salt lake city to west yellowstone road trip
The route to here from Bear Lake weaves along the Idaho/Wyoming border through Jackson, Wyoming, and passes west of another popular local destination, Grand Teton National Park, before ending in West Yellowstone, Montana. And on this road trip from Salt Lake City, Yellowstone is the crown jewel. Why trust us to help with planning your once in a lifetime trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone? If you are not interested in kayaking, continue until you reach West Thumb Geyser Basin. sleep there. The main reason for starting and ending your Yellowstone road trip in Salt Lake City is the large airport located here, but its an incredible place to visit too! Drive further south into Hayden Valley for the first of your major Yellowstone wildlife spotting experiences. Splitting the fourth day between Grand Teton and Yellowstone is completely open to your interpretation. Sleep in Jackson or Moran. After Yellowstone, dip into southern Idaho to explore nine attractions, including two national park sites, you wont find elsewhere. Bison on Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake. In April, May, September and October the mornings and evenings will be cold so you need heavy layers, gloves, wooly hats and a winter coat in addition to your basic hiking or exploring gear. This is an amazing hike with serious wildlife spotting potential and we cant recommend it highly enough. Barker Ewing rafting on the Snake River in Jackson Hole. Download the Yellowstone tour app thats like having a tour guide in your car. However, hotel prices here are much higher on average and there are fewer places to eat out. Day 5 - Either see Hayden Valley / Lower Yellowstone Falls in the morning, or hike to Mt Washburn. Hit wildflower-filled trails in Park City before discovering pioneer history as you make your way north to Logan. At its most direct to Yellowstone it will take you 332 miles and over 6 hours. 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. Considering how close they are to one another, it is amazing how much Grand Teton and Yellowstone differ, not just in scenery but also in the overall experience. What is the closest entrance to Yellowstone from Salt Lake City? Read more about all the locations with flights to Salt Lake here. At the end of the 7 days, we will assume you have a late flight booked on the 7th day or an early flight on the 8th day. The scenic drive cuts through jagged limestone rock formations along the Logan River as you pass through the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. 49er Inn and Suites. The town of West Yellowstone, located just outside the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, is a year-round, family-friendly destination. If theres a Utah Jazz basketball game on. GyPSy Guide automatically plays interesting and entertaining commentary as you go. Go Local in Logan and Cache Valley Day 4 Enjoy a sunrise over Lower Falls from Artists Point and explore Hayden Valley. Both Opal Pool and Turquoise Pool are worthy of keeping the camera handy. The road from Salt Lake to Yellowstone has no shortage of beauty! A road trip to Yellowstone isn't just about the destination. Follow Teton park road as far as Chapel of the Transfiguration. Take things easy in town or head out for a hike. Elk Country Inn Whose Land Am I On? ahead of time. Along the way to Yellowstone, we've included fun attractions, great places to eat and other national park sites that offer different experiences than Yellowstone. Depending on how much time you have for sightseeing, this trip could easily be accomplished in a weekend or longer. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Fastest Route: Salt Lake City to Pocatello to Idaho Falls to West Yellowstone (via I-15). 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. The 320-mile road trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park takes 4 hours and 30 minutes to drive. Is there a pdf version for a quick reference? Mormon Row is incredibly beautiful at sunrise. Inside you'll Don't wait any longer, scroll up and click " buy . Many visitors only see the top attractions, like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring. Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls - 3.5 hours, no stops. We try to incorporate each place with what we think is the right amount of time, but you may have entirely different goals. Youll arrive in Yellowstone National Park via the South Entrance along John D. Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway. Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch This is the perfect spot for extraordinary views of Lower Falls. The drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole is beautiful. Notable stops are Salt Lake City, Jackson, Moab, Idaho Falls, Dixie National Forest, Zion National Park, Geyser Park as well as Canyonlands Arches National Parks. The shore of this brilliant blue lake is an excellent spot for a picnic lunch. Jackson has a wide range of hotel options spanning the budget range so you shouldnt have too many issues finding a good fit. We're Mark and Kristen Morgan, former career scientists turned travel, hiking and photography experts after an 18 month honeymoon around the world forever changed our lives. If you cant find availability or prices are too high at cabins and lodges inside the park, you should consider staying at a hotel in either Gardiner or West Yellowstone. Stunning waterfalls, an abundance of wildlife and the most popular hiking trail in Yellowstone will make this a memorable day. Are you visiting multiple national parks in the next year? Its almost like you planned it! From historic homesteads to breathtaking river valleys, here are our top stops for a fantastic scenic drive plus road-trip advice. You can then drive back to SLC via Grand Teton and the scenic route. 