt Lodge Yellowstone Cabins

Open June through September, The Roosevelt Lodge Cabins were built in 1920 near Yellowstone’s Tower Falls area between Yellowstone's two major wildlife hot spots; Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley! The Roosevelt Lodge Cabins are located near a campsite once used by President Theodore Roosevelt himself! 

The rustic cabins and family-style dining are a favorite of families and fishermen alike and the front porch rocking chairs give guests an opportunity to rock their stress to sleep and awaken their “Old West spirit.” A large corral operation offers horseback trail rides, stagecoach adventures, and our popular Old West Dinner Cookout. 

Roosevelt Lodge Yellowstone Cabins Activities

Wildlife viewing in Lamar Valley

View Tower Falls

Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Wildlife Viewing in Hayden Valley

Visit Mammoth Hot Springs

Lodging Near Yellowstone

Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park 

Grand Teton National Park lies just south of Yellowstone National Park and is every bit just as beautiful as Yellowstone! I would highly suggest anyone going to Yellowstone to try and take a couple of extra days and explore this park as well. Did I mention the Jackson Lake Lodge? Beautiful! Look at this view out of the lodge window, now imagine having dinner with this view.

Go south and explore Jackson Hole and watch an old-time shoot out in city square that has massive Elk Antler Arches. 

Explore Mormon Row Historic District

Photograph Oxbow Bend

Go wildlife viewing along the Moose-Wilson Road. Maybe you will get to see a Moose! 

Explore picturesque Jenny Lake with the Tetons in the background

Jackson Lake Lodge Reservations: Make sure to click here to be taken to the reservation page for Jackson Lake Lodge. 

Jackson Lake Lodge Address:

West Yellowstone Lodging

West Yellowstone Lodging is just outside the park's West Entrance. This is a great location for people wanting to stay in a hotel with modern amenities and close to several stores, children's activities and restaurant options. Many of the National Parks Lodges do not have Wi-Fi or televisions.

Many of the National Park Lodges have rather small rooms, some even have shared bathrooms/showers that turn off some customers.  I know some visitors are even trying to use their hotel points for free stays in hotels. If this is you, then I would suggest checking out one of these hotels in West Yellowstone.

West Yellowstone Lodging Activities

See Firehole Falls along the scenic Firehole Canyon Drive

Explore the Norris Geyser Basin, home of Steamboat Geyser

Visit the Museum of the National Park Ranger

Explore the Lower Geyser Basin along Firehole Lake Drive

Explore the Midway Geyser Basin, home of Grand Prismatic Spring

Biscuit Basin

Black Sand Basin

Explore Upper Geyser Basin including Old Faithful

Cabins near Yellowstone National Park

Headwaters Lodge and Cabins at Flagg Ranch

Headwaters Lodge is an ideal base camp if you plan on spending time in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The Teddy Roosevelt's Chili at Sheffield's in Flagg Ranch is pretty darn good too, especially on a cool rainy day. Cabins are available to rent between June and September. 

They have several cabin options: 

 Each room has a private bath, telephone, coffee maker, and front porch with rocking chairs. Deluxe and Premium cabins also include a mini-refrigerator and microwave.  

  Standard Cabins: 

• Two Queen Beds + Optional Rollaway Bed.
• Porch & Rocking Chairs
• Pet Friendly
• Private Entrance
• Coffeemaker
• Private Bathroom
• Adjoining cabins available upon request

Deluxe Cabins: 

• Two Queen Beds or One King Bed + Optional Rollaway Bed
• Porch & Rocking Chairs
• Private Entrance
• Mini-Fridge, Microwave, & Coffeemaker
• Private Bathroom
• Adjoining cabins available upon request

Premium Cabins: 

• Two Queen Beds or One King Bed + Optional Rollaway Bed
• Porch & Rocking Chairs
• Patio with River Valley View & Rocking Chairs
• Two Private Entrances
• Mini-Fridge, Microwave, & Coffeemaker
• Private Bathroom

Headwaters Lodge and cabins at Flagg Ranch Address: 

 100 Grassy Lake Rd.

Moran, WY 83013

Phone: (307)543-2861

West Yellowstone Cabins

Explorer Cabins West Yellowstone

Additional Yellowstone Articles

Yellowstone Camping Guide- Your complete camping guide to Yellowstone National Park

Things to do Yellowstone- list of must-see attractions in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Facts- Fun Facts about Yellowstone National Park 

Yellowstone Waterfalls - photos and videos of the easy-to-reach waterfalls in the park.