If you want to see a prismatic light show on earth and in the sky, this is the place to be! Theres a decision to make here whether you think the extra cost of those two things is worth saving several hours (probably between 4-6 at a minimum, when its all said and done) of driving. Or, if youre coming from the west through Idaho, you could start at the western entrance of Yellowstone and just pick up the itinerary from there, which works out quite nicely. With populous large mammal wildlife, geothermal activity unlike anywhere else in the world, and towering peaks full of sprawling rocky mountain ecosystems, it makes sense that they are also two of the most visited parksYellowstone named the second most-visited national park in 2020 and Grand Teton coming in fifth. However, its massive.
Alternatively, you can plan an out-and-back trip from one airport (e.g. You can find a full list of our recommended areas to stay at the top of this itinerary. We spent over a week in Grand Teton and Yellowstone, but thought it would be more useful for you and your trip planning to work with Scout Invie, a local writer who was born in Jackson, Wyoming, to help you plan an amazing itinerary. The point is, we think doing it one-way is the way to go, and there are multiple ways to do it. Instead, reserve a room or campsite close to Mammoth Hot Springs or backtrack the short distance (five miles) to Gardiner, MT for nicer hotels and cabin stays.
These parks are both consistently busy between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so if you want to experience them with less people, traffic, and commotion, its generally a good idea to travel before June or after September. Make sure to check the roads report. Make sure to bring a camera and journal! You definitely need to visit Yellowstone! These areas of the park are arguably the most popular parts though, so book campsites or lodging as early as you can to avoid competition. Grand Teton is a much smaller park than Yellowstone. If not, fly straight to the source. On the thirty miles of highway between the parks, youll have views of the approaching Tetons and will probably be able to spot more wildlife antelope, deer, and other mammals that roam the plains. Area-wise, we think you should plan to split your time between the Canyon area and either Old Faithful or the West Thumb. Its a bittersweet ending to this jam-packed trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Splitting your time between these two towns right outside the park will give you a nice set of home bases for exploring the sprawling park without too much driving. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S, it is also home to Boeing, Microsoft and Amazon (world domination here we come! Route: The fastest route takes you up the western border of Wyoming, through Evanston, Afton, and Alpine on I-80 and route 89. Youll see the best of both parks from hikes, to wildlife drives, to scenic vistas but your days are going to be full. Weve done most of them from Delta, Surprise, and Amphitheater Lakes, to Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and the Jenny Lake loop. Got more time? Instead, we would recommend advance booking a stay or site at Jenny Lake, Signal Mountain, or Colter Bay. For a list of authorized fishing guides available for hire in Grand Teton, visit the Grand Teton NPS fishing site. Firehole Spring is another of the multi-colored springs we couldnt get enough of, but Surprise Pool is something else altogetherits deep, deep blue and appears intimidatingly deep.
There were a couple of contenders on which destination I wanted to go next but because I was still on National Park high post Arches, I chose Yellowstone and Grand Teton as my next destination. On one of the first pullouts (this one), we saw multiple moose, a baby moose, and a bear and three cubs. Signal Mountain Lodge: A rustic, semi-luxury lodge close to Jackson Lake, offering rooms and bungalows, as well as dining and other activities. Feel free to stop for a breakfast picnic on any of the pull outs along the way. Accepts tents and smaller RVs. But since I relocated to California almost a decade ago, weve made a bunch of trips to the area that I used to call home.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton are two of the most impressive national parks in the US. If you keep on the trail after visiting Grand Prismatic Overlook, youll have the opportunity to see Fairy Falls, a renowned 200-foot waterfall. This itinerary for Day 3 gets you to Old Faithful first thing in the morning, leaving the rest of the day for more hot spring, waterfall, and wildlife spotting. The Woodland trail, which heads counter-clockwise around Phelps Lake, is the most direct trail to the lake loop, and is also the most scenic. Once you drive through Gardiner and pay for entrance to the park, you will pass through the Roosevelt Arch, an iconic structure built in 1903 to mark visitors entrance into Yellowstone. It will take most of the morning to get to the North Entrance of Yellowstone located in Gardiner its about a 1.5 hour drive, but could be longer depending on traffic.
