How should we approach Yellowstone
 

Hoping for some specific advice from Yellowstone locals or veterans...

We will be driving from Rapid City, SD, in a few weeks. I am trying to decide where we should stay the night before entering Yellowstone park.

We have reservations at the West Entrance where we will venture in for most of the trip. We are thinking of staying one night in either Billings, Livingstone, or Cody the night before and doing a drive through the park from the east, northeast, or north to our hotel at the west entrance.

Not having been to Yellowstone, the best drive to the west entrance looks like entering through the Northeast gate, circling the top loop and avoiding the closures. From Rapid City via Billings, I also think we would have time to drive the Beartooth parkway during daylight hours and during a non-traffic closure time. But if we do the Beartooth towards sunset, I am not sure where that leaves us for lodging (to setup a NE entrance approach the next day). Is there a logical place to double back to?

Cody, WY, is option 2, but then we miss the Beartooth parkway (which everyone on this forum raves about) and also have to deal with the Sylvan Pass construction from the east.

Livingstone, Montana, looks nice too, but then the drive from North to West entrance is relatively short. And no Beartooth.

Any suggestions/thoughts is appeciated.

Just want to add -- after a few days at Yellowstone, we drive south to the Tetons, then Jackson, then west towards Idaho, Nevada, and California.

If you spend the night in Billings, or Red Lodge, you can easily drive over the Beartooth Highway to the northeast entrance. Follow the road along the Lamar River to Roosevelt ranch, turn right to Tower Falls, retrace your steps, drive to Mammoth, turn south to Madison Junction and west to West Yellowstone.

You can do that in a day. By staying in West Yellowstone, you will need to backtrack anyhow to see the thermal features in the Old Faithful Geyser Basin and to get to the lake and the Falls of the Yellowstone River.

OOPs. Towr falls is to your east, hence LEFT because you will be going south. I gave the wrong way. Sorry.

I suggested seeing Tower Falls going in because that will be the closest you will conveniently be in the area this summer. The road north from Canyon over Dunraven Pass is closed for most of the summer for repairs, or in some cases actual rebuilding.

The drive to Mammoth is east to west. And at Mammoth you turn south to Norris Junction and then to Madison Junction where the road to West Yellowstone goes west.

The road to Madison Junction should be improved because of the work done on it last summer. Because of the features along the road, traffic is often slow.

Be prepared for a few non-wildlife related delays in Yellowstone. I just got back from a trip, and we were stopped about three times (20-30 minutes each time) for roadwork. Just thought I'd put you on alert so you won't be surprised.

Right on about wildlife stopping traffic. One bull elk near the road can stop the world in Yellowstone.

Last year in Hayden Valley, a herd of bison crossed the road. Traffic was stopped for several minutes. One joker got out of his car and started flapping his arms and yelling at the bison to go faster. Some of them did and one young one knocked him into the side of his car. He should be glad a one ton bull did not cream him with his head.

I think he won nitwit of the month award for that brainstorm. Close behind in second place was the guy in a big SUV who pulled up so close on me that the bison could not go between the bumpers. That might be a novel way to keep the bison in the park -- build a car fence.

Hi All:

I am also looking for the best approach to YNP. But I am coming from Salt Lake City. I was wondering how the approach is from the south entrance.

Should I go through Grand teton NP or should I enter from the west? Thanks in advance for your help.

With eagar anticipation, a sense of adventure, and an open mind!

Sorry, couldn't help myself again....Happy 4th

in response to entering through the south entrance, we were in Grand Teton National Park a few weeks ago and there was construction on the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Highway that leads into the south entrance. Only waited about 30 minutes, but at least the views are good.

dbuckho,
After that boring drive from SoDak you'll probably want to bed down in Billings. I would suggest you head to Red Lodge for breakfast, take the Beartooth Hwy into the Park, see the sights like Artist Point,Old Faithful, Hayden Valley etc. and head out for the rest of your journey. They have to Chip/Seal in the Summer so expect 30 minute delays plus a few Bear Jams.