If you are planning a trip to Montana, you may be wondering if it’s possible to experience both Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks in one trip, especially if you are planning to drive from one to the other.
If you have a couple of weeks to spend traveling and want to get the most out of your drive through Montana, driving from Glacier to Yellowstone is easy to do.
The hardest decision you’ll have to make when planning a road trip from Glacier to Yellowstone is the path you want to follow. There are several ways to get to Glacier from Yellowstone. Each is unique, and each has interesting sites to see along the way.
So just how far is Glacier National Park from Yellowstone? It depends on where you start! We will take a closer look at what to expect when making the trip
How Far is Glacier National Park from Yellowstone – What You Need to Know
Depending on the route you take, the drive between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks ranges from 6 to 8 hours and varies in distance ranging from 368 miles to 467 miles.
Getting From Glacier to Yellowstone
If you are planning to drive from Glacier to Yellowstone or vice versa, you’ll need to plan for a few days of driving time, especially if you want to stop and enjoy some of the other great sites in Montana.
The trip can be made in one day, but it’s a long day, and you’ll end up feeling disappointed that you didn’t give yourself time to stop and explore.
Route Options – Glacier to Yellowstone
To help you plan your trip, we’ve put together a few popular driving routes that give you options for quick and easy scenic drives with cool places to stop.
1. Along the Rocky Mountain Front
- Distance: 378 miles
- Time: 6 hr, 20 min
- Start/End Points: St. Mary, MT/Gardiner, MT
Travel Path
Start at St. Mary at the eastern entrance of the park. Travel south on Highway 89 through Browning and Choteau.
In Augusta, you’ll pick up highway 287 and continue to travel south to the junction of I-15. Take I-15 to Helena, where you’ll then pick up highway 287 south again. At the town of Three Forks, you’ll get on I-90 east to Bozeman.
Highlights
This route takes you along the front of the Rocky Mountains where they meet the plains. This route has plenty of open roads and beautiful views. You’ll also find that this is a path less traveled by many tourists.
This route has plenty of towns and cities to stop and explore and plenty of hotels and camping options for splitting up the drive.
2. Seeley-Swan Valley
- Distance: 394 miles
- Time: 6 hr, 59 min
- Start/End Points: West Glacier, MT/Gardiner, MT
Travel Path
From West Glacier, travel south on Highway 83 through Bigfork and Swan Lake. At Clearwater, turn east on Highway 200 and travel to the junction of highway 141. Pick up Highway 12 at Avon and travel east to Helena.
In Helena, you’ll get on highway 287 south, to I-90. Travel east on I-90 to Bozeman. You’ll exit I-90 at Wineglass and continue south on highway 89 to Gardiner, MT, outside of the north entrance to Yellowstone.
Highlights
This route takes you through the Seeley-Swan Valley which is home to some of the most beautiful views in Montana. Stop and enjoy lunch at one of the many lakes along this route. And don’t miss exploring Helena, Montana’s state capital.
3. Interstate Traveling
- Distance: 446 miles
- Time: 7 hr, 57 min
- Start/End Points: West Glacier MT/West Yellowstone, MT
Travel Path
From West Glacier, travel south along Highway 93. At Wye, get on I-90 east to Cardwell. At Cardwell, take highway 359 south. At Harrison, pick up highway 287 south. Use highway 87/20 to take you into West Yellowstone.
Highlights
This route is mostly an interstate highway, but there are still great places to explore. Check out the Berkeley Pit in Butte, which is a famous copper mine, and the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Fly-fishers will love to stop in Ennis to cast a few lines on the Madison River.
4. Bitterroot Valley
- Distance: 467 miles
- Time: 8 hr, 29 min
- Start/End Points: West Glacier, MT/West Yellowstone, MT
Travel Path
Start in West Glacier and head south on highway 93 to Wye. In Wye, you’ll get on I-90 east to Missoula. In Missoula, exit I-90 onto highway 93. Travel south on Highway 93, through the Bitterroot Valley, passing through Lolo, Hamilton, and Sula. South of Sula, turn east on Highway 43 towards Wisdom.
At Wisdom, travel south on Highway 278, to its junction with I-15. Enter I-15 and travel north to the Highway 41 junction. Travel east on highway 41, to Twin Bridges, where you’ll pick up state highway 287 east through Virginia City and Ennis.
At Ennis, turn south on Highway 287 and travel to the junction of highway 87/20. Use highway 87/20 to take you into West Yellowstone.
Highlights
Another off-the-beaten-path route. This route has some picturesque valleys, and some amazing hiking and biking opportunities. Stop and explore the Big Hole National Battlefield and the ghost towns of Virginia City, Nevada City, and Bannack.