YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - Montana and Wyoming - page 464

or atop a bear pole. Designate a separate cooking and eating area away from the
sleeping tents. Dispose of your trash and personal waste properly.
You need to plan your trip carefully and secure all permits and backcountry camp-
sites through any one of seven backcountry permit offices: Bechler Ranger Station,
Canyon Visitor Center, Grant Village Visitor Center, Bridge Bay Ranger Station,
Mammoth Visitor Center, Old Faithful Ranger Station, South Entrance Ranger Sta-
tion, Tower Ranger Station, and the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center
(307/344-2160, www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit , $25 if reserved more than 48 hours
in advance, free within 48 hours). Some of Yellowstone's roughly 300 backcountry
campsites can be reserved in advance either in person or through the mail. Backcoun-
try Use Permits are required for all overnight stays and can only be attained in person
no more than 48 hours before your trip. A park booklet titled Beyond Road's End is
available online and will help familiarize you with the backcountry regulations and
restrictions.
Reservations for all hotels inside the park should be made through Xanterra Parks
& Resorts (307/344-7311 or 866/439-7375, www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com ) .
Nature is the draw here: There are no televisions, radios, air-conditioning, or Internet con-
nections.
CAMPING
The only campground in the park's northern loop that can be reserved in advance, operated
by Xanterra, the park's concessionaire, is the 250-site Canyon (307/344-7901 for same-
day reservations, 307/344-7311 for advance reservations, early June-early Sept., $25.50).
The other six sites—at Mammoth, Tower, Slough Creek, Pebble Creek, Indian Creek, and
Norris—are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cost $14-20. These sites fill up
quickly; your best bet is to arrive before 11am. Mammoth is the only campground open all
year; all the campgrounds have some RV sites.
In addition to the campgrounds, there are more than 300 backcountry campsites
throughout the park. Overnight permits, which are available at all ranger stations and vis-
itors centers, are only issued in person up to 48 hours in advance; they are required for all
the sites. Backcountry campsites can be reserved by paying a $25 fee. All requests to re-
serve sites must be made in person, faxed, or mailed in. Pertinent forms and information