Yellowstone - Need Advice
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,831
Likes: 15
From: Nomad
Faber,
"Why not spend your first night in Red Lodge, ride the 'Tooth to Cooke City and then enter YNP and do the northern half of the Park. Exit at Cooke City and then take the Chief Joseph Hwy down to Cody. Then from Cody enter the Park at East Entrance and do the southern half of the Park."
Is this a day trip? I know that Beartooth, south of Red Lodge is mountainous, and probably slow going, + stops for pictures, etc. Is it reasonable to go from Red Lodge, to Chief Joseph, then to Cody in a day? I suspect the Park part might be a bit much.
Whatya think? I've read a lot of your posts about this area, so I know you're the expert.
Thanks for the advice.
RK
"Why not spend your first night in Red Lodge, ride the 'Tooth to Cooke City and then enter YNP and do the northern half of the Park. Exit at Cooke City and then take the Chief Joseph Hwy down to Cody. Then from Cody enter the Park at East Entrance and do the southern half of the Park."
Is this a day trip? I know that Beartooth, south of Red Lodge is mountainous, and probably slow going, + stops for pictures, etc. Is it reasonable to go from Red Lodge, to Chief Joseph, then to Cody in a day? I suspect the Park part might be a bit much.
Whatya think? I've read a lot of your posts about this area, so I know you're the expert.
Thanks for the advice.
RK
And the order should be Red Lodge, up the 'Tooth, northern loop of the Park (at Tower go south to Canyon, then west to Madison Jct, then north to Norris, lunch at Mammoth, etc.). Then back out at Cooke City, then the CJ down to Cody. You'll have a great time.
Road Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 774
Likes: 2
From: S.E. Montana
I agree.....West yellowstone is a cool little town for a pit stop. Riding the wsetside of the park down towards old faithful is easy from there. If you into pictures and stopping to do their little side walks etc. You can burn a lot of time in yellowstone.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 3
From: Plano, TX
Traffic through Yellowstone can be slow and painful. The Chief Joseph Highway is spectacular too. I liked it as much as the Beartooth Hwy. The highway from Cody, WY to the East gate of Yellowstone is spectacular and different. Check out the Buffalo Bill Dam, some times there are Mountain goats climbing across the face of it. The Mammoth area of Yellowstone is usually very crowded and traffic and parking are difficult. The Bison are frequently on the road in certain areas, be careful of the idiot cagers, as well as the animals. Jackson and the Tetons are very cool, I rec staying in the tent cabins at Colter Bay. Lots of fun, excellent amenities and services, wildlife walks right up through the grounds. Nice open fire pits, etc.
Faber does have a great outline, almost the same route I took in 09 the biggest thing to plan ahead for is frequently updated construction, summer is the only time of year they can access the high elevation. And one lane of large jagged gravel roads waiting sometimes a half hour or more for the pilot car to return to escort you. can be a rough afternoon noon for but only the rider but an air cooled v-twin idleying in the heat. Be sure to keep a checkup on the parks newspaper (www.nps.gov/yell www.Yellowstone Association.org www.Travel Yellowstone.com (Park Information: 307-344-7381 (TDD:307-344-2386) **ROAD updat
Road Updates 307-344-2117, keep a eye out for that and enjoy the trip of so lifetime. I also suggest buying a Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer 1:225,000 scale Wyoming state map, because but only is it the most informative detailed map that only cost $20 the first page of the atlas opens up to a full two page 1:150,000 scale map within a map of Yellowstone Grand Loop Road. and the entire park. Worth looking into. Enjoy your trip return home safe.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: I travel almost all the time never realy at home.
Definitely check road condition's, when I went there last there had been a rock side on Bear tooth the night before that was a cluster. Yellow stone will be crowed with all the tourons there getting pictures and they seem to not see any thing but what they are taking pictures of... Jenny lake was our stay when we was there but only stayed 2 days and then headed to Zion out the south. Good luck
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 90
From: People's Republik of Kalifornia
5 days is not enough time to cover the area because of geography and all the cool stuff there is to see. Yellowstone alone is worth two-three days if you really want to see and enjoy the park. And you will burn over a tank of gas per day even if you stay in the park. Such are the distances.
