Motorists must yield to oncoming...
Motorists must yield to oncoming traffic, includin this bison herd, south of Madison Junction.
Fortunately, there is another way to access Yellowstone’s northeast entrance without having to deal with the switchbacks. The southern half isn’t so bad. The Beartooth Highway is intersected by Wyoming Highway 296, also known as the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. You can leave Red Lodge via Montana Secondary Highway 308 to Belfry, then head south through ranch lands to the 296, skirting around the highest part of the mountains all the way. The Chief Joseph Highway will then intersect with the Beartooth Highway a few miles south of the Top of the World Store. You can then head up to the store, park the RV there, and take your towed vehicle to see the northern half of the mountains or head south to Cooke City and Yellowstone. There are some grades on the Chief Joe, but they aren’t as severe, so they won’t tax your equipment as badly. This route also provides access between Red Lodge and Cody, so if your route includes those stops, this may be beneficial to you.
The Yellowstone River plummets...
The Yellowstone River plummets 308 feet down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at Lower Falls.
Once you have arrived at one of the five Yellowstone entrance stations you will travel whichever spur road connects you to the Main Loop. If you enter via the north entrance it’ll be a short 5-mile drive from Gardiner, Montana, to Mammoth Hot Springs.
This drive enters the park through the Roosevelt Arch then passes through Gardiner Canyon, which parallels the Yellowstone River. Bighorn sheep are known to frequent this area as well as elk so keep your camera handy. Just prior to entering Mammoth Hot Springs you’ll pass the Mammoth Campground. It’s a no-frills campground, but it’s open year round and it does have some decent sized spaces.
If you enter Yellowstone from the west entrance, you’ll pass alongside the Madison River, which has some good wildlife habitats. Bald eagles, river otters, elk, bison, and trumpeter swans are known to be in the area. Trumpeter swans are generally seen near the Madison River bridge halfway through the 14-mile drive. Just before reaching the Grand Loop you’ll pass by the Madison Campground. Another no-frills campground, this does have a nice setting with some decent-sized sites. Bison and elk are known to pass through.
Arriving from the south, you’ll drive 22 miles from the park’s southern border with Grand Teton until West Thumb. You’ll pass by Lewis Lake and travel over a number of medium grades just before arriving at Grant Village. While it has good facilities, it really isn’t in the heart of the action. When you daytrip the park, you’ll spend a lot of time just driving to the more interesting sites.
Leaving Fishing Bridge, the...
Leaving Fishing Bridge, the east entrance road skirts around Yellowstone Lake’s Sedge Bay before beginning its climb at Sylvan Pass.
Arriving from the east, you’ll first pass by Pahaska Tepee, just outside the gates. This area is U.S. Forest Service land and is great habitat for moose and grizzly bear. Once you enter the park you’ll begin a slow climb over the forested mountains before climbing Sylvan Pass and then drop down to Sylvan Lake. From there it’s a series of medium grades. Once at Sedge Bay it’s fairly flat all the way to Fishing Bridge as you skirt the shores of Yellowstone Lake. Fishing Bridge is the only full-service campground within Yellowstone Park. However, it was designed in the 1950s when RVs were smaller, didn’t have slide-outs, and didn’t have the electrical needs that today’s RVs require. Obviously, it’s pretty dated. At the time of this writing, the electrical grid was still being replaced, so you’ll need to verify if you can get electrical service before making a reservation
However, it has the best location, because it’s close to Hayden Valley, Canyon, and the Yellowstone River. That makes it easy to stay out late in the evening to view wildlife without having to make a long trip back to an outside RV park. If you can live with a parking-lot atmosphere, Fishing Bridge Campground can be an option for you.