Riding Yellowstone on a Motorcycle ?

[kballowe]

We're heading to Cody, Wyoming -  for a bit of sightseeing.

All of the usual spots.

But, riding a motorcycle thru Yellowstone National Park is giving me this picture in my mind about being wheel - to - nose on a big buffalo.

[wirespokes]

Buffalo, if not stampeding, shouldn't be a big problem. Bears, though, are something else entirely!

[Vagrant]

Be more worried about the billion cars full of foreigners each with six camera s around their neck!

[blackbuell]

About a week ago we were riding through Wind River National Park in South Dakota when a herd of bison started crossing our road; we had to stop (obviously) and then a few young males walked right up to our bikes. We just stayed calm and still; eventually they moved on without incident.

We had planned to spend the night in Cody, but motel prices are out of sight. Instead we stayed at a mom and pop motel in Thermopolis (see 2 Norges off to Idaho thread); nice place and reasonably priced. Though we got very close to Yellowstone, we avoided it like the plague; can encounter bumper-to-bumper traffic, and lots of traffic jams anytime an elk, moose, bison, bear, or wolf is in view of the traffic.

Instead, we rode on the Chief Joseph Highway to the Beartooth Highway; incredible ride. Then, it was off to Lolo Pass.

Have fun on your trip.

Jon

[Sykestone8886]

I agree !! Get ready for gridlock traffic through the park. Beautiful , but you must have patience to endure the crowds.

[LowRyter]

Take Roger Miller's advice and don't roller skate through a  .

Just stop on the side on the road and let them cross, don't ride through it.

The Okla Buffalos will usually scatter when someone blows a car horn.  The South Dakota Buffalos do not.

I've saw a buffalo get mad a pick up once and dent it pretty good.  I saw some middle aged men try to pet one on the nose without a bother.  I have no qualms about riding in their parks.  I always stop when they cross and try not to be in the confines of the herd.   I saw a couple ride through a herd on an Electra Glide.

[Lannis]

We had planned to spend the night in Cody, but motel prices are out of sight. Instead we stayed at a mom and pop motel in Thermopolis (see 2 Norges off to Idaho thread); nice place and reasonably priced. Though we got very close to Yellowstone, we avoided it like the plague; can encounter bumper-to-bumper traffic, and lots of traffic jams anytime an elk, moose, bison, bear, or wolf is in view of the traffic.

The Cody Holiday Lodge is a nice little mom-and-pop place right on the west side of Cody, it was $105 a night when we stayed including breakfast.   Considering that the motels in West Yellowstone are $250 a night for the same accommodation, that's not too bad.

I agree about Yellowstone; we were there two days in late September in the middle of the week, and it was packed out into the overflow lots.   The dynamics have changed; folks from around the world come there after the summer rush is over.   I counted 55 Chinese tour buses; most of the rest was Europeans in rental campers.   And despite the signs about "Don't Approach The Animals", when an elk or buffalo appears, people leave their cars in the traffic lane and run into the meadow with their camera to get a selfie with the elk or moose, or worse yet, try to set their child on its back to take a picture.   The rangers told me that's one of their biggest source of injuries these days.

Glad I saw it once, but I'm not going back.

Lannis

[JohninVT]

Yellowstone is spectacular.  Yes, there will be Chinese tourists milling around in the road worse than bison. Yes, it’ll be very busy.  It’s still worth it.  Absolutely, positively ride through Lamar Valley.  If you see someone with a giant telephoto lens, stop.  They’re probably looking at wolves.  I’ll also second the suggestion to ride the Beartooth Highway

[Chuck in Indiana]

Do the Buffalo Bill museum of the west in Cody. You can easily spend a day there, especially if you like the history of firearms.  Chief Joseph and Beartooth are not to be missed, as mentioned above. The park itself is fabulous of course. A bike gets you around and through traffic fairly well. We avoided old faithful, etc.  Bison? Pfffft. They're just oversized cows.

[Ncdan]

Just remember my friend, a big male buffalo in heat, could mistake a motorcycle for a date😂😂😂😂

[kballowe]

We visited Yellowstone around 30 years ago - in a pickup truck.  Just have never rode thru there on a motorcycle.  Always wanted to ride Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth pass - on a motorcycle.  Yellowstone is the icing on the cake.
 

 

[oldbike54]

 Dunno , always kinda figured the almost wild places are the full time home of creatures like the Bison , and this might be the first time ever disagreeing with Chuckie, but no , they aren't anything like a cow . A full grown Bull Bison can run 40 MPH for some distance , and see humans as the intruder into their home . Even more dangerous is a female with a calf , she will have no compunction about knocking down and mauling a human . Point is , most of the time Bison are docile , but they are wild creatures , their relationship to a cow is very similar to the relationship between a wolf and a dog . If you go on a motorbike , keep this in mind .

