Can you drive through Yellowstone without paying?

You are required to pay an entrance fee in order to access Yellowstone National Park. Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, national parks keep 80% of all fees collected and use that money to fund critical projects that improve services and protect resources.



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With thousands of acres of land, five entrances, numerous canyons and geyser basins to visit, plus a drive through valleys filled with bison and elk, there's no way you will get to everything with just one day. However, with one day in Yellowstone, you have just enough time to see the highlights.

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Listen to an entertaining guide that automatically tells you stories about where you are while you drive. You can tour Yellowstone on your own, but if you download the GuideAlong (previously GyPSy Guide) app, you'll get an insider's perspective of the park without having to go on a tour.

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Yellowstone National Park's West Entrance opens to the public on the 3rd (third) Friday of April at 8:00 am. Unless weather or other conditions do not allow. The West entrance closes normally the 1st (first) Monday of November at 9:00 pm. The only Entrance OPEN Year Round is the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana.

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Flights to the nearest major airport — that of Jackson Hole, Wyoming — are typically cheapest between November and March, which is the park's low season. Prices for lodging begin to drop after Labor Day, once the summer crowds have diminished and children are back in school.

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Rockefeller Jr. Highway up to Yellowstone. Plus, if you are staying in Jackson, Wyo., the South Entrance is the easiest entrance to access Yellowstone. Jackson itself is an incredible mountain town that attracts skiers to its steep slopes in the winter and throngs of tourists in the summer.

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YELLOWSTONE SCENIC DRIVES
  • Beartooth Highway. “My favorite is driving over the Beartooths,” says Holly Williams, program volunteer with Yellowstone Forever. ...
  • Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. ...
  • Grand Teton National Park and the John D Rockefeller, Jr Memorial Parkway. ...
  • Paradise Valley.


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Our Locations. Yellowstone Park Service Stations has seven locations in the Park with over 80 seasonal employees. Yellowstone Park Service Stations, Inc. (YPSS) operates seven convenience store/fuel facilities, four automotive repair shops and a central office/warehouse in Yellowstone National Park.

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The Grand Loop takes between 4 to 7 hours to drive in full. During the summer season, cars are the best option for taking a trip around Yellowstone unless you are riding with a bus tour or concessionaire that provides transportation.

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Here's how you can forge your own path in America's greatest wilderness.
  1. Go off-road. There's an old saying in Yellowstone: 97 percent of visitors use three percent of the park. ...
  2. Avoid peak season. ...
  3. Embrace the lesser-known. ...
  4. Discover alternative views. ...
  5. Seek insider tips.


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From Moose, drive up the inner park road to Jackson Lake Junction and follow the outer park road through Moran Junction back down to Moose. The loop is 42 miles long, and depending on how many points of interest you chose to explore, plan for at least a one to two hour drive.

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