Lewis Lake Campground

After not being able to find a reservation anywhere in or near Yellowstone, we decided to take the risk and do a first come, first served campground. We were driving in from the south, so we picked Lewis Lake as it is the south most campground in the park.

We got here around 8:30 AM on Monday 7/5. There were several spots available to choose from, however not all spots were the same size. Luckily we were able to snag a spot that fit our 22’ motorhome as well as a 13’ teardrop camper being pulled by a pickup. Some of the other spots in the campground barely would have fit our motorhome alone.

The location worked for us as a base camp for park activities, but it took 2+ hours to get to some attractions.

We had 0 service with Verizon or T-Mobile. Even with our signal booster turned on, we couldn’t even send a text.

We were planning to leave Yellowstone to free camp somewhere, but it would have been over 60 miles to drive out and then back into the location we were going to hike, so it was cheaper to just pay the $15 and stay in the park. We arrived as it was getting dark and there were not many van appropriate spots left. We found one in A loop and parked just as the rains started. Vault toilets throughout and dumpsters at the entrance. Didn’t explore much else. I think the max vehicles allowed is about 25” and honestly our 17ft van wouldn’t have fit in many of the left over spots.

We camped here September 27, 2018. The campground was full by late afternoon if not before. There were many disappointed later arrivals who had to find other options... which were very limited as some campgrounds were already closed for the season. This campground is a great launching point or ending spot before/after a full day in Yellowstone. Most campsites are close together but there’s a decent amount of trees for privacy. When you arrive, grab an envelope and go scout out a spot. Leave your receipt on the post and then return to the pay station to deposit your $15. This is a popular spot so you may have multiple cars arriving the same time as you and you could miss out if you wait five minutes. Vault toilets. No AT&T service. I recommend getting up early and driving the short distance to Yellowstone Lake to watch the sunrise. :)

Spent 2 nights here, it is one of the campgrounds that fills slower than others. It is south of the main Yellowstone attractions but was fine for me. C28 had a fire pit and bench that was up a small incline so I moved to a different spot (I think C21) for the 2nd night. Pretty tight fit but enough trees to give you some privacy. Bear boxes for anyone with a soft sided camper or just backpacking. 1 loop is just for bikers and backpackers. Ranger Station at the entrance. A lot of boaters here, boat ramp is right at entrance. Garbage needs to be brought out to entrance.