Yellowstone from Red Lodge: The Beartooth Approach and Smart Day Trips (Part 2 of 2)
**TLDR:** Access Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance from Red Lodge via the Beartooth Highway for direct access to Lamar Valley, the park's premier wildlife viewing corridor with less crowding than western entrances. This guide covers summer and winter access strategies, realistic day-trip itineraries, entrance fees, and fuel logistics. Complete seasonal planning information helps you maximize Yellowstone visits while using Red Lodge as your comfortable basecamp.
Welcome back. In Part 1, we covered everything that makes Red Lodge itself worth your time: trails, scenic drives, winter activities, dining, and year-round culture.
Now let's talk about the other reason you're here: Yellowstone National Park.
Here's what makes the Red Lodge approach to Yellowstone special: you don't drive through boring gateway sprawl or fight traffic in West Yellowstone. You don't arrive via congested south entrance corridors or navigate Jackson Hole tourist chaos.
You drive the Beartooth Highway (one of the most spectacular roads in America) and enter Yellowstone through its northeast entrance into Lamar Valley, widely considered the park's premier wildlife viewing corridor.
This isn't a consolation prize because you couldn't find lodging in the park. This is the better way to experience Yellowstone for anyone who values the journey as much as the destination.
This is Part 2 of our Red Lodge and Yellowstone guide. We're covering the Beartooth Highway approach, how to maximize Lamar Valley wildlife viewing, realistic day-trip itineraries for summer and winter, practical logistics like entrance fees and fuel, and the seasonal realities that shape how you plan Yellowstone visits from Red Lodge.
Let's talk about experiencing Yellowstone the way it deserves to be experienced: with an epic approach and strategic day trips that avoid the crowds while maximizing the wildlife.
How Do I Get from Red Lodge to Yellowstone?
From Red Lodge, take US-212 (Beartooth Highway) south approximately 63.5 miles to Cooke City/Silver Gate and the Yellowstone Northeast Entrance. This route typically operates late May through mid-October. In winter, access the year-round corridor via the North Entrance at Gardiner, or use Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296) as an alternate when weather closes the Beartooth.
Summer and Fall Access: The Beartooth Highway Route
The Primary Approach (Late May Through Mid-October)
Route: Red Lodge to US-212 Beartooth Highway to Cooke City/Silver Gate to Yellowstone Northeast Entrance
Distance: approximately 63.5 miles from Red Lodge to the park entrance
Drive Time: Plan 2-3+ hours with stops and weather considerations
This is it. The approach that makes Red Lodge basecamp strategy worth considering. You're not driving Interstate miles to reach the park. You're experiencing one of America's most dramatic mountain highways as your entrance corridor.
When Is the Beartooth Highway Open?
The Beartooth Highway typically opens on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend and closes in mid-October, weather permitting. However, the road can close temporarily at any time during the season due to summer snowstorms, even in July and August. Always check Montana 511 and road status on the morning of your drive.
What Is the Beartooth Highway Like?
The Beartooth Highway climbs from Red Lodge (5,500 feet) to Beartooth Pass (10,947 feet) through dramatic switchbacks, alpine tundra, and high-plateau lakes before descending to Cooke City. The route features numerous pullouts for photos, interpretive stops like Rock Creek Vista Point, and spectacular scenery that rivals anything inside Yellowstone itself.
Winter and Year-Round Access Options
When the Beartooth Closes
Once the Beartooth Highway closes for winter (typically mid-October through late May), your Yellowstone access strategy changes completely.
Year-Round Corridor Inside the Park
The only road inside Yellowstone open to regular vehicles year-round (weather permitting) runs: North Entrance (Gardiner) to Mammoth Hot Springs to Tower Junction to Lamar Valley to Northeast Entrance (Cooke City/Silver Gate).
This creates a winter access option from Red Lodge, though it requires either:
Driving to Gardiner via longer routing (Livingston area)
Using Chief Joseph Scenic Byway when conditions allow
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296): The Alternate Route
Distance: approximately 46 miles
Status: Generally maintained year-round
Reality: Subject to winter storms and occasional delays
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway links the Cooke City area to WY-120 toward Cody, providing an alternate when the Beartooth is closed or weather looks questionable. The byway offers excellent scenery and less extreme elevation than the Beartooth, making it a worthy route in its own right.