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. With two days in the park, youre able to see the highlights and explore the most iconic views of the Tetons. From the scenic landscapes of northern Utah to the majestic Teton Range to the exotic features of Yellowstone, theres no shortage of incredible sights on this once-in-a-lifetime road trip. This park belongs on your bucket list, from the jagged Teton peaks visible throughout the park to the wildlife spotting to the incredible hikes. Next, head north until you reach a short trail leading to the impressive Tower Fall. We already have 2 nights at the Alpenhof at Teton Village before heading up to. Outside of Winter, the scenery around Teton village is spectacular and it is slightly closer to the national park. I have 7 days off! Like Afton, Jackson has its elk antler arches surrounding the town square. Follow Your Trail in Park City The town of West Yellowstone sits right at the West Gate to Yellowstone National Park. The. Scroll around, zoom in and out, look for clustering of colored icons representing each day on the road trip and see the corresponding day in the left column. 9 days: fly into Cody. In addition, dont forget bug spray if you visit Yellowstone in summer. Hi there! This map is a great way to see the itinerary in action! You will find dozens of photographers snapping away as sunlight kisses the snow capped Teton range at first light. Also be sure to check out City Creek Center, a popular covered shopping and dining complex with high end shops and fountains. What Is The Closest Entrance To Yellowstone From SLC? Consider driving from Salt Lake City to Jackson, Wyoming via Highway 89 instead for a more scenic route. Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Drive Time The driving time from Salt Lake to Yellowstone National Park is about five hours depending on traffic conditions. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. But Yellowstone has so much more to offer! Answer 1 of 6: Planning a roadtrip for February / March 2013. If you're flying, you can fly into Salt Lake City and enjoy a 5-hour drive to Grand Teton National Park. 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. Yellowstones west entrance is 323 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, it is the closest entrance by distance and time from the airport and should take a little over 5 hours to reach. Well, lets take a summarized look at how you could adapt this itinerary to suit a shorter or longer trip: If you have 5 days for this road trip you are going to have to compromise and cut out some of the luxury stops, such as Salt Lake City and stopping on the way to Jackson. Places to see between Salt Lake City and Yellowstone Mesa Falls Scenic Byway The route from Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone traverses northern Utah and eastern Idaho, only to eventually enter Montana, the state where our destination town is located. 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. Known for: Gateway to Yellowstone National Park. In summer Yellowstone is like a theme park, so you have to be organized and book hotels way in advance. *Please note this post may contain affiliate links. Explore Antelope Island on Great Salt Lake Nearby Teton Village nestled at the base of Jacksons ski lifts is the main alternative to staying in Downtown Jackson. The best hot springs along the route include Crystal Hot Springs in Brigham City, Utah, and Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park Drive Time It depends which route you take. A short walk through forest ends with bubbling mud pots and colorful hot springs. Alternatively, you could spend a night at Jackson Lake Lodge or another hotel near Moran. 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. Day 4 Walk around Artists Paintpots and Norris Geyser Basin, before driving over to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Hayden Valley. 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. How far is it from the Salt Lake City Airport to Yellowstone National Park? Want to know more about Grand Teton? Yellowstone to Glacier National Park Road Trip, 6 Best Hiking Trails in Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone Essentials: 12 Basic Things You Need to Know. If you get a good sunrise the waterfall, canyon and sky will light up with stunning browns, blues, greens, pinks and purples. If youre looking to take a relaxing break on your road trip after days of exploring in Grand Teton and Yellowstone, consider stopping at a hot spring! Read our popular 2 days in Grand Teton itinerary which organizes the best things to do into two easy days. Explore on your own or take a tour on horseback or e-bike. That is what makes creating an example road trip itinerary so challenging. Day 4 Revisit any favorite spots in the Tetons before driving to West Thumb and Old Faithful. This would allow you to sleep right out in nature surrounded by the Tetons but you would have very few amenities nearby. Are you looking for your next epic national park road trip? For all accommodation outside of the parks, we recommend using Booking.com and then comparing against Hotels.com to find the best deals available. Thank you for supporting the free content we provide! They are our go to car hire platforms and we always choose whichever has the better vehicle at the right price point. This extra time gives you so much freedom and flexibility to add in time wherever you prefer. Pull over at the scenic route overlooks to admire the valley views. 