The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the Virginia Cascade Drive
Virginia Cascade Drive is a highly scenic trip in the heart of the Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The road provides access to the north side of the Virginia Cascades a 60 ft (18 m) waterfall on the Gibbon River.
How long is the Virginia Cascade Drive?
Located in Park County, the road is paved but pretty narrow. There are sheer drops virtually along the entire route and enough hairpins to make a whirling dervish dizzy. It’s a one way 4km (2.5 miles) long road that spurs off of the main Norris Canyon Road. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails. It is narrow but lightly trafficked with cliff steep drop-offs on the passenger side. The road is narrow so oncoming traffic does not have a lot of room to maneuver around. Most of the road features steep drop-offs.
Is the Virginia Cascade Drive open?
The road is closed in winters. It meanders along a shaded mountain creek and encompasses miles of stunning views through twisty hair pin corners, high elevations and steep grades. RVs, buses and trailers are not permitted on this road.
How long does it take to drive the Virginia Cascade Drive?
Plan 10-15 minutes to complete the beautiful drive without any stop. The drive follows the old roadway between Norris and Canyon providing a great view of one of the less seen waterfalls. It does offer areas where you can pull over and get out of your vehicle to take pictures of the waterfall. Virginia Cascades was named in 1886 to honor Virginia Gibson, the wife of Charles Gibson, the head of the Yellowstone Park Association concessions. There is a $3.00 per vehicle parking fee. The parking area is open from sunrise to sunset only--no overnight parking.