Signal Mountain Campsite: 81-site campground located by Signal Mountain Lodge. If you arrive in Bozeman on an afternoon or evening flight, we recommend finding a place to stay in the evening and then starting your journey the next morning. Conservation is a massive issue of philanthropy and federal protection in and around these parks, though folks sometimes forget that the smallest actions also add up and can affect local ecosystems. Yellowstone is a massive park. These are the remaining homesteads of the Mormon settlers that came to live at the base of the Tetons in the 1890s. We think it is, which is why this itinerary is designed to go one-way. If you havent gotten your fill of geothermal springs in for the day, you can always detour to Firehole Lake Drive on your way to a campsite or lodge. Its also quite easy to spot lake trout in the shallows of the water on this hike, especially with a good pair of polarized sunglasses.
A general rule is to not interact with any wildlife including feeding small critters like chipmunks. The two closest major cities with travel hubs and amenities are Salt Lake City and Denver. Just be prepared for some extra driving in the morning. Phelps Lake Loop begins and ends at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center, originally a dude ranch known as JY Ranch. Were big hikers, which means we were a little disappointed to find that there really arent too many good hikes on San Juan Island, which is the most visited island in the archipelago. So large that you could dedicate the entire week you have on this road trip just to touring Yellowstone. Always make sure to check road conditions for closures or hazards (here). You can even bring a blanket and make a sunset picnic spot on any of these stops, waiting for the stars to emerge on your final night in this magnificent park.
A general good rule is to take it easy and do some less strenuous hikes in the area before trying to ascend or summit anything. Both are famous artists notable within the national park movement, and both were extremely drawn to documenting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Alysha has spent her whole life here, minus four years in college, and Matts a relative newcomer with just under 10 years at the time of writing. The absolute minimum amount of time wed recommend for this trip is five days. Youll miss some of the highlights, but its still doable. This 7 day Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary is a mash up of our 4 day Yellowstone itinerary, and our 3 day Grand Teton itinerary. Contrary to popular belief, Yellowstone isnt the largest national park in the US. If you do plan to only fly into one of the airports, we would recommend Jackson Hole Airport. While we recommend picking multiple camp or lodge spots while traveling through Yellowstone, for Grand Teton it would probably be best to pick one site to stay in for the entirety of your trip. To name more than a few, for its weather, coffee culture, Nirvana, and of course, the TV show Frasier. What better way to spend an extra day than renting water sport equipment or booking a tour and getting out on Jackson or Yellowstone lake? This is also another great site to bring binoculars and look for herds of bison in the distant plains beyond Mormon Row. Were starting off the first day of this trip with a sizzling itinerary: youll pass through the impressive North Entrance arch, visit the flowing limestone pools and mounds of Mammoth Hot Springs, hike through meadows and pine forests to Bunsen Peak, and see Norris Geyser Basin by sunset. Mt. For the sake of seeing the most attractions in just a few days, youll probably want to stay in a couple of different parts of the park to minimize driving. An America the Beautiful Annual Pass (which gets you into any national park and also covers parking fees at most national monuments or national forest trailheads) is $80, and a single day pass into any national park, per vehicle, is $30. String Lake is a moderately-short, easy hiking loop that we would recommend to any level of hiker. Thats what youll find below. The concept of this blog is simple: I travel, I take photos, and I share those photos and itineraries with you. Youll drive on Rockefeller Highway down to Grand Teton National Park to hike the mellow String Lake loop, view the historic Mormon Row settlement, and catch the sunset at Oxbow Bend. Let's be friends! This trail is sure to make you feel part of the Yellowstone ecosystem, with a birds-eye view of Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin. Youll get to experience trail systems from a completely different perspective. This trail is good for all skill levels but might take a bigger chunk of the day (three to five hours) to complete. There are plenty of geysers above the shoreline that you can see via more boardwalks and trail systems (like Upper Geyser Basin), but we bet you didnt know there are geyser eruptions occurring every day under the water as well. Doing it one-way is going to save you time by making it so you dont have to double back, but you should also think about costs. Day 4 is going to feel like a good rest day after all the activity in Day 3. Emerald green, milky-blue, rusty orangethese are just a few of the colors youll be able to see not only in the hot pots, but also in the heavens. We believe that travel is about learning, discovery, and connection. Back to your regularly scheduled programming of more iconic viewpoints: Oxbow Bend is one of the best spots in the park to view Mt. What you can see by stopping here: over fifty terraced hot springs, Palette Springs Terraces, and Orange Spring Mound.
