Going Thru Yellowstone via Cody

[cyko]

We are planning a family gathering near West Yellowstone on July 5. We have a campground reservation there for July 5-10. I am coming from Iowa. My plan has been to go to Cody before the 4th and drive through Yellowstone on the 4th or 5th. I have called for road conditions and find that the East entrance is open only from 8 pm to 9 am daily at the present time.

I would hate to try this and then find I have to drive way south to get to West Yellowstone because I can't go thru Yellowstone. I have two questions:

1. If the road is open, is the drive thru the east entrance and over Sylvan pass ok to do with a 36-foot Journey pulling a cr-v? I drove it over ten years ago in a van and it was rough due to construction. I hope it is ok now.

2. Do you think the east entrance restrictions are likely to be removed by July 4 or so?

Thanks for help.

[AFChap]

We drove from Cody through the East gate about two years ago in mid July with a 40' MH and toad ...it was no problem at all. There was a small bit of snow on the roadside in a few places. I would think the road will be open by July.

[H. Miller]

The road closure you speak of is due to heavy snow this past winter and the present avalanche possibility. Surely by July 4th this will be resolved. They also give a "way around" the closure NW out of Cody that doesn't look a great deal longer.
If open, the Cody/East gate road is ok. We were 40' MH & toad...
Know nothing of the NW route.

[paz]

We drove our 37' gasser with the toad from Cody through Yellowstone a couple of years ago. There are some grades, but there are plenty of turnouts to pull over and let traffic pass. Allow plenty of time, and you'll be OK.

[ga traveler]

We drove this in 2007,08,09. This is a good road. Make time for a stop in cody and stay at Ponderosa campground. Tour the wild bill cody museum, it is fantastic.

[D in Davie]

We just exited Yellowstone on the road into Cody on June 17. It is a two lane road that was open and relatively easy to drive going slow. There is one section in the park that is controled by a read light but that is not a problem. Outside the park the road is one of the most beautiful I have seen so far. I was heading east and had a 20 mile per hour tail wind. You might not be so lucky. I am staying at the Ponderosa Camp ground for a week. This is the best CG in the town. I have seen the others. There is an Indian Pow Wow going on this week end. It is the neatest thing I have seen in a ling time. When you plan to come there will be a 4th of July Rodeo Stampede going on and camp spaces will be hard to find. Make reservations now.

[D in Davie]

You should also know that the weather is starting to get better so I expect much of the snow on the ground will be gone by the time you get to the park. I hope we bump into each other out here. We will be exploring the park through the 7th and then be heading to Mt. Rushmore. The wild life is very active. A grizzly mom and her 2 cubs walked directly in front of my car no more than 20 feet near Fishing Bridge. I'll be back in the Tetons on Friday for a week.