I would recommend a trip where you move each day. That way you can cover the distances without having to return each day to the same location. As has been mentioned Cody is 50 miles to the ENTRANCE of YNP, and then you have to go a considerable distance (50+) miles to see the sights. So from the center of the park it would be a two hour trip just to return to Cody.
I think Cody itself is worth a day, YNP at least two and if you want to go to Jackson and Grand Teton Park that's another day. Jackson has some cool museums and gift shops if you're so inclined. Unfortunately, Jackson is a long 150+ miles to Montana to get to those sights, but maybe you ride up to Montana to check that out an then ride south into YNP and end up in Jackson. It might be too late to get reservations in YNP unless you want to camp, but it's easier to see the park if you can stay inside. I really think driving through does not do it justice. But if one day is enough, you can also go into Montana.
Speed limits in the area are 75MPH on the Freeways. Almost all other roads have lower speeds posted.
The nearest actual Harley dealers in the area are in Belgrade, MT(near Bozeman) and Idaho Falls, ID (other side of Tetons). All the others are T-shirt shops.
Take binoculars and a very long lens for your camera. There's a lot of wildlife in the area.
I would recommend a trip where you move each day. That way you can cover the distances without having to return each day to the same location. As has been mentioned Cody is 50 miles to the ENTRANCE of YNP, and then you have to go a considerable distance (50+) miles to see the sights. So from the center of the park it would be a two hour trip just to return to Cody.
I think Cody itself is worth a day, YNP at least two and if you want to go to Jackson and Grand Teton Park that's another day. Jackson has some cool museums and gift shops if you're so inclined. Unfortunately, Jackson is a long 150+ miles to Montana to get to those sights, but maybe you ride up to Montana to check that out an then ride south into YNP and end up in Jackson. It might be too late to get reservations in YNP unless you want to camp, but it's easier to see the park if you can stay inside. I really think driving through does not do it justice. But if one day is enough, you can also go into Montana.
Speed limits in the area are 75MPH on the Freeways. Almost all other roads have lower speeds posted.
The nearest actual Harley dealers in the area are in Belgrade, MT(near Bozeman) and Idaho Falls, ID (other side of Tetons). All the others are T-shirt shops.
Take binoculars and a very long lens for your camera. There's a lot of wildlife in the area.
Last edited by mrmarklin; Jun 22, 2011 at 10:25 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 50
From: Gilbert, AZ
What you'll run into in Yellowstone is people who've never driven a motorhome before driving rented motorhomes trying to park and turn around. Traffic in YNP can be hell at times. It is worth the trouble to go there, though. Gorgeous and interesting place to see.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,831
Likes: 15
From: Nomad
Yellowstone HD (Belgrade, MT) is about 90 miles north of West Yellowstone. Great guys, though. Bought my Harley there, my wife's, too. Service dept is pretty darn good. They will steer you right. They also have a huge rental fleet.
Beartooth HD (Billings, MT) is a real big operation (for Montana). They have a souvenir shop in Red Lodge, and if you are really in a pinch and need some parts, they can have them shuttled down from Billings in a day or two. Great folks at both places.
And if you are *really* in a pinch, in Red Lodge there is Bone Daddy, a custom v-twin builder/wrench. They'll get you on the road, and those guys will tell a story or two that'll put hair on your teeth
.Billings itself is a quick blast up 212, though. And the dealer is on the western fringe of town on the I-90 frontage road.
There is an indy in Cody, too.
But if you are a HOG member and relying on the roadside assistance, you better upgrade to the premium-est plan they have. It will take a while for a bike tow, and longer still to get you to a dealer. There is also minimal cell coverage in the Park and Cooke City (none really in CC, and in the Park the best signals are at Old Faithful and Mammoth). Cell coverage gets iffy about 20 miles west of Cody. West Yellowstone gets a good signal, but once you go up Gallatin Canyon (US 191) towards Big Sky and Bozeman, it's another blackout zone until you hit Gallatin Gateway (there is coverage in Big Sky, but it helps to go up to Meadow Village).
Hope that info helps.
Last edited by faber; Jun 23, 2011 at 07:56 PM.