By:
Submission
Beyond the developed areas, Yellowstone offers a diverse, mountainous landscape that invites exploration by foot, pack stock, and boat. Hundreds of miles of trails facilitate travel throughout the park. Permits are required for all overnight stays.
When planning a backcountry trip, remember that many of Yellowstone’s trails are more than 7,000 feet above sea level. Most areas retain snow until late May or early June, and some (especially mountain passes) are snow-covered until late July. Also, many routes require fording rivers that can be 25 feet wide, 3 to 5 feet deep, extremely cold, and swiftly running during our late spring runoff.
Campsites
Yellowstone maintains 293 designated backcountry campsites. Each designated campsite has a maximum limit for the number of people and stock allowed per night. The maximum stay per campsite varies from 1 to 3 nights per trip. Group size limits range from 4 to 12 people. With the exception of four campsites, we allow only one group at each campsite. If your group size exceeds the campsite limit, you’ll need to obtain a second permit and cook and sleep as separate groups. A food storage pole or box is provided at every campsite so that food and attractants may be secured from bears. You will need to provide your own rope (35 feet in length or greater) at sites with food poles. A list and map of campsites can be found in the Backcountry Trip Planner https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/backcountryhiking.htm and the online Backcountry Trails and Campsites map: https://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?mapId=f926f448-9fe4-4600-b4c0-3f060737c87f
The following nightly permit fees are charged for trips between Memorial Day and September 10:
Backpackers/Boaters: $3/person/night (with a max of $15/night)
Stock Parties (horses/mules/llamas): $5/person/night (no max/night)
Permit fees are collected when your permit is issued. Nightly fees are not charged for trips beginning outside of these dates. Nightly fees only apply for group members age 9 and older.
Advanced Reservation Fee: $25 per trip, non-refundable. An additional nightly permit fee (above) will be collected when the reservation is converted to a backcountry permit.
Annual Backcountry Pass: $25. For individuals taking several or extended overnight trips in Yellowstone's backcountry, we offer an Annual Backcountry Pass. Valid for one season (Memorial Day to September 10), the Annual Backcountry Pass exempts the pass holder from the per-person, per-night fee. The Annual Backcountry Pass only covers the per-person fee of the pass holder. The pass does not cover the advanced reservation fee or park entrance fees. The Annual Backcountry Pass is available when obtaining a backcountry permit.