Washburn, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Hayden Valley) and Day 6 (Sunrise Wildlife Drive, String Lake, Mormon Row, and Sunset Wildlife Loop) of this itinerary. We think this is the best way to see both parks in just seven days. Still, youll get to see more Yellowstone hot spots: West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Lake, and Elephant Back Mountain.
Colter Bay Campground: A large 324-site camp near Jackson Lake, with spectacular views of Mt. This overlook presents you with an amazing view of Grand Prismatic Spring, a very large rainbow-colored spring which is also iconically Yellowstone. You can see the upper and lower falls of the Yellowstone River (the muse of so many photographers and painters like Moran and Addams) by accessing a variety of overlooks. We recommend the hike to Point Sublime, a 2.7 mile round-trip hike with 340 feet of elevation gain that takes you past Artist Point and several other majestic views of the canyon. On Day 5 of your journey, say goodbye to the geothermal activity of Yellowstone. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (aka Teton Village) located by the south end of the park also has quite a few lodges and hotels. All good things have to come to an end, but this final day will really leave you feeling bitter-sweet. Finding accommodation in Jackson Hole is going to be your best bet. Owen, and Teewinot). Huge groves of towering sitka spruce trees, a coastline of beaches that oscillate between wide and sandy and rocky and full of sea stacks, and plenty of great, Read More Exactly How to Plan an Amazing Oregon Coast Road TripContinue, We have been lucky to call Northern California home for over a decade at this point. This trail may be closed due to ongoing construction on Dunraven Pass. Bear spray is a necessity while in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. ), the Space Needle,, Read More 13 of the Coolest Hotels in Seattle, WA to Book NowContinue, Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I have been super lucky to grow up exploring Seattle and Portland. ), Snake River Overlook, Oxbow Bend, and Willow Flats Overlook. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we dont stand behind 100%. Stay around Old Faithful (there are three park lodges) or in the town of West Yellowstone, which is outside the western entrance and is the best town in terms of hotel selection and amenities around Yellowstones border. This is a good spot for late afternoon when it starts to cool down during the summer. You can also drive to the Midway Geyser Basin trail to visit Grand Prismatic and walk on boardwalks around the feature if you want to examine the otherworldly textures and colors up close. Washburn by mid-morning, seeing the Grand Canyon and falls of Yellowstone during the golden afternoon, and looking over herds of bison and the deepening vista of Hayden Valley at dusk. However, the flight selection is limited. We recommend stopping in before you leave the park, as its a great educational way to wrap up a week-long trip seeing all this natural wildlife and foliage. While you can expect crowds in these parks most of the year, this road trip itinerary will give you the clearest path to seeing the grandest attractions, with: This Yellowstone and Grand Teton road trip is sure to check all the boxes and give you a taste of each park. A classic Yellowstone adventure wouldnt be complete without a trip to see Old Faithful, arguably the most famous feature of the park. Located on the northeastern shore of Phelps Lake is an iconic and popular jumping rock with super views of Death Canyon. Your email address will not be published. Rise early to see wolves, grizzlies, and bison in the, Take in the majesty of the misting upper and lower falls at, Walk the boardwalks around the rainbow hotspots known as, Bring binoculars and look for bison in the plains behind, View the Cathedral Group of Tetons up close via. From camping to staying in the parks lodges, that guide has a strategy for choosing the perfect home base (spoiler, its actually home bases) in Yellowstone National Park.
