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. After stretching your legs and enjoying a great meal in Missoula, drive 2.5 hours to stay the night inside or near the parks West entrance. National Parks Road Trip Itinerary: Utah to Yellowstone & Grand Teton It is the perfect base for exploring Grand Teton and enjoying the culinary scene after a long day in the park. Enter the chapel to take the iconic mountains through the church window photograph. Editors' Picks. It was comfortable and affordable. I think you will too. 49er Inn and Suites. Only have 48 hours? This historic warehouse building has been renovated with several warehouse-style rentals available on Airbnb. Duration 5h 46m When Every day Estimated price $400 - $1,200 . USA Glacier Grand Canyon Yellowstone Yosemite Zion. Park in the large lot and walk to the back of the lodge. Covering nearly 9,000 square kilometers, Yellowstone is best known for its 10,000 geysers and hot springs. Drive the winding road to Signal Mountain summit for amazing views, descend and continue until you reach Jenny Lake road. You might be able to find a cheaper rate with Hotels compared to going direct so it is worth checking. I chose the Comfort Inn Yellowstone North. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. At 2.2 million acres, with 5 entrances and over 4 million tourists each year, Yellowstone is one of the biggest and most popular USA national parks. Mountain goats are common sightings. Stopping in Missoula, Montana to explore the town broke up the drive, making it a most enjoyable day. West entrance is close to Lower, Midway and Upper Geyser Basins where you will find Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful. And their proximity to one another makes combining a visit to. This is one of our favorite road trips and we cant wait to help you plan the perfect Salt Lake City to Yellowstone vacation. June, July and August are warm enough for light layers but you will need sunscreen, sunglasses and sun hats. That is what makes creating an example road trip itinerary so challenging. Day 6 Spend the morning revisiting any of your favorite Yellowstone spots before driving back to SLC airport. The easiest option would simply be to cut out the day in Salt Lake City and pick up the full itinerary above on Day 2. I loved entering the park here. Along the trail are milky blue pools and rusty red geothermal crusts. If possible, we would suggest you try to book your third night at any of the Old Faithful Lodges. Grand Teton National Park is shaped a bit like your left-hand thumb and is dotted with three main entrances. Drive 21 miles south to Norris Geyser Basin. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. A 4.5-mile round-trip hike leading to wide-open views of the crystal-clear Avalanche Lake surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. Salt Lake City Salt Lake continues to be the gateway for travelers venturing northward to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. You will love the Portland area. Road Trip Advice - Round trip Salt Lake City to Glacier The drive time from Salt Lake City to Glacier National Park is 10 hours. Bear in mind this would mean you have to loop from Jackson through Teton and Yellowstone before returning to Jackson. However, we will also explain how to drive this road trip route in less and more time later in the guide. 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. A mudpot, or mud pool, has limited water resulting in a pool of bubbling mud. Rome2rio makes travelling from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park easy. You will find dozens of photographers snapping away as sunlight kisses the snow capped Teton range at first light. 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. Distance From Salt Lake City to Yellowstone: approximately 320 miles. I love this area so much. Posted on Last updated: February 19, 2023. West Yellowstone will put you on just one side of the 2 million acres + that is Yellowstone. Witness spectacular views atop Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana, then board classic red vintage touring cars for an exciting drive along Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road. Day 5 Explore West Thumb, Upper, Midway and Lower geyser basins. Once you visit Jackson, you will not want to leave. Check out NPS lodging website for info- But heres why SLC is a great place to begin your road trip to Yellowstone: Lets take a closer look at each of these points. From the overlook, look for Fairy Falls in the distance. It is important to stay up to date with live conditions such as roads, weather, hiking trails and lodging when you visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone. From the park, head southwest to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, Sun Valley, Boise and Twin Falls before reaching City of Rocks National Reserve on your return route to Salt Lake City. Visit a museum or go for a hike. Fly out of Glacier Park International Airport on day 4. This would allow you to sleep right out in nature surrounded by the Tetons but you would have very few amenities nearby. Road Trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park Discover the citys vibrant restaurant scene and explore its stunning outdoors. Or check out Destination Delivery: Have an RV delivered directly to a campground or parking site to camp in style without having to get behind the wheel. Day 4 Enjoy a sunrise over Lower Falls from Artists Point and explore Hayden Valley. Sleep in Jackson or Moran. The only road currently closed that will impact a typical Yellowstone visit is the road between Tower-Roosevelt and Cooke City, that means you won't be able to go out into Lamar Valley which is one of the best places for spotting wildlife in the park. Soak in hot springs and float down a river in this charming town in Idaho. Spend day 2 exploring Yellowstone National Park. Once past Helena, MT turning onto highway 287 will be a more scenic route and a little shorter than continuing on !-15. Spending a few minutes considering what you need to pack for your SLC to Yellowstone road trip can save you time, money and energy later in your vacation. Is there a pdf version for a quick reference? 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. 8-Day Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park Road Trip Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks are three of Americas most valued treasures. Whether you like motorized recreation or exploring via your own two feet, theres an adventure for everyone on the Tetons western and if you ask a local better side. Dramatic Scenes in Logan and Cache Valley We spent 2 nights in Jackson, which is undoubtably one of the most popular places to visit in Wyoming. Take short hikes to geyser basins and waterfalls. From Salt Lake City, the park's west entrance (West Yellowstone) is the shortest distance, about 325 miles. Argentina (6) Australia (9) Austria (32) Bhutan (10) Bulgaria (10) . 