This post has all of my recommendations for a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons! These are 2 different national parks in Wyoming, but both are worth checking out, and you can see them in the same trip. There are so many fun things to do in both of these parks, and these are some of my favorites! ⛰️🌲🫎
Map
First, let’s get our bearings. 🤣 Here’s where these parks are on a map. They’re on the Northwest corner of Wyoming.
Getting There
If you’re flying, the airport to fly into is Bozeman (BZN). You can check flights here. Then from there, it’s about a 2 hour drive south to the Mammoth Hot Springs hotel, which is the first hotel we stayed in.
Getting Around
I’d recommend renting a car because you’re going to need to drive to everything that I mention in this post. You can check out car rentals here. You’re going to want to start the trip in Bozeman, and end the trip in Jackson.
Best Things To Do
1. Mammoth Hot Springs
The first stop on your trip to Yellowstone should be the Mammoth Hot Springs. The best hotel to stay at here is the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. The hot springs are right next to the hotel, so after you check in, you can walk over to them. All of the dinners we ate during this trip were at the hotels. That’s usually the best restaurant option when going to a national park. This is also where you can get bear spray, which I recommend getting if you’re going to do any hiking or walking trails during your trip. Bears could be walking around anywhere!
2. Stagecoach Ride
Then the next day, we did the stagecoach ride offered through the hotel. It’s basically an old fashioned horse drawn carriage ride through the park. They offer dinner at the end, and I thought it was a pretty fun and unique experience.
3. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Then next day we drove to the Lake Yellowstone hotel, and on the way we stopped at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This was probably my favorite hike that we did in all of Yellowstone, so I’d recommend putting it high on your list. You park on the south rim, and then walk on the South Rim Trail to Artist’s Point.
- Book a room at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel here
- Make dinner reservations at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel here
4. West Thumb Geyser Basin
The next day, we drove to the Old Faithful Inn, and stopped at the West Thumb Geyser Basin on the way. This was a great area to stop because it has lots of bright blue hot springs and bubbling mud pots. There’s also a great hike there called the Overlook Trail, which has really nice views of Lake Yellowstone.
5. Old Faithful Geyser
After checking into the Old Faithful Inn, we walked outside and waited for the Old Faithful Geyser to erupt. It goes off about every hour and a half, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see it.
6. Biking / Visitor Center
The next day, my parents and my brother rented bikes from the hotel, and went on a scenic bike trail right there from the hotel. I did not go since I wanted to rest 🤣 but they said it was great and that it’s definitely worth doing. While they were biking, I walked around the visitor center, and watched a few of the movies about Yellowstone. They have a few different ones that run continuously all day, and if you have some time I would recommend watching a few of them because they were very interesting and well made.
7. Grand Teton National Park
Then the next day we left Yellowstone and drove to the Jackson Lake Lodge, which is in the Grand Tetons. There are a few different hotel options in the Grand Teton area, but I think the Jackson Lake Lodge is the best option. It has views that can’t be beat, and it has multiple great food / restaurant options.
8. Walking Trail at the Jackson Lake Lodge
There is a short walking trail at the Jackson Lake Lodge called the Lunchtree Hill Loop Trail. It has great views of the mountains, and is a nice short walk right next to the hotel.
9. Jenny Lake Shuttle and Hiking Trail
The next day we took the Jenny Lake shuttle boat, which brings you to a great hike on the other side of the lake. Just be aware the line is really long in the morning to get onto the shuttle, but it goes pretty quickly and I would say it’s worth waiting for. We saw a moose on that trail!
10. Rafting Trip
The next day we went on a rafting trip down the snake river, which was offered though the Jackson Lake Lodge. It was a nice way to see the mountains from the water, and it included lunch.
11. Jackson / Jackson Hole Ski Resort
On the last day, we left the Grand Teton National Park and drove to Jackson. Jackson is a very nice western town – think lots of shopping for cowboy / western gear! The Million Dollar Cowboy bar is a fun place to check out, and it has a very good steakhouse in the basement of the bar. While you’re there, I’d also recommend checking out the Jackson Hole Ski Resort, since it’s only about a 20 minute drive from downtown Jackson. There’s a lot of shopping and restaurants there too, and you can take the gondola up to the top.
Flights Home
To fly home, I flew from the Jackson Hole airport (JAC) to the NYC area. You can check return flights below.
Full Guide
For more tips, check out my full guide here ⬇️
**Video coming soon**
Weather
If you want the warmest weather, I would recommend going in the summer months (June – August), but this is also the busiest time too. We went in early September, and there were some crowds, but not too bad. If you want to see fall foliage, I would recommend going in late September and October.
Average Temperatures (Yellowstone)
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Peak Colors | Highest Snowfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25 / 5 | ❄️ | |
| February | 30 / 7 | ||
| March | 38 / 14 | ||
| April | 47 / 23 | ||
| May | 55 / 31 | ||
| June | 66 / 38 | ||
| July | 75 / 43 | ||
| August | 74 / 42 | ||
| September | 64 / 35 | 🍁 | |
| October | 50 / 27 | 🍁 | |
| November | 35 / 17 | ||
| December | 26 / 8 | ❄️ |
Itinerary Map
Click the icon to the left of my profile picture for a list of all stops.
And those are all of my tips for Yellowstone / the Grand Tetons! Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
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