Campground · Yellowstone National Park
A lake-country base where bison sometimes wander through camp.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yellowstone National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yellowstone audio tourRecorded for this area
Bridge Bay Marina“You're coming up on Bridge Bay Marina, the stop for getting out onto Yellowstone Lake. During the boating season, you can rent a motorboat for up to six people, take a scenic cruise, or join a guided fishing trip.”
Plays on the road 0.6 mi from Bridge Bay Campground in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“First time driving through a national park. We used the Yellowstone tour on grand loop Road and it’s just like having a tour guide in your car with you.”
Guide
Bridge Bay is a 432-site developed campground at 7,800 feet, on Grand Loop Road a few miles southwest of Lake Village and next to Bridge Bay Marina. It’s a practical base for the Yellowstone Lake area, with the Absaroka Range rising beyond the water. Reserve through Yellowstone National Park Lodges; the campground operates seasonally in summer. There are no electric hookups.
This is a large, varied campground: some sites sit among trees, others are open, and visitor reports differ on how level, roomy, or private a pitch feels. Check the campground map and site details when choosing; the whole place doesn’t have one character. The seasonal store carries ice and firewood. Flush toilets are seasonal, and there are no showers, laundry, or campground internet. Cell service can be overwhelmed during the busiest summer months.
The lake-and-range setting is part of the appeal, but not every campsite faces the water. Elk and bison are often reported near camp, though a sighting isn’t guaranteed. Keep your distance, follow ranger directions, and secure food and scented items; bear-resistant boxes are available at many sites.
Wildlife
713 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
743 sightingsWolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
5,273 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
3,258 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
397 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,494 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yellowstone. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyNatural Bridge Trail2.5 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayA gentle forest walk to a rhyolite arch above Bridge Creek.
ModerateElephant Back Mountain Trail3.9 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.9 mi awayA steady forest climb to a broad Yellowstone Lake view.
ModerateHoward Eaton Trail: Fishing Bridge to Canyon13.5 mi · 7 hr · 3.4 mi awayA long river-side traverse opens into Hayden Valley meadows.
EasyPelican Creek Nature Trail0.8 mi · 45 min · 3.8 mi awayA short forest loop opens onto Pelican Creek and Yellowstone Lake.
Picnic area · 0.5 mi awayBridge Bay Picnic AreaA lakeside picnic with boats moving through Bridge Bay
Sight · 0.6 mi awayBridge Bay MarinaRent a boat or take a guided trip onto Yellowstone Lake.
Picnic area · 1.2 mi awayGull Point Picnic AreaA shaded lunch stop with a short walk to the lake.Sight · 1.5 mi awayNatural BridgeA 51-foot arch carved by Bridge Creek, reached on a forest walk.
Picnic area · 1.5 mi awayLake Village Picnic AreaFour picnic tables for a lakeshore meal break.
Lodging · 1.7 mi awayLake Yellowstone Hotel and CabinsA historic hotel with Yellowstone Lake views and a grand old lobby.
Store · 1.9 mi awayLake General StoreIce cream and general supplies in a 1919 octagonal lakeside shop.
Lodging · 2.1 mi awayLake Lodge CabinsA summer cabin base with a rocking-chair view of Yellowstone Lake.Parkwolf’s Yellowstone ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
