Yellowstone & Grand Teton: 7-Day Mountain West Road Trip
Two parks. One of the greatest wildlife corridors on earth.
Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, the Teton Range, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone in one unforgettable week through America's first national park.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
28 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Every stop is a real pin, in order.
Yellowstone & Grand Teton · Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
5 of the stops on these 7 days.
Plan and book your 7 days in Yellowstone, one step at a time
How 7 days in Yellowstone split up
Grand Teton and Yellowstone share a 30-mile parkway, and together they form the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest mostly-intact temperate ecosystem on the planet. Grizzly bears, wolves, bison, moose, elk, and pronghorn move freely between the two. The geology is just as wild: half the world's geysers, a 1,000-foot waterfall, a supervolcano caldera, and the most dramatic mountain front in the Rockies.
Day 1: Jackson Hole → Grand Teton · Jenny Lake & Mormon Row
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: Cascade Canyon & the Inner Loop Road
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Grand Teton → Yellowstone · Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic
4 stops · Day three
Day 4: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone & Hayden Valley
4 stops · Day four
Day 5: Mammoth Hot Springs & the Upper Loop
4 stops · Day five
Day 6: Lamar Valley · Wolves at Dawn
4 stops · Day six
Day 7: Snake River Float & Departure
4 stops · Day seven
Jackson Hole → Grand Teton · Jenny Lake & Mormon Row
Fly into Jackson Hole, one of the most spectacular airport landings in America, the Tetons rising vertically out of the sage flats as you descend. Pick up the rental, grab a coffee on the town square, then drive 12 miles north into Grand Teton National Park.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Start inScenic landing · 12 mi to the park · DriveFly into Jackson Hole, one of the most spectacular airport landings in America, the Tetons rising vertically out of the sage flats as you descend. Pick up the rental, grab a coffee on the town square, then drive 12 miles north into Grand Teton National Park.
Mormon Row at sunriseMoulton Barns · Cathedral Group · ViewpointStart at Mormon Row, historic homesteader barns framed by the Cathedral Group at sunrise, the most photographed scene in the Tetons. It is a 5-minute drive from Jackson along Antelope Flats Road.
- Jenny Lake · Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point
2 mi RT from boat dock · 500 ft gain · HikeDrive the inner road to Jenny Lake, take the shuttle boat across ($20 round-trip, skips a 2.4-mile flat walk), and walk to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. It is 2 miles round trip from the boat dock with 500 ft of gain to an iconic Teton view. Save Cascade Canyon for tomorrow.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci / CC BY-SA 3.0Stay in JacksonThe Wort Hotel · The Cloudveil · lodgeBase in Jackson for the first two nights, with The Wort Hotel and The Cloudveil right in town and condos in Teton Village a quieter option. Park lodging in the area sells out for summer, so reserve early.
Cascade Canyon & the Inner Loop Road
Today is the big Teton day. Take the early Jenny Lake shuttle back across and continue past Hidden Falls into Cascade Canyon. The trail follows a glacial valley with Mount Owen and the Grand Teton looming on either side. Most people turn back at the forks (4.5 mi); push to Lake Solitude if you've got the legs and the day.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Cascade Canyon Trail
9.1 mi RT (forks) · 1,100 ft gain · HikeTake the early Jenny Lake shuttle back across and continue past Hidden Falls into Cascade Canyon. The trail follows a glacial valley with Mount Owen and the Grand Teton looming on either side. Most people turn back at the forks (4.5 mi); push to Lake Solitude if you have the legs and the day. Grizzlies live here, so carry bear spray.
Schwabacher Landing0.3 mi RT · iconic dawn reflection · ViewpointOn the way back, drive the Inner Loop Road through Moose to Schwabacher Landing, a reflection shot of the entire range in a beaver pond. It is a 0.3-mile accessible walk from the parking lot, with the best reflection at dawn.
Oxbow BendMt. Moran reflection · roadside pullout · ViewpointContinue to Oxbow Bend, a roadside pullout on the Snake River with the iconic Mt. Moran reflection, best at sunrise. It is a 5-minute walk from the parking lot. Eat dinner in Jackson, the last night before the long Yellowstone leg.