Always check Wyoming DOT road status before committing to winter travel on Chief Joseph.
What Are Yellowstone Entrance Fees?
Yellowstone charges $35 for a private vehicle (7-day access). The Yellowstone Annual Pass costs $70. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass (all US national parks and federal lands) costs $80. Purchase passes online to reduce gate wait times and bring photo ID matching the pass holder name.
How Far Is Red Lodge from Lamar Valley?
Red Lodge sits approximately 63.5 miles from the Yellowstone Northeast Entrance via the Beartooth Highway. From the entrance, Lamar Valley begins immediately, with prime wildlife viewing pullouts spread along the next 15-20 miles. Silver Gate to Mammoth Hot Springs measures approximately 50.5 miles, though wildlife traffic can extend drive times significantly.
What Is Lamar Valley and Why Should I Care?
Lamar Valley serves as Yellowstone's premier wildlife viewing corridor, offering roadside access to bison, elk, pronghorn, wolves, bears, and numerous other species in a broad valley setting with excellent sight lines. Dawn and dusk provide the best viewing opportunities. The valley sits between the Northeast Entrance and Tower Junction along the year-round corridor.
Lamar Valley: Why the Northeast Entrance Wins
The Wildlife Corridor Everyone Wants
If you poll Yellowstone regulars on the best wildlife viewing in the park, Lamar Valley consistently tops the list. This broad valley between the Northeast Entrance and Tower Junction offers:
Roadside bison herds (prepare for traffic jams)
Elk populations visible from pullouts
Pronghorn on open slopes
Wolf pack sightings (especially dawn with spotting scopes)
Occasional bears (maintain required 100-yard distance)
Countless other species in a landscape that allows actual viewing
Why Lamar Beats Old Faithful Crowds
Everyone goes to Old Faithful. Not everyone drives the Northeast Entrance. This creates a fundamental advantage: you're experiencing Yellowstone's wildlife corridor while crowds concentrate at thermal features and visitor centers.
Best Viewing Times
Dawn and dusk win by a significant margin. Early morning light brings animals out to feed. Evening brings them back. Midday viewing is possible but less productive.
Viewing Etiquette
Use pullouts, not roadways, for stopping
Stay at least 25 yards from most wildlife
Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves
Never approach or crowd animals
Patience during "bison jams" (herds crossing roads): this is part of the experience
What Are the Best Yellowstone Day Trips from Red Lodge?
Top summer day trips include the Classic Wildlife Day (pre-dawn Beartooth drive, sunrise Lamar Valley viewing, Mammoth Hot Springs boardwalks), Hot Springs & Terraces combo (Lamar viewing, Mammoth, exit to Yellowstone Hot Springs for soaking), and winter Lamar Valley wildlife drives on the year-round corridor. Each requires full-day commitment with early starts for best wildlife viewing.
Summer and Fall Day-Trip Strategies from Red Lodge
Classic Wildlife Day: Beartooth to Lamar at Sunrise to Mammoth to Return
Audience: Wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, families ready for a long day
Duration: Full day, 12+ hours with stops
The Itinerary:
Pre-dawn departure from Red Lodge
Drive Beartooth Highway as sunrise illuminates alpine landscape
Enter Northeast Entrance
Arrive Lamar Valley at dawn for prime wildlife viewing
Continue to Mammoth Hot Springs for boardwalk exploration and lunch
Return via same route
What You'll See: Bison herds, elk, pronghorn, possible wolf sightings with binoculars, fox, and with luck, bears. Mammoth's travertine terraces provide completely different scenery: active thermal formations with boardwalk access.
