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Waiting in Line - Yellowstone

David13

New member
I'm on my way to Yellowstone.
I should be entering the west entrance about 10 a.m.
Will there be a line?
What do motorcycles do?
I plan to pass to the front.
This is what they ask you to do entering the USA from Mexicali, Mexico. They have motorcycles use the very short Sentri lanes, til the end, where you are to cut over to the regular car booths.
So the federal government does use common sense in some areas.
What about Yellowstone?
dc
 
I'm on my way to Yellowstone.
I should be entering the west entrance about 10 a.m.
Will there be a line?
What do motorcycles do?
I plan to pass to the front.
This is what they ask you to do entering the USA from Mexicali, Mexico. They have motorcycles use the very short Sentri lanes, til the end, where you are to cut over to the regular car booths.
So the federal government does use common sense in some areas.
What about Yellowstone?
dc

Someone local should know for sure but 1000 should still be early enough to beat the crowds. I guess it depends on the day as well (weekday vs weekend). Unless they have signs telling you to do it or Rangers waive you forward I would be hesitant to jump the line but that's just me. I generally act like I'm in a auto unless I know that motorcycles can do something else (e.g. park in hashed areas, lane sharing, etc...).


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Someone local should know for sure but 1000 should still be early enough to beat the crowds. I guess it depends on the day as well (weekday vs weekend). Unless they have signs telling you to do it or Rangers waive you forward I would be hesitant to jump the line but that's just me. I generally act like I'm in a auto unless I know that motorcycles can do something else (e.g. park in hashed areas, lane sharing, etc...).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Agreed. If we want to be respected by other motorists on the road, we ought to act like other motorists when it comes to rules and etiquette.
 
We was there this past July for three days. We were at the north gate, we were there around 6:30am no lines. There was no special lanes for m/c. The early you get up and going the more animals you see and less traffic. This time of the year it should be less traffic.
 
Yeah, if I was in a car, I would. The only problem is, I'm not in a car. I have an air cooled bike and a clutch, unlike the car with water cooling and an auto transmission.
The other problem is, if I sit and wait my turn, without moving up, what happens? Do any, do even one of the 'cars' show any respect or etiquette for me and wait for me to move up? No! Of course not. The minute there is an opening of 5 inches more than their car, they leapfrog ahead.
dc
 
It almost seems like you want conformation of your answer to your own questions.

I wait in line like everyone else. If a car moves ahead a few feet, I might just wait until they move a few more before I move. It depends on whether the wait is a long time between any line movement or it is steadily moving fwd. If it is a long time, I turn my bike off. So I don't start it every time the line inches forward.

I suggest you be respectful and stay in the line unless it is obvious there is some favouritism, in the nicest sense, to motorcycles and their riders.
 
Yeah, if I was in a car, I would. The only problem is, I'm not in a car. I have an air cooled bike and a clutch, unlike the car with water cooling and an auto transmission.
The other problem is, if I sit and wait my turn, without moving up, what happens? Do any, do even one of the 'cars' show any respect or etiquette for me and wait for me to move up? No! Of course not. The minute there is an opening of 5 inches more than their car, they leapfrog ahead.
dc

The only place in Yellowstone that I've found lines bad enough to endanger overheating and burning your clutch is on the road in the park, when everyone seems to think it's fine to stop in the middle of the road to look at the animals.

When I have been there the lines to enter have never been too bad and I would NOT expect a motorcycle to cut ahead of me.
 
Yeah, if I was in a car, I would. The only problem is, I'm not in a car. I have an air cooled bike and a clutch, unlike the car with water cooling and an auto transmission.
The other problem is, if I sit and wait my turn, without moving up, what happens? Do any, do even one of the 'cars' show any respect or etiquette for me and wait for me to move up? No! Of course not. The minute there is an opening of 5 inches more than their car, they leapfrog ahead.
dc

Yellowstone is not in California, you should probably just act like a descent person and leave the your better than everyone else attitude at home.
 
