The drive from Cody to the East Entrance of Yellowstone follows US-14/16/20 through the Wapiti Valley for 52 miles along the North Fork of the Shoshone River, through Shoshone National Forest — the first designated national forest in the United States, established in 1891. Teddy Roosevelt, who knew the route well, called it the most scenic 50 miles in America. He was not obviously wrong.
The canyon walls close in dramatically about halfway along the route, with volcanic pinnacles and eroded spires in deep reds and ochres above the treeline. Wildlife is routine rather than occasional: elk, bison, mule deer, and bighorn sheep are reliably present, particularly in early morning and evening. Pull off at the turnouts; the formations worth photographing require stopping. The drive takes about an hour straight through but rewards a longer pace. Begin it from Cody and you arrive at Yellowstone's East Entrance with context and momentum.