Distance from denver co to yellowstone park

How many miles? 587 Miles or 945 Km

How much does it take? 9 hours 32 mins

Distance, Gas Consumption and Emission Notes

Distance from Denver, CO to Yellowstone National Park, WY is 587Miles or 945 Km. You can get this distance about 9 hours 32 mins.

A car with an average MPG will needs 27.18 gallons of gas to get the route between these points.

The estimated cost of gas to get between Denver, CO and Yellowstone National Park, WY is $61.7.

During the route, an average car will release 532.51 pounds of CO2 to the atmosphere. Your carbon footprint is 0.91 pounds of CO2 per mile.

* Average US MPG used for calculations is 21.6 MPG.
* Average US gas price used for calculation is 2.27 per gallon.

Direct routes for travel from Denver to Yellowstone National Park

There are no direct routes between Denver and Yellowstone National Park. However, a trip with 5 connections will take 27 hours by train, and a journey with 4 transfers will take 25 hours by bus.

Denver to Yellowstone National Park by bus

Buses are a safe and reliable option for traveling from Denver to Yellowstone National Park as often buses offer routes that are harder to reach—even by train! The distance between two cities is 1017 miles. A 25-hour trip separates these places. A ticket for one trip will be on average 305 USD. Also, traveling by bus will cost you from 271 USD. During your bus trip you will have 36 stopovers. Buses on this route are operated by Greyhound USA.

Trains from Denver to Yellowstone National Park

How long is a train journey to Yellowstone National Park from Denver? The distance between Yellowstone National Park and Denver is 1556 km. The train from Denver Union Station station to Salt Lake City Amtrak Station station takes 27 hours.

Flight from Denver to Yellowstone National Park

Denver is an international flight hub in Denver, therefore it is easy to fly to Yellowstone National Park. The distance between cities can be covered in 1 hour of flight. Tickets regularly drop and rise, but the average price for the destination you've selected is around 280 USD. You can pick up the best prices starting from 190 USD if you book in advance. On the flight number 4610 departure time is 13:26 and arrival time is 14:53.

Driving directions from Denver to Yellowstone National Park

You will cover around 607 miles if you choose to drive from Denver to Yellowstone National Park. You may get to your destination point in 10 hours. It's going to cost you 73 USD to refuel your car.

Places to stay in Yellowstone National Park

Information about hotels, motels, apartments and other accommodations in Yellowstone National Park on Booked.net .

Wanderlog staff
Updated • updatedJul 14, 2022

Nonstop drive time

How far is the distance between Denver and Yellowstone National Park? The direct drive from Denver, United States to Yellowstone National Park, United States is 617 miles or 992 km, and should have a drive time of 11 hours in normal traffic.

Of course, this is just the non-stop drive time. You probably need to stop for gas, bathrooms, and meals, so the drive time with stops is a bit longer.

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Denver to Yellowstone National Park drive time with breaks

Driving from Denver to Yellowstone National Park takes about 11 hours if you do it nonstop, but depending on whether you have kids, your stamina, or whether you're switching off with someone else or doing the trip solo, it'll almost definitely take longer.

Most guides recommend stopping for 30 minutes for every 4 hours of driving, and driving up to 8 hours a day. For a typical driver who's not stopping to see too many sights, we expect a road trip to from Denver to Yellowstone National Park to take 2 days. During those 2 days, you'll drive for 11 hours in total and take 1 hour for breaks.

When taking breaks, you might as well check out some of the sights too! Take a look at the best stops on a Denver to Yellowstone National Park drive for some inspiration.

11 hours 44 minutes

Total drive time with breaks

What cities are between Denver and Yellowstone National Park?

If you're thinking of driving between Denver and Yellowstone National Park and thinking of staying a night, it's worth looking at a few of the cities that are on the route. The most popular cities to stop between Denver and Yellowstone National Park are Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Boulder, Jackson, Fort Collins, Estes Park, and Cheyenne. Rocky Mountain National Park is the most popular city on the route — it's 2 hours from Denver and 11 hours from Yellowstone National Park.

Going back? How far is Yellowstone National Park from Denver?

Honestly, it shouldn't differ by too much, but if you're curious about the drive back, check out the reverse directions to see how far Yellowstone National Park is from Denver.

