Which Yellowstone entrance is closest to Jackson Hole?

Yellowstone is most accessible from Jackson Hole through the South Entrance just north of Jackson Lake. From the town of Jackson, the south entrance is about 57 miles, which takes about one hour 15 minutes in normal summer conditions.



People Also Ask

If you visit Yellowstone first, the best way to get to Grand Teton National Park is through Yellowstone's South Entrance.

MORE DETAILS

The best entrances to stay if you will not be staying within Yellowstone National Park are the West and North Entrances. This is because these entrances are close to the Grand Loop within Yellowstone, as well as their gateway towns enabling visitors to get to the heart of Yellowstone with the least amount of driving.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

The best entrances to stay if you will not be staying within Yellowstone National Park are the West and North Entrances. This is because these entrances are close to the Grand Loop within Yellowstone, as well as their gateway towns enabling visitors to get to the heart of Yellowstone with the least amount of driving.

MORE DETAILS

To drive from the East Entrance to the West Entrance takes about 2.5 hours. To drive from the Northeast Entrance to the North Entrance takes about 1.25 hours.

MORE DETAILS

You can drive to Old Faithful. If you enter the park from the West Entrance, Old Faithful is 32 miles from West Yellowstone, the closest gateway city to the famous geyser. Plan on the drive taking between 45 minutes to over an hour.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

The Jackson Hole region is filled with resorts, guest ranches, and hotels, just 45 minutes from Grand Teton National Park and two hours from the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Madison Junction is a good place to watch elk during the september rut. The Lower Loop of Yellowstone's Grand Loop is the more popular loop as it has the lion's share of Yellowstone's thermal features, Old Faithful being one of them as well as Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

MORE DETAILS

Simply driving the entire distance, whether going clockwise or counter, could take four to seven hours. And even if the speed limit is 45 mph, you'll want to take your sweet time, especially around the winding turns, epic scenery and stopped traffic due to wildlife in or near the road.

MORE DETAILS

Perhaps the most popular and well-known place to spot animals in Yellowstone National Park is Lamar Valley. Located in the northeastern corner of the park, the closest entrance is the Northeast Entrance, which is found after a beautiful drive from Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway.

MORE DETAILS

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.


MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

That's because so many people are only interested in what they can see from the road. Your single best bet for enjoying a bit of solitude is to park your vehicle at a trailhead and do some hiking. Yellowstone has all kinds of trails running through lesser-known areas that are incredibly scenic without the fanfare.

MORE DETAILS