Only 7 miles separate the boundaries between 2 of the best National Parks in the world: Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
Yellowstone is famous for its colorful hot springs, massive geysers, and abundant wildlife whereas the Tetons are the most beautiful, rugged mountains I’ve ever seen.
Planning a Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary makes for an epic Wyoming adventure. There is so much to do and see at both parks so it can be overwhelming planning an efficient route, navigating the enormous summer crowds, and making sure you get the most out of your trip!
My husband and I spent over 10 days exploring both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and we had an awesome time!
This post is all about the ultimate 9-day Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary, including maps, hiking info, where to stay, and more. Avoid the stress of researching and planning your own trip and just copy and paste this week-long itinerary for your next vacation out west!
How Many Days Do You Need for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks?
You really need a full week (7 days) at minimum to thoroughly explore both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. 4-5 days in Yellowstone combined with 2-3 days in Grand Teton is the perfect amount of time for an efficient, but thorough trip!
The Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary outlined in this post is for 9 full days to allow 2 days’ travel time to and from the parks at the start and end of your trip.
(Plus, 9 days is a convenient amount of time for 9-5ers to take a week of PTO plus 2 weekends!)
Related Posts
When is the Best Time to Visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks?
The best time to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks is in the summer. A lot of the park roads are closed from October to May, so it’s really tough to see the best attractions if you travel during this time.
Yes, the summer will have large crowds, but the weather will be amazing, hiking trails will be snow-free, and the direct sunlight will really make the colors in the Yellowstone hot springs pop!
A happy medium between crowds and good weather is to visit in September after Labor Day.
Related: 12 Essential Tips for Visiting Yellowstone in the Summer
How to Get to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are located in the northwest corner of Wyoming. Yellowstone also stretches into small parts of Idaho and Montana.
The John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway connects the 7 miles between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and is a protected area managed by the NPS.
You will need to rent a car to get around, as there are no shuttles that travel to the parks outside of private tour groups.
The closest airports are Bozeman, Billings, and Jackson Hole. These are all pretty small airports and flights can be expensive, so Salt Lake City can also be a good option for cheaper flights.
It will take you 4.5 – 5 hours to drive to Jackson and the south end of Yellowstone though, so one of the smaller airports might be best depending on flight and gas prices!
Yellowstone does have its own airport just 2 miles west of the park. Delta and United are the only commercial airlines that fly here between May and October from Denver and Salt Lake City only.
If you thought flights to Bozeman or Jackson Hole were expensive, just wait to see how much it costs (both in dollars and layover times!) to fly directly into the Yellowstone airport!
Yellowstone and Grand Teton Itinerary Start and End Points
Technically the most efficient way to do this itinerary is as a point-to-point road trip starting in Bozeman or Billings and ending in Jackson (or vice versa).
However, one-way flights are more expensive and rental car drop fees (dropping the car off at a different location than where you picked up) have gotten crazy expensive too!
The most budget-friendly option is to book a round trip flight in and out of Bozeman, Billings, Jackson Hole, or Salt Lake City and reserving the last day of your trip to drive back to the airport.
The itinerary I have outlined here starts and ends at Bozeman or Billings (reverse this itinerary if you’re flying in and out of Jackson Hole or Salt Lake City!).
If your budget allows for a point-to-point trip, I also have suggestions for what to do if you have more time at the end of this post!
Where to Stay When Visiting Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
While Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are close together, they are massive in size. Yellowstone alone covers over 3500 acres of land and has 5 entrances!
There are 6 in-park lodges and villages in Yellowstone. There are multiple restaurants, hotels, and gas stations at each village, so don’t worry about having to leave the park for essentials!
I usually don’t recommend staying in these, as they are expensive and don’t have many included amenities.
However, it is worth it for Yellowstone because staying outside the park will result in hours more of driving during your already busy days. I also recommend staying in at least 2 areas inside the park to also cut down on drive time.
These in-park lodges book up really fast, so I recommend booking 6-12 months in advance. I know that sounds crazy, but staying in the park will make your Yellowstone experience so much better!
All of the lodges are managed by Xanterra. More information and online booking can be found on their website here.
The best place to stay when visiting Grand Teton National Park is Jackson, Wyoming. There are a ton of restaