Itinerary where to stay Cody, West Yellowstone & Jackson

We will be heading from Rapid City to the Cody area of Wyoming. We want to spend a few days in Yellowstone itself and since inside the park is already full we are looking for options on where to stay. Since I am not familiar with how far I am from one place to another (Cody to West Yellowstone??) I am looking for some guidance. We will be flying home out of Jackson Hole so that will be the last leg of our journey. Thanks for any input!

Itinerary where to stay Cody, West Yellowstone %26amp; Jackson

We are staying this year at Cody Cowboy Village in Cody. Last year we stayed at the Best Western in West Yellowstone and the Wyoming Inn in Jackson Hole. Since we are doing Mt. Rushmore, Cody, eastern YNP and Jackson Hole, we will be staying again at the Wyoming Inn in Jackson Hole. I also know of some good restaurants.

Itinerary where to stay Cody, West Yellowstone %26amp; Jackson

Here is Mapquest information:

Cody, WY to West Yellowstone, MT

Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 22 minutes

Total Est. Distance: 132.73 miles

If you go to Mapquest.com, enter the above two towns and you can then see a map, plus directions, for one route between Cody and W. Yellowstone.

Agree with above poster, do see Cody Museums, a fabulous and unexpected pleasure; we spent four hours there.

You can take another route into YNP, via Beartooth Hwy. (Google it.) I think it%26#39;s more spectacular than the Mapquest route, though both are beautiful. Check a map for that route, also.

I%26#39;d spend at least two full days in the park to fully experience this huge mostly wilderness area, including the volcanic systems, the waterfalls/rivers, and, certainly, the wildlife. You could easily spend a full day on each circle within the park. And you might wish to return to some areas, such as Hayden or Lamar Valleys to see wildlife at different times of the day. The park is quite large, we don%26#39;t speed, much to see, so a third day (or more LOL) is well worth it.

Suggest you bring a cooler for beverages and snacks, so if you see something interesting, you won%26#39;t have to return, when you least want to, to a park restaurant or store.

Try to bring binoculars and spotting scope; you won%26#39;t regret having them. If you see someone using a scope, inquire; they will probably share their view with you (that distant grizzly, etc.)

After YNP, you can head south to Grand Teton National Park, see that, then to Jackson Hole and home.

Do keep contacting Xanterra, however, about YNP lodging. You might get lucky.

Cody to the east gate is about 50 miles, though during top tourist season, it won%26#39;t take you 45 minutes, more like an hour as you and others will see some wildlife, or you%26#39;ll get behind a slow pack of cars.

Do not underestimate the vastness of the park. The top speed limit in the park is 45 mph. It is not a freeway, and do not be in a hurry. Enough of the don%26#39;ts.

I tell every friend who visits to absolutely do these things.

1. Drive over the Beartooth Mountains (NE of Yellowstone)

2. Go to the Buffalo Bill Museum(s) in Cody.

3. If you have kids (4-13 age range), take them to the rodeo in Cody. It runs every night during the summer.

4. Do enjoy Old Faithful from the Old Faithful Inn lodge balcony with a cold beverage.

5. Find a peaceful spot in the park and have a picnic, there%26#39;s a lot of little tucked away places with picnic tables and great vistas.

Thanks for input %26amp; suggestions. Sounds like I am going to have alot of activities to plan and I am sure the kids will love the rodeo.

the irma hotel in cody is the most famous place to stay. it%26#39;s neat but old. i%26#39;d at least eat lunch there in the bar. there are several hotel options, mainly the chains %26amp; you can%26#39;t go wrong with any of them. just check the cody chamber website.

you might want to stay closer to the park in some areas in %26amp; around each entrance. look at cooke city out the ne entrance. there are several places out the north entrance in gardiner. north of there in pray,mt is our favorite place...chico hot springs. just an awesome place less than an hour from the north entrance.

west yellowstone is a neat town %26amp; there are several places there to stay. you might consider staying down in the tetons which isn%26#39;t very far from the south entrance. jackson lake lodge is great there.