Origins Hub

Getting to Yellowstone — Pick Your Gateway

Each origin city has a dedicated trip planner. For the four longest drives, there's also an hour-by-hour road-trip itinerary. Start with your home city below.

8 origin guides 4 road-trip itineraries All routes end 30 min from Yellowstone

Long-Haul Gateways

Cities where most guests fly or split the drive over two days. Each card links to a full trip planner and a complete road-trip itinerary.

From Boise, ID

BOI

~5 hrs · 300 mi · US-20 east

The easiest long-haul drive in the West — one road, no passes.

Trip planner from Boise → Boise to Yellowstone Road Trip Guide →

Hour-by-hour US-20 itinerary with Craters of the Moon detour.

From Salt Lake City, UT

SLC

~4h 30m · 285 mi · I-15 + US-20

Cheapest gateway airport — fares usually beat BZN and JAC by hundreds.

Trip planner from Salt Lake City → Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Road Trip →

SLC airport tips, stops, and where to overnight if you don't drive straight.

From Denver, CO

DEN · BZN · IDA · JAC

~9 hrs · 560 mi · I-25 + I-80 + US-20

Fly-or-drive decision: most Denver guests fly into BZN or IDA.

Trip planner from Denver → Denver to Yellowstone Road Trip Guide →

2-day driving plan with Wyoming overnight options, or fly to BZN/IDA/JAC.

From Seattle, WA

SEA · BZN

2-day · I-90 · 1,015 mi · 15 hrs total

Direct SEA→BZN flights save a full day each way.

Trip planner from Seattle → Seattle to Yellowstone Road Trip Guide →

Two-day I-90 itinerary with a Missoula or Bozeman overnight stop.

Regional Drives

Day-of-arrival drives from the closest airports and gateway towns — perfect for fly-in guests.

From Idaho Falls, ID

IDA

~90 min · 60 mi · US-20 north

Closest commercial airport — fly into IDA and you're at the cabin by lunch.

Trip planner from Idaho Falls → Driving Island Park to Yellowstone →

Route options, fuel stops, and scenic detours once you're at the cabin.

From Bozeman, MT

BZN

~2 hrs · 120 mi · US-191 Gallatin Canyon

BZN is the busiest Yellowstone gateway airport — fly in, drive south.

Trip planner from Bozeman →

From Jackson, WY

JAC

~2h 30m · 115 mi · Teton Pass + Teton Valley

Combine Jackson Hole stops with Island Park lodging at a fraction of the cost.

Trip planner from Jackson →

From Billings, MT

BIL

~5h 30m · 330 mi · I-90 or Beartooth Hwy (summer)

Summer-only Beartooth Highway is one of the great American drives.

Trip planner from Billings →

All Origins at a Glance

Drive times below are estimates in normal summer conditions.

Origin	Drive	Airport	Trip Planner	Road-Trip Blog
Boise, ID	~5 hrs	BOI	/from/boise →	Read guide →
Salt Lake City, UT	~4h 30m	SLC	/from/salt-lake-city →	Read guide →
Denver, CO	~9 hrs	DEN/BZN/IDA/JAC	/from/denver →	Read guide →
Seattle, WA	2-day · I-90	SEA/BZN	/from/seattle →	Read guide →
Idaho Falls, ID	~90 min	IDA	/from/idaho-falls →	Drive guide →
Bozeman, MT	~2 hrs	BZN	/from/bozeman →	—
Jackson, WY	~2h 30m	JAC	/from/jackson →	—
Billings, MT	~5h 30m	BIL	/from/billings →	—

Always check current road conditions and weather before departure — winter storms and seasonal closures (Beartooth Highway, Teton Pass) can shift times significantly.

Once You've Picked a Gateway

Next steps for every origin city.

Compare All Yellowstone Airports

BZN, IDA, JAC, SLC and more — drive times and typical fares side by side.

Which Yellowstone Entrance?

Pick the right gate for your gateway city and trip length.

Where to Basecamp

Island Park vs West Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and Big Sky.

Yellowstone Packing List

Seasonal gear, road-trip essentials, and what to leave at home.

5-Day Itinerary

Day-by-day plan covering both parks from your Island Park basecamp.

Full Trip-Planning Hub

40+ guides covering itineraries, wildlife, dining, hiking, and more.

Ready to Book Your Basecamp?

Lodgepole Pines Retreat sleeps 12, sits 30 minutes from Yellowstone's West Entrance, and reaches Grand Teton in roughly 2h 20m.

Check Availability See the Cabin