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. Popular sites include, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, Caribou-Targhee and Bridger-Teton National Forests as well as Antelope Island and Willard Bay State Parks. We can vouch for Kelly Inn and Explorer Cabins, both of which were excellent stays. The Salt Lake City Temple Square, Logan Canyon Scenic Byway, Bear Lake, Grand Teton National Park, John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway, Yellowstone National Park, and Mesa Falls were some of the exuberant highlights of this super scenic road trip. The area offers hotels as well as gondolas, and a cable car with views of the Tetons. Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch West Yellowstone is the closest place to Old Faithful that you can stay outside the park. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. This is where your accommodation challenges begin and why it really pays to be organized before you visit Yellowstone. Your road trip ends in Glacier National Park, one of the USA's most beautiful national parks. 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. Plan a Trip to Yellowstone National Park | Things to Do | Where to Stay For a more relaxing experience you should plan for 8 or even 9 days. Please forgive the delay in responding! Here is how we would do it: Day 1 - Drive from Las Vegas to Jackson, it will be a long day but you can set off early and still have time to see Jackson in the evening. Animal activity in Lamar Valley is greatest early in the morning and in the early evening. The good news is it has a wide range of places to grab dinner. This is one of the most famous elevated views in the entire park and shouldnt be missed. Travel from Rapid City South Dakota to Salt Lake City Utah and enjoy amazing stops along the way. Guide to Planning a Trip to Yellowstone - AARP This makes Grand Teton and Yellowstone accessible to millions of potential tourists. (Check the park website as most dining options are closed during the offseason. Thank you for supporting the free content we provide! Driving through Yellowstone and Grand Teton is easily one of the best USA road trips, but first you have to get to northwest Wyoming. Glacier, Yellowstone & Grand Tetons. Hope that helps but feel free to get back to us with any specifics or more questions. A little further south you will reach Mud Volcano and Mud Geyser. 7 Sights at West Yellowstone Straddling the Utah-Idaho border, this recreational paradise is known for its turquoise waters and a delicious treat. Grand Prismatic Spring has bright colors of orange, yellow, and green with deep blue waters. Next, head north until you reach a short trail leading to the impressive Tower Fall. . Open RangeThe steak is exquisite! Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) - 5 Hours to both Grand Teton and Yellowstone You can read more about the pros and cons of each airport for flying into Yellowstone here. But they might be worth a stop if you have enough time, which is why we have included several SLC to Yellowstone road trip itinerary ideas later in the guide. Just be sure you know how to drive in mountains, curvy roads with wildlife, etc. You might want to consider leaving the park via west entrance to eat a late lunch in West Yellowstone before re-entering the park to visit Norris Geyser Basin. See the West Glacier Village website for details and hours. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. *Please note this post may contain affiliate links. I loved the adventure going from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone to Grand Teton. Seeing the sights in reverse felt as if we were driving a completely different route. 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. Dont miss the Old Faithful Inn. Continue with Recommended Cookies. You can do a little bit of everything in Grand Teton, from hiking to wildlife spotting and from sunrise photography to swimming in lakes. You'll miss out on Mammoth and Lamar Valley, but that means you can focus more of your time on the southern loop areas like Hayden Valley, Lake, West Thumb, Norris and of course the Old Faithful / Grand Prismatic Spring geyser basin areas. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. We met plenty of people who used SLC airport to start and end their road trip to Yellowstone but had no time for Downtown Salt Lake City, which is a lovely place to explore for a day. It is one of only 2 places you are permitted to swim in Yellowstone. Show only these on map 1 Ogden Save On 1 list Ogden is a city north of Salt Lake City, in Utah. 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. Really unfortunate timing for you and thousands of others who are planning a visit to Yellowstone this Summer but it will still be a fantastic trip. GyPSy Guide Yellowstone and Grand Teton Tour App Thank you, Kim. Whitefish is a great town to explore. Spend day 3 touring Glacier National Park. Canyon Village has a canteen style food court serving various cuisines and a huge seating hall centered around an open fireplace. Check the Glacier National Park website for information on Many Glacier as well as planned closures. I must put Steamboat Springs on my bucketlist! Follow Your Trail in Park City With so much to see, make sure you read on to plan an ideal itinerary. 4 Idaho Falls Secrets to a Fantastic Yellowstone Area Vacation This extra time gives you so much freedom and flexibility to add in time wherever you prefer. However, we suspect everyone else has the same idea so you may not find availability. This hike offers incredible views, mountain goat sightings, and other wildlife. Check in at your Canyon hotel or lodge and head straight back to the car to drive south for just over a mile before turning left into North Rim Drive. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'sunshineandvine_com-leader-4','ezslot_8',123,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sunshineandvine_com-leader-4-0');This was my second visit to Yellowstone. Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park - Rome2rio Bozeman is a fantastic town. I visited Canyonlands National Park as part of a road trip to explore the Utah Mighty Five National Parks. Excelsior Geyser will be billowing and hopefully you have a clear day to see vibrant colors inside Grand Prismatic Spring.