While crouching behind a tree is always a possibility, you will be relieved to know that there are bathrooms in Yellowstone National Park.
Proper planning before visiting any National Park is key. Parks like Yellowstone and Glacier National Park are vast. At times, bathrooms are few and far between.
In this post, get prepared by learning where the bathrooms in Yellowstone are and how clean they are.
Here is your guide to the Yellowstone teepee!
Where are the Bathrooms in Yellowstone in National Park?
The bathrooms in Yellowstone are conveniently located at all the major park entrances, tourist hubs, and campgrounds. All in all, there are nearly 90 bathrooms at Yellowstone. As such, you shouldn’t have to travel too far to find a restroom in the park unless you are in one of the more remote areas of the park. The main throughways for restrooms in Yellowstone National Park are summarized below.
Park Entrances
There are five park entrances at Yellowstone National Park; each of which have a restroom. These include the West entrance, North entrance, Northeast entrance, East entrance and South entrance. My suggestion to you is to stop off at one of these restrooms as you enter the park. Your bladder will thank you later!
Tourist Hubs
In addition to the park entrances, there are six major tourist hubs throughout the park. These tourist hubs are in or near major landmarks of Yellowstone.
The tourist hubs include Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Grant Village, Lake Village Area – Fishing Bridge & Bay Bridge, Canyon Village, Tower-Roosevelt. In addition to the Yellowstone park serviced restrooms at these locations, you will also find restrooms in the accompanying gift stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels that most of these major areas offer.
If you are having trouble finding a bathroom in Yellowstone, simply go to one of these major tourist hubs to relieve yourself.
Campgrounds
Restrooms in Yellowstone are also available at all of the campgrounds in the park. The five major campgrounds include Madison, Fishing Bridge RV Park, Bridge Bay, Canyon, and Grant Village. While these are the major campgrounds that require reservations, every other campground also has restrooms. While the bathrooms at Yellowstone campgrounds are more primitive (more on this in the next section); it’s still a place to get the job done.
As you bounce around between the sights of Yellowstone, you should be able to stop at one of these restrooms. For a comprehensive map of all bathrooms in Yellowstone National Park, use the below map compliments of Yellowstone Explored.
Are the Bathrooms in Yellowstone Clean?
Some of the bathrooms in Yellowstone are clean while some or not.
In general, the restrooms at the locations with more infrastructure like hotels, gift shops, and dining areas are standard first class bathrooms with running water and pipes. These type of restrooms at Yellowstone are at the major tourist hubs listed above.
Second to these restrooms, are the restrooms at each of the park entrances. These restrooms are well maintained and also have running water and pipes.
With that said, the restrooms in Yellowstone are used by thousands of people daily so they aren’t spotless all the time. Be mindful of cleaning crews and don’t make a mess during your use.
Lastly, the restrooms in Yellowstone campgrounds are more primitive. While they have running water to wash your hands; the toilets simply drop out to a pit in the ground below. As expected, flies are abundant down there.
Campgrounds with Showers in Yellowstone
While there are many campgrounds in Yellowstone, there are only a few campgrounds with showers in Yellowstone. Most campgrounds in Yellowstone only offer toilets. In fact, there are only three campgrounds with showers in Yellowstone. They include:
- Grant Village Campground
- Fishing Bridge RV Park
- Canyon Village Campground.
If you are like me, I prefer jumping in a freshwater lake or river while camping. Madison Campground has the best fresh river that also has hot springs feeding into it. If you are staying in this campground, rinsing in the freshwater here is a must.
Lastly, all the hotels in Yellowstone also have showers if you are a guest. These include Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, and Old Faithful Lodge.
Conclusion
In summary, there are plenty of bathrooms available in Yellowstone to relieve yourself. Some are cleaner than others, but they get the job done. Refer to the map above for locations of all restrooms in Yellowstone.
If you find yourself in a remote area of the park like Lamar Valley, be sure you pack a shovel to cover your dirty work.
Other services in the park: