Left Boulder at 12:30 pm.
North on 25 to Cheyenne, WY.
80 West to 287 North. Terrain is beautiful--ranging from flat, high prairie to dark red sandstone cliffs and cathedral like bluffs just south of Dubois.
287 was nearly deserted, which was good. This is a two-lane highway with frequent passing opportunities, but even a little bit of traffic could make it dangerous.
Into Grand Tetons National Park we met snow--not on the roadways, but plenty on the ground and covering the trees. Caribou are numerous and wander in packs across the road--they are as big as moose.
This drive was longer than we expected--11 hours (from Boulder to West Yellowstone) with few stops. Be cautious traveling through Tetons and Yellowstone--speed limits are no more than 45 mph and cops are rigid, even at night.
A good place to grab a restaurant meal would be Dubois, WY--very quaint, obviously caters to travelers looking to soak themselves in rustic and woodsy. All the buildings have a very western, hewn log look without being cheap looking.
Best Western - Weston Inn in West Yellowstone, MT just blocks from the west entrance to Yellowstone (closest to Old Faithful). Three Best Westerns as soon as you drive into town all within a couple blocks. We checked prices--two others were markedly higher and not sure why.
We're spending $119 per night at the BW-Weston, with pets, deluxe free continental breakfast, free wireless, coffemaker, frig and microwave--very clean and non-smoking! The bargain of the three.
Current gas prices you'll find between Boulder Colorado and Yellowstone/Tetons in Wyoming.
- Gas prices just north of Boulder: $3.87
- Lander, WY- $4.14
- Dubois, WY- $3.99
- West Yellowstone, MT- $4.19
Just amazing on the prices. However, I'm skeptical about how many people have actually been turned off to road travel. Tetons was quite busy with travelers even at dusk--most with license plates from quite a distance away. Hard core travelers are still investing.
