Pebble Creek Campground

Yellowstone’s most remote accessible camp — wolves, native cutthroat trout, real wilderness

Location: Yellowstone National Park, WY, WY

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (892 reviews)

Season: June to late September

Tucked into the Lamar Valley’s northeastern edge along Pebble Creek at 6,900 feet, this 27 sites campground is where serious Yellowstone visitors go when they are done with geysers. The Lamar Valley — known as the Serengeti of North America — is the best wolf-watching ground in the world, and Pebble Creek sits right in it. Sites are shaded and stream-side. No hookups, no flush toilets, no camp store. What you get: pronghorn grazing 50 feet from your tent, wolves audible at dusk, and Pebble Creek

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Vault Toilets, No Drinking Water (bring your own), Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Bear Boxes, Fishing Access, Trail Access

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/pebble-creek-yellowstone to be notified when sites open up.

The most remote accessible campground in Yellowstone — 27 stream-side sites in the Lamar Valley, the Serengeti of North America and the world’s best wolf-watching ground. No hookups, no flush toilets. Just wolves audible at dusk and native cutthroat trout in Pebble Creek.

Pull-off at Slough Creek (7 miles west) at dawn with binoculars — the best wolf-sighting location on Earth. Between 5–7am in June and July, you can watch wolves hunt bison calves in the meadow. Bring a spotting scope. ⇒ Water: Pebble Creek has native Yellowstone cutthroat trout fishing directly from camp — no hiking required. The deep bends just downstream hold large fish. Fly fishing only; artificial lures, no bait. Fishing license available at Cooke City (5 miles east).

What is new at Pebble Creek Campground: No major facility changes. One of the most unchanged campgrounds in the NPS system.

Wildlife alert: Grizzly bears highly active in the Lamar Valley — highest grizzly density in the lower 48. Bear spray required on all hikes. Bison charge without warning.

Fire rules: Campfires in provided fire grates only. Check nps.gov/yell.

Things to do near Pebble Creek Campground: Slough Creek wolf watching at dawn (7 mi west) — bring binoculars, visit at 5–7am. Lamar Valley bison herds — often 1,000+ animals visible at once. Pebble Creek Trail (12 mi RT) — starts at the campground, excellent native cutthroat fishing.

Insider tips for Pebble Creek Campground: The Northeast Entrance (5 miles) is the least-used park entrance — avoids all summer traffic Cooke City (5 miles east) has a grocery store, gas, and a good diner — stock up before entering Sites 1–15 are stream-side

Skip Pebble Creek Campground if: You need any amenities beyond vault toilets and water — truly primitive camping.

Best time to visit Pebble Creek Campground: Jun–Jul — Wolf pup season — wolves most active and visible. Bison calving.. Sep–Oct — Elk rut, bears preparing for hibernation, pronghorn at peak numbers..

Common issues at Pebble Creek Campground: Northeast Entrance Road closed to wheeled vehicles in winter. Pebble Creek only accessible May through October.

What campers say about Pebble Creek Campground: "Heard wolves howling from our tent at 4am. Pronghorn grazing 20 feet away when we woke up." — Recreation.gov reviewer "Drove 6 hours just to camp here. Watched wolves from the road in the morning. Worth every mile." — Recreation.gov reviewer

Nearby campgrounds: Slough Creek Campground (Northern Range, Yellowstone National Park, WY), Tower Fall Campground (YELLOWSTONE, WY), Hunter Peak (CODY, WY), Snowbank Campground (Gardiner, MT).