My uncle swore I could sleep in my car through Yellowstone for 5 nights, and the ranger proved him half right

Christopher Brown · 2026-10-11T13:15:03.833125+00:00

My uncle, who drove a truck for 20 years, told me I could park at the Mammoth Hot Springs lot overnight for 5 nights in June and nobody would bother me. He was wrong about the lot but right about something better, because the ranger who knocked on my window at 2am pointed me to a free dispersed camping spot on Forest Road 4N just outside the park. That spot turned out to be quieter than any $40 campground and I stayed 4 nights without paying a dime. I did have to drive 25 minutes to the showers in Gardiner, which ate about $12 each time. Has anyone else found those free forest roads near the busy parks, or do you just eat the campground fees to stay close?

Free To Speak

Loading…

My uncle swore I could sleep in my car through Yellowstone for 5 nights, and the ranger proved him half right | Budget Travel Hacks - Free To Speak