California.
Better than everyone else attitude.
Well, I guess that was meant to be a real nice personal slur. But it's a shoe that don't fit me Charley, so sorry, I can't wear it.
California.
The only thing different is lane splitting.
Now, is that based on 'better than everyone else attitude'? Lo and behold no. It is based on logic and common sense, and a number of studies than show it is less dangerous than being rear ended by one of the "as good as me?" drivers who are texting, etc., and whack into a moto.
Logic and common sense is quite rare these days, but somehow it crept into the federal position on motorcycle entry into the USA at Mexicali.
Now, I'm from Virginia, so I like to be insulted, but you are going to have to come up with something better than that.
dc
 
We spent a couple of days in Yellowstone last month. There was a short line at the west gate by about 8:00 but this was after some schools had started but before Labor Day. The "season" for folks with kids is now over but the season for older folks is still in swing.

There is no preference for motorcycles accorded at the Yellowstone gates. Going to the front on a motorcycle would be no different than going to the front in a Honda Civic.

The line at the gate is only the first impediment you will encounter. Traffic will stop and block the road for all wildlife including prairie dogs. Even one car stopped off the road, with a person with binoculars will cause other cars/trucks/motorhomes to stop to see if they can see what the person with binoculars might be looking at.

Yellowstone is not a place to be impatient. It just raises blood pressure and causes some people to do stupid things. Pet a bear? Why not. Approach within a few feet of a Bison. Sure. Leave the walkway and get burned in a thermal pool. Yep!

Just go, see, and enjoy!
 
Since moving to MT a few years ago, Annie and I have learned to avoid Yellowstone except for very early and very late in the season. Early May is a good time although all the roads may not be open. Early October is also a good time. For Heaven's sake, do not go there the week before Sturgis. Hundreds, yes hundreds, of HDs, many on trailers fill the campgrounds. Each morning they form packs and parade around the park doing 20 MPH. Frustrating.
 
Hi David

I'm on my way to Yellowstone.
I should be entering the west entrance about 10 a.m.
Will there be a line?
What do motorcycles do?
I plan to pass to the front.
This is what they ask you to do entering the USA from Mexicali, Mexico. They have motorcycles use the very short Sentri lanes, til the end, where you are to cut over to the regular car booths.
So the federal government does use common sense in some areas.
What about Yellowstone?
dc

Answers to your questions and comments to your comments.
1. There may or may not be a line; the earlier you get there the better chance you will have to just buzz on thorough. I've been there 4 times, no problem.
2. If there is a line, motorcycles wait in line.
3. Do what you think is best in the situation.
4.Yellowstone is not Mexico.
5.Yes, the US government does use common sense in some areas, but not many.
6. When you find out, let us know.

Enjoy your trip; ride safe.

DW
 
Last time I was there, I came in from the east at dawn. Not only was there no line, there was no gate keeper. Just rode right in. It was July, but I didn't see many vehicles for an hour and a half or so. :thumb
 
Just to clarify: Cutting to the front of the line is not the same as lane sharing. If you cut to the front of a line in California, where lane sharing is tolerated, you will get a ticket if a cop sees you do it (especially if he is having a slow day, or is in a bad mood).
Now to Yellowstone: As Paul said, traffic can appear out of nowhere in the park. If someone thinks they see a goat on the side of a mountain two miles away, they will stop and break out the binoculars. And they will stop in the road, on the shoulder, in the wrong lane, wherever they want. Same as they do in Cade's Cove in the Great Smokies. A motorcycle will have a tremendous advantage at these times.
I was there in the last week of September a couple of years ago, and talked to the manager of the 'general store' up in Mammoth Hot Springs at the north end of the park. He told me that his store does $2.2 million worth of business each year. $2 million during the 'out of school months' mid-June through early September, and $200,000 for late September till June. So anyone going from the middle of September until... won't have [much] of a problem with traffic and/or lines.
 
The line at the gate is only the first impediment you will encounter. Traffic will stop and block the road for all wildlife including prairie dogs. Even one car stopped off the road, with a person with binoculars will cause other cars/trucks/motorhomes to stop to see if they can see what the person with binoculars might be looking at.

It wasn't too bad after the Missoula Rally in 1998.

My favorite was 1988, after the fires in 1986 or 87. Along with stopping to pet the bears and bison, the visitors had to have pictures of the kids/grand-kids sitting on a burnt log...typically wearing white shorts...........:whistle
 
If you don't already have one, buy a National Parks Pass. One of the best deals in the world. Gets you into all the National Parks and Monuments for a year. Yes, there is usually a shorter pass line.
 
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