The West Entrance, at the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, is the closest way into the park from Island Park: about 30 miles and 35 to 40 minutes from the middle of Island Park along US-20.
From the entrance the road follows the Madison River to Madison Junction, with easy access to Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and the Norris Geyser Basin. It is one of the busiest entrances in summer, so arriving early makes a real difference.
For cars, the West Entrance road is usually open from mid-April through October. From mid-December to mid-March it is open only to guided snowmobile and snowcoach trips, and it is closed to all travel in between. Check the National Park Service road status before you go.
28°F Mostly Clear
- Tonight Low 19° Mostly Clear then Patchy Fog
- Thursday High 52° · Low 17° Patchy Fog then Sunny
- Friday High 56° · Low 19° Sunny
Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated 11:32 pm.
Conditions now
Rivers
Madison River near West Yellowstone, MT, 1.4 mi away
- Flow
- 309 cfs
- Change in 24 hours
- -13 cfs
- Water temperature
- 51°F
From the U.S. Geological Survey, updated 11:32 pm.
National park alerts and road events
Yellowstone National Park, 27.4 mi away
- Park alerts
- 5
- Closure alerts
- 1
- West Thumb Geyser Basin Boardwalk - Partial Closure (Information): A section of the West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk will be closed to Fishing Cone and Lakeshore Geyser through mid-October while crews replace damaged support structures along the shoreline. The remaining sections of …
- Stay Away From Bull Elk (Caution): Bull elk are fast and unpredictable this time of year and can seriously injure people. If an elk charges, run. In addition to staying at least 25 yards (23 m) away from elk and bison, always stay at least 100 yards (9…
- Biscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion (Park Closure): The parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, located north of Old Faithful, is closed to all travel until further notice due to the possibility of another event at the site of a hydrothermal explos…
- Traffic Delays - Gardner River High Bridge (Information): Expect a single lane of traffic with up to 15-minute delays, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 through late October 2026. Oversized/overweight vehicles (8'6"+ wide, 75'+ long, 80,000 lbs+ gross vehicle w…
- Vehicle Entrance Reservation Not Needed (Information): Although an entrance pass is required to enter Yellowstone National Park, vehicle reservations are not needed. You are encouraged to purchase an entrance pass before arriving, but you may also purchase passes at any e…
From the National Park Service, updated 11:32 pm.
Webcams
From the National Park Service, updated 11:32 pm.
On the map
Cabins closest to the West Entrance
Yellowstone has no cabins of ours inside the park, so these are the ones nearest its West Entrance.
In these guides
- Best Time to Visit Yellowstone from Island Park, Idaho
- Conditions: weather, snow, rivers, roads & webcams
- Driving & Timing in Yellowstone
- Getting Here & Getting Around
- Why Island Park Is the Best Base Camp for Your Yellowstone Trip
- Winter in Island Park
- Yellowstone's Spring Opening 2026: Epic Wildlife Photography & Fewer Crowds