 Dusty

[Tusayan]

I went there as a near infant, still remember it, and again decades later - last year in a motorcycle.  It’s not a bad place to visit on a motorcycle but would be better in a car. At the time, frustrated by the traffic moving at glacial speed, I decided the ideal setup would be to be to fly there in a light aircraft and tour the park in a automatic transmission convertible if you could rent one. Same with Glacier National Park.  I think that would be the perfect way to see the wildlife, and to endure lines of slow traffic on the limited number of roads. For motorcycle touring there are a lot better places to aim for.

[canuck750]

Buffalo are just big sheep, I have ridden through herds at dusk and mid day in Yellowstone and Elk Island Park in Alberta. One time at dusk crossing Yellowstone I came across a herd blocking the road. I edged up on my Kawasaki Concurs, the breathing of the animals left a vapor mist in the air I passed through very quietly and very slowly and recall being quite unnerved when the big beasts made eye contact with me.

Many years ago I led a Scout group hiking overnight at Elk Island National Park to camp at the edge of a lake in the woods buffalo compound. At the start of the hike the park ranger gave us a talk about buffalo etiquette noting it was not mating season and as long as we moved quietly past them the buffalo posed no threat. We got to the lake at dusk, set up tents, made a fire and then watched the buffalo 'sneak' up to get to water. The next day a couple of them put on quite a show as they rolled in the grass and dug up dirt with their horns as sprayed dirt all over the place, apparently to get relieve from insects.

[roadscum]

We're heading to Cody, Wyoming -  for a bit of sightseeing.

All of the usual spots.

But, riding a motorcycle thru Yellowstone National Park is giving me this picture in my mind about being wheel - to - nose on a big buffalo.

Ride the loop around the park, drink in the sights, bask in the beauty. Some refer to the park as natures freak show and It's a once a lifetime experience not to be missed. Not to worry about the Bison, be still, be quite, THINK. It's the bear ya gotta give wide berth to. Tourist feed them and they come to associate people with a meal. Rumor had it they think we taste like chicken!!

There's also a great firearms museum in Cody at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. I spent almost an entire day there on my 1st visit.

Paul

[boatdetective]

Everyone else beat me to it. I was stopped when a herd was crossing the road in the park and a big male was no more than 8 feet from me. I had rented a Harley Road King for the trip. The one thing I remember was looking into the eye of that beast and seeing...very little.  Compared to the inquisitive nature of many cows, these beasts seemed very dim.

As others mentioned, your goal is the Chief Joseph and Beartooth. to do both, it's convenient to stay in Red Lodge near the NE corner of the park. Cool little town. The best course is to go East to West on the Beartooth. Start (very) early and climb up the switch backs as the sun rises. It's better to ride up the tight hairpins than go down them. The ridge is mind blowing- feels like you are in Switzerland. Male sure to stop at the high point for pictures. At that stop- look around and you'll see a higher pile of rocks a hundred yards away. Go climb it and meet the marmots who live there. The route down the Beartooth leads to Cooke City- there's a great little barbeque joint on the right.  If you continue on, you enter the NE gate of the park and come to Lamar Valley. It is the complete opposite of where you just were. You just rode an alpine ridge, now you're in a gently sloped bucolic valley. There was a herd of like 1500 bison there when I passed through.


One thing I guarantee you- your photos will not capture the splendor. However, you will never forget it.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 It is dangerous to be on a bike during buffalo breeding season.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Hey dusty..

the park ranger gave us a talk about buffalo etiquette noting it was not mating season and as long as we moved quietly past them the buffalo posed no threat.

Maybe in your encounter with Bison, he had eyes for you? 

[kballowe]

Well, the youngest son just donated Holiday Inn "points", so it's going to be Cody.

[oldbike54]

 You guys are confusing the lack of interest Bison have for humans with a lack of intelligence , in reality they are fairly intelligent . They are a wild creature , and should be treated as such . Just a word from an NA person .

 Dusty

[Two Checks]

Wherever there are signs reading do not stop, do not approach the animals, do not feed the animals, etc....that is where the traffic jams are form the people doing exactly the opposite of what the signs read.
We came upon a long traffic jam and it was a very hot day-mid 90s and in full protective gear it was uncomfortable.
The cause of the jam was a bison at the edge of the road enjoying a meal of clover. People were stopping their cars and trying to approach the bison! Two rangers with holsters unwrapped were herding the people back to their cars...and the idiots protested! Then they would move their cars a few feet and get back out! The rangers had to threaten them with arrest if they didn't move on.
When they saw us on our bikes they signaled us to lane split-slowly- and pass everyone.
Nothing like crowds of stupid people.
We stayed in Red Lodge the night before and talked with a truck driver who was in the park and a bison was in the road and refused to move. He blew the air horn and the bison merely leaned into the fender, jamming it into the tire. Then he gave the truck the horn...right into the radiator.
He had a heck of a time explaining the bison hit him instead of hitting the bison.

[rocker59]

We're heading to Cody, Wyoming -  for a bit of sightseeing.

All of the usual spots.

