Updated July 2026
Where to Stay Near Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park recorded 4,762,988 recreation visits in 2025. Lodging near the park is priced by that crowd curve: July is very busy at 2.6× the average month, November is very quiet at 0.1×, and April is our pick for the best balance — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Most rooms sit in West Yellowstone, not inside the park boundary. Compare live hotels, cabins and vacation rentals below, then book the month that matches your budget.
Best month to go
Apr
Very quiet
Quietest (cheapest)
Nov
0.1× avg
Busiest
Jul
2.6× avg
Annual visits
4.8M
2025
Gateway town
West Yellowstone
Montana
Climate normals (1991–2020) put the warmest month around 56°F in July. Pair that with the crowd index: a warm, quiet month is the lodging sweet spot; a warm, busy month is when rooms disappear first.
Live availability in West Yellowstone
April is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather at Yellowstone National Park. The map is centered on West Yellowstone, the town most visitors book.
Top-rated places to stay near West Yellowstone (Yellowstone)
Prices for Oct 2–4, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Crowd calendar vs lodging demand
A month's crowd index is that month's visits divided by the park's average month. Rooms and nightly rates follow the same shape. Use November when price matters most; use April when you want weather without July crowds.
| Month | Crowd | Index | Lodging note |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 0.1× | Very quiet |
| February | Very quiet | 0.1× | Very quiet |
| March | Very quiet | 0.1× | Very quiet |
| April | Very quiet | 0.2× | Best balance — book this window first |
| May | Busy | 1.3× | Busy |
| June | Very busy | 2.3× | Very busy |
| July | Very busy | 2.6× | Peak — book furthest ahead |
| August | Very busy | 2.3× | Very busy |
| September | Very busy | 2.1× | Very busy |
| October | Quiet | 0.7× | Quiet |
| November | Very quiet | 0.1× | Quietest / usually cheapest |
| December | Very quiet | 0.1× | Very quiet |
Stay near a nearby park
Parks within a short drive
Same trip, different crowd curve — check the lodging page before you book.
- Grand Teton — 54 mi · best in April
- Bighorn Canyon — 123 mi · best in September
- Grant-Kohrs Ranch — 165 mi · best in April
- Little Bighorn Battlefield — 166 mi · best in May
Book the quiet month
- November at Yellowstone — Usually the cheapest rooms
- April at Yellowstone — Best weather-to-crowd balance
- Stay near Grand Teton — 54 mi away
- All park lodging guides
Email me when Yellowstone's crowd forecast updates
Crowd levels drive room rates at Yellowstone. Get an email when new NPS visitation data changes the best month to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most visitors book in West Yellowstone, Montana — the main gateway town — then drive into the park. Compare hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals on the map above. In-park lodges book out furthest ahead. West Yellowstone usually has more inventory and more price movement, especially in July, the park's busiest month.
Lodging tracks crowds. November is the quietest month at Yellowstone National Park (0.1× the average month) and is usually the cheapest window. April is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather — best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight.
For a July visit (2.6× average crowds), treat six months out as normal and a year out as safe for in-park lodging. In November you can often book inside a few weeks.
In-park lodges put you closest to trailheads and rarely discount. Gateway towns have far more rooms and are usually 20–60 minutes from the entrance. If you are visiting in July, a gateway town is often the only inventory still available.
Where to stay near nearby parks
54 mi away · best in April
123 mi away · best in September
165 mi away · best in April
166 mi away · best in May
168 mi away · best in April
175 mi away · best in August
Keep exploring
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month. Lodging results are provided by Stay22; WhenToVisitParks may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.