Where is the best place to start in Yellowstone?

Five different entry points will take you into the park, classified by their geographic location: west, north, northeast, east, and south. Each has a number of benefits, but by far the most popular entrance is from the west, where the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, serves as the entry point.



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Next to Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Springs is arguably the top thing to see during your first-time visiting Yellowstone. A vibrant showcase of reds and blues bubble in this magnificent thermal pool from the bacteria residing in the area.

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The West Entrance is an excellent jumping-off point for seeing some of the best geysers in the park! From here, you're close to Norris, Old Faithful, and Grand Prismatic just to name a few. Because of its location, this entrance is usually my preferred place to stay near the park.

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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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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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Jackson, WY is the ideal base camp for a trip to Yellowstone. Here are 5 reasons why you should stay in Jackson Hole while visiting Yellowstone National Park.

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West Yellowstone Entrance The West Entrance is the park's busiest and most popular entrance, and it's also the second-closest to Bozeman International Airport, taking roughly two hours to drive to the West Entrance.

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You could easily take two weeks to explore Yellowstone (and you might want to after you spend a day here). To truly experience the best aspects of the park, you'll want to plan at least three days. But if you only have one day to spend in the park, you want to get the most out of your time here.

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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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The East Entrance to Yellowstone is one of the least-used entrances because of its remoteness, lack of hotels by the entrance gate, and distance from the Grand Loop Road (where most of the attractions are). However, it is one of the prettiest drives to enter the park.

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The best time to enter is before 8am or after 11am. The West Entrance to Yellowstone is the busiest, and rightfully so, as it arguably has the most to see right around it. But that means that from 8-11am, you're likely to see long lines of cars waiting to enter the park snaking into the town of West Yellowstone.

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Protect yourself and the sights you plan to enjoy by following a few simple rules:
  • Never approach wildlife. The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. ...
  • Stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas. ...
  • Never feed wildlife. ...
  • Never park in the road or block traffic.


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Staying in Jackson Hole is another great option when visiting the parks, as it gives you access to a wider variety of hotels, restaurants, and attractions. We would love to help you plan your visit to Yellowstone and/or Grand Teton National Park. Please contact us to learn more.

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The approximate distance from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone is 500 miles, depending on the route you take (more on that below).

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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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Yellowstone Entrance Passes For private, non-commercial vehicles, a 7-day pass to Yellowstone National Park costs $35/vehicle and does not include entrance into nearby Grand Teton National Park. The latter park, home to the mighty Grand Teton and other rugged peaks, also charges $35/vehicle for entrance.

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