West Yellowstone to Hatch: Ultimate Road Trip Guide

This 400-mile drive traces the eastern edge of the Yellowstone Caldera before descending into the Snake River Plain and the Basin and Range province. The route begins at 6,667 feet in West Yellowstone, MT, and ends at 6,290 feet in Hatch, UT, with elevations peaking at 8,391 feet at Teton Pass. Because the Continental Divide is crossed twice, travelers experience a rapid shift from subalpine forests to high desert sagebrush.

The journey follows US-20, I-15, and US-89. The total drive is approximately 7 hours without stops. Fuel is available in West Yellowstone, Ashton, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and Hatch, with a notable 90-mile stretch between Ashton and Idaho Falls with limited services. Gas prices tend to be $0.20-$0.30 higher at the Montana start and Utah end due to tourism and remoteness.

• Road quality is excellent overall: US-20 is a two-lane highway well-maintained; I-15 is multi-lane interstate; US-89 is a scenic byway in Utah that is narrow in sections.
• Winter travel requires chains or 4WD, especially over Teton Pass and through Logan Canyon. Annual snowfall in West Yellowstone averages 150 inches, while Hatch receives about 40 inches.
• Idaho Falls is the largest city en route with population 64,000; it offers the widest range of services.

This route is family-friendly with numerous kid-approved stops: the Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls, and the Logan Tabernacle with its guided tours. For pets, most national forest trailheads are pet-friendly, and Idaho Falls has off-leash dog parks; however, pets are not allowed inside Craters of the Moon.

To manage fatigue, plan a short break every two hours. Good rest zones are the Ashton Visitor Center, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt, and the Brigham City rest stop. Hidden detour: turn off US-89 at Freedom, WY, onto a gravel road to see the Freedom Trail Monument, a quiet historical marker. For a safe, scenic alternative, consider the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, an 11-mile loop past two waterfalls.

The route passes through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Just north of Idaho Falls, there is the Great Rift National Natural Landmark, a 50-mile fissure line, and the nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument, the only such volcanic landscape in the contiguous U.S. Local commerce thrives on agriculture: the Idaho Falls region produces nearly one-third of the nation's potatoes, and farm stands along US-20 sell fresh produce and famous local cheese.

In Southeast Idaho, look for historic ranch gates and old railroad towns like Montpelier, where Butch Cassidy allegedly robbed his first bank in 1896. Utah's Cache Valley, around Logan, is known for its dairy farms and the annual Festival of the American West. For a deeper dive into spotting offbeat attractions, check out how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities.