Upcoming Trip Route Advice Needed

We%26#39;re coming to Yellowstone in mid June, driving from Nebraska. We%26#39;re staying in Cody the night before we start our time in Yellowstone. We are staying two nights in the Yellowstone area, first night at Cooke City and second night in West Yellowstone. Leaving the park via the south entrance for Tetons/Jackson Hole.

Should we come into the park via the east entrance or the northeast entrance? I%26#39;ve read great things about the Beartooth highway but not sure if coming in from Cody we will see that part of the highway?

Also, if we do come in via the northeast entrance, we won%26#39;t see Yellowstone from the east entrance to Fishing Bridge. We have limited time, so we won%26#39;t be able to see it all, are we missing out on a any must sees if we don%26#39;t see this area?

Thank you!!!

Upcoming Trip Route Advice Needed

To get to Cooke City from Cody you have two options:

#1 Take Hwy 120 north out of Cody until you get to the Chief Josephy Scenic Highway. Turn left and drive until you reach Hwy 212 (Beartooth Scenic Hwy). Turn left (west) there and drive to Cooke City and the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. A side option is to turn right (east) to go over Beartooth Pass. Drive up the south swtichbacks and over the top to the Vista View Point on the Red Lodge side. Vista View has a rest area and a nice paved parking lot. It is an ideal place to turn around and go back towards Cooke City. There are also many dirt/gravel pullouts along the way where you can turn around if you don%26#39;t want to go all the way to Vista View Point.

#2 Take HWY 16 west of Cody to the east entrance. To get to Cooke City and your 2nd night of lodging you will need to turn right (north) at the Fishing Bridge Junction. Go past Canyon junction, over Dunraven Pass and Tower. Turn right (east) at Tower/Roosevelt Junction and drive out the northeast entrance to Cooke City.

Its hard to decide what to do when time is limited. What are your plans for driving from Cooke City to West Yellowstone? If you%26#39;re planning on coming down through Tower and Canyon then I%26#39;d said take option #1. If taking option #2 is the only way you%26#39;ll see Hayden Valley/Canyon/Dunraven Pass and Tower. In mid-June you will probably have a good chance of seeing a grizzly in the Dunraven Pass area. We always see black bears between the Roosevelt and Tower. Lots of bison in Lamar Valley and yesterday we saw 5 Big Horn Sheep just off the road about 1 mile east of the Tower/Roosevelt Junction.

Whatever you choose will be fine. Both areas are spectacular and very scenic. Seeing Yellowstone Lake as you%26#39;re coming in from the east entrance is awesome. While I am partial to Beartooth Pass and would vote for that option both are a win-win option. If you choose going to Cooke City via Chief Joseph Hwy and would like some directions for some beautiful easy/moderate hiking areas right off the highway let me know and I%26#39;ll post them.

Deb

Upcoming Trip Route Advice Needed

With limited time inside the park, I would consider not doing Beartooth Highway. You only have 2 days to see a huge national park.

Day 1 Omaha to Cody WY is a huge drive. Close to 14 hours.

Day 2 From Cody, enter YS via the east entrance. Visit the Lake area, then head north to Canyon area, Tower Falls and then to Cooke City for the night stopping at dusk in Lamar Valley to watch for wildlife.

Day 3 The next morning get up early, see Lamar Valley in early morning, then head toward Mammoth, then to Old Faithful area for the rest of the day to see geysers etc. Stay in West YS.

Day 4 Early morning along the Madison River to Old Faithful area to finish up any places you did not have time to see the day before. Drive south to Tetons.

Thanks for the responses. Just as clarification, we%26#39;re not driving from Omaha to Cody our first day. We%26#39;re driving from Omaha to Scottsbluff, then Scottsbluff to Sheridan and then Sheridan to Cody. We want to be able to take our time.

I think we will be able to see all of the park, except the road from Fishing Bridge to the East Entrance unless we come in that way.

If we would decide to see Beartooth Pass, how far is it from where we would get on 212 from Cody? I%26#39;ve read such wonderful things about the area, I am thinking we want to see it.

Thanks again!!

While I appreciate you wanting to take your time on the route, I%26#39;d suggest that you not stop for an overnight in Sheridan and instead push on to Cody and put that extra day into the Yellowstone Park area. There is so much to see and do within Yellowstone. Staying outside the park may be the only option but I%26#39;d really try hard to get lodging inside the park to minimize the driving time each day.