YELLOWSTONE and GRAND TETON PARK(s) 11 Days
Grand Teton National Park is in northwestern Wyoming. The national park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long (64 km) Teton Range as well as the valley known as Jackson Hole. Grand Teton Park is only 12 miles (18 km) from the south entrance of Yellowstone. Grand Teton is a popular destination for mountaineering, hiking, fishing and other forms of recreation. There are endless drive-in campsites and over 200 miles (320 km) of hiking trails. It is also noted for world-renowned trout fishing.
Getting there: Jackson Hole airport is located 30 minutes from the Grand Teton Park south entrance.
Car rental is essential to fully enjoy all parts of the park.
Where to stay at Grand Teton Park. Visitors can select from eight (8) locations.
Reservations need to be made WELL IN ADVANCE.
Download the NPS app to make the most out of your National Park experience.
Best Guidebooks: Frommer’s Yellowstone and Grand Teton and Lonely Planet Yellowstone/Grand Teton.
Yellowstone National Park is a 3,500-sq.-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. The park is roughly the size of the Big Island of Hawaii and features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. It's also home to hundreds of animal species, including bears, wolves, bison, elk and antelope.
Getting there: Jackson Hole airport. Alternative airports are Cody, Wyoming and Bozeman, Montana.
All three (3) airports are 2.5 hours away.
If your arriving at Yellowstone’s North Entrance: Land at the Bozeman Airport or Cody airport.
If your arriving at Yellowstone’s South Entrance: Jackson Hole airport is your best choice.
You can fly into one airport and out of another if flights and One-Way car rentals fees are reasonable.
Where to stay: Visitors may select from seven (7) locations within the park.
Reservations need to be made WELL IN ADVANCE. (one year in advance is not uncommon)
Yellowstone Trip Planner - contains helpful information.
The town of Jackson is 30 minutes from Grand Teton Park and two hours from Yellowstone.
Jackson is a picturesque town in Wyoming’s Jackson Hole valley and the gateway to both National Parks.
Jackson is home to three (3) ski areas:
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Snow King Mountain Resort.
Grand Targhee Resort.
After hitting the slopes, visitors wander the restaurants, bars and souvenir shops.
Learn more about the ski resorts.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR VISITING BOTH PARKS.
DAY 1
Arrive at Jackson Hole airport. Transfer to your lodge at Grand Teton Park.
If time permits, go for a stroll or take some photos of the majestic Teton Range.
Overnight: Grand Teton Lodges (mentioned above), 4 nights.
Driving time: Jackson airport to Grand Teton Lodge. 45-60 minutes.
More about Boat & Kayak rentals
DAY 2 - 4
Explore Grand Teton National Park.
<Learn More> on the top 10 popular activities.
Best scenic drives:
Some roads are closed November to May.
<Road map>
Learn more on <best walking trails> in Grand Teton.
Horseback riding in Grand Teton. <Learn more>
About the rides: One (1) and two (2) hour rides departing from Jackson Lake Lodge, Colter Bay Village and from Headwaters Lodge.
Take a scenic float trip on the Snake River, entirely in Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton Bike Pathway - a popular activity for cyclists, families and avid walkers throughout the spring, summer, and fall season.
The twenty (20)-mile paved trail takes you from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center through the small town of Moose - a community along the Snake River, and into Jackson. <video>
You are rewarded with beautiful views of the iconic Grand Teton mountains and opportunities to see wildlife, such as elk and bison.
Download Trail Link on your phone. The app created by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy allows you to locate walking and biking trails throughout the nation.
Best Places to Photograph in Grand Teton National Park.
A popular photo spot is Mormon Row. <directions>
Overnight: Grand Teton Lodge.
DAY 5
Drive from Grand Teton to Yellowstone Park. 2.5 hrs, 110 miles.
History (video) of Yellowstone Park.
Yellowstone is enormous (63-miles north to south, and 54-miles west to east). It is larger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island.
One of the most popular ways exploring the park is a clockwise driving route.
Approaching Yellowstone Park from Grand Teton:
Start the route at West Thumb Basin and continue to Old Faithful and Norris Basin. Continue to Mammoth Hot Springs, ———> Canyon Village, ———> Hayden Valley and ending at Lake Yellowstone.
Upper loop (northern) of park is much less busy than the Lower loop (southern).
There is so much to see that it is best to stay overnight at a couple locations.***
Staying at the same accommodation throughout your stay at Yellowstone Park may prove to waste a significant amount of time driving back and forth (especially with the heavy traffic.)
Bring a pair of binoculars. Wildlife will sometimes be at a further distance.
Travel around the Park.
DAYS 6-9 Highlights:
Discover Old Faithful Geyser/and Lower Geyser Basin.
No visit to Yellowstone is complete without experiencing at least one eruption of Old Faithful.
An eruption can from 90 seconds up to 5 minutes. —The average interval between eruptions is about 90 minutes. <video>
Lower Geyser Basin—features regularly erupting geysers, hot springs, and a fascinating mud pool which often strikes visitors as something from another world.
Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs.
Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of the thermal areas.
