Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

Lamar Valley1

Visitors traveling in through the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park find themselves near the Lamar Valley, informally dubbed the American Serengeti due to its diverse array of wildlife. State park recreation sites, historic pictographs, Yellowstone Association Institute and the slopes at Red Lodge Mountain Resort area are among the attractions that beckon visitors to this area. The entrance also offers convenient access to the 64-mi (103-km) route that leads to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, affording exceptional views and scenery. Visitors traveling through this entrance on U.S. Route 212 should be sure to stop at the aptly named Vista Point, which offers a spectacular 9,200-ft (2804-m) view of the Beartooth Plateau across Rock Creek Canyon.

	Yellowstone to... Distance Est. Time* Billings 128 mi (206 km) 2 hr 40 min Cooke City 4 mi (6 km) 7 min Glendive 345 mi (556 km) 5 hr 45 min Hardin 174 mi (279 km) 3 hr 15 min Laurel 111 mi (179 km) 2 hr 20 min Miles City 270 mi (434 km) 4 hr 40 min Red Lodge 67 mi (108 km) 1 hr 30 min Silver Gate 1 mi (1.6 km) 2 min
	Yellowstone Distance Table (*Estimated driving time)

ACCESS

Billings, located on Interstate 94, is the closest major city to the Northeast Entrance. The city is roughly 120 mi (193 km) from Yellowstone via Interstate-94 to U.S. Route 212. For visitors traveling by air, Billings Logan International Airport is served by several major airlines. The Northeast Entrance also receives an abundance of vehicle-transit from eastern Montana and North Dakota.

ATTRACTIONS

Red Lodge Mountain Ski Area
The East Entrance is roughly 60 mi (97 km) from Red Lodge Mountain Resort ski area in Montana, home to 71 trails, eight lifts, a terrain park and an 18-hole golf facility. Not limited to downhill skiing adventure, the Red Lodge area has two ski touring trails that provide 11 mi (18 km) of cross-country terrain. But skiing and golfing are not the only draws to the area; the town of Red Lodge is steeped in Western hospitality, and the downtown area houses historic buildings, unique shops, restaurants and hotels. Plenty of family-oriented activities await, from visiting the animals at Beartooth Nature Center to cruising the city streets on a wagon or sleigh ride. Red Lodge's calendar is littered with events, including the Beartooth Rally in June, Oktoberfest in September, and annual halloween festivities in October.

Black-Headed Grosbeak2

Lamar Valley
Lamar Valley was carved by glacier activity some 13,000 years ago. Evidence lies in the massive boulders carried and deposited from the Beartooth Range and the numerous marshy ponds. The valley's expansive vistas and unique natural features provide a strikingly beautiful backdrop for many outdoor adventures. A wildlife viewers paradise, Lamar Valley is home to bison, elk, coyotes, grizzly bears, wolves and many species of birds, including bald eagles. Yellowstone River Trail, Garnet Hill Trail and Lamar Valley Trail are some of several hiking trails that offer visitors the chance to experience the area's rich wildlife. Lamar Valley Wildlife Excursions, which last up to six hours and explore the valley via van or bus, depart daily from Canyon Lodge, Fishing Bridge RV Park, Lake Hotel and Bridge Bay Campground.

	Beartooth Mountains3

State Parks and Recreation Areas
Billings is at the doorstep of two state parks, Lake Elmo, which plays host to a range of outdoor pursuits; and Pictograph Cave, an intriguing historical site with pictographs dating back over 2,000 years. Roughly midway between Billings and Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance is Cooney Reservoir State Park, one of south-central Montana's most popular recreation sites. Boating, camping and fishing for walleye and rainbow trout are the main draws to the park. The Beartooth District of Custer National Forest, nestled between the Gallatin and Shoshone national forests, also supports a host of recreational activities. Four National Recreation Trails—Wild Bill Lake, Parkside, Basin Lake, and Silver Run—bolster outdoor activities that include mountain biking, horseback riding, summer hiking and winter cross-country skiing.

Family Program at Yellowstone Association Institute4

Yellowstone Association Institute
Located inside Yellowstone Park, roughly 20 mi (32 km) from the northeast gate, the Yellowstone Association Institute offers a wealth of learning programs and tours. Field Seminars taught by college professors, field biologists and other experts journey into topics in the realms of plant life, ecology, geology and outdoor skills. Families and other small groups enjoy naturalist-led tours that provide an introduction to park wildlife and ecology. Tours are offered year round and last roughly eight hours. Fit adults interested in learning about wilderness travel, bear safety and minimum-impact camping enjoy the Institute's Backcountry Courses led by a professional outdoor leader. For a combination of education and recreation, take one of the Lodging and Learning Programs, which explore the park with a naturalist in the day, then return to meals and evening programs at historic Yellowstone Park hotels. Wherever visitor interests lie, the Yellowstone Association Institute offers a range of programs and learning opportunities to further the Yellowstone Park experience.

	Roosevelt Lodge5

ACCOMMODATIONS

In-Park Accommodations
Roosevelt Lodge can be easily accessed from both the North and Northeast entrances. Western hospitality and rustic surroundings await visitors at this accommodation. Guests appreciate the large corral operation offering horseback trail rides, stagecoach trips and the Old West Dinner Cookout. The lodge cabins are open from roughly early June to early September. Two types of cabins are available: Frontier Cabins, typically equipped with two double beds and a bathroom; and Roughrider Cabins, which are more rustic, without bathrooms, sparsely furnished and heated with wood-burning stoves. Accommodations at Canyon Village, a more central location inside Yellowstone, are roughly 20 mi (32 km) from Roosevelt Lodge, and 50 mi (80 km) from the Northeast Entrance.

Out-of-Park Accommodations
The closest accommodations to the Northeast Entrance can be found in Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana. Several rustic motel and lodge-style accommodations are available, including Elk Horn Lodge, Soda Butte Lodge and Hoosier's Motel in Cooke City, and Grizzly Lodge in Silver Gate. For cabin-style accommodations, check out Big Moose Resort and Antlers Lodge in Cooke City, which offer cabins with and without kitchens. Red Lodge, roughly an hour-and-a-half drive northeast of Yellowstone, is home to an array of accommodation options, including hotels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and cabins. Five miles (8 km) south of Red Lodge is Rock Creek Resort, which offers rustic American Indian and Southwestern décor amidst a scenic mountain setting. The lodge offers standard rooms as well as fully-furnished condominiums that can be converted into one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments. Billings offers more conventional accommodations, roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Yellowstone. Hotels and motels to suit a range of budgets are available.

---

PHOTO COURTESY

1. National Park Service; Lamar Valley; MT, USA
2. National Park Service; Black-Headed Grosbeak; MT, USA
3. National Park Service; Beartooth Mountains; MT, USA
4. MacNeil Lyons Photo; Family Program at Yellowstone Association Institute; Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, WY, USA
5. National Park Service; Roosevelt Lodge, WY, USA