Car

Yellowstone is well away from the interstates—the nearest is Interstate 90, which passes through Livingston, Montana just 53 miles north of the park's North Entrance. You generally make your way here on scenic two-lane highways. Yellowstone has five road entrances. Many visitors arrive through the South Entrance, 57 miles north of Jackson and just 7 miles north of Grand Teton National Park. Other entrances are the East Entrance, 53 miles from Cody, Wyoming; the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana (90 miles south of Bozeman), the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana (80 miles south of Bozeman); and the Northeast Entrance at Cooke City, Montana, which can be reached from either Cody, Wyoming, via the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (81 miles), or from Red Lodge, Montana, over the Beartooth Pass (67 miles). You'll find gas stations at most of the main villages inside the park, although it's not a bad idea to fill your tank whenever you're outside Yellowstone, and gas is often cheaper in these areas.

The best way to keep your bearings in Yellowstone is to remember that the major roads form a figure eight, known as the Grand Loop, which all entrance roads feed into. It doesn't matter at which point you begin, as you can hit most of the major attractions if you follow the entire route.

The 466 miles of public roads in the park (310 miles of them paved) used to be riddled with potholes and hemmed in by narrow shoulders. But the park greatly upgraded its roads, and most are now smooth, if still narrow. Roadwork is likely every summer in some portion of the park. Remember, snow is possible at any time of year in almost all areas of the park. Also, never—under any circumstances—stop your car on the road any place that isn't designated. Instances of drivers blocking traffic and potentially causing accidents are rampant on park roads. Don't be a part of this problem.