Need help with Route

[Sgt__Tom]

Hi everyone, new to board. I will be making a trip from Wisconsin to Rapid City. Possibly going on to Yellowstone pulling a Fifth wheel. I have been out to Yellowstone on Hwy. 16 several times. I'm not sure if this is the best route to take with a 27 foot trailer. Would I be better off going on 16 or dropping down from I90 in Montana? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Sgt. Tom

[Jim_Shoe]

It all depends on your comfort level driving across the Bighorns and towing. If you stay on I-90 and enter YNP from the north, its 620 miles. If you travel 16 its 530 miles. If you choose I-90 you can stop at Little Bighorn Battlefield. Its pretty interesting.

[sweetnoni]

Just came over rt.16 with a 27 ft travel trailer and pick up. I would say experience would be the deciding factor. W to E is quite a descent into
Buffalo. We had some icy roads on top, and it was snowing/sleeting, and
there was road work going on. It is a beautiful drive though.

[Sgt__Tom]

Thanks for the help. I'll be taking 16. See ya down the road

[newk]

I agree with my Gillette neighbor. ^^^ (Hi Bighorns!) I've taken all the routes into Yellowstone with various campers, and the one that makes the most sense from the Black Hills (and Gillette) is probably Hwy. 16. After that initial climb out of Buffalo it's pretty much rolling hills and gentle curves until the drop into Ten Sleep Canyon on the way down the west slope (just past Ten Sleep Creek). There you'll find two hairpin curves, one right after the other, with a suggested speed of 20-25 mph.

Hwy 14 is a good, safe road too (not 14A), but it's a bit steeper going up and coming down. You might want to take one route west-bound and another east-bound just for variety, but 16 is the easier of the two.

Routes going through Montana are fine too, but unless you're pulling way too much weight with way too little truck, it's mostly a waste of time and fuel. (Although I will allude that the Beartooth Highway (Billings-Red Lodge-Yellowstone) is a magnificent drive if you don't mind steep grades and sharp curves.)

[Bighorns]

I would take 16. It would not be a bad drive at all with a 27 ft. I live an hour away and take that route several times a year with my 32 ft fiver. The worst part of that route is your climb out of Buffalo for about 10 miles. After that its pretty easy driving. Taking the I-90 route is going to add a lot of miles to your trip. The 16 route will take you through the East entrance of Yellowstone outside of Cody Wyoming and is about a
3 1/2 hour drive from Buffalo Wyoming. I think you would really enjoy Cody. There are a lot of activities in that area during the summer. If you have time I recommend you go through the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum in Cody. Plan at least a half day if you go to the museum. Good luck and happy traveling!! 🙂

[johnrbd]

DesertHawk -- "I-90 W to Livingston, then US 89 S to Gardner & North Entrance is an easy climb up to Mammoth Area. We used this route in 2009. Less climb than from Cody up & down into Yellowstone Lake area. But was come from North Dakota. Via I-94 W to I-90 W by Billings."

This the route we used coming from Wisc. It was a piece of cake. Nice easy drive. We had no issues towing our 31-ft 5vr. We camped at a little park, just outside Gardiner called Yellowstone RV Park, right on the Yellowstone River running along the back side of the park.

[DesertHawk]

I've never used US 16 route from Buffalo, so couldn't guess (seem to remember people saying it isn't a bad route). Easier than US 14 from Sheridan from what I've heard, I believe.

I went up that way once, even took 14 A, wouldn't do it again. The 14 A part, It was a rush.

I-90 W to Livingston, then US 89 S to Gardner & North Entrance is an easy climb up to Mammoth Area. We used this route in 2009. Less climb than from Cody up & down into Yellowstone Lake area. But was come from North Dakota. Via I-94 W to I-90 W by Billings.

Eastside Routes Into Yellowstone

My Guess would be with your rig, you wouldn't have a problem. Seems the climb up from Cody isn't as bad as the climb from Fishing Bridge area to Cody. Should be a lot shorter route for you.