6 Big Adventures at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Stay in a cabin, hotel room or your RV on the shores of sparkling Bear Lake with Sun Outdoors Garden City. June, July and August are warm enough for light layers but you will need sunscreen, sunglasses and sun hats. The road to Gardiner is closed. Now you know the best things to do and places to stay in Salt Lake City, Jackson, Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Spending a final night in Salt Lake City allows you to have a relaxing road trip from Yellowstone to Salt Lake City. There are a handful of hotel options in between Grand Teton and Yellowstone which could work perfectly if you would prefer to spend more time in Yellowstone. Head back to US-191, turn right and not long after take a left on Schwabachers Landing road. Take the right onto N Beach Road to enter Idahos North Beach State Park with $7 vehicle entry fee and dont forget your swimsuit. Need help! Heres how we might plan a 9 day itinerary: Day 1 Spend the day in Salt Lake City. However, we suspect everyone else has the same idea so you may not find availability. Yellowstone In October: 10 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting, Where To Stay In Yosemite: Best Places, Hotels + Lodging. Driving through Yellowstone and Grand Teton is easily one of the best USA road trips, but first you have to get to northwest Wyoming. We typically use Booking to book our hotels but park lodging inside Yellowstone is not available with Booking. Our top recommendation is to search for vehicle prices with Rental Cars and compare prices with Discover Cars. The third day is when your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip bursts into life. The closest airport is in West Yellowstone (WYS), serviced by both United and Delta Airlines. 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. We saw a moose and an otter playing on ice here. Check into a hotel and then spend the afternoon exploring Grand Teton. The South Entrance gives you excellent access to the southern part of the park before continuing along Yellowstones Grand Loop Road throughout your visit. Get my free 28-page national park ebook where I break down everything you need to know to visit all 63 USA national parks.Download your free ebook here. Day 9 Set off early for SLC, but stop in Idaho Falls and Craters of the Moon on your way back. Some may want to enjoy more of the Tetons but others will want to get right into Yellowstone. Day 3 . This night of the itinerary works just fine if Mammoth has no availability or the prices are too high for your budget because you can stay in the town of Gardiner, which is just 5 miles north of Mammoth. It is located in the north-western United States, in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Follow the western shores of Bear Lake and cross into Idaho. Do you prefer visuals to text when absorbing information? If you click on one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. In truth, booking your hotels will be the hardest part of planning your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip. Get a Potato Selfie at the Idaho Potato Museum In addition, we have noted which hotels we have personally stayed at and impressed us. "Road trips are the equivalent of human wings. Yellowstone is a different beast altogether when it comes to booking your accommodation. Three Park Entrances and a Surprise This adventure hub is only minutes from incredible hiking, driving, and skiing (youve heard of Park City, right?). The night of Day 3 is the most open to your interpretation part of this Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip. We will let you know as soon as this one is available and hopefully it is before your trip! With so much to see, make sure you read on to plan an ideal itinerary. If you're planning a road trip to Salt Lake City, you can research locations to stop along the way. Read more in this disclosure policy. This particular Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip is such a great loop to do if you're looking for an epic USA road trip that features a LOT of variety: think epic landscapes through plenty of National Parks, paired with city adventures and off-the-beaten path spots as well. Feels like 33.51 Wind speed 8.6 mph Pressure 1025 hPa. Day 6 See Hayden Valley, hike Mt Washburn, walk to Tower Fall and drive into Lamar Valley. Day 3 Spend a full day ticking off the top sights in Grand Teton. Only have 5 nights 6 days. The Logan Canyon Scenic Byway connects Logan, a sizable town outside of Salt Lake City, and Garden City along the shores of Bear Lake. From the Salt Lake City Airport to West Yellowstone, ID, it is 321 miles (517 km) or approximately 4 hours, 45 minutes of driving. Bear in mind this would mean you have to loop from Jackson through Teton and Yellowstone before returning to Jackson. 