The northeast entrance to Yellowstone is a quiet gate on a quiet road, a small log-framed sign among spruce and meadow near the Montana-Wyoming border, a few miles beyond the two tiny settlements of Silver Gate and Cooke City. Most visitors enter Yellowstone through other gates, so this one feels like a back door, and that is part of its charm. At well over seven thousand feet, it is cool even in summer, and the air smells of pine and cold water.
What lies beyond is Lamar Valley, often called the Serengeti of North America. It is a broad, grassy valley where bison, elk, pronghorn and coyotes graze, and wolves, reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s, are watched through spotting scopes by dedicated enthusiasts at dawn and dusk. Grizzly bears wander the hillsides. The animals move on their own timetable, and on a motorbike you should keep your distance, never approach or feed them, and stop only at pull-outs. Bison can block the road entirely, and a wait is part of the experience.
The road from the Beartooth Pass descends toward the gate in long, loping bends, through high plateaus of rock and tundra and then into forest, with the jagged peaks of the Absaroka range crowding the horizon. Between here and the interior, the road follows Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River, with easy curves, a good surface and scenery that is gentle after the drama of the pass. Speed limits in the park are low, and rangers enforce them, so take your time. Weather changes quickly, with snow possible even in summer.
This is the only road in the park that stays open to wheeled traffic all winter, since it links the park with Cooke City, which makes it a lifeline for the small communities beyond. Cooke City and Silver Gate have basic services, but supplies are limited and prices are high, so take fuel and snacks with you. The park charges an entrance fee, which covers a motorcycle for several days. Mosquitoes in June can be fierce, so carry repellent, and bring a good camera with a long lens.