Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA Holiday Blog
Looking for a place to spend the 4th of July? We still have a few campsites available!
Whether you’re exploring the local area or hanging out at the campground, KOA Holidays are an ideal place to relax and play. There’s plenty to do, with amenities and services to make your stay memorable. Plus, you’ll enjoy the outdoor experience with upgraded RV Sites with KOA Patio® and Deluxe Cabins with full baths for camping in comfort. Bring your family, bring your friends, or bring the whole group – there’s plenty of ways to stay and explore.
Whether you’re exploring the local area or hanging out at the campground, KOA Holidays are an ideal place to relax and play. There’s plenty to do, with amenities and services to make your stay memorable. Plus, you’ll enjoy the outdoor experience with upgraded RV Sites with KOA Patio® and Deluxe Cabins with full baths for camping in comfort. Bring your family, bring your friends, or bring the whole group – there’s plenty of ways to stay and explore.
From West Yellowstone: 6 miles west of Yellowstone National Park West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana on US HWY 20, aka. the Targhee Pass Hwy.
From Idaho: 3 miles east of the Montana/Idaho border on US HWY 20, aka.the Targhee Pass Hwy.
Be aware that we are 1.5 miles east of the new Mountainside Journey KOA which is also on US Hwy 20.
GPS: N44.686. W111.2179
Get Google Directions
A road trip to Yellowstone is a fantastic way to experience the northwest region's beauty. There are several ways you can drive to Yellowstone National Park and plenty of incredible stops for adventure along the way. Whether you start in Utah, Oregon, Washington, Montana or somewhere else, you can plan an unforgettable trip.
You can enter Yellowstone National Park via its west, south, east, north or northeast entrance. The park's west entrance is one of the best options when you are taking a road trip to this beautiful area because of its proximity to popular attractions. When you enter the park through the west entrance, you have easy access to Grand Prismatic Spring, Norris Geyser Basin and Old Faithful.
The best route to Yellowstone National Park depends on where your road trip starts. Here are the best routes from each direction.
Starting your road trip in Utah is the perfect opportunity to see Salt Lake City and Antelope Island State Park on your way to Yellowstone. From Utah, you can hop on Interstate Highway 15 North until you reach the I-15 North exit toward Pocatello to stay on this route. Take exit 119 for U.S. Highway 20 East toward Rigby/West Yellowstone. Take exit 344 toward South St. Anthony, merge onto U.S. 20 East, and turn left onto North Electric Street.
If you start in Portland, you can take I-84 East to U.S. 26 East and follow this to U.S. 97 South. Stop in Bend to visit incredible sites like Tumalo Falls and Smith Rock State Park. From Bend, you can take U.S. 20 East, I-84 East, I-86 East and I-15 North to U.S. 191 South/U.S. 20 East/U.S. 287 South. Consider stopping in Boise, Idaho, to see the Boise Botanical Garden, Aquarium of Boise or the Old Idaho Penitentiary.
If you skip Oregon and leave from Idaho, you can start on I-84 East/U.S. 20 East/U.S. 26 East/U.S. 30 East and continue to stay on I-84 East. Take I-86 East to U.S. 20 East in Idaho Falls. Take exit 63B to merge onto I-15 North, and then take exit 119 from I-15 North for U.S. 20 East toward Rigby/West Yellowstone. Follow U.S. 20 East to North Electric Street in West Yellowstone.
Explore Olympic National Park and Seattle before making your way to Yellowstone. From Seattle, you can take I-90 East to Montana Highway 2 East/Montana Highway 359 in Cardwell. From here, you can take exit 256 from I-90 East and then follow U.S. 287 South to North Electric Street.
Another great option is to make your way through Montana, stopping in beautiful places like Bozeman and Big Sky on your way to Yellowstone. From Bozeman, start west on U.S. 191 South/West Main Street toward South Willson Avenue. Turn left onto U.S. 191 South/Gallatin Road. Turn right onto Gibbon Avenue, and then turn right onto North Electric Street.
Once you reach your destination, you can enjoy an exciting road trip through Yellowstone National Park. Camping close to the west entrance gives you easy access to the park's magnificent geyser basins, hiking trails, lakes and wildlife viewing areas. Add the following activities to your itinerary for an unforgettable trip.
Yellowstone features the world's largest cluster of geysers, offering unforgettable sights. Witness dramatic eruptions as steam and hot water burst from the ground. You can visit the following geysers and watch them erupt at various intervals throughout the day:
Make your way to Mammoth Hot Springs for a breathtaking scenic drive. The park's Upper Terrace Drive is a 1.5-mile loop road with incredible views of travertine formations and hot springs. Various pull-off points make it easy to explore viewpoints and springs along the way, so you can stop to snap some photos or see your favorite sites up close. After your drive, you can soak in even more beauty on the area's hiking trails.
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a 45-mile canyon displaying spectacular red, orange and yellow hues. You can see the Lower and Upper Yellowstone Falls from various vantage points, or you can hike one of the area's many trails to walk along the rims and partially into the canyon. Stop at overlooks to take in the grandeur of the rushing river and towering canyon walls.
Hayen Valley is one of Yellowstone's prime wildlife viewing areas. Overlooks along Grand Loop Road are fantastic places to watch for the following animals:
Grizzly Overlook is one of the most popular Hayden Valley overlooks due to its unbelievable panoramic views. Visiting during the early morning or late afternoon hours is the best way to see animals because they are typically most active during these times. Remember to stay at a safe distance from wildlife for safety purposes.
Hit the water on Yellowstone Lake for a fun, relaxing day. You can enjoy the serenity of North America's largest high-elevation lake and cast your reel for a shot at catching a wild cutthroat trout.
You can book a guided fishing excursion or a private sightseeing charter at the Bridge Bay Marina. A private fishing charter is a fantastic option for beginner and experienced anglers because a guide provides the necessary fishing gear and takes you to the best fishing spots. A sightseeing charter takes you around the lake where you can see geothermal features along the shore and learn more about the lake's fascinating history.
You can plan an affordable Yellowstone road trip with the following tips:
Yellowstone Park / West Gate KOA Holiday offers a fun, convenient place to play and rest during your Yellowstone road trip. Located within a short drive of the park's west entrance, KOA is the perfect gateway to the great outdoors. You can explore all that Yellowstone has to offer throughout the day and spend your evenings making s'mores over a crackling campfire. Reserve a stay at KOA to start planning your Yellowstone National Park road trip.
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
Make checkout easy by booking all your reservations at once. Add your sites from different campgrounds into your shopping cart* and then choose checkout.
