I haven’t driven from LA, but I’ve driven there from Seattle twice.

I’m sure it could be worth it if you found some interesting things to see along the way. Yellowstone is definitely worth the trip. The last time we went through the south entrance which took extra time, but it was well worth it to drive over Teton Pass and to spend the day in Grand Teton National Park.

Depending on what you want to see in Yellowstone, you could be doing a ton more driving once you’re there. So, if you don’t mind being in the car a lot, go for it.

I haven’t driven directly from Los Angeles to Yellowstone, but I’ve made the drive from L.A. to Salt Lake City many times and the drive from SLC to Yellowstone several times as well.

The L.A.-SLC drive of about 700 miles will probably take, oh, 10 or 11 hours (depending on how closely you follow speed limits and how much you stop for rest, fuel, meals, etc.), and Yellowstone is another 350 or so miles beyond SLC (about 6 or 7 hours, again depending on speed and such).

A bit of a longer haul but easily doable in a day if you’re traveling with anyone else and you can switch off driving every few hours.

All that said, Yellowstone is far and away one of my favorite places to visit. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL scenery, the geysers and such are just fascinating. I wouldn’t hesitate to make the drive from anywhere in the western states.

Get in your car and go about 400-600 miles per day unless there are 2 of you and then go all the way in a day, then go slow on the way home so you can recover for work or school- or whatever.

Bring your bikes, bikes in the park are an easy way to get around.

STARTER MAP http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=los+angeles,+ca&daddr=Livingston,+MT+59047&ie=UTF8&om=0&ll=43.707594,-111.049805&spn=4.860223,9.887695

Here’s the way to go. Make sure you see Zion, Bryce, Flaming Gorge, in UT on the way.

And once in Yellowstone, go to the “45th” swimming hole. It’s the best place in the park and is near the Mammoth campground, just go down the hill. Walk from the campground, just ask around.

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Heres the NPS description:
45th Parallel Bridge and Boiling River

A sign near where the road crosses the Gardner River marks the 45th parallel of latitude. The 45th parallel is an imaginary line that circles the globe halfway between the equator and the North Pole. This same line passes through Minneapolis-St. Paul, Ottawa, Bordeaux, Venice, Belgrade, and the northern tip of the Japanese islands. It is, here in Yellowstone, roughly aligned with the Montana-Wyoming border.

A parking area on the east side of the road is used by bathers in the “Boiling River.” Bathers must walk upstream about a half mile from the parking area to the place where the footpath reaches the river. This spot is also marked by large clouds of steam, especially in cold weather. Here, a large hot spring, known as Boiling River, enters the Gardner River. The hot and the cold water mix in pools along the river’s edge. Bathers are allowed in the river during daylight hours only. Bathing suits are required, and no alcoholic beverages are allowed. Boiling River is closed in the springtime due to hazardous high water and often does not reopen until mid-summer.

BUT if you sneak down there with your swimtrunks and towel, you can priately go in- barring high water and pesky rangers.

The map avoids the Tetons on the way going north, but after I thought about it, you should go thru the tetons.

And make 100% sure you go thru the Lamar Valley in NW Yellowstone. Its vast.

I drove from San Diego – if you go through Jackson it takes about 21-22 hours. If you go through Idaho Falls to West Yellowstone it’s probably about 20 hours. It’s longer to go through Jackson but I, personally, think it’s worth the extra time to see the Tetons. They’re amazing.

I’ll echo what Don Nunn says. It’s about 10 hours from LA to Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake City West Yellowstone is about a 4-5 hour drive. Of course at West Yellowstone you’re not actually in the park yet.

From West Yellowstone it is about 30-45 minute’s drive to Old Faithful, under ideal conditions.

Yellowstone is well worth the drive. It’s a unique place that is everybody should take the opportunity to see if they have the chance to do it.

One thing that I would recommend is to go early in the season, like around Memorial Day. It’s a little bit on the cold side still, but the crowds are much smaller and the animals are down closer to the road. It’s a great experience.

I haven’t driven from LA, but have driven from Chicago to YNP twice (once by way of Glacier NP). If the drive from the west is anything like the drive from the east, I can only say yes, yes and YES. Two of the most memorable and wonderful vacations of my life!

Also, you’ll really need a car to fully explore the parks anyway.

I have driven from Gilbert, AZ which is somewhat similar in distance and direction. In our case we drove to the Grand Canyon. Then from the Grand Canyon to Lake Powell. Lake Powell to Zion. Zion to Bear Lake, UT and Bear Lake to Yellowstone.

You could probably get from LA to Southern Utah no problem in a comfortable day trip. Make it a marathon day and you can probably make it Salt Lake, Provo, etc. From there you can take a power drive second day and get to Yellowstone. Expect 3 8 hour days or two 13 plus hour days of driving to get there.

I’ve driven to Yellowstone from Los Angeles three times.

For the most scenic drive, make it all the way to Logan, Utah on the first day. Once you leave Logan and pick up 89, the drive is breathtakingly scenic the entire rest of the way.

The first two times I stayed in Salt Lake City after the first day’s drive. There is a Marie Callendar’s there, and that’s a sure thing for palatable food. (I find good food pretty challenging to find outside of California, and that’s unfortunate, since I’m now living in Ohio.)

The drive is definitely worth it. It can be done in a week’s vacation, if one is organized. I tent camp at Yellowstone, at Bridge Bay campground (nearest the lake). So…two days to drive there. Make camp when arrive. Stay four days. One day will be long driving to Canyon & Minerva Terrace. Drive home two days. I’d do it again.