Eagle Creek Campground is a national forest campground located 2 miles northeast of Gardiner on Jardine Road. The campground has 16 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Eagle Creek Campground is just 2 miles from the North Entrance to Yellowstone Park.
| Eagle Creek Campground | |
|---|---|
| Season | Open year-round |
| Number of sites | 16 campsites |
| Reservations | No |
| Amenities | Vault Toilets, Picnic tables, Firepits |
| Accessible | Some sites and latrines |
| Firewood | No |
| Attractions | Close to Yellowstone Park |
| Nearest City | Gardiner, MT – 2 miles |
Eagle Creek Campground Details
Directions to Eagle Creek Campground
The road to the campground leaves Gardiner right where the main road makes a sharp turn near the Yellowstone River bridge. This is the Jardine road and it immediately heads uphill from the junction. The road is paved but becomes gravel after a half-mile. Continue on to the well-signed campground.
Campsite information
Each of the 16 sites has a table and a fire ring and there are shared bear-proof food storage cabinets. The campground has vault toilets but there is no water.
The sites are mostly spread around the perimeter of a large open area. the sites sit right next to each other and, in most places, there is nothing between campsites. There is no privacy here!
There are a few sites that sit away from the main grouping. 2 sites are near the corrals at the end of the road that climbs to the trailhead for the Yellowstone River Trail. There are also a few sites along the short spur road in the campground.
Fees and Payments
There is a nightly camping fee ($15.00 in 2021) that must be paid on site. Cash and personal check are accepted but no credit cards so plan to pay by physical payment.
There are no reservations for Eagle Creek Campground. Every site is first-come, first-served. In my experience, it’s common for people to occupy a campsite for multiple days so there is often not much turnover. Make sure to arrive early for the best chance of securing a site.
If there are no sites you might try the Canyon Campground which is about 15 highway miles away and is also first-come, first-served. There are also two small campgrounds further up the Jardine Road. It’s 7 1/2 graveled miles to Timber Camp campground and another mile to Bear Creek Campground. Both are first-come, first-served and both have some developed sites with room for dispersed camping.
Physical Environment
The campground sits above the Yellowstone River valley and Gardiner, MT. There are great views looking toward the mountains to the west. The campground has three areas:
- The main meadow is a large flat open area that is ringed by campsites. There is brush and small trees but no large trees or forest.
- The road that heads to the right climbs a small hill to a large level open area that holds a couple of sets of horse corrals and the large parking area for the Yellowstone River Trail.
- The road that heads straight through the campground travels a few hundred yards to a turn-around. This road area is wooded to some extent and there are a few campsites along this road.
Recreation
Most campers don’t come here to recreate at the campground. Instead, they camp here as a launching pad to recreation in other places. The Yellowstone River runs right through Gardiner and offers world-class fly fishing as well as great whitewater and scenic floats. Learn more in our Complete Guide to the Yellowstone River. Of course, most visitors head to Yellowstone Park which is 5 minutes away.
There are a number of good hiking trails in the area and one of the best begins right in the campground. The Yellowstone River Trail travels 21 miles from here to the Hellroaring Creek trailhead in Yellowstone Park. There’s no need to hike that far though as the trail offers great one-way hiking. There is an interpretive sign at the trailhead which describes some of the points of interest along the trail.
Nearby adventure opportunities