Critical Tips:
Start very early (3:30-4 AM departure depending on season)
Pack picnic breakfast to eat at a Lamar pullout
Expect "bison jams" to slow progress (this is normal)
Top off fuel in Red Lodge; Cooke City fuel is seasonal
Hot Springs & Terraces: Lamar to Mammoth to Soak to Return
Audience: Couples and families wanting gentler pace with soak option
Duration: Full day
The Itinerary:
Red Lodge to Beartooth to Lamar Valley wildlife viewing
Mammoth Terraces boardwalks
Exit North Entrance (Gardiner)
Drive 8 miles north to Yellowstone Hot Springs for soaking
Dinner in Gardiner
Return to Red Lodge
Why This Works: Combines wildlife viewing with thermal features and the reward of hot springs soaking. Less intense than all-day wildlife stalking. More balanced for groups with varied interests.
Yellowstone Hot Springs Details:
Location: 8 miles north of Gardiner
Typical hours: Often Tuesday-Sunday 9 AM to 9 PM, closed Mondays (verify current schedule)
What to bring: Swimsuits, towels, change of clothes
Cody Heritage & Byway Scenery: The Off-Park Option
Audience: Scenic byway fans, museum enthusiasts, when Beartooth weather looks questionable
Duration: Half to full day
The Route: Red Lodge to Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296) to Cody museums and downtown to return (or partial Beartooth if conditions allow)
Why Choose This: Sometimes weather closes the Beartooth or makes high-elevation driving unpleasant. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway provides excellent alternative scenery at lower elevation. Cody offers museums (Buffalo Bill Center of the West being the crown jewel), western shopping, and dining.
Check Wyoming DOT for construction delays before committing.
What Is Yellowstone Like in Winter from Red Lodge?
Winter Yellowstone access from Red Lodge uses the year-round Mammoth-Lamar-Cooke City corridor, the only road inside the park open to regular vehicles from mid-December through mid-March. Interior park roads operate oversnow only (snowcoach/snowmobile by permitted operators). Wildlife stands out dramatically against snow, making Lamar Valley exceptional for winter viewing.
Winter Day Trips: Yellowstone from Red Lodge
Lamar Valley Winter Wildlife (Self-Drive)
Why: The Mammoth to Lamar to Cooke City corridor stays plowed for regular vehicles year-round (weather permitting). Wildlife becomes more visible against snow. The park takes on completely different character.
The Route: Reach the park via the year-round corridor, slow-roll through Lamar Valley pullouts watching for animals
Duration: Full winter day with reduced daylight
What to Bring:
Winter tires or chains
Thermos with hot drinks
Extra layers and emergency supplies
Headlamps (daylight is limited)
Binoculars or spotting scope
Patience for winter road conditions
The Reality: Winter roads inside Yellowstone can be icy, snow-packed, and slow. Bison use roads as easier travel corridors, creating jams. Temperatures can be brutally cold. But the wildlife viewing in winter rivals or exceeds summer, with animals concentrated in valleys and visible against white landscapes.
Mammoth Day + Optional Oversnow Interior Tour
The Route: Drive to Gardiner/Mammoth (year-round gate access) to explore Mammoth Terraces and historic Fort Yellowstone to optionally add a pre-booked snowcoach or snowmobile tour into the park interior
Duration: Full day, or split over two days if adding oversnow tour
Oversnow Tours:
Operate mid-December through mid-March
Access interior park roads closed to regular vehicles
Popular destinations: Old Faithful, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Book well ahead, especially for holidays
What Should I See Once I'm Inside Yellowstone?
Beyond Lamar Valley and Mammoth Hot Springs (covered above), the Northeast Entrance approach gives you natural access to the park's less-crowded northern tier. Unlike the west and south entrances that funnel everyone toward Old Faithful, the northeast approach spreads visitors across a broader corridor with less congestion.
What Entrance Should I Use for Yellowstone from Red Lodge?
Use the Northeast Entrance at Cooke City/Silver Gate when the Beartooth Highway is open (late May through mid-October). This provides the most direct and scenic access. In winter or when the Beartooth is closed, access via the North Entrance at Gardiner using the year-round corridor. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway offers an alternate when Beartooth conditions are questionable.
