There are 49 picnic areas in the park. Click on any picnic area on the map below for more detailed information.

Fires are permitted only in picnic areas with fire grates. Charcoal grills may only be used in areas with fire grates. There are fire grates in the following picnic areas: Bridge Bay, Cascade Lake Trail, East Lot (Old Faithful Area), Grant Village, Nez Perce, Norris Meadows, Snake River, Spring Creek and Yellowstone River. Gas stoves may be utilized for meal preparation in any picnic area. Camping is Not Allowed in any picnic area. There is no water at any picnic area and most have pit toilets.

Special fire restrictions are occasionally put in place when the danger of wildland fires is great. If you plan to light a fire in the park, please ask about current fire restrictions at the entrance station when you arrive or email our Visitor Services Office immediately prior to your visit.

Backpacking:

Yellowstone has a designated backcountry campsite system, and a Backcountry Use Permit is required for all overnight stays. 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. Campfires are permitted only in established fire pits. Wood fires are not allowed in some backcountry campsites. A food storage pole is provided at most designated campsites so that food and attractants may be secured from bears. Neither hunting nor firearms are allowed in Yellowstone's backcountry.

Permits may be obtained only in person and no more than 48 hours in advance of your trip. Permits are available from most ranger stations and visitor centers. In order to obtain the best information on trail conditions, permits should be obtained from the ranger station or visitor center nearest to the area where your trip is to begin. The Backcountry Use Permit is valid only for the itinerary and dates specified. Backcountry travelers must have their permits in possession while in the backcountry.

Bicycling:

Bicycles are not available for rent at the park. If you plan to bring one, remember it is subject to the same traffic rules as automobiles. Bicycling is permitted on established public roads, parking areas, and designated routes. Bikes are prohibited on backcountry trails and boardwalks.

Several gravel roads are open to BOTH bicycle and automotive traffic. The Old Garidner Road and Blacktail Plateau Drive allow two-way bike traffic and one-way auto traffic. These roads are best suited for mountain bikes. Please do not block entrance gates when parking at these locations.

The following trails are restricted to only foot and bicycle traffic:

1. The abandoned railroad bed paralleling the Yellowstone River between Gardner and the park boundary at Reese Creek (5 miles).

2. Mammoth Service Road beginning at the top of the hill on the Old Gardiner Road above Mammoth, northwest to the telephone station (1.5 miles).

3. Bunsen Peak Road (6 miles) and Golden Gate Service Road between Golden Gate and Joffe Lake (1.5 miles).

4. Riverside Trail from entrance to Barnes Road (1.4 miles).

5. Fountain Freight Road is located 6 miles north of Old Faithful. Mountain bikes recommended (5.5 miles).

6. Daisy Geyser cut-off to Biscuit Basin.

7. The paved trail in front of Old Faithful Lodge to Morning Glory Pool. Bicycles are not allowed on the unpaved trail continuing beyond Morning Glory Pool to Biscuit Basin (2 miles).

8. Lone Star Geyser Road (just past the Kepler Cascades' pullout) from the Grand Loop Road to Lone Star Geyser (2 miles).

9. Natural Bridge Road near Bridge Bay (1 mile).

10. The old roadbed near the lakeshore between Lake Hotel and where the roadbed joins the main road south of Lake Junction (1 mile).

11. Mount Washburn from the Chittenden Road parking area to the summit of Mount Washburn (3 miles). Bicycles are NOT permitted on the trail between the summit and Dunraven Pass parking area.

12. Old Chittenden Service Road between Grand Loop Road and Tower Fall campground (2 miles).

13. Rose Creek Service Road behind the Lamar Ranger Station (1 mile).

Yellowstone National Park offers two distinctive educational programs for children. Take a look below to see which program is right for your child.

Expedition: Yellowstone:

Through Expedition: Yellowstone! the National Park Service offers a 4-5 day curriculum-based residential program for students in grades 4-8. This long-standing program operates September through mid December and mid February through May. The program has two campuses. The historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch is used during the spring and fall. The Youth Conservation Corps facilities are used during winter months.

Expedition: Yellowstone! teaches students about the natural and cultural history of Yellowstone National Park, investigates current issues affecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and promotes stewardship and preservation in the park and in home communities. Emphasis is on learning through direct experience in the outdoors. Students participate with teachers and parent chaperones in hikes, field investigations, discussions, creative dramatics, and journal writing. The program coordinator works with teachers to tailor an itinerary for the group that best meets their educational needs.

Expedition: Yellowstone! operates on a fee basis to cover faculty salaries and instructional supplies used by students. A staff of rangers with diverse education backgrounds instruct these expeditions to the park.

Junior Ranger Program:

Yellowstone National Park has an official Junior Ranger Program open to children ages 5 - 12. The goal of the program is to introduce children to the natural wonders of Yellowstone and their role in preserving them for the future.

To become a Junior Ranger, families pay a $3 fee for the 12-page activity paper, Yellowstone's Nature, available at any visitor center. After completing the age appropriate requirements described in the paper and reviewing their work with a ranger at any visitor center, participants are awarded an official Yellowstone Junior Ranger patch. Modeled after the National Park Service patch, Junior Ranger patches feature a stylized bear track for 8-12 year olds, a wolf track for 5-7 year olds, and a snowflake for all winter junior rangers.

Requirements include attending a Ranger-led program, hiking on a park trail, and completing activities on various park resources, issues, and concepts such as geothermal geology, park wildlife, and fire ecology.

Some winter activities require the use of a thermometer and hand lens, so make sure you ask to check out a Junior Ranger Snowpack. Snowpacks are available at both the Mammoth and Old Faithful visitor centers and snowshoes may be checked out in Mammoth.

Both children and adults benefit by sharing the fun of becoming a Junior Ranger.

Plane - Commercial airlines serve the following airports near Yellowstone National Park all year: Cody and Jackson, WY; Bozeman and Billings, MT, and Idaho Falls, ID. The West Yellowstone, MT airport is open from June to early September. <P> <P> <br>Car - North Entrance - Near the gateway community of Gardiner, MT, the North Entrance is the only park entrance open to wheeled vehicles all year. November through April, the North Entrance provides the only access to Cooke City, MT. Beyond Cooke City the road is closed to wheeled vehicles November through April. The road from Mammoth to Norris is open to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the first full week in March. <P>West Entrance - Adjacent to the town of West Yellowstone, MT, the West Entrance is open to wheeled vehicles from the third Friday in April through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the second full week in March. <P>South & East Entrances - Open to wheeled vehicles from the first Friday of May through the first Sunday in November, and to tracked oversnow vehicles from the third Wednesday in December to Monday of the second full week in March. Limited services are available near the South & East Entrances. <P>Northeast Entrance - Near the gateway community of Cooke City, MT, this entrance is open year around for wheeled vehicle access to Cooke City through Gardiner, MT and the North Entrance. Opening dates for roads east of Cooke City vary from year to year, depending on the weather. <P> <br>Public Transportation - Bus service from Bozeman, MT to West Yellowstone, MT via Highway 191 is available all year. Bus service directly from Idaho to West Yellowstone is limited to the summer months. Commercial transportation from Bozeman, MT to Gardiner, MT is available during the winter and summer seasons. Commercial transportation to the park from Cody and Jackson, WY is available during the summer season. There is no public transportation within the park. <P>