Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From the West Entrance to Madison Junction
The West Entrance is the most popular way to enter Yellowstone, welcoming over 3,000 visit-
ors each day in the summer months. In fact, it's second only to Grand Canyon National Park's
South Rim as a busy national park entrance.
From West Yellowstone, this entrance road passes through stands of lodge-pole pine,
burned in the devastating 1988 North Fork fire but now largely regrown. The Madison River is
tepid all winter from geothermal runoff, which prevents ice from forming and provides hab-
itat for the rare and beautiful trumpeter swan, which you may see here, especially in winter.
There's also a strong possibility of seeing elk or bison.
The route you follow by taking this entrance road approximates that used by early-day
trappers, Native American Indians, and some would-be gold miners. No gold in minable
quantities was ever discovered within what is now the park. Stagecoach lines used this route to
bring visitors into the new national park from 1880 until 1917, when buses and cars replaced
stagecoaches completely.
It's about 14 miles (22 km) from the West Entrance to Madison Junction and the Grand
Loop Road.
Road Log
NOTE: There are several very short side roads along this entrance road. The mileage for such roads is
given at approximately the midpoint between the two ways to enter the loop.
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Yellowstone National Park boundary.
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West Entrance station, built in 2008. Stop here to pay the entrance fee (see
the Travel Tips for fee information). To the south is a new regional ranger headquarters. The
restroom is just outside the entrance station.
This area housed the offices and warehouses of Hamilton Stores until 2003, when Delaware
North Companies took them over while becoming the retail concessionaire. Charles A.
Hamilton purchased his first store at Upper Geyser Basin in 1915 and expanded his business
to 14 stores, the longest-lasting concession in the national park system.
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Unmarked gravel road to the north leads to Madison River fishing access
about 1.3 miles (2 km) away; fly fishing only. Over the years, this large meadow has been