Practical Logistics: Fuel, Food, and Planning
Fuel Strategy
Top off in Red Lodge before any Yellowstone day trip
Cooke City has seasonal fuel (Exxon when open)
Mammoth has fuel with seasonal hours
Don't pass available fuel in Montana/Wyoming mountains
Food and Supplies
Pack more food and water than you think necessary. Yellowstone services operate seasonally with limited hours. "We'll just grab lunch somewhere" often turns into $50 of mediocre cafeteria food after waiting in line.
Trail lunches from Babcock & Miles in Red Lodge beat anything you'll find once you're in the park.
Road Status Checks
Bookmark these and check morning-of:
Montana 511 (Beartooth status)
Yellowstone National Park road status page
Wyoming DOT 511 (Chief Joseph Scenic Byway)
Mountain road conditions change fast. Morning's clear skies don't guarantee afternoon access, especially at high elevation.
Cell Coverage
Spotty to nonexistent in canyons and high country. Download maps offline, carry paper backup maps, and don't rely on GPS once you're in remote areas.
Wildlife Safety
Never approach wildlife
Use pullouts for viewing
Keep all food secured (bears have excellent noses)
Carry bear spray on any trails (know how to use it before you need it)
Sample Yellowstone Day Trip Itineraries from Red Lodge
Summer Option 1: Lamar + Mammoth in One Day
4:00 AM: Depart Red Lodge
4:30 AM: Watch sunrise illuminate Beartooth switchbacks
7:00 AM: Enter Northeast Entrance, begin Lamar wildlife viewing
10:00 AM: Continue to Mammoth
11:00 AM: Mammoth Terraces boardwalks
12:30 PM: Lunch (pack your own or use Mammoth services)
2:00 PM: Begin return journey
5:00 PM: Back in Red Lodge (adjust for stops and traffic)
Summer Option 2: Lamar + Hot Springs Soak
5:00 AM: Depart Red Lodge
7:30 AM: Lamar Valley wildlife viewing
11:00 AM: Mammoth exploration
1:00 PM: Exit North Entrance, drive to Yellowstone Hot Springs
2:00 PM: Soak and relax
5:00 PM: Dinner in Gardiner
7:00 PM: Begin return to Red Lodge
Winter Option: Lamar Wildlife Focus
Dawn: Drive year-round corridor; arrive Lamar at sunrise
Morning: Wildlife viewing with frequent pullouts
Midday: Warm up at Mammoth; walk lower terraces
Afternoon: Second wildlife pass through Lamar
Early evening: Return (allow extra time for winter roads and reduced daylight)
How Long Should I Spend in Yellowstone from Red Lodge?
Plan full days (minimum 10-12 hours door-to-door) for any Red Lodge to Yellowstone trip. The Beartooth Highway drive itself takes 2-3 hours each way with stops, plus time inside the park for wildlife viewing, hiking, and exploration. Attempting half-day trips results in rushed experiences and missed opportunities.
Final Thoughts: Red Lodge and Yellowstone Done Right
We've given you two complete posts covering Red Lodge itself (Part 1) and Yellowstone access from Red Lodge (Part 2).
The Red Lodge basecamp strategy works because it combines world-class local recreation (trails, Beartooth Highway, ski mountain, authentic town) with strategic Yellowstone access that avoids the worst crowds while delivering the best wildlife viewing.
You're not just sleeping in Red Lodge because the park was booked. You're choosing Red Lodge because it offers a better overall experience: epic approach, less-crowded park access, excellent local activities, and authentic mountain town culture.
The Beartooth Highway is one of America's great drives. Lamar Valley is Yellowstone's wildlife crown jewel. Red Lodge gives you both, plus everything else that makes a mountain vacation memorable.
We've covered the trails, the drives, the wildlife strategies, the seasonal realities, the winter options, and the practical logistics. Now all you have to do is check the Beartooth Highway status, book your room, and start planning the trip.
The pass is waiting. Lamar Valley's wolves are out there. And Red Lodge is ready to be your basecamp for all of it.
Ready to experience Red Lodge and Yellowstone the right way? The Yodeler puts you at the center of it all with easy access to the Beartooth Highway, local trails, and the northeast approach to Yellowstone. Book your room and start building your Montana adventure.