Tony Webster from Unit / CC BY-SA 2.0Second night in JacksonLast night before Yellowstone · lodgeStay a second night in Jackson so you can hit the early Jenny Lake shuttle and the dawn reflections without packing up. Tomorrow you head north into Yellowstone for the long park loop.
Grand Teton → Yellowstone · Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic
Drive north on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, the 30-mile corridor connecting the parks. You'll cross the Continental Divide and drop into the Yellowstone caldera. Today is geothermal: Old Faithful, the Upper Geyser Basin, and the Grand Prismatic Spring.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
30 mi corridor · Continental Divide · DriveDrive north on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, the 30-mile corridor connecting the parks. You cross the Continental Divide and drop into the Yellowstone caldera. It is roughly 50 miles from Jackson to Old Faithful.
- Old Faithful + Upper Geyser Basin
2-mile loop · 200+ geysers · ViewpointTime Old Faithful by checking the prediction board at the visitor center, eruptions come roughly every 90 minutes. While you wait, walk the 2-mile Upper Geyser Basin Loop past Castle, Beehive, Riverside, and Morning Glory, more than 200 geysers in one basin. Stay on the boardwalks; the ground is thin.
Fairy Falls Overlook (Grand Prismatic)1.5 mi RT · the only aerial view · HikeFor Grand Prismatic, skip the boardwalk and hike the Fairy Falls Overlook (1.5 mi RT), the only place you see the colors from above. For a close-up, the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk (0.8 mi RT) puts you beside Grand Prismatic and the Excelsior Crater.
Stay at Old Faithful InnHistoric 1904 log lodge · book a year ahead · lodgeOld Faithful Inn is a historic 1904 log lodge steps from the geyser and books up a year ahead. If it is full, base in West Yellowstone for the night and drive in at dawn.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone & Hayden Valley
Drive east through Hayden Valley at dawn, the single best wildlife corridor in Yellowstone. Bison are everywhere; grizzlies are common at the edges; you'll likely see elk, pronghorn, and possibly wolves if you're patient. Pull over at every turnout. Bring binoculars.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Hayden Valley at dawn15-mile drive · best wildlife in the park · ViewpointDrive east through Hayden Valley at dawn, the single best wildlife corridor in Yellowstone. Bison are everywhere, grizzlies are common at the edges, and you will likely see elk, pronghorn, and possibly wolves with patience. Pull over at every turnout and bring binoculars. Stay 100 yards from bears.
- Artist Point + South Rim Trail
2 mi RT loop · Lower Falls view · ViewpointContinue to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, a 1,000-ft-deep canyon carved by the Yellowstone River. Hit Artist Point first for the postcard view of Lower Falls (308 ft), then walk the South Rim Trail (2 mi RT loop) for changing angles and accessible overlooks.
Uncle Tom's Trail (alt)0.5 mi RT · 328 steel stairs · HikeUncle Tom's Trail drops 328 steel stairs to a mid-falls platform, the best mid-falls view in the park. It is only 0.5 miles round trip but a real quad burner on the way back up.
inkknife_2000 (7.5 mil / CC BY-SA 2.0Stay at Canyon LodgeCentral · walk to canyon overlooks · lodgeCanyon Lodge has a central location with the canyon overlooks within reach, ideal for the upper-loop days. It books up months ahead, so reserve early.
Mammoth Hot Springs & the Upper Loop
Drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs, a giant travertine staircase formed by hot water depositing calcium carbonate. Walk the upper and lower terraces (Palette Spring, Minerva Terrace) on the boardwalks. Then continue past Mammoth Village to Tower Junction for lunch at the Roosevelt Lodge.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Mammoth Hot Springs terraces
2 boardwalk loops · upper + lower terraces · ViewpointDrive north to Mammoth Hot Springs, a giant travertine staircase formed by hot water depositing calcium carbonate. Walk the upper and lower terraces (Palette Spring, Minerva Terrace) on two easy, accessible boardwalk loops. Then continue past Mammoth Village to Tower Junction for lunch at the Roosevelt Lodge.
