What a glorious trip! But the options are endless. Schnees Boots, Shoes, and Outdoors is one of my favorite. Input Salt Lake City and your travel dates to see your options. I would love to hear about your experiences in Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Park! You will likely be visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone in late Spring, Summer or Fall, which means Jackson will be (mostly) free of snow and the enormous crowds of thrill seekers in the winter season. Answer 1 of 7: Planning trip in July for Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Take the drive from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park on the evening of day 2 or morning of day 3. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sunshineandvine_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sunshineandvine_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');Lexington at Jackson Hole Hotel & SuitesI stayed here during my most recent visit. you will have limited camping options in the parks so book now for 2015. Both Opal Pool and Turquoise Pool are worthy of keeping the camera handy. When searching for flights to Salt Lake City or any other nearby airport, we personally use and recommend Skyscanner and Google Flights as the two best flight search engines. All things considered we think SLC is the best airport to use for Yellowstone because it is the most convenient for long haul travel and offers low budget airlines for domestic US travel. This road trip offers continual opportunities to spot wildlife. I will need to cancel my Gardiner reservations. If you have time and energy before sunset, hike up to Old Faithful viewing area to see the eruption from an elevated position. Chicago, IL Salt Lake City, UT Yellowstone National Park San Francisco, CA Yosemite National Park, CA Seattle, WA Glacier National Park, MT Chicago, IL. Take a boat ride across the lake to hike to Hidden Falls. But if you have an afternoon flight we recommend you drive south past Norris Geyser Basin before leaving the park via West Yellowstone. Yellowstone, America's first national park, was established in 1872 to protect the area's unique geothermal features and is also a wildlife sanctuary for hundreds of species. *Please note this post may contain affiliate links. It is one of only 2 places you are permitted to swim in Yellowstone. But if you are in a hurry and dont have time for the scenic route, you can take I-15 and US-20 to the resort village of West Yellowstone, which also serves as the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park. I love this area so much. The lodge grounds are cozy and inviting. Of course, you could skip the last part of Day 5 and instead of driving to Canyon, drive back from Norris to West Yellowstone. We are assuming you need to drive back from Yellowstone to Las Vegas on the sixth day? From Glacier National Park, drive 4 hours to Helena. Next up is Artists Paintpots Trail, which we highly recommend. Seattle to Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks Road Trip Soak up the outdoors as you travel through Washington, Idaho and Montana on this northern-states road trip. The first day can be action packed or easy going depending on your journey to reach SLC and how you prefer to travel. Follow Teton park road as far as Chapel of the Transfiguration. If you want to reduce trip time, fly out of Salt Lake City after your visit to Yellowstone National Park and ride Amtrak just one way. Adapt the itinerary below to suit your exact travel plans and please feel free to leave us a comment at the end if you need help planning for your specific vacation plans, such as hiking or photography focused. Once you visit Jackson, you will not want to leave. After multiple long term US road trips we have learned a thing or two about how to best prepare for a successful adventure. If you choose to spend a day in downtown SLC there are plenty of hotel options available. Your road trip ends in Glacier National Park, one of the USA's most beautiful national parks. A short walk through forest ends with bubbling mud pots and colorful hot springs. West Yellowstone will put you on just one side of the 2 million acres + that is Yellowstone. The downtown area is clean, neat, and architecturally pleasing, telling a story of pride and preservation. Watch for my upcoming Salt Lake City Travel Guide. Want to know more about Grand Teton? Plan to park along the roadside and walk a distance. I would love to see the bison and elk. An affordable hotel near the town square restaurants and shops.Cowboy Village ResortI stayed here in 2016, during my first visit to Jackson. Spend the night in Jackson at Wyoming Inn of Jackson Holeor Inn on the Creek. Figuring out the best places to stay in several places on consecutive nights can become challenging. You can then grab dinner either back in SLC downtown or at the airport. I do like the, Oregon is packed full of natural wonders and historic sites. Canyon Village has a canteen style food court serving various cuisines and a huge seating hall centered around an open fireplace. Thanks in advance! We have visited Yellowstone on separate occasions and we have helped thousands of first time visitors plan trips to this region through our various Wyoming travel guides. Lewis Lake is one of the best stops for kayaking in the park and you will pass it as you approach the south entrance to Yellowstone. You will cross a bridge but go slowly because we saw a bald eagle right on the bridge at sunrise, so keep your eyes peeled. We hope the long list of hotel options is helpful