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. Top 5 Vistas in Yellowstone National Park These two places have the better locations for accessing other parts of the park, and they have plenty of places to eat. Walk around Upper Geyser Basin in the late afternoon. The most attractive route from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone is to drive via Logan Canyon, Bear Lake, Afton, Jackson and Grand Teton before arriving at Yellowstone south entrance. If it's a real road trip, you might want to check out interesting stops along the way, eat at great restaurants, and maybe even find a hotel to stay overnight. You also have a better range of hotel prices in West Yellowstone. Then, on the return trip to Salt Lake City, take the fastest way back through Idaho Falls. The speed, the sun, the wind, the fantasy of never looking back, and the sheer diversity of . We are flying into SLC and staying for a night, then to Jackson Hole for 2 nights. The most scenic journey from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole is via Logan Canyon, Bear Lake, the town of Afton, Alpine Junction and Snake River Canyon. 320 mi Total Distance 4 hrs 45 mins Drive Time 31 stops Cities / Attractions 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. Long before Yellowstone became the countrys first national park, this land was important to a diverse group of people. Head south on US-20 W as far as Idaho Falls and join I-15 S all the way to Salt Lake City airport. It allows you to search across major retailers like Avis, Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, and more. Day 6 - Drive back to Las Vegas. John Moultons barn on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. Canyon Village has a canteen style food court serving various cuisines and a huge seating hall centered around an open fireplace. Here are seven reasons to visit. Roundtrip, your driving time will be at about 10 hours. A little further south you will reach Mud Volcano and Mud Geyser. But before reaching the Grand Tetons, there are so many incredible destinations to see. Both Yellowstone and Grand Teton are tucked away in the northwest corner of Wyoming, less than five hours from Salt Lake City, Utah. You wont have issues with potholes or extreme heat, but you might have to deal with extreme cold if you visit in April or October. Once you find your flight, Skyscanner redirects you to book with the airline directly, so you dont miss out on frequent flyer points!If you need a rental car, I recommend using Rentalcars.com to find the best deals. Plus, the best things to do in Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and everywhere in between! A little further north on the loop road take the right turn onto Firehole Lake Drive, stopping to look at the various pools and geysers. 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. 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. If you are lucky there will be wildlife drinking fresh water or playing in the river. Photo: Tom Gainor / Unsplash. . February 17, 2022. If not, you will have to drive another 31 miles back to your West Yellowstone hotel. 2 years ago. 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. Hi! This will be one of the best days on your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip because many of Yellowstones top attractions are covered today. We have visited Yellowstone in both April and October when crowds were at a minimum, but even then it was busy enough both times. Hi Roopa, right now we don't have a pdf version but we are currently working on creating pdf guidebook itineraries for all our popular road trip guides. But the star of the show is crystal clear mountain reflections in the Snake River. Head over to our Wyoming Travel Guides to explore Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and beyond. While you may hear the terms used interchangeably, the region is Jackson Hole, and the city is simply named Jackson. There are so many different ways you could plan your itinerary for visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone from Salt Lake City. The easiest way to get around Yellowstone is by car. 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. Sedona is one of our favorite places in the southwest and the end of November means comfortable temperatures for hiking. Walk around Lower Geyser Basin and then drive to a hotel in West Yellowstone. Yellowstone National Park is Americas oldest national park and the 2nd largest park in the Lower 48. It will be mid afternoon or late afternoon depending on whether or not you hiked Mt Washburn. The first day can be action packed or easy going depending on your journey to reach SLC and how you prefer to travel. First choice here is a room at one of the Old Faithful lodges for convenience. You may even get a colorful sunset as you gaze down at the world famous geyser and main attraction in Yellowstone. 4. There isnt much to see between Tower and Mammoth. This town merges the mountain experience with a booming metropolitan area, with plenty of incredible dining options and breweries.