Popular cities to stop between Denver and Yellowstone National Park

On your trip from Denver to Yellowstone National Park, stop by Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Boulder, Jackson, Fort Collins, Estes Park, and Cheyenne! Make sure to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, the most popular city on the route, and see Rocky Mountain National Park's top attractions like Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake, and Alpine Visitor Center.

1

Boulder

Boulder is a city at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, in northern Colorado. To the west, the trail-lined Flatirons are craggy rock formations overlooking the city. Downtown’s pedestrian Pearl Street Mall includes art galleries, cafes, restaurants and boutiques. The University of Colorado Boulder campus is home to the Fiske Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History, with zoology and anthropology exhibits.

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From Denver, take a day trip to Boulder and spend a day exploring Pearl Street Mall and its surroundings. It’s a great spot for unique shopping, with some good restaurants, and entertainment options.

85% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

15 minutes off the main route, 5% of way to Yellowstone National Park

2

Fort Collins

Fort Collins is a city in northern Colorado. Its Old Town historic district has 1800s houses, a vintage trolley, specialty shops and restaurants. The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery features interactive science, history and nature exhibits, plus a digital dome theater. West of the city, trails criss-cross Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, known for the peak's distinctive Horsetooth Rock formation and Horsetooth Falls.

41% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

6 minutes off the main route, 9% of way to Yellowstone National Park

3

Estes Park

Sights & Landmarks

Neighborhoods

Estes Park is a town in northern Colorado. It’s known as a base for the Rocky Mountain National Park, home to wildlife including elk and bears, plus miles of trails. The park’s Trail Ridge Road winds past craggy peaks, forests and tundra. Nearby are the wilderness areas of Roosevelt National Forest. The Estes Park Aerial Tramway connects the town to the summit of Prospect Mountain for views over the valley.

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After one final nightcap, both Derek and I were fully ready for an early bedtime and a good night’s sleep…after all, we had an early start the next morning – to head to Rocky Mountain National Park! Stay tuned for Day 2 of this “2 Perfect Days in Denver in the Winter” itinerary!

On your final day in Colorado, make your way to Estes Park for the best hiking yet — and a few ghosts. Rocky Mountain National Park

Day 3: Visit Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, then Drive to Estes Park Start Early in Garden of the Gods

72% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

50 minutes off the main route, 12% of way to Yellowstone National Park

4

Cheyenne

Sights & Landmarks

Monuments & Statues

Points of Interest & Landmarks

Cheyenne is the capital city of Wyoming. It’s home to the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, with exhibits about early rodeos and artifacts like 19th-century passenger wagons. The landscaped Cheyenne Botanic Gardens includes a labyrinth. Collections at the Wyoming State Museum include dinosaur fossils. The 1904 Historic Governors’ Mansion and 19th-century Wyoming State Capitol Building are close to each other.

35% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

2 minutes off the main route, 14% of way to Yellowstone National Park

5

Rocky Mountain National Park

Over 415 square miles of protected mountain terrain with a huge network of hiking trails & wildlife.

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Some tips for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park: -The park is already at a higher elevation than most people are used to, and trails up the mountains bring you even higher...so take a few precautions to avoid altitude sickness. It's suggested that you spend at least 24-48 hours acclimating to the altitude of the park before setting off on a hike, and to stay well rested and well hydrated. If you do experience altitude sickness (symptoms include dizziness, headaches, nausea, and fatigue), descend a few thousand feet as soon as possible.

A day in Rocky Mountain National Park was the main draw for us, and we also enjoyed Colorado’s Garden of the Gods. Honestly, though, all of the small towns, hiking, parks, and breweries in Colorado are amazing. There is so much around Denver to see and do and one of my favorite excursions from the city was our day trip to Boulder, Colorado.

Spend your morning experiencing Rocky Mountain National Park in all of its glory. If you’re a hiker, be sure to hike the Emerald Lake Trail to get a taste of everything that the park has to offer. From alpine lakes to snow topped peaks, you’ll be blown away at every turn.

There’s a nearly endless amount of trails within Rocky Mountain National Park to explore. For all Colorado Adventurers, check out beginner, moderate, and difficult hiking trails in the park. Rocky Mountain Iris.