At Mammoth Springs, walk on boardwalks above the steaming hydrothermal features <trail map> or take a drive around the vibrant travertine terraces.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Hayden Valley.
Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon may not be as big as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but it is nonetheless breathtaking.
The Lower Falls at the canyon is 308 feet high and one of the most photographed features in all of Yellowstone. <Learn more>
Artist Point - is an overlook point on the edge of a cliff on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Hayden Valley, centrally located in the park, it is the first place to go to see wildlife. As you drive along this beautiful, broad valley you are likely to see herds of bison, scattered elk and the occasional grizzly bear.
When is the best time to watch wildlife? Animals are most active at dawn and dusk. Aim to be in the valleys before sunrise.
Best Season: Hayden Valley is best spring through fall, when the park roads are open.
Horseback guided tours are offered at Canyon village and Tower Roosevelt on well-mannered horses.
Stop and explore West Thumb Geyser Basin and Yellowstone Lake.
The West Thumb Basin is a unique shoreline thermal area. <trail map> Visitors can observe hot springs pouring into the lake. The stair-free loop exploring Geyser Basin is 0.7-mile long. Overlooks along the way provide great views of all the different hydrothermal features.
Yellowstone Lake - this is the largest high-altitude lake in North America and it is breathtaking in grandeur. Walking the shoreline, you will witness snow-capped mountains rising across the lake.
Take a scenic lake cruise or a guided fishing trip. Or rent a rowboat and cruise the shoreline.
Rentals are available on a first come first serve basis at the Bridge Bay Marina.
<Learn more> where the best spots are for photography in Yellowstone Park.
Overnight in Yellowstone (4 nights): There are a variety of locations. For this itinerary, it is best to move around to a couple locations.
Your options: mentioned above.
Driving times to various points in Yellowstone Park:
Lake Yellowstone—> Old Faithful Lodge. 1 hour.
Grant Village —> Old Faithful Lodge. 45 minutes.
Old Faithful Lodge —> Norris Geyser Basin. 1 hour.
Norris Geyser Basin —> Mammoth Hot Springs. 1 hour.
Mammoth Hot Springs —> Canyon Village. 1.5 hours
Canyon Village —> Grand Teton Park. 2.5 hours
DAY 10
Your last day visiting Yellowstone’s scenic wonders.
Later in the day return to Jackson, WY.
Alternate departure towns; Cody, WY or Bozeman, MT. (Remember: you can fly into one airport and out of another if flights and One-Way car rentals fees are reasonable.
Overnight: Jackson.
Driving time: Yellowstone —> Jackson, 2.5 hours.
DAY 11
Return home from Jackson Hole airport or the alternate airports (Cody, Wyoming or Bozeman, Montana).
Average cost:
(EXCLUDING AIRFARE)
$$$ USD for two (2) People
Budget: $3500
Moderate: $4400
Luxury: $5500+
Climate - What to expect each weather season:
Spring Weather
Spring (April to early June) can be a magnificent time in Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Snow, rain, or extremely warm and pleasant days can all occur within the same week. With this in mind, visitors should be prepared for the variety of weather patterns that can accompany the springtime “transition.”
Average temperatures range from highs of 40’s – 50’s (5-15°C) to 60’s – 70’s (15-25°C.) Overnight lows often are in the 25-40-degree range.
Summer Weather
Summer (mid-June through early September) provides the warmest temperatures. Summer weather tends to be drier and more pleasant. Highs are in the 70’s-80’s (25-30°C.) Lows can drop to the 30’s and 40’s (0-10°C.) Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon.
Yellowstone’s elevation ranges from 6,500 to 8,000 feet. This high elevation makes the sun more intense. Apply sunscreen.
Autumn Weather
Autumn begins the transition from summer to winter resulting in warm dry days and cool crisp nights.
Snow is a possibility beginning in late September; however the infrequent snowstorms usually drop only enough snow to temporarily close higher in-park roads.
In autumn, visitors should plan for summer and winter, with highs from the 40’s-50’s (5-15°C) in later fall to 60’s and low 70’s (20-25°C) in early fall. ‘Lows’ will typically dip below freezing.
Winter Weather
Winter in Yellowstone is like another world. The “fire and ice” effect of the snow and colder temperatures mixed with the steamy boiling hot springs and geysers make for amazing snowscapes and natural beauty.
Most park roads are closed to regular wheeled vehicles, allowing access only to “over-snow” vehicles like snowmobiles. The road from Gardiner, Montana to Cooke City, Montana, via Mammoth Hot Springs is the only in-park road accessible to cars, buses and trucks. However, the road dead-ends at Cooke City, as travel beyond that town is limited to over-snow vehicles again.
Temperatures in Yellowstone in winter will vary due to elevation. However, most visitor areas tend to stay in the 0-25 degree (-20 to -5°C) range. It is not uncommon for temperatures at higher elevations to drop below zero. Annual parkwide snowfall tends to be around 150 inches, although higher elevations can receive 200-400 inches.
Winter weather can occasionally cause the temporary closure of park roads. We suggest you check with the National Park Service at 307-344-7381 or visit the National Park Service website for current road reports.
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