Yellowstone Trip

Yellowstone is mostly a large Plateau. The east gate route takes you through the Shoshone River Valley. My favorite place to see moose. No that hard, but you to keep your eyes on the road.

That route takes you over the Bighorn Mountains. Doable, but steep in spots. If your plans include staying a day or two in Cody (Buffalo Bill Historical Center is AMAZING!), it's the best route. Whatever you do, do not take 14A to Burgess Junction. The Southern route you have planned , (over the Bighorns thru Ten Sleep and in to Buffalo) is the best route.
If you don't intend to stop in Cody and are just looking for the best route from Yellowstone to the Black Hills, just leave West Yellowstone and go north on 191 to Bozeman and pick up I-90 there. It will be a few miles longer, but a couple of hours shorter, especially if you take 212 from Garryowen (site of Little Bighorn Battle) over to Belle Fourche, SD then down to Sturgis.

We were planning to stay in Cody for 2 days to see the sites there

I personally love going over the Bighorn Mtn on 14a but agree that for most people it is not a good idea. I don't mind the extreme nature of 14a. I have gone over it in both directions with a variety of vehicle combinations.

I have also gone over on 16 and would highly recommend it to most people. You will still be doing some steep and twisted roads.

We took that route last September pulling 26' trailer. Loved it going that way.

BarabooBob wrote:
I personally love going over the Bighorn Mtn on 14a but agree that for most people it is not a good idea. I don't mind the extreme nature of 14a. I have gone over it in both directions with a variety of vehicle combinations.

I have also gone over on 16 and would highly recommend it to most people. You will still be doing some steep and twisted roads.

I feel the same way about 14 & 14A

We stayed at the Yellowstone West Entrance last September. You'll love it.

Suggest you sign up for a Yellowstone tour and let someone else do the driving as it's a huge park.

TechWriter wrote:
We stayed at the Yellowstone West Entrance last September. You'll love it.

Suggest you sign up for a Yellowstone tour and let someone else do the driving as it's a huge park.

Kool . . . Last time we were there was in 1998 and drove to Old Faithful on the Harley. It got really cold and we actually were in some snow flurries then.We did not need reservations then and stayed at Fishing Bridge Campground there.

We did that route 1 time. It is a steep, mountainous, twisting set of switchbacks going up and then down to Sheridan. I have never done it again because we nearly burned up the transmission on the climb (burning smell came through the ventilation and we quickly pulled over to cool off the rig).

It you have done this type of road and are comfortable doing it, it is doable with great care.

vjstangelo wrote:
We did that route 1 time. It is a steep, mountainous, twisting set of switchbacks going up and then down to Sheridan. I have never done it again because we nearly burned up the transmission on the climb (burning smell came through the ventilation and we quickly pulled over to cool off the rig).

It you have done this type of road and are comfortable doing it, it is doable with great care.

Are you talking about the Burgess route or OPs southern route?