Yellowstone is about 362 miles and six hours 20 minutes from downtown Provo to the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, by an OpenStreetMap routing estimate (OSRM, no traffic) from Center Street and University Avenue. The route is I-15 north to Idaho Falls and US-20 to the West Entrance. Old Faithful is another hour, about seven hours 20 minutes in total. That makes Yellowstone a two-night trip at minimum, and the fall of 2026 puts a hard date on it: October 31, when the park projected most of its roads would close to cars.
What follows is the shortest plan that gives you one full day in the park, the entrance decision, and what you can still do after the roads close.
The entrance decision
| Entrance | From Provo (OSRM) | Best for | Open to cars in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West (West Yellowstone, MT) | 362 mi to town, about 6 hr 20 min | First trips, geysers, the shortest drive | April 17 to October 31 |
| South (via Jackson, WY) | 348 mi, about 7 hr 25 min | Pairing with Grand Teton | May 8 to October 31 |
| North (Gardiner, MT) | About 530 mi via Bozeman, nearly 10 hr | Winter, Mammoth, Lamar Valley | Year-round |
West wins for most Utah Valley trips. The drive is nearly all freeway or four-lane highway, Idaho Falls is a natural lunch and gas stop about four hours 20 minutes from Provo, and the West Entrance road leads straight to Madison and the geyser basins. The 2026 road schedule opened the West Entrance to Madison, Old Faithful and Norris on April 17, earlier than the south and east sides.
South makes sense when Grand Teton is half the point. The route from Provo goes through Evanston and Star Valley to Jackson, then north through Grand Teton to the South Entrance; our Jackson Hole and Grand Teton guide covers that half. The South Entrance road opened later in 2026, on May 8.
North is the only entrance you can drive into in winter. From Provo it is a long way around: with the park's interior roads closed, the routing estimate goes through Bozeman to Gardiner, roughly 530 miles.
What it costs
| Pass | Price (NPS, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Private vehicle, 7 days | $35 |
| Motorcycle, 7 days | $30 |
| Per person, on foot or bike | $20 |
| America the Beautiful, U.S. residents | $80 a year |
| America the Beautiful, non-U.S. residents | $250 a year |
| Non-U.S. resident fee, age 16 and up | $100 per person, on top of entry |
The fee that catches students. Yellowstone now charges each non-U.S. resident 16 or older an extra $100, unless the group enters on an annual or America the Beautiful pass, according to the park. For a car of BYU or UVU international students, the math is quick: three people would pay $300 in surcharges plus $35 for the car, while one $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass covers the vehicle with no surcharge. Our international students guide covers the rest of settling in.
The park lists 2026 fee-free days for U.S. citizens and residents, including Memorial Day, the July 3 to 5 weekend and August 25.
The two-night plan
This is built on the West Entrance and assumes a summer or early-fall trip, before October 31.
Day 1: the drive. Leave Provo by late morning. I-15 to Idaho Falls (lunch, fuel), US-20 through Ashton and Island Park to West Yellowstone. Arrive late afternoon. If you have energy, the evening light along the Madison River inside the West Entrance is a good first look. Sleep in West Yellowstone.
Day 2: the full day. Enter early. The core loop from the west side:
- Madison Junction, then south along the Firehole River to the Midway and Upper geyser basins and Old Faithful. The park listed up to 15-minute delays at the Firehole River bridge, 1.5 miles south of Old Faithful, during October 2026.
- Back north to Norris Geyser Basin.
- If time allows, east from Norris to Canyon and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, then back to West Yellowstone. That is a long day of driving inside the park.
Sleep in West Yellowstone again, or inside the park if you booked a lodge or campground months ahead.
Day 3: one more stop, then home. Pick whatever you missed (Canyon, or a second pass at Old Faithful), leave the park by early afternoon, and you are back in Provo late evening.
What this plan skips: Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Lake and the east side. Each is a reason to add a third night, or to come back through a different entrance.
The 2026 road calendar
From the park's projected dates for regular vehicles (roads typically open at 8 a.m. on the first day):
- Year-round: North Entrance to Northeast Entrance (Gardiner through Mammoth and the Lamar Valley to Cooke City).
- April 17 to October 31: West Entrance to Madison, Madison to Old Faithful, Madison to Norris, Mammoth to Norris, Norris to Canyon.
- May 1 to October 31: East Entrance over Sylvan Pass, Canyon to Bridge Bay.
- May 8 to October 31: South Entrance to West Thumb, West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass), West Thumb to Lake Village, Tower-Roosevelt to Tower Fall.
- May 22 to October 12: Dunraven Pass between Canyon and Tower Fall (could stay open longer if conditions allow). The Beartooth Highway outside the Northeast Entrance used the same dates and is now closed for the season.
If you are reading this in late October 2026: the West, South and East entrance roads have days left, not weeks. After October 31, a car can only enter at Gardiner. The park says all dates depend on weather, so check its road status map before you leave Provo.
Construction: besides the Firehole bridge, the park listed delays at the Bridge Bay bridge from August 25 through November and a single lane at the Gardner River High Bridge near Mammoth, 24 hours a day, through late October, with five overnight full closures after September 7.
Winter: the other Yellowstone
From December 15, 2026 to March 15, 2027, the park opens its groomed roads to oversnow vehicles, snowmobiles and snowcoaches, through the West, South and East entrances. A few segments close earlier (Mammoth to Norris on March 7). The North-to-Northeast road stays open to cars all winter.
Winter lodging is limited and dated. The park lists Old Faithful Snow Lodge rooms and cabins from December 16 to March 5, and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel cabins through March 7, 2027. Warming huts at Madison, Old Faithful, West Thumb, Fishing Bridge and Indian Creek open December 15.
For a Utah Valley family, the realistic winter version is a snowcoach day from West Yellowstone, which keeps the six-hour drive on I-15 and US-20 rather than the longer route to Gardiner. Winter driving through Idaho is the main risk; our winter tires and canyon driving guide covers what your car needs.
Making the drive easier
- Idaho Falls is the halfway town. It is about four hours 20 minutes from Provo by the same routing, and it is the last large city before the park. Our Idaho Falls guide covers a longer stop.
- Lava Hot Springs is a detour, not a stop on the way. It sits east of I-15 near Pocatello, and our Lava Hot Springs guide notes the town's foundation places Yellowstone about three hours north of it. It works as the soak on the drive home.
- Flying saves less time than it seems; our guide to flying from Provo's airport lists the current nonstops.
- Fuel: US-20 through Island Park has fewer stations than I-15. Fill up in Idaho Falls or Ashton.
If two nights feels like too much for the time you have, the closer weekend options are in our day trips from Provo guide. Yellowstone is in a different category: plan it like a trip, not an outing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Yellowstone from Provo?
Which Yellowstone entrance is best from Provo?
Can you do Yellowstone in a day from Provo?
How much does Yellowstone cost to enter?
When do Yellowstone roads close for the winter?
Can you visit Yellowstone in winter?
Do international students pay more at Yellowstone?
Is there road construction in Yellowstone this fall?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Park roads and 2026 projected opening and closing dates, National Park Service, Yellowstone. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Operating hours and seasons, National Park Service, Yellowstone. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fees and passes (including nonresident fee), National Park Service, Yellowstone. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM route service (OpenStreetMap data), driving estimates from Center St & University Ave, Provo, Project OSRM. Checked October 20, 2026.