and not overwhelming! Once you have explored Seattle and want to see more of the Pacific Northwest, take a 1-hour flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Portland International Airport. Duration 5h 46m When Every day Estimated price $400 - $1,200 . Next, drive through the center of Yellowstone Loop road to Canyon. This hike offers incredible views, mountain goat sightings, and other wildlife. From Salt Lake City to St. Mary on the east side of Glacier National Park is about 700 miles but a long stretch of that can be done on I-15 so it will go fast. This beautiful guy is bigger than a football field in diameter. This is one of the most-detailed itineraries Ive ever seen, but its truly helpful for those of us hoping to plan a trip to the area! They are lightweight for everyday use as well which is helpful when I want to travel with only a few pairs of shoes. Take the right turn, stop at String Lake and Jenny Lake Overlook for beautiful lake views. Antelope Island on Great Salt Lake in Utah Photo: Getty Images. I chose to get the hardest driving day out of the way with plans to reach Kalispell, a small town not far from Glacier National Park, soon after dark. Nearby Teton Village nestled at the base of Jacksons ski lifts is the main alternative to staying in Downtown Jackson. If not adapt the itinerary below to fit your plans. Mormon Temple at Temple Square, Salt Lake City, UT. Moab and Arches National Park (77) Salt Lake City (151) Uinta Mountains (96) Zion National Park (70) . The park is enormous and it is most efficient to spend each night at a different hotel. West Yellowstone is the closest place to Old Faithful that you can stay outside the park. Stay Right Next to the Water at Bear Lake 4. This trail is a 5.3-mile out and back hike. Salt Lake City to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park is a popular bucket list road trip route filled with natural beauty and unique landscapes. Day 1 - Fly London to Salt Lake City - overnight at airport Day 2 - pick up hire car - Salt Lake City to Jackson for 2 nights via I-89 - overnight at Inn on the Creek Day 3 - explore Jackson Day 4 - Jackson to Ketchum, Idaho. It looks delicious! Add them to walking, waterfalls and wildlife in Yellowstone and you have the perfect focal point on your Salt Lake City to Wyoming road trip. Grand Teton is incredibly picturesque and one of the best examples of staggering natural beauty in the United States. Yellowstone is an awe-inspiring and extraordinary landscape, but it requires careful planning to do it the right way without losing time driving back on yourself or missing out on top attractions. However, if you really dont want to drive from Salt Lake City to Grand Teton, you can take the Salt Lake Express bus from SLC to Jackson. Continue with Recommended Cookies. We will cover where to stay on the Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip in much greater depth later in the guide. Drive south from Canyon and this time turn left into South Rim Drive. Take the right onto N Beach Road to enter Idahos North Beach State Park with $7 vehicle entry fee and dont forget your swimsuit. It was my first visit to Glacier, and my second visit to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Among the most popular are:Old Faithful Snow Lodge Obsidian Dining RoomOld Faithful Lodge CafeteriaMammoth Dining RoomGrant Village Dining RoomLake Yellowstone Hotel Dining RoomCanyon Eatery in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone area. Thank you! This is easier but it will also mean a lot more driving. Lodging inside Yellowstone can be booked through the official Yellowstone National Park Lodges site but we strongly recommend you try to beat the prices with Hotels.com before booking anything. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'sunshineandvine_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sunshineandvine_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'sunshineandvine_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_7',115,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sunshineandvine_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-115{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Pro Tip: Exploring three national parks in one week requires a lot of walking and hiking. Watch for wildlife drawn to the river.Schwabacher LandingA great place to capture photos of mountains reflecting on the water.Mormon RowTour historic barns and homesteads and watch for deer, bison, and moose. Denver International Airport will be the best alternative for many, but the drive distance and drive time are around 40% longer to reach Grand Teton or Yellowstone. Only have 5 nights 6 days. Our top recommendation is to search for vehicle prices with Rental Cars and compare prices with Discover Cars. This route stops in major national parks, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Check into a hotel and then spend the afternoon exploring Grand Teton. If so, you might benefit greatly from taking a look at this interactive Google Map we created to show show the potential stops you can make each day for 7 days on our Salt Lake City to Yellowstone example itinerary, which is featured right after the map. We can vouch for Kelly Inn and Explorer Cabins, both of which were excellent stays. Revisit any of your favorite Yellowstone spots before heading back to SLC airport. We will experience some stunning scenery with a chance to explore a couple of very scenic byways on our way north. Day 7 Hike Mt Washburn, head into Lamar Valley and see Mammoth Hot Springs. Wed go as far