Best route from Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone?
May 9th, 2001, 09:03 PM
#1
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Best route from Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone?
In August,I am traveling from SLC airport to West Yellowstone by car with 2 teenage granddaughters. Will get into airport about 1PM. Would like to cover a few miles before stopping for the night. Not sure what town to aim for,or for that matter, what route to take. As always I am concerned about safey-ie don't feel comfortable on isolated roads. I have traveled a lot by car and R.V. and have AAA road service and cell phone, but still need to be in the "comfort zone", especially with grandkids.
Any Advice???
Any Advice???
May 10th, 2001, 05:27 AM
#2
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I will be making that trip in a few days myself. Your choices are essentially two: the scenic route and the direct route.
The scenic route involves approaching Yellowstone via a slightly longer route.
1. Take the turn off of I 15 to Logan, Utah. In Logan take US 89 north into Wyoming. Follow 89 to Alpine.
There you have a choice of routes.
A. You can continue on 89 all the way through Jackon, the Grand Tetons National Park, and into Yellowstone via the South Entrance. From there you continue into the Park past Old Faithful to West Yellowstone.
B. At Alpine take US 26 to Swan Valley. From there take Idaho 31 to Victor.
From Victor take Idaho 33 through Driggs to the intersection with US 20. Follow it north to West Yellowstone.
My choice will be the Teton route.
2. Take I15 from Salt Lake City and drive north until you reach Idaho Falls. A little north of Idaho Falls, the road forks. Take the US 20 fork toward Rexburg and St. Anthony. Route 20 leads to West Yellowstone.
The distance from the SLC airport to the Idaho line is almost 100 miles, which should take you about 90 minutes because you have Interstate highway all the way.
It is 119 miles from the border to the fork where you take US 20. From there you have 114 miles to West Yellowstone, half of which is divided highway.
Adding the three figures gives you 333 miles. If you stick with it, you can make the drive in about 6 hours barring no unforeseen incidents that stop traffic.
If you want to stop before you get to West Yellowstone, motels are all along I 15. Pocatello and Idaho Falls have several, but the smaller towns do to.
Assuming you can be in your rental car 1 houra after arrival, you will have about 6 good daylight hours left, but it depends on what you want to do in Salt Lake City itself before moving on to Yellowstone.
The scenic route involves approaching Yellowstone via a slightly longer route.
1. Take the turn off of I 15 to Logan, Utah. In Logan take US 89 north into Wyoming. Follow 89 to Alpine.
There you have a choice of routes.
A. You can continue on 89 all the way through Jackon, the Grand Tetons National Park, and into Yellowstone via the South Entrance. From there you continue into the Park past Old Faithful to West Yellowstone.
B. At Alpine take US 26 to Swan Valley. From there take Idaho 31 to Victor.
From Victor take Idaho 33 through Driggs to the intersection with US 20. Follow it north to West Yellowstone.
My choice will be the Teton route.
2. Take I15 from Salt Lake City and drive north until you reach Idaho Falls. A little north of Idaho Falls, the road forks. Take the US 20 fork toward Rexburg and St. Anthony. Route 20 leads to West Yellowstone.
The distance from the SLC airport to the Idaho line is almost 100 miles, which should take you about 90 minutes because you have Interstate highway all the way.
It is 119 miles from the border to the fork where you take US 20. From there you have 114 miles to West Yellowstone, half of which is divided highway.
Adding the three figures gives you 333 miles. If you stick with it, you can make the drive in about 6 hours barring no unforeseen incidents that stop traffic.
If you want to stop before you get to West Yellowstone, motels are all along I 15. Pocatello and Idaho Falls have several, but the smaller towns do to.
Assuming you can be in your rental car 1 houra after arrival, you will have about 6 good daylight hours left, but it depends on what you want to do in Salt Lake City itself before moving on to Yellowstone.
