Back
Hayden Valley: Fishing Bridge to Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Photo: Montanabw · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives Wyoming Jackson Hole, Grand Teton and Yellowstone

Hayden Valley: Fishing Bridge to Canyon

Grand Loop · Fishing Bridge Junction → Canyon Junction

Leisurely15.2 mi35 min700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 7,900 ftOne way
Scan to drive it in CarvePoint a phone's camera here. It opens ready to drive.
Drive it in Carve, free

Opens this route in the app, or where to get it.

Drive this road
in the appOpen

The drive

Hayden Valley is a broad sub-alpine valley of about 50 square miles between Yellowstone Falls and Yellowstone Lake. This drive runs north from Fishing Bridge Junction to Canyon Junction on the Grand Loop's Canyon-to-Lake section, along the valley's eastern side near the Yellowstone River.

The valley floor is an ancient lake bed from when Yellowstone Lake was much larger. It is known as one of the best places in the park to see animals: bison, elk, grizzly bears, coyotes and wolves all live there. Mud Volcano and its neighbors, Mud Geyser, Sulphur Caldron and Black Dragon Caldron, are geothermal features at the valley's southern end.

The road is 15.2 miles and takes about 35 minutes with no stops, though a wildlife jam can add much more.

Along the way

  1. Fishing Bridge Junction
  2. LeHardy Rapids
  3. Mud Volcano
  4. Hayden Valley
  5. Canyon Junction
Elevation
700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 7,900 ft
Fishing Bridge JunctionCanyon Junction
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Fishing Bridge JunctionCanyon Junction
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The road is closed to regular vehicles in winter, and opening dates depend on weather.
  • Yellowstone charges an entrance fee: $35 for a private vehicle, good for seven days.
  • Expect bison jams: wait patiently, stay in your vehicle, don't honk, and pull fully off the road to watch.
  • Keep 25 yards from bison and elk and 100 yards from bears and wolves. Bison are dark and hard to see at night.

Closed to cars from November 1 to about May 1. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Yellowstone National Park: park road status.

Questions about this drive

What animals can you see in Hayden Valley?

Hayden Valley is home to bison, elk, grizzly bears, coyotes and wolves, and it is one of the best places in Yellowstone to see animals.

How long does the Hayden Valley drive take?

Fishing Bridge Junction to Canyon Junction is 15.2 miles and takes about 35 minutes, longer if bison are on the road.

When is the road through Hayden Valley open?

The Fishing Bridge to Canyon road is closed to regular vehicles in winter, and opening dates depend on weather. Check the park road status page before you go.

Is there a fee to drive through Hayden Valley?

Yes. The road is inside Yellowstone National Park, where a private vehicle pass is $35 and lasts seven days.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.

Download on theApp StoreEarly access onGoogle Play

More drives near here

All 24 drives in Wyoming ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

+ Plan a new route
Map of Hayden Valley: Fishing Bridge to Canyon, from Fishing Bridge Junction to Canyon Junction