Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch

Located in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, directly between Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and just minutes from both, Headwaters Campground offers the perfect basecamp for exploration. Situated in a spectacular wooded setting with rolling hills and Teton mountain views, this campground is the perfect place to unwind and unplug, as there is limited cellular or internet service. It offers 34 tent sites, 97 full-hookup pull-through RV sites and 40 Camper Cabins, and is open from June to October. Each tent site has a gravel parking space for up to two vehicles, and tent pads for up to two tents. All RV sites are pull-through with gravel parking space for one RV and one tow vehicle with a maximum total length of 45 feet, and offer full hookups including sewer, water, and 20-, 30- and 50-amp electric outlets. Propane is available for purchase at the campground office. Camper Cabins are scattered throughout the campground and include double-double or double-single bunk-style beds; the bunks are padded, but bedding and pillows are not included, so guests are encouraged to bring their own linens, though a limited quantity of sleeping bags, pillows and blankets is available first-come for a nightly fee. The cabins do not offer electricity or private restrooms, but do include a lantern. All sites, including Camper Cabins, have a picnic table, a fire pit with metal fire grate, and access to nearby water spigots, flush toilets, shower facilities and coin-operated laundry facilities. Tent and RV sites also include food storage lockers. A phone is available in the lodge lobby for public use 24 hours per day. The campsites and roads are well-compacted gravel and mostly level, with a gently sloping incline/decline that may make wheelchair access more challenging. Restroom facilities are wheelchair-accessible with one fully accessible shower. Routes to the amphitheater have a gently sloping incline/decline with compacted gravel, and are somewhat uneven. Firewood, food and ice can be purchased at the convenience store, and camping supplies, souvenirs and more are available in the gift shop, both located in the main lodge, which also offers casual dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Sheffields Restaurant and Saloon. Headwaters at Flagg Ranch is situated in a tranquil setting along the upper reaches of the Snake River, surrounded by meadows and conifer forests, with the Yellowstone Plateau rising to the north and Huckleberry Mountain to the east. Within walking distance is Polecat Creek, which runs through forests, wildflower meadows and thermal features — walk its banks to capture that perfect photo of a beaver, moose, elk, bison, bear or birds, being sure to maintain appropriate distance. Although soaking is not permitted, Huckleberry Hot Springs is an easy 2.5-mile loop that starts at Polecat Creek, and the Flagg Canyon trail is a good option for all ability levels: a 5.1-mile out-and-back that winds through meadows and cliffs along the Snake River and features a waterfall, with marmot, elk and white-throated swift to see along the way. None of the campsites are on the river, but all are within walking distance, and for avid anglers the Snake offers plentiful cutthroat trout, brook trout and whitefish; the area is known for remarkable fly fishing and photography. Headwaters is home to elk, moose, mule deer, wolves, black and grizzly bears and a wide variety of birds, and bears are often seen on trails and in the developed areas, so be prepared for an animal encounter. Yellowstone's south entrance is just a few miles north, but there is much to see and do in the opposite direction as well. Take a self-guided tour of Grand Teton National Park via the 43-mile Scenic Loop Drive, offering an opportunity to photograph the park's famous landscape and local wildlife. Spend a few hours at Colter Bay Village, about 30 minutes south, where you can rent a kayak or canoe, take a guided boat ride to the majestic base of the Teton Range, or enjoy lunch and the stunning lake view from the marina. Continue on to the historic Jackson Lake Lodge for its famous huckleberry milkshakes and spectacular Teton views through 60-foot tall wall-to-wall windows, and book a scenic raft trip or park bus tour while you are there. Farther south, the town of Jackson, about 50 miles from Headwaters, has the National Museum of Wildlife Art just outside town, the famous giant elk antler archway in the town center, the Jackson Hole Rodeo, local shops and many restaurants.