Traveling to Yellowstone from...
Traveling to Yellowstone from the eastern side.
The east entrance connects the park to Cody, Wyoming, which is a popular stopping place due to its accessibility from the north, east, and south. The 54-mile drive from Cody to the park border starts out fairly flat, but gradually increases in interest. You’ll begin by passing through a tunnel that skirts the Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir. You’ll pass through scenic Shoshone Canyon and arrive at Pahaska Tepee, just outside the park’s border. Entering the park you’ll begin the long climb over the Absaroka Mountains; there are lots of grades. The roads have been recently widened and repaved so they will be easy enough to handle for most RVs. Other than Cody and the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum itself, the big attraction to Cody is the accessibility to other areas, such as Thermopolis, the Bighorn Mountains, or Red Lodge, Montana.
Northeast Entrance
The only way to access Yellowstone’s northeast entrance is via U.S. Route 212, also known as the Beartooth Highway. TV personality Charles Kuralt called the Beartooth Highway “the most scenic drive in North America.” This 80-mile drive from Red Lodge, Montana, to Yellowstone’s northeast entrance is simply amazing — but it’s also the most demanding.
Leaving Red Lodge will take you through the Custer National Forest as you climb through the forested foothills of the Beartooth Mountains. Once you reach the north face there’s a steep climb through switchbacks that cling to the side of the mountain.
We’ve taken this route with an SUV, a 33-foot gasoline-powered Class-A motorhome, and a 42-foot diesel-pusher with no equipment issues. But the drive itself was slow and required lots of concentration and effort to navigate the tight switchbacks, narrow roads, steep drop-offs, and tough climb. It’ll be pedal to the metal most of the way, so your equipment and cooling system need to be in top condition. If you aren’t comfortable with this or don’t have the equipment, take the drive in your tow or towed vehicle and leave the RV behind. Red Lodge is a great place to base camp from.
U.S. Route 89 follows the...
U.S. Route 89 follows the Yellowstone River as it enters the park at its north entrance at Gardiner, Montana.
This bison jam on the east...
This bison jam on the east entrance road is typical. Bison travel these narrow corridors because it’s easier for them and traffic just has to deal with it.
Top of the World Store offers...
Top of the World Store offers campground sites with sewer and water for those who want to further explore the Beartooth Mountains.
Beartooth Pass
Those who do take the drive will be rewarded with amazing mountain views. On the way up to Beartooth Pass at 10,940 feet, your journey will begin in green forests then climb through rocky mountain faces on the way up to the arctic tundra scenery near the top. You’ll be looking down at frozen lakes and across at glaciers that are now level with you. Once up top you’ll traverse the easy rolling hills of the mountains and pass by Top of the World Store, which is a popular stop.
We find that parking the motorhome across the road from the store in the large gravel lot affords us the chance to unhook the Jeep and explore the many side roads and sites available. Once you are finished, the descent down through Cooke City and Yellowstone is easier because the grades aren’t as steep, but are longer. For this reason we recommend traveling with the RV only in a southerly direction. To travel it northbound would put extreme stress on your RV’s brakes on those north face switchbacks.
Keep in mind that this alpine country has a short season. The Beartooth Highway generally opens around Memorial Day, but that depends on how long it takes to remove the heavy snowfall from the previous winter. Many side roads and trails will remain blocked in mid June, so a July trip might be a better choice if you choose this route.