#76 of 164 things to do in Yellowstone National Park

Scenic Drives

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A one-way dirt road where many wolf are found.

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Yellowstone National Park Audio Driving Tour
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Yellowstone National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
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Scenic Float on the Yellowstone River
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Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch
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The area

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We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.

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8 within 10 kms

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1.6 kmBodies of Water

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Points of Interest & Landmarks

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0

89 reviews

Excellent

30

Very good

25

Average

24

Poor

5

Terrible

5

Melaney68

Chesapeake Beach, MD11,360 contributions

You have to commit once you start

Aug 2020

We were exploring and decided that we would take a risk and explore the 6 mile long, one-way, dirt road. It was fun to slow down and take in the scenery, however we ended up in a group of cars going extremely slow so we were at their mercy. Our compact car did not have any trouble with the terrain but we did take it easy. We did not see any animals during our late morning trek.

Written 6 July 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ken S

Livingston, MT2 contributions

Check to see when opens

Jun 2020 • Solo

I rode my bike on this road and blew by the sign that says no hiking from April something until June something. It’s closed for good reason. I goes through prime grizzly habitat. I biked within about 150 ft of a grizzly that had just killed a elk calf. We had a few second stand off and I turned around and left. I shouldn’t have been there. The signs say to stay out until sometime in June. What a beautiful ride that was. Came back and drove it in July. Saw some bison. Stay out until it opens. Zoom on the photo

Written 25 May 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suzanne

Dallas, TX286 contributions

Slow vibe

Jul 2023

This drive is located off of Grand loop drive driving toward the east entrance road/Lamar Valley and is about 6 miles of unpaved road that runs the same direction as the loop. You will end up back on the Grand loop drive only further down. It is a very long 6 miles as it is slow driving and if no wildlife are around, not much going on. We immediate saw to buck mule deer as we turned off onto the drive and thought it would be great but saw nothing else the whole way. Depending on what type of driving you like, this is of course beautiful and off the beaten path but if you like the action at Lamar Valley, you might just want to get on over there directly.

Written 13 August 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roxanne B

7 contributions

Best experience !

Sept 2022 • Couples

Best drive ever! We have been to Yellowstone before and did this drive for the first time this week. Lots to see and so many bison. DELIGHTFUL! On the way we saw black bear and Rocky Mountain Goats, sunshine, rain, hail and snow.

Written 16 September 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

desertrunnertucson

Tucson4 contributions

Fantastic little side trip - best kept secret in Yellowstone

We stumbled upon this road by accident and it was one of the highlights of our Yellowstone visit. The first wildlife we saw were 5 very large bucks lying on the side of a hill. Like all of the other wildlife in the park, they were very reluctant to leave and quite content with us taking pictures. Our next siting was of a mother black bear and her cub. They were eating berries on the side of the road. They slowing crossed the road and remained right next to it for several minutes. At one point, the sow completely shredded a large tree stump with her 3-inch long claws. Not sure if it was ants or termites she was after. The cub put on it's own little show by walking along a fallen tree. The mother gave a low growl and off they went. It was if they were intentionally performing for us.

Written 6 November 2010

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

OldeBear

Hamden, CT725 contributions

Lots of Megafauna (Big Animals)

Jul 2013 • Couples

My wife and I travel the 6 hard miles at least once a day when we are in Yellowstone. We have seen everything up there: Grizzly and Black Bears, Wolves and Coyotes, Pronghorns, Bison and Elk plus lots of raptors.

Beware - however - this is not a regularly ranger patroled road and it is also rough gravel. You are on your own. Don't do anything stupid because help is a long way off and a long time comming. We have seen this first hand. You have to pay attention.

Now having said that, the animals are there when they are there and not when they are not. This is not a zoo. Blacktail Plateau Drive can be breathtaking - Just stay in you car.

Written 1 August 2013

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ClaireOKC

Oklahoma City, OK58 contributions

One of our Yellowstone Favs

Jun 2013 • Family

This drive opens late usually for bear management. If you were there this spring (2013) you know that the Yellowstone-Picnic-to-Tower-Junction was packed with bears. This includes the Blacktail Plateau Drive which was closed because it was probably so filled with bears, there weren't enough rangers to manage it (sequester or not). The last day we were there it opened, and it's a drive to take sloooooowly! Do not go over 5 MPH or you will miss a lot. There are red hawks, coyotes, bears (duh!), elk, marmots, moose and calf (probably brand new - so be careful - moose are most aggressive animal and newborn just makes them more so) - so slow down and enjoy the drive. It's one way (entrance on the west side of the drive) and ends at Elk Creek and Petrified Tree area. We took it twice, and sorry we only had one day. It will be open all summer, and this fall the aspens in here are gorgeous.

Written 17 June 2013

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Duckie_MO

Lee's Summit, MO43 contributions

No wolves here... but wildflowers and bears abound

Aug 2011 • Solo

The heading "where many wolves are found" is incorrect. Although wolves may well pass through here, the place to see them is where their food source, Elk, are found--Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley.

Drive this dirt/gravel one-way road to see a slice of backcountry Yellowstone nature and possibly see black bears. I last drove it a few days ago and saw a mama black bear in a fight with a boar, while her two cubs scrambled up a dead Lodgepole Pine right in front of me. Great photo op for cub pix.

While I would not rank this at the top of Yellowstone attractions, it's a pleasant adventure away from most tourists and an enjoyable drive on a dirt road for six miles.

Written 13 August 2011

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cynthia K

Westville, IN4,520 contributions

If you don't mind car swallowing pot holes

Sept 2016 • Couples

This is one of those one way roads that takes you a ways back country (6 or 7 miles). In this case, to see pronghorn. Lots of sagebrush. Lots of potholes. Really, really BIG pot holes. This is the worst road in Yellowstone. It's all gravel. Washboarded through most of it.
The scenery is meh & there were no pronghorn. One bison is all the wildlife we saw, & the scenery wasn't enough for a better star rating. Skip it.

Written 9 October 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jpnicpon

Ingleside, IL70 contributions

Do not miss this

Jul 2015

In reading other review I was aware that this road is gravel and dirt. While I was a little concerned that it would not be appropriate for our Sienna mini-van, we had no problems at all. This road was the most beautiful drive I have have ever taken. While we did not see many animals, the wilderness alone was awesome. There was very little traffic and we were able to pull over and truly absorb the landscape. It felt like the farthest away from civilization that we had ever been. Very peaceful. Only note: coming down off the plateau you will need to shift into low gear. Other than that, enjoy!!!

Written 30 December 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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