Big skies, geothermal wonders & alpine lakes
This is leg 1 of 2, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Glacier to Yellowstone
Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park
Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park sit about 540 km (336 mi) apart in a straight line, with Yellowstone National Park to the south-east. It is leg 1 of 2 on our Glacier to Yellowstone itinerary, an 8-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 540 km · 336 mi
- Est. road distance
- 648–756 km
- Est. drive time
- 6 h 45 min – 11 h 45 min
- Direction
- Heading south-east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Glacier to Yellowstone itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 648–756 km (403–470 mi) of road and 6 h 45 min – 11 h 45 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
By air
At 540 km in a straight line, some travelers may prefer to fly part of the way if a nearby airport has service.
A rental car is the practical way to link these parks, since public transport between them is very limited. Most travelers fly into a regional airport at one end and out of another, then drive the long stretches in between with plenty of stops.
Open Glacier National Park → Yellowstone National Park directions in Google Maps ↗
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Yellowstone National Park
Plan three to four days: one in the geyser basins, one in the canyon and Hayden Valley, one for Mammoth and Lamar.
Old Faithful
Yellowstone's best-known geyser, erupting roughly every 60–110 minutes.
Bear Pit Lounge
Small bar off the Old Faithful Inn dining room with historic etched-glass panels.
Fairy Falls Trail Grand Prismatic Overlook
Short climb to a raised platform above Grand Prismatic Spring for the full color rings.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room
Dining room in the park's oldest hotel, overlooking Yellowstone Lake.
Old Faithful Inn
1904 log hotel with a seven-story lobby and stone fireplace, open to all visitors.
Norris Geyser Basin
The park's hottest, most acidic basin, home to Steamboat, the world's tallest active geyser.
Before you leave Glacier National Park
Give Glacier three days: one for Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass, one for Many Glacier, one around Lake McDonald or Polebridge.
Lake McDonald
Glacier's largest lake, famous for colored stones visible through clear water at Apgar.
Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake Trail
Flat boardwalk through old cedars, continuing 2.3 miles to a lake ringed by waterfalls.
Russell's Fireside Dining Room
Lake McDonald Lodge dining room with regional dishes like bison and huckleberry desserts.
On this curated route
Where Glacier National Park → Yellowstone National Park sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Yellowstone National Park to Glacier National Park is the same 540 km in a straight line, heading north-west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in April, when Yellowstone National Park averages highs 2°C cooler than Glacier National Park.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier National Park high | -5° | -5° | -1° | 4° | 11° | 16° | 21° | 21° | 15° | 7° | -1° | -6° |
| Yellowstone National Park high | -7° | -6° | -2° | 2° | 10° | 16° | 22° | 22° | 16° | 6° | -2° | -7° |
| Glacier National Park rain | 66 | 58 | 70 | 71 | 88 | 111 | 36 | 42 | 55 | 62 | 76 | 67 |
| Yellowstone National Park rain | 81 | 75 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 70 | 37 | 40 | 52 | 69 | 79 | 91 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Yellowstone National Park month guides.
Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park: questions travelers ask
How far is Glacier National Park from Yellowstone National Park?
Glacier National Park is about 540 km (336 mi) from Yellowstone National Park in a straight line, with Yellowstone National Park to the south-east. By road, we estimate 648–756 km (403–470 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park?
An estimated 6 h 45 min – 11 h 45 min, assuming 648–756 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park?
Our Glacier to Yellowstone itinerary includes this leg. Glacier to Yellowstone runs about 8 days across 3 stops, best in Jun – Sep.
Onward from Yellowstone National Park
Guides for both ends
- Glacier National Park travel guide
- Glacier National Park weather best time to visit
- Yellowstone National Park travel guide
- Yellowstone National Park weather best time to visit
Yellowstone National Park by month
- Yellowstone National Park in January
- Yellowstone National Park in February
- Yellowstone National Park in March
- Yellowstone National Park in April
- Yellowstone National Park in May
- Yellowstone National Park in June
- Yellowstone National Park in July
- Yellowstone National Park in August
- Yellowstone National Park in September
- Yellowstone National Park in October
- Yellowstone National Park in November
- Yellowstone National Park in December
Plan Glacier National Park → Yellowstone National Park with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.