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Rockefeller Parkway: Colter Bay to West Thumb, Grand Teton and Yellowstone, Wyoming
Photo: DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Drives Wyoming Jackson Hole, Grand Teton and Yellowstone

Rockefeller Parkway: Colter Bay to West Thumb

North Park Road, US 89, US 191 · Colter Bay → West Thumb

Leisurely38 mi55 min2,700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 8,000 ftOne way
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The drive

This drive heads north from Colter Bay through the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, a 27-mile corridor that the National Park Service manages through Grand Teton. It follows the Snake River, a well-known trout fly fishing stream, past Flagg Ranch, then crosses the South Entrance into Yellowstone and ends at West Thumb on Yellowstone Lake.

The road is forested and mostly gentle. The drive is 38.3 miles and about 57 minutes, climbing about 2,650 feet to a high point of 8,002 feet.

Most visitors enter Yellowstone from Jackson this way.

Along the way

  1. Colter Bay (US-89)
  2. West Thumb
Elevation
2,700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 8,000 ft
Colter BayWest Thumb
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Colter BayWest Thumb
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The South Entrance Road closes to regular vehicles in winter, from early November, and it reopens in spring depending on weather.
  • Each park charges its own entrance fee; a Yellowstone pass does not cover Grand Teton.
  • Keep at least 25 yards from bison and elk and 100 yards from bears and wolves.
  • The park speed limit is 45 mph unless posted otherwise.

South Entrance Road closed to cars from about November 1 to early May (projected October 31, 2026). Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Yellowstone park roads (NPS).

Questions about this drive

How long does Rockefeller Parkway to West Thumb take?

The drive from Colter Bay to West Thumb is 38.3 miles and takes about 57 minutes.

Is the South Entrance Road open in winter?

Not to regular vehicles. Most Yellowstone roads close from early November to late April, and the South Entrance Road reopens in spring.

Do I pay two entrance fees on the Rockefeller Parkway?

Each park charges its own entrance fee, and a Yellowstone pass does not cover Grand Teton.

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.
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More drives near here

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

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Map of Rockefeller Parkway: Colter Bay to West Thumb, from Colter Bay to West Thumb