Navigating Yellowstone Park:

Point to Point: Driving Time:

  • South Entrance to Old Faithful 57 minutes

  • West Thumb Basin to Old Faithful 40 minutes

  • Old Faithful to Norris Geyser Basin 1 hour

  • Norris Geyser to Mammoth Hot Springs 2 hours

  • Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower-Roosevelt 35 minutes

  • Tower-Roosevelt to Canyon Village 38 minutes

  • Canyon Village to Lake Yellowstone 35 minutes

Point to Point: Driving Time:

  • Old Faithful to Canyon Village 1.5 hours

  • Old Faithful to Lake Yellowstone 1 hour

  • South Entrance to Canyon Village 1.5 hours

  • South Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs 2.5 hours

  • Jackson, Wyoming to Old Faithful 2.5 hours

  • Bozeman, Montana to Mammoth Hot Springs 2.0 hours

  • Bozeman, Montana to Canyon Village 2.5 hours

What you need to know:

  • Yellowstone has areas with winding roads and frequent wildlife crossing can be a road hazard, especially for a speeding car.

  • Beware of bear, buffalo, and traffic jams. Wildlife is much more active at sunrise and sunset.

  • Be aware especially in summer traffic is extremely heavy. Expect to be in a line of cars and driving at 25mph to 35 mph and delays.

  • Start your day earlier (preferably by 7 am), you’ll miss the 9 AM rush on the roads and enjoy more time at the Park’s points of interest.

  • Pack a picnic lunch. This way you don’t have to waste your time looking for a place to eat and waiting in long lines to be served.

  • Parking lots can fill during the peak days of summer – some are worse than others. Don’t always expect to find a parking space immediately.

  • Cell phone coverage is available, but can be spotty. Don’t rely on it.