Visiting Yellowstone National Park: Pointers from a lifetime of adventure in a favorite park

The drive in to Yellowstone from Red Lodge to the Cody entrance is lovely and varied, especially along the Chief Joseph Highway, then again  between Cody and the East Entrance of the park. It's a favorite summer ritual.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

Editor's Note: this piece was updated July 22, 2026

YELLOWSTONE'S THROW AWAY, DEER AND ANTELOPE PLAY;  ELK, BISON AND MORE ARE JUST OUT THE DOOR

Slowing down as bison cross the road is a Yellowstone tradition.

AS A CHILD growing up in Montana, no summer was complete without a pilgrimage to Yellowstone National Park.

Although much of this splendid place is in Wyoming, our neighbor state, we thought of it as "our park" back in the 1950s.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, we didn't know better and fed bears from our cars.

A herd of elk parades across the prairie on the drive from Gardiner  to Mammoth, a thrilling sight no matter how often seen

I STILL THINK of Yellowstone as "ours" -- with apologies to our Cody, Powell and Worland friends.  Even after decades of multiple visits -- at least 100 in my lifetime -- a trip to the world's first national park leaves me proud and humbled.  As a global citizen, I feel ownership.  I hope everyone who visits does.  I love hearing dozens of languages, spoken by people whose countries I visited.

TOGETHER, WE gaze at spectacular  waterfalls and geysers, identify wildflowers, admire birds and count mammal species.

"Inspire, educate, preserve" is the motto of the Yellowstone Association for Natural Science.

Keller is "arms up" at the Roosevelt Arch near Gardiner.

WHATEVER PART of Yellowstone's glorious two million acres we visit, Teddy Roosevelt's best gift to the country shines like a well loved tiara.  We hike one of Yellowstone's 1,210 miles of marked trails. We usually stay at Lake Yellowstone Hotel or Old Faithful Inn,  and the restaurant at Lake is our favorite. I usually ask to play the grand piano in the lobby. (I've never been refused) while the musician takes a break.

If we have guests from the East Coast or Europe, we stop at Roosevelt Lodge for a cookout. When visiting Yellowstone National Park, we try to arise early one morning to visit "our Yellowstone" before the crush of folks begins about 10 a.m.

Visiting Yellowstone National Park Ritual

OUR PLACE north of Nye, Montana, is 70 miles north of Yellowstone, as the crow flies.

To drive it, we plan at least a three-hour journey -- to one of the park's five entrances. Our favorites are the stunning Beartooth Highway to the Northeast Entrance, or the less frightening, equally beautiful road to Cody, Wyo., and the park's East Entrance.

Because of its proximity, Yellowstone was a perfect "long weekend" trip for our young family, a journey taken in our Ford County Squire station wagon. We go by Ford Explorer now, and the family's dwindled since the carefree days of yore when we innocently fed bears marshmallows through the car windows.

Lake McDonald  is a stunning sight on a drive through Glacier Park, up next!

I HAVEN'T missed a summer trip to Yellowstone and hope I never will. It's my celebration of a lucky birthplace -- and we offer a huge thanks on behalf of millions of Yellowstone fans to Teddy Roosevelt! Bully job for saving our parks. Next up, we explore Glacier National Park. Check us out, remembering to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly at

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