Moose love soaking in shallow waters on their stilt-like legs, chomping on river and lake foliage. Feel free to take pictures and observe (thats half the experience of visiting the parks!) Yellowstone and Grand Teton have some of the best fly-fishing culture in the world, and the rivers are plentiful with trout. To get to these two national parks, you have a couple of options. To avoid further exhausting you on this packed first day of touring North Yellowstone, we recommend not trying to drive any further South. Its one of the most serene spots on this itinerary, and it will really refresh you for your final two days. If you have the time and are looking for a longer road trip, that might be a great option for you! Ever heard of Thomas Moran or Ansel Addams? Yellowstone and Grand Teton are both surrounded by vast amounts of open space. And though the water is bitter-cold and glacial in some parts, in others it is very warm and even boiling. We think its definitely worth it to get an annual pass for this trip, especially if your lodging is located outside the parks. You can still visit these parks during the winter season, though there will be a lot less to do, especially for activities on this itinerary for Yellowstone and Grand Teton. What do they say as the crow flies? Cascade Canyon Trail begins at the west dock of Jenny Lake, accessed by a 10 minute, $10-per-way ferry ride. We spotted five moose here on our last excursion to the park. Today, bookend one of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park with a sunrise and sunset wildlife drive. From Jackson airport there is no commute its the only commercial airport located within a national park. If you live close by Salt Lake City, Denver, or Idaho, for example you can drive to the starting point in Bozeman. For a list of authorized fishing guides available for hire in Yellowstone, visit the Yellowstone NPS fishing site here. Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. but do so from a very safe distance. Especially at sunset, youll have the chance to see and hear birds and waterfowl, moose, bears, and elk. The second reason we recommend visiting at sunset: imagine the magic that happens when rainbow-colored hot springs mirror a rainbow-colored sky. Required fields are marked *. The best place to stay for the night in terms of convenience is going to be around Lake Yellowstone. Hayden Valley is home to so many waterfowl species like herons, ducks, Canadian geese, and pelicans. Youre going to need them to keep track of all the magnificence youll see on this week-long ride. Well list the classics here, and the attractions we loved the most: This is a very short 1.2 mile out-and-back trail that we can hardly call a hike, though the viewpoint at the end is something you would expect only a lengthy hike could lead to. Heres what this itinerary looks like written out. The Oregon Coast is one of the most gorgeous pieces of the Pacific Northwest, and thats saying something considering the Northwest is full of incredible natural beauty. On the second day of this itinerary for Yellowstone and Grand Teton, youll be on the lookout for packs of wolves at dawn, hiking to Mt. We also recommend trying some local activities that you wouldnt normally get the chance to do. We wouldnt necessarily recommend going for one of those spots because of how much competition there is, and because they are out of the way. The trailhead takes you up past Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and then on towards the Cathedral Group of Teton Mountains (the Grand Teton, Mt. Jackson is a resort town and there are quite a few options spanning from basic sites and RV parks to luxury rentals and hotel stays. There are also some vacation rentals around Moose, WY, if you want more space or are traveling with a larger group. Renting bikes and seeing either park by bicycle for a day is a great way to not only slow down and have the chance to spot more wildlife, but give yourself a break from the constant traffic and crowds you might run up against in parking lots during peak summer months. Visit our guide on the 9 Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park to plan out another day hike or two if you have extra time to spare. Youll have the chance to walk around some truly historic barns, irrigation ditches, and the Chambers Homestead complex.
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