as saying if you only have 4 days for your trip, take one from Yellowstone and give it to Grand Teton. Teton Village is a quieter and more upscale place to stay for visiting Grand Teton. Sleep either Old Faithful or West Yellowstone. However, we suspect everyone else has the same idea so you may not find availability. This is the perfect spot for extraordinary views of Lower Falls. But it is also a great option for those who want easy access to Mammoth Hot Springs or Lamar Valley, the best place in Yellowstone for wildlife spotting. I have 7 days off! The night of Day 3 is the most open to your interpretation part of this Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip. Whether you are driving your own car or a hire car make sure you are carrying all of the following items: The roads around Grand Teton and Yellowstone are flat and easy to drive. I need to flip the itinerary to travel from N-S due to our flight timings. I booked a trip following your itinerary from July 26 - August 2nd. Right next to Grand Teton National Park,spend a day on the newVia Ferrata assisted climbing course, riding the gondola, tackling the ropes course or biking and hiking downhill. About this Itinerary Pricey, but exquisite. Stay in West Yellowstone. Opened in 1904, using local lodgepole pine and gnarled wood embellishments, many original fixtures and furnishingsare still in use. Walk around Lower Geyser Basin and then drive to a hotel in West Yellowstone. There are great detours to natural forests on this path, including Mt. Follow Firehole River as far as Morning Glory Pool, which is one of our favorite hot springs in the park. Sedona is one of our favorite places in the southwest and the end of November means comfortable temperatures for hiking. Take a self-guided walking tour of buildings and establishments preserved to reflect their historic past. Salt Lake City is the natural stopping off point between visiting Glacier, Grand Teton and Yellowstone to the north, and the 5 Utah national parks to the south for those on longer US road trips. Was This Guide Helpful? Day 3 See Midway and Lower Geyser Basins, explore Norris Geyser Basin and drive over to Canyon so you can check in to a hotel. Remember, the extra night also means you need the budget for a hotel room, eating out and another day with a hire car. We will let you know as soon as this one is available and hopefully it is before your trip! The Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel offers a spa, a gift shop selling Shoshone-Bannock crafts and a place to watch your favorite sports team. Use the morning to revisit any of the areas in Grand Teton you liked the most, such as Jenny Lake or Oxbow Bend. Need help! If you choose to fly into Salt Lake City, you'll save money versus the regional airports in Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. ), From West Thumb drive 1.25 hours to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. During my September visit to Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park, the days were sunny with lows around 40F and highs between 60F and 75F. We stayed in a cabin during our first visit to Yellowstone in October and it was great. From the overlook, look for Fairy Falls in the distance. Outside of Winter, the scenery around Teton village is spectacular and it is slightly closer to the national park. Seattle, Washington is a mere 1.5-hour direct flight from Glacier Park International Airport. Sponsored. Airport Options:Salt Lake City International AirportJackson Hole AirportGlacier Park International AirportBozeman Yellowstone International AirportIdaho Falls Regional Airport, Drive Times to Consider When Planning Your Itinerary:Salt Lake City to Grand Teton National Park: 5 HoursGrand Teton to Yellowstone National Park: 3.5 HoursYellowstone to Glacier National Park: 6.5 Hours. Continue to both Grand View and Inspiration Point and if you arrive at the right time, you will be at Inspiration Point for sunset directly behind Lower Falls. However, if you stayed in West Yellowstone, you will need to drive back to Old Faithful to begin Day 5. A booming culinary and brewing culture is emerging out of SLC, perfect for fueling up in between epic national park road trip loops. Id fly in and didnt get to see much in between. Americans can fly into SLC from almost all airports in the US, whereas only certain origin airports will fly direct into airports closer to Yellowstone, such as Bozeman MT. About Old Faithful, Yellowstone's Famous Geyser. Thank you, Kim. Hi Jim, yes you'll need to cancel your Gardiner reservations but you will still be able to complete your full Yellowstone itinerary within the park. Here are the best hotels in West Yellowstone MT: Want to read more about where to stay in Yellowstone? Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep, and wolverines. . Shine Beer SanctuaryAn open-air fun place with a taco bar. Grand Teton Lodge Company. Hi there! Assuming you stayed in Jackson on night 3, begin your fourth day with another sunrise but this time head straight to Schwabacher Landing to get there before the sun rises. Dont miss the Old Faithful Inn. Day 5 Explore West Thumb, Upper, Midway and Lower geyser basins. From historic homesteads to breathtaking river valleys, here are our top stops for a fantastic scenic drive plus road-trip advice from Nokian Tyres. Travel from Rapid City South Dakota to Salt Lake City Utah and enjoy amazing stops along the way. Bison on Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake. Continue North and drive through Alpine Junction, which marks the beginning of a scenic stretch of highway following the Snake River. Just minutes from the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park and the northern section of Grand Teton National Park, stay at the Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch. This tour hits highpoints including the Old Faithful area, Midway Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pots, the Canyon Area, Hayden Valley, as well as short hikes to geyser basins and waterfalls. Take short hikes to geyser basins and waterfalls. There are several restaurants and cafeterias throughout the park. Day 7 Explore Mammoth Hot Springs. The arch is located at the North entrance of Yellowstone. If you click on one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Yellowstone and Glacier are not RV friendly and cannot even take some RV's on the GTTSR in Glacier. Trust your senses.Trust your gut.If youve planned well and it feels right, do it!If it doesnt feel right, dont. You can do a little bit of everything in Grand Teton, from hiking to wildlife spotting and from sunrise photography to swimming in lakes. Drive 20 miles to West Thumb Geyser Basin. Throughout Montana and Wyoming, the yellows of grain fields, greens of alfalfa grass, and blues of the sky and flowing rivers form an incredible backdrop for photos. Dont forget deicer and a scraper for your windshield if you do plan your trip for when snow and ice is possible. The road to Gardiner is closed. We have created this guide based on our extensive knowledge and experience in the region to help you plan the best possible trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The one geyser you cant miss at Norris is called Steamboat Geyser, which is the worlds tallest active geyser. That pricey but exquisite steak is calling my name. In addition, dont forget bug spray if you visit Yellowstone in summer. The next closest is Yellowstone south entrance, which is 340 miles and would take around 6 hours and 10 minutes to drive. I loved the adventure going from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone to Grand Teton. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Possibly visit Craters of the Moon on the way. Salt Lake City is the closest big city to Yellowstone and Grand Teton with a major international airport. Check Grand Teton sunrise times the night before and plan to arrive at Mormon Row at the start of civil twilight with camera in hand. What do you need to know about the drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone? And crowded. I chose to explore the parks in order from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone to Grand Teton. This is one of our favorite hidden gem areas of Yellowstone. Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel of switchbacks passing through and to numerous trailheads, glacial pull-outs, and overlooks. Mountain goats are common sightings. Want to know more about Yellowstone? Thank you. That is what makes creating an example road trip itinerary so challenging. Then drive north to Cache Valley and Bear Lake before stopping in Lava Hot Springs and Pocatello. Glacier to Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park: 7-Day Road Trip, Day One: Drive from Salt Lake City to Kalispell, Montana, Many Glacier (Optional for those extending time in the park), Backtrack from East to West along Going-to-the-Sun Road, Where to Stay if extending time in Glacier National Park, Things to remember before visiting Glacier National Park, Where to Stay near the North entrance of Yellowstone National Park, Artist Paint Pot Trail and Paint Pot Hill, Day Seven: Explore Salt Lake City and/or Travel Day, Optional 4 Day Road Trip: Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier National Park, Optional 10 Day Road Trip: Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier National Park, Things to Consider When Planning Your Itinerary, America the Beautiful National Park Pass $80. Its almost like you planned it! You might not be interested in spending a day in SLC, at which point you can spend an extra day in either Grand Teton or Yellowstone. Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use, Copyright 2023 | Where Are Those Morgans, Our Salt Lake City To Yellowstone Road Trip Experience. Schedule plenty of time to enjoy Jenny Lake. Mad River Boat Trips Lets take a quick look at some of the most asked questions about planning a Wyoming road trip from Salt Lake City to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Take the ferry across Jenny Lake to cut out a long walk around the lake to Cascade Canyon trailhead. You will love the Portland area. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If theres a Utah Jazz basketball game on. Day 5 - Either see Hayden Valley / Lower Yellowstone Falls in the morning, or hike to Mt Washburn. Explore on your own or take a tour on horseback or e-bike. Head over to our Wyoming Travel Guides to explore Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and beyond. Is there a pdf version for a quick reference? Yellowstone National Park (139) Worldwide. Only have 48 hours? Hi Joan, it isn't as bad as it sounds, you can still easily see the best of both Grand Teton and Yellowstone in this time frame. However, we will also explain how to drive this road trip route in less and more time later in the guide. There are several direct long haul flights into Salt Lake City from major cities around the world. July 8, 2022 Tori Peglar Hot springs, high peaks and Montana's wide open spaces dominate this tour from Seattle to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks and back.