Kansas City to Yellowstone best route

[drillagent]

I’ve made our reservations for two weeks of awesome camping at Fishing Bridge RV Campground at Yellowstone for Summer FY15. Now all I need to do is plan the route and complete the fuel/food/cost estimate. My question is, which way is the flattest with the most fuel stops for a 5th wheel along the way, from the East or from the South? Any help would be much appreciated.

[kknowlton]

What Oakman said, other than you might consider going through Riverton and up to Dubois, over Togwotee Pass to Moran Junction, through Grand Teton along the Rockefeller Parkway, past Lewis River Canyon, Grant Village, around Yellowstone Lake and over to Fishing Bridge. Climbs will be a bit less than over Sylvan, and you'll get to see part of the Park on the way there. Also, you'll get to see Grand Teton and Jackson Lake on the way as well. I'm partial to Grand Teton, think it's way prettier than Yellowstone, but doesn't have near as many "features". Either way you go, have a great time. The trip over Sylvan is breathtaking.

Good summary. Dubois is a cute little town with a decent KOA (try for one of the back-in sites along the river) and a great RV/truck mechanic at the gas station closest to the CG (you don't want to know how we know! 🙂 ) Togwotee Pass (US 26) is a beautiful ride, nothing too severe as far as climbs & turns.

Good pic's, Oakman!

[jalichty]

Yes, it's nice being so close, takes less than three hours to get from our place to Colter Bay and get a spot to park. Then we get to have fun. We are only about 10 minutes from Sinks Canyon here in the town we live in, Lander, Wyoming. In 15 minutes, I can leave town and be at a place to drop off our ATVs and go four-wheeling or 45 minutes to a really nice fishing lake on the indian reservation.

[Oakman]

I live in the St. Louis, MO area so it's a long haul to Yellowstone for us. I'm jealous of jalichty living so close to GTNP and YNP. IMO the Grand Canyon with the Lower Falls is a "must see" for anyone visiting Yellowstone.

Lower Falls

[jalichty]

Sinks Canyon would be spectacular right now with the snow melt going on. The river is probably quite high and roaring going into the Sinks and a lot of water has got to be coming up at the Rise where the big trout are. Nice picture. We generally get up to Grand Teton, camping in Colter Bay for a week at a time about three times a summer, to fish Jackson Lake, sightsee and go up to Yellowstone at least one day during each trip. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is worth the trip every time. Can't make out your state from the picture. Colors look like Wyoming but no bucking horse.

[Oakman]

jalichty wrote:
What Oakman said, other than you might consider going through Riverton and up to Dubois, over Togwotee Pass to Moran Junction, through Grand Teton along the Rockefeller Parkway, past Lewis River Canyon, Grant Village, around Yellowstone Lake and over to Fishing Bridge. Climbs will be a bit less than over Sylvan, and you'll get to see part of the Park on the way there. Also, you'll get to see Grand Teton and Jackson Lake on the way as well. I'm partial to Grand Teton, think it's way prettier than Yellowstone, but doesn't have near as many "features". Either way you go, have a great time. The trip over Sylvan is breathtaking.

This is the route we take since we usually stay a few days in Grand Teton NP before going into YNP. The two parks are just a few miles apart and both parks are spectacular. Here’s one of my favorite pics of our first fifth wheel on the road to GTNP in 2004.



BTW jalichty, we've overnighted in Lander a couple of times and we really enjoyed driving through Sinks Canyon State Park too.

[jalichty]

What Oakman said, other than you might consider going through Riverton and up to Dubois, over Togwotee Pass to Moran Junction, through Grand Teton along the Rockefeller Parkway, past Lewis River Canyon, Grant Village, around Yellowstone Lake and over to Fishing Bridge. Climbs will be a bit less than over Sylvan, and you'll get to see part of the Park on the way there. Also, you'll get to see Grand Teton and Jackson Lake on the way as well. I'm partial to Grand Teton, think it's way prettier than Yellowstone, but doesn't have near as many "features". Either way you go, have a great time. The trip over Sylvan is breathtaking.

[Oakman]

Without adding to many extra miles to your trip the route I would take from KC would be North on I-29 to Hwy 2. Hwy 2 into Lincoln, NE and connect with I-80 and continue into Wyoming. From I-80 connect to I-25 north in Cheyenne, WY. Take I-25 to Casper, WY and connect with state hwy 20/26. In Shoshoni Hwy 26 breaks off from Hwy 20 so continue north on Hwys 20/789 to Thermopolis, WY. In Thermopolis connect with Hwy 120 and take that to Cody, WY. In Cody connect with Hwys 14/16 and take that into Yellowstone NP. The steepest grade you will encounter on this route will be the Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone NP which is 5 to 7% for about six miles.

You won’t have any issues getting diesel along the interstate highways. Once you leave the interstates in Wyoming diesel fuel is available in Thermopolis and Cody.

[Gale_Hawkins]

We took I-70 to Salinas KS then took 81 to I-80 west to Sidney and turned north there because Bad Lands and Mt. Rushmore were our first to stops before YS. We were just driving a 32' MH but Sidney to 44 going into Badlands NP was small roads and no tourist traps for sure. 🙂

[CaptPicky]

A few years ago, I took I-90 across South Dakota. Easy drive but you need to make sure you fill up before leaving the east part of the state because there is not much in the middle of SD especially on a Sunday until you reach Rapid City.

[kknowlton]

Well, nothing is really flat, but the flattest route there is likely via I-90 to Bozeman, Montana, then south along US 191 to West Yellowstone, then east into the park. However, that would be the long way around.

Other routes you could consider, which we have taken, would be I-90 until just west of Billings, Montana, south on US 310 to Bridger MT, then MT 72 to Belfry, which becomes WY 120 south of the state border. That will take you to Cody. Good 2-lane roads and not a lot of traffic between Billings & Cody that way, relatively flat. Gas up in Billings or near I-90 before heading south; you should be able to get to Cody fine, where you can fill up again. The drive into Yellowstone from there is scenic, and will be mountain driving - lots of turns, some places a bit harrow, but many of us have trailered along that route and it's do-able, just take it easy.

If you would prefer to do I-80, which for the most part is flat, just a loooooong gradual uphill across Nebraska, with a good pull between Cheyenne & Laramie, you can cut off on I-84 in eastern Utah, missing the climb over the Wasatch into SLC. From there, head north to I-15 across southeast Idaho - take US 20 from Idaho Falls to West Yellowstone, or take US 26 from Idaho Falls to Jackson WY. Either is a relatively flat route. Gas up in Idaho Falls and then Alpine, WY if needed on US 26; for US 20 you'll find stations in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Ashton and Island Park before reaching West Yellowstone.