Mt. Washburn Trail6.4 mi RT · 360° caldera view · HikeIf you are up for a hike, the Mt. Washburn trail (6.4 mi RT, 1,400 ft gain) gives a 360-degree view of the entire Yellowstone caldera, with a staffed fire lookout at the top. It is fully exposed, so check the weather first.
Tower Fall + Calcite Springs132 ft waterfall · roadside overlook · ViewpointDrive the upper loop via Sheepeater Cliffs, Golden Gate, and the Tower Fall overlook, a 132-foot waterfall with a quick roadside stop. Scout out tomorrow's wolf-watching turnouts on the way back toward Canyon.
Jrozwado / CC BY-SA 4.0Mammoth Hotel · or back to CanyonHistoric Fort Yellowstone village · lodgeStay at the Mammoth Hotel in the historic Fort Yellowstone village, where elk often graze the lawn, or drive back to Canyon. Gardiner, just outside the North Entrance, is the closest gateway-town backup.
Lamar Valley · Wolves at Dawn
This is the day you came for. Set the alarm for 4:30 AM and drive northeast to the Lamar Valley, the densest concentration of large predators in the lower 48 and the best place on earth to see wolves in the wild. Park at Slough Creek, Hitching Post, or any of the marked pullouts. Look for spotting scopes, that's where the wolves are.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Lamar Valley wolf watch
4:30 AM start · Slough Creek pullout best · ViewpointSet the alarm for 4:30 AM and drive northeast to the Lamar Valley, the densest concentration of large predators in the lower 48 and the best place on earth to see wolves in the wild. Park at Slough Creek, the Hitching Post, or any marked pullout. Look for the regulars with spotting scopes, that is where the wolves are. Wolves are seen on roughly 80% of dawn drives.
Slough Creek Trail (alt)11 mi RT · wolf den country · HikeFor a longer leg, the Slough Creek Trail (11 mi RT) runs through trout-fishing meccas and wolf den country in the heart of the Lamar drainage. Stay until about 9 AM watching the valley before moving on.
Senapa / CC BY-SA 4.0Norris Geyser Basin2.5 mi boardwalk loops · hottest basin · ViewpointIn the afternoon, drive to the Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest and most volatile geyser basin in the park. Steamboat Geyser is the world's tallest active geyser (up to 380 ft when it goes, though unpredictable). Walk the Porcelain Basin and Back Basin loops, about 2.5 miles of boardwalk. Norris sometimes closes after thermal events.
- Drive back to Jackson
~3 hours · final night base · DriveHead back to Jackson via the south route through Norris and Old Faithful, about 3 hours with plenty of pullouts. This is your final night base before the departure-day float.
Snake River Float & Departure
Last morning, take it slow. Book a scenic float trip on the Snake River through Grand Teton (most outfitters in Moose, 10 minutes from Jackson). Three hours on the water with the Tetons rising 7,000 feet behind you. You'll see eagles, moose, beaver, and you didn't have to drive an inch of it.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Snake River scenic float
3 hr · class I-II · launches from Moose · activityBook a scenic float trip on the Snake River through Grand Teton, with most outfitters in Moose, 10 minutes from Jackson. Three hours on the water (class I-II, around $110 pp with Barker Ewing or Solitude Float) with the Tetons rising 7,000 feet behind you. You will see eagles, moose, and beaver, and you did not have to drive an inch of it. Book about a week ahead.
Pedro Szekely from Los / CC BY-SA 2.0Snake River OverlookThe Ansel Adams view · ViewpointStop at the Snake River Overlook, the same spot where Ansel Adams shot the Tetons, for a last viewpoint before the airport.
inkknife_2000 (7.5 mil / CC BY-SA 2.0Jackson town square lunchPersephone · Snake River Brewing · Hatch · ViewpointHave lunch on Jackson's town square, Persephone Bakery if it is open, with Snake River Brewing and Hatch all walkable. Then it is a 10-minute drive back to JAC.
- Fly home from JAC
10 min from town · direct flights · DriveFly home from Jackson Hole Airport, 10 minutes from town with direct flights to most US hubs. JAC flights have tight overhead bins and leave on time, so ship bulky gear home via the UPS Store rather than gate-checking.