This trail climbs along the edge of a wooded ridge and then up a sheltered gully, to a small lake which has good, unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains

This place has views for days! The park rangers are excellent with kids! My daughters became junior rangers by filling out their national park explorer books! They had so much fun! If you see people stopped on the side of the road, look and see if you can see what they see as most people stop for a reason! Will definitely be back!

This national park is absolutely stunning! There are so many different epic views throughout the park. If you get lucky you might see some cool animals. We saw many beautiful trees and lakes. I do recommend to find out about the opening hours before you drive up to the park so you won't have to wait in your car for a while. Also, bring food and water with you, they don't really have anywhere to buy anything once you enter. Go as early as you can. All in all, it was a great experience.

Visited Late June 2021. One of my top 3 favorite national parks. Alpine Meadows, Aspen Forests, Scenic Lakes. Elk, Bear and Squirrels are also a common sight. I loved this park, just make sure to come early to avoid the crowds.

Most popular city on this route

1 hour off the main route, 14% of way to Yellowstone National Park

6

Jackson

Outdoor Activities

Other Outdoor Activities

Jackson is a town in Wyoming’s Jackson Hole valley, home to 3 ski areas: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee Resort. The Town Square features arches made of shed antlers from the nearby National Elk Refuge. The National Museum of Wildlife Art has works by Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe. North are the peaks of Grand Teton National Park, as well as vast Yellowstone National Park.

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Tuesday nights are known for Bluegrass bands at the Wort Hotel in Jackson, WY. We enjoyed the bluegrass band until 10 and then headed over to the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar to enjoy a live band (and a burger) for the rest of the night. We requested many songs, especially our trip anthem “Die a Happy Man”. We were hoping to see Thomas Rhett, but didn’t luck out there.

Stay in Jackson tonight so you can see the rest of Grand Teton National Park tomorrow morning. Total driving time: 5.5-6 hours

77% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

3 minutes off the main route, 76% of way to Yellowstone National Park

7

Grand Teton National Park

National park

Sights & Landmarks

Tranquil spot with plenty of wildlife plus hiking, rafting & swimming among valleys & mountains.

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No visit to Jackson Hole is complete without at least one visit to Grand Teton National Park. With over 230 hiking trails ranging across every difficulty level, not to mention some of the best mountain views you’ll likely experience in your entire life, it’s unquestionably one of the US’s best national parks, not to mention one of the chief highlights of a visit to Jackson Hole. If a tour of the park gives you a taste for exploring the wildness further, you’ll find the Yellowstone National Park just a short drive away.

One of the great things about having a full day left to start heading home is if you missed anything in the Tetons you now have the opportunity to check it out!. I recommend heading to Jackson, Wyoming for a lunch stop and afternoon walk-about. It is a tourist town but definitely has a unique tempo to it and lots of individual mom and pop stores. Lotus Café is a super hippy-trendy healthy spot for lunch that is recommended by the locals and won’t disappoint in uniqueness nor flavor.

Another early start today would be smart so you can see a little more of the Grand Tetons before you head up to Yellowstone. Start your morning with a stop at Mormon Row, just past Moose Junction on Highway 191 in Grand Teton National Park. Mormon Row is a collection of old homesteads and barns that once belonged to early settlers of this region. The old wooden barns especially look great in the morning hours, with the jagged mountains illuminated behind them.

Grand Teton has a lovely multi-use path, beginning at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, continuing through the community of Moose and ending in Jackson. The beginning of this paved route parallels Teton Park Road, offering beautiful views of the famous mountain peaks and providing access to the many park scenic overlooks. After crossing the Snake River, the trail closely parallels US Highway 26 as it heads southwest from Moose to Jackson under a wide open sky.

The hulking enormous Grand Teton rises magnificently above the rest of the rugged range as the park’s most powerful peak. It has long been a famous mountaineering destination due to its sheer size, magnitude, and beauty, with thousands of expert climbers undertaking the difficult ascent to its snow-covered top each year. Grand Teton is the 13,770-foot peak of the Teton Mountains, viewable from Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Backcountry camping information is available at park visitor centers. Permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry and can be obtained at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Jenny Lake Ranger Station, or Colter Bay Visitor Center. Backcountry camping permits are issued by advance reservation or on a first-come, first-served basis no more than one day before the start of your trip.

