Easiest route in Yellowstone Park for 1st Time RVer

Face your fears, plan the normal/direct or scenic route, allow extra time to go at a moderate pace.

I came up from the south through Jackson/Teton. Then headed east through Cody to Rushmore.

Go for a few local weekend practice runs before the big trip.

Rick and Carol wrote:
After evaluating some suggestions we may delete Cody as a stop. Too out of the way.

Too bad, especially if you have kids along with you. We've been to Jackson, been to Cody, and intentionally allowed 2 days in Cody so we could visit the museum, eat at the Irma Hotel, take in the rodeo, even the evening gunfight in town ... would go back in a heartbeat even though our boys are now well past camping and traveling with us.

Wow my first post and so much valuable info! After evaluating some suggestions we may delete Cody as a stop. Too out of the way. Thinking now when leaving Yellowstone to take 191 to I90 into Billings then take I90 on through Buffalo toward Mount Rushmore area. By deleting Cody this will allow for some time in the Jackson/Teton area. Still evaluating about going the route through Idaho Falls then north after seeing Jackson/Teton area. Great to know what roads to avoid!

old guy wrote:
if you don't like windy and steep roads then stay away from the east entrance.

:h Last time we went to Yellowstone we came in via the east entrance from Cody, Wy and even though some sections of the road were entirely missing due to road construction I don't recall us having any difficulty at all. Since we were camping in Grant Village we exited via the south entrance and took Rt 287 down towards Riverton ... again no issues at all. The one route I would try to avoid when towing is Rt 212 from Red Lodge ... spectacular views but a lot of switchbacks. :E

IMO the most level route from I80 would be to take route 191 from Rock Springs to Hoback Junction, then south to Alpine Junction, route 26 to Idaho Falls and route 20 on up to West Yellowstone.

The above route misses Grand Teton NP, which is a shame. If you have time for Grand Teton, just turn north at Hoback Junction to Jackson. After Grand Teton, you could go back south through Idaho Falls as above, or go north through the Yellowstone South entrance and through the Park to West Yellowstone. There are ups and downs inside Yellowstone, but no serious mountain driving.

Route 287 from Rawlins is also a good route that will take you over the Togwotee Pass between Dubois and Moran Junction. It's a long gradual climb and a gradual descent into Jackson Hole.

Route 191 north from West Yellowstone to I90 is the easiest drive to start on the way to the Black Hills in SD.

Old Guy is correct that the east entrance to Cody is a steep and curvy down grade. The easiest way I can think of to get to Cody would be to take I90 to Laurel MT then route 212, 72 and 120 south the Cody. Quite a bit of extra driving to avoid the grade on the east entrance. A long day trip through the Park to Cody and back in the Tundra is a consideration, although that's a lot of miles too.

You don't want to take the northeast entrance leaving the Park, since that goes over either the Beartooth Highway or the Chief Joseph Highway. Absolutely beautiful drives, but both definitely mountain driving.

Get a copy of the Mountain Directory West (there is also one for the east). Use it to check your planned route to see what steep passes and grades are on that route and change routes if necessary. If you do come in from the south you will go through Grand Tetons National Park. I highly recommend you spend a couple nights there. Then it's only about 60 miles to Yellowstone. Have a great trip.

if you don't like windy and steep roads then stay away from the east entrance.

We are planning Minnesota to Yellowstone this September, different route, so not all will apply to me, but I am still going to watch this post and absorb all the info I can :)

We did Custer State Park "Game Lodge" campground and Rushmore last September and we loved it. There are a few roads in that area that are NOT RV friendly like the "Needles highway" and "Iron Mountain road", we explored those without the camper in tow ;) The "wilderness trail" in Custer is a must, its terminus on one end is right at the "Game Lodge" campground, so we ended up driving it like 5 or 6 different times since it was so close and it was so cool ;)
The "wilderness trail" and parts of "Iron Mountain" and "Needles" are IN the park, and as such require a paid park pass, but if you camp in the park, you would have one of those anyways.

I would come north on US 30 and US 287, enter Yellowstone from the Jackson, WY south entrance.
Leave West Yellowstone via US US 191
These routes are fairly flat, curvy somewhat but not bad.