_10-9-2014.jpg){kind=link}
Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range
From Cody over Dead Indian Pass to Cooke City, then through the wildlife of Lamar Valley to Mammoth and Paradise Valley.
- Distance
- 279 km (173 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 06 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 9
- States
- WY, MT
- Updated
- July 6, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 279 km (173 mi) with 9 stops, from Cody to Livingston. About 3 h 06 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Wyoming, Montana
Route description
From Cody, drive north on WY-120 for about 27 km and turn west on WY-296, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. It is named after the Nez Perce leader who led his people through this area in 1877. The road climbs in switchbacks to Dead Indian Summit, with a view over Sunlight Basin to the Absaroka Mountains, then crosses Sunlight Creek on Wyoming’s highest bridge.
The byway follows the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River and meets US-212 below the Beartooth Highway, about 21 km east of Cooke City. This small mountain town has fuel, cafés and lodging, but few services in winter. From here, the road into Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance is the only one in the park open to cars all year.
Inside the park, the road passes through the Lamar Valley, one of the best places in North America to see wolves, bison, elk and pronghorn. Come at dawn or dusk with binoculars. At Tower Junction, detour 4 km south to Tower Fall, then head west to Mammoth Hot Springs. Slough Creek and Pebble Creek campgrounds are small and fill early.
At Mammoth, walk the boardwalks around the terraces and the lawns of old Fort Yellowstone, where elk graze. The road then drops to the North Entrance, the Roosevelt Arch and the town of Gardiner. From there, US-89 runs north for 85 km through Paradise Valley, with the Yellowstone River on one side and the Absaroka Range on the other, to Livingston on I-90.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Cody
WY - 243 km
Dead Indian Summit Overlook
ViewsCody, WYThe 2,460 m high point of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296), looking over Sunlight Basin toward the Absaroka Range. Switchbacks on the east side are steep; check conditions in winter.
- 364 km
Cooke City
MT - 433 km
Lamar Valley
NatureYellowstone, WYA wide grassland valley in Yellowstone’s northeast corner, known for bison herds, pronghorn and wolf-watching at dawn and dusk. The road stays open all year to Cooke City; pull fully off the road when you stop.
- 514 km
Tower Fall
NatureYellowstone, WYA 40 m waterfall dropping between volcanic pinnacles into the Yellowstone River near Tower Junction. The overlook is a few steps from the parking lot, which is busy by midday in summer.
- 632 km
Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces
NatureYellowstone, WYStepped travertine terraces built by hot springs above the old Fort Yellowstone buildings, with boardwalks and a one-way upper loop drive. Elk often wander the lawns; the road from Gardiner is open all year.
- 78 km
Roosevelt Arch
HistoryGardiner, MTThe 1903 stone arch at Yellowstone’s north entrance, inscribed “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People”. There is parking beside it on the edge of Gardiner, the only Yellowstone entrance open to cars all year.
- 80 km
Gardiner
MT - 985 km
Livingston
MT
Suggested stages and overnight stops
4 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Cody → Dead Indian Summit Overlook · 26 mi · 0 h 28 minOvernight nearby, for example: Dead Indian (2 mi); Hunter Peak (16 mi).
- Day 2: Dead Indian Summit Overlook → Lamar Valley · 60 mi · 1 h 04 minOn the way: Cooke City.Overnight nearby, for example: Canyon Campground (16 mi); Slough Creek Campground (5 mi).
- Day 3: Lamar Valley → Gardiner · 34 mi · 0 h 36 minOn the way: Tower Fall, Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces, Roosevelt Arch.Overnight nearby, for example: Mammoth Campground (4 mi); Indian Creek (10 mi).
- Day 4: Gardiner → Livingston · 53 mi · 0 h 57 minOvernight nearby, for example: Osen's RV Park (2 mi); Livingston / Paradise Valley KOA (10 mi).
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July–August. Cold, short days in December–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range?
4-day road trip of about 279 km (173 mi) with 9 stops, from Cody to Livingston. About 3 h 06 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range?
We suggest 4 days: about 3 h 06 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range start and end?
It starts in Cody and ends in Livingston.
Which states does Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range pass through?
Wyoming and Montana.
Where can you camp along Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range?
OpenStreetMap lists 42 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Canyon Campground, Ponderosa Campground and Fox Creek Campground.
When is the best time for Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
More like this
Photo by Nate Foong on UnsplashGrand Teton, Yellowstone and the Beartooth Highway
© Hardy008 · CC BY-SA 4.0Grand Teton loop: Mormon Row, Signal Mountain and Jenny Lake
© Brenton Cooper from North Ogden, USA · CC BY 2.0