The park boasts an amazing collection of year-round programs, including hikes, campfire presentations, bear safety and more. Take free ranger-led tours of the historic Murie Ranch Center and Menor's Ferry district or enjoy "Critter Chat" and "Map Chat" informational presentations. There is also a fun Junior Ranger program for kids where they can earn a Junior Ranger badge by completing various activities.

The 500-square-mile park is one of the most beautiful locations in Wyoming–there’s a reason why it’s ranked the sixth-best national park in the States!. You’ll need to pay a special park permit, entrance fees, and a $200 non-refundable application processing fee. They have many famous and picturesque locations within the park but make sure you contact the Rangers ahead of time to see any availability.

Grand Teton Lodge offers travelers four different types of accommodations to choose from – Headwaters Lodge, Colter Bay Village, Jenny Lake Lodge, and Jackson Lake Lodge. Guests will appreciate the close proximity to Yellowstone National Park that Headwaters Lodge provides. Colter Bay Village offers guests charming mountain cabins set along a sparkling lake with a Grand Tetons backdrop.

There are some shuttles and plenty of roads through the park, but biking is a really effective way to get around. It allows you the freedom to take more rugged trails and really appreciate the views. The park itself isn’t huge, it’s only 484 square miles (compared to Yellowstone’s 3.5 thousand square miles), but the area around it is also worth exploring.

The best place to base yourself to be close to all the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park hikes is in Teton Village. It is based around the Jackson Hole Ski area and has a lot of different kinds of accommodation for everyone. These are our recommendations on places to stay in Teton Village.

If you have a total of 2 days for Yellowstone and Grand Teton, we recommend spending a day in each park. Here is the 2-day organized tour that you could join – it covers the highlights of both parks. And here is what your self-drive Yellowstone Grand Teton road trip itinerary could look like:

Tip: If you’re spending the night in Jackson Hole before your day in Grand Teton, I recommend going here the night before instead so your day in the park isn’t sooo long. Try to time seeing Mormon Row the night before for sunset. That’s what we did and it was absolutely breathtaking.

While Grand Teton National Park is my favorite place for couple portraits, it’s not a traditional venue. However, it has to be included among the options!. If you’re considering a micro wedding or elopement in Jackson Hole, then Grand Teton National Park is the most incredible venue!

Grand Teton National Park is just south of the south entrance into Yellowstone. Many visitors camp in Grand Teton, especially at Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch or Lizard Creek Campground, before entering Yellowstone. Learn more about camping in Grand Teton National Park.

After enough pictures, we finally said goodbye to Grand Teton National Park and headed north to Yellowstone. After entering the park, we headed to the West Thumb Geyser Area to see our first geothermal features and Lake Yellowstone.

DAY 9 – GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK & JENNY’S LAKE HIKE TO INSPIRATION POINT 7.5 Miles RT Gains 250 ft 6910 ft elevation

One of the best national parks! Mountains, lakes, streams, waterfalls, moose, elk, bears, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, camping, and so much more. Hiking the canyons is especially amazing. My highlights were Cascade Canyon, Lake Solitude (ironically very busy), the Schoolroom Glacier, and canoeing Leigh/String Lakes.

One of our top national parks. It’s also a short drive from our RV Park “The Park at Swan Valley”. So many great hikes around Jenny Lake. We hiked round trip to the falls and didn’t do the ferry. Our 3 1/2 yr old walked most of the way on that hike

We loved this National Park! Wish we could have spent more time here! We visited in mid-June and the weather was great. We enjoyed using our stand up paddle board at String Lake (make sure you get the proper inspection first!), and we very much appreciated the miles of paved bike paths that we were able to safely ride along with our two young kids in their bike trailer. Can't wait to return when they're older to try some of the incredible hikes!

87% as popular as Rocky Mountain National Park

1 minute off the main route, 82% of way to Yellowstone National Park

Is the drive from Denver to Yellowstone Scenic?

Can you take a train from Denver to Yellowstone National Park?

What is the best month to visit Yellowstone National Park?

What is the most scenic route from Denver to Yellowstone?