Book the 6 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling. We check every booking site, put your points and card perks against the cash price, and email you this plan back with the best room we can find for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Yellowstone
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Specific to Yellowstone
What we actually learned on the road.
Carry bear spray. Always.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton are grizzly country. Rent (don't buy, TSA confiscates) from Yellowstone Forever stores at park gates. Keep it on a hip holster, not in your pack.
Book lodging 12 months out
Park lodges (Old Faithful Inn, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Jenny Lake Lodge) sell out for the entire summer the day they open the calendar. West Yellowstone, Gardiner, and Jackson are the backup gateway towns.
Bison jams are unavoidable
Plan for at least one 60-minute delay per day. Bison have right-of-way and they know it. Turn the engine off, roll down the windows, take pictures. Never drive within 25 yards.
Dawn is everything
Hayden and Lamar Valleys at 5 AM means wolves, bears, bison rut. The same valleys at 11 AM means bug-eyed tourists in minivans. Get up early, take a midday nap, repeat.
Hire a wildlife guide for one day
A half-day with a Lamar Valley wildlife guide (around $300 per group) is the single best ROI of the trip. They have scopes pre-trained on packs and know the day-by-day pattern of the wolves.
Stay on the boardwalks
The crust at Norris and the geyser basins is sometimes inches thick over boiling water. Tourists die here every few years. The boardwalks are not suggestions, they are life-or-death.
Do the geyser basins before 8:30 AM
Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin lots gridlock by midday once the tour buses roll in. Walk the big boardwalks like Grand Prismatic, Old Faithful, and Norris before 8:30 AM and you get open parking, cooler light, and steam still hanging over the springs. Save the crowded midday hours for a drive, a picnic, or a nap.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
Grand teton to Yellowstone: the questions people ask most.
The two parks are directly adjacent, connected by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, so there's no real gap between them. From Yellowstone's South Entrance it's roughly 10 miles and about 20 to 30 minutes to Grand Teton's entrance station. From the major Yellowstone hubs it's farther: Old Faithful to the Tetons is about 1.5 to 2 hours of driving, and West Yellowstone to Jackson runs roughly 125 miles and 3 to 4 hours with wildlife delays. This itinerary crosses between the parks on Day 3, and the drive itself is one of the highlights.
We'll find the cheapest way to do this trip.
Tell us your dates and we price the plan you just built: every booking site, the hotels direct, and your own points and card perks against the cash price. You get it back by email with a link for each night and what it saved you.
- It is free. The hotel pays us, not you. You pay their normal price.
- Nothing is charged and nothing is held. You decide at the end, or you walk away.
- Beds near trailheads are the part that runs out. Everything else can wait.
The figures below are estimates from local nightly rates, so you know the ballpark before you ask. The real number comes back once we have checked what is free.
- 6 nights, sites along the route
6 × $22$132 - Snake River scenic float
2 × $115$230
- 5 nights, rooms along the route
from $114 a nightfrom $570 - Snake River scenic float
2 × $115$230
Yulia, ExplorOFF founder★★★★★5.0 from 20+ guided tripsGoogleAirbnbFrom$5,1102 people, 6 nights- Everything in Glamped, plus a local guide
- Snake River scenic float, booked for you
- Airport pickup, every drive, all the gear
- Weather turns, they rewrite the day
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
The Snake River float, under the Tetons
Yellowstone is geysers and wildlife from a car. The Teton half of this trip earns a different pace, and the scenic float is the clearest version of it: flat water, no paddling, moose and eagles on the bank, and the range from below rather than beside.
Booking Yellowstone
Everything below is booked with the operators direct. We earn a commission on some of them, which is what keeps the itineraries free to read.
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What adventurers say about us.
All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
"I've done a few guided hikes and this was by far the best. Yulia is warm, funny, and genuinely expert. The trail she chose had the most insane wildflower bloom, we got so lucky."
Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
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One tap. It goes straight to Yulia and Margarita.
You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.
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How it works
- An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
- A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
- Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.
Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”