But, riding a motorcycle thru Yellowstone National Park is giving me this picture in my mind about being wheel - to - nose on a big buffalo.

This time of year, the automobile traffic will be the worst thing you encounter.  That and the crowds of people everywhere you go.
 
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the place is gridlock.  I'd recommend going in May, just before Memorial Day.  Or, go in September, just after Labor Day. 

[Don G]

My neighbor has a herd of 50 or so Bison, they are quite inquisitive and also can react explosively when excited, after all they are wild animals. Its best to treat them with respect as you could get your ass trampled ! DonG

[davevv]

I spent a couple days camping there in July of '07 as I was headed back to Texas from Alaska.  I've heard the stories of massive traffic jams and hordes of people many times, but I didn't encounter either.  I rode the whole loop around the park and never had to stop for traffic.  There was a pretty good crowd at Old Faithful, but I expected that to be the case and the crowd was not big enough to be a problem.  Even had a clear view for pictures.


As for bison, this guy was just a little ways from the road on the entrance to my campground when I arrived.  He didn't even look up when I stopped to take his picture (telephoto lens, I wasn't quite as close as it looks).  The next morning when I woke up, he was about ten feet away from my tent.  I was a bit surprised just how massive he was.  Over 6 feet tall at the hump.


Yellowstone is a spectacular place to see.  I wouldn't want to miss it.

[Wayne Orwig]

Be more worried about the billion cars full of foreigners each with six camera s around their neck!

I've motorcycled through Yellowstone a number of times. What Vagrant said is true. A some point, you and a thousand other people will be waiting for an event, and just as the geyser, or buffalo, or whatever appears, a dozen Asians will hold large TABLETS up in the air in front of you to get a photo. 

I was chased by a couple of Buffalo on wildlife loop road(?) in Custer state park. The EV had not problem.

[SED]

My brother and I rode though Yellowstone on 2 different days in July about 5 years ago and there were lots of people, but absolutely worth it for the geology, scenery and wildlife.  Then a couple years later my wife and I drove through a few weeks later.  Yes there were traffic jams ("bear jams"), but they didn't last too long.  Best to start early.  We skipped Old Faithful, but the crowds at the Grand Prismatic Spring and Norris Geyser Basin are worth it.  Some places in the park get much less traffic - Lamar Valley, Thumb Geyser Basin, spots along the Firehole River and little pull-outs for springs and mudpots on the side of the road. A brief hike down to the Yellowstone Falls Overlook is good too.   

A massive bull bison gave us the scary-funs while riding a 2 lane mountain road.  Cars came to a halt because the bull was walking up the center stripe towards us.  Everyone was driving to the edge of the road - over the edge was a drop.  It was bigger than the little white Toyota and ignored it.  Bigger than the guy on the Harley who probably wished he was on lighter bike.  I back pedaled (the Ariel is light) until blocked by the pickup behind me.  A few uphill cars got impatient and were passing the bull on the other side, but he ignored them too. The bull stayed on the centerline and when he got close I gently rode around him on the edge of the road.  Glad the Ariel is a (relatively) quiet bike.  I was almost shaking but then elated - Woohooo!  Don't want to be that close to a bison again, but glad it happened.

My brother saw the situation faster than me and pulled off to let it pass and take this photo (I'd stopped just past the pull-out).

[Lannis]

My experience with massive amounts of traffic, midweek, September 25/26 2018 is only a few months old.  It's changed muchly since 12 or 10 or even 5 years ago.

I suggest that someone who is going during that time check it out.

The trails at Zion and Bryce, and the big attractions at Yellowstone, were elbow to elbow.   And you would seldom hear English spoken.

Lannis

[PeteS]

We rode through Yellowstone in 2015, my 4th time there. It was not our destination but was on our route. The previous day we got a room in Cody and then rode Chief Joseph and Beartooth. Then entered the south east entrance, rode up the east side and then out Gardiner. Handy having that senior pass.
We were stopped putting on an extra layer when this guy walked by leading a caravan of cars and campers in no particular hurry. My bike is behind us.





We also passed a big herd on the east side drive. Saw no elk in the park but right after leaving it on 89 about 60 elk decided they were going to cross the road in front of us. I just waited.

Pete

[Daleroso]

Ride in 6:00ish am & ride out noonish when the caravans start rolling in late morning. When the Asians (who don't seem to understand/(respect personal space) inadvertantly corner you in the small grocery store in W Yellowstone, cut a massive, & I mean work it, fart then politely, assertively, push your way through the crowd & leave. Helps relieve any anxiety.

[PeteS]

Ride in 6:00ish am & ride out noonish when the caravans start rolling in late morning. When the Asians (who don't seem to understand/(respect personal space) inadvertantly corner you in the small grocery store in W Yellowstone, cut a massive, & I mean work it, fart then politely, assertively, push your way through the crowd & leave. Helps relieve any anxiety.

Good point. The picture of the bison above was taken about 9AM. We were out of the park by noon. Traffic was moving at least at the speed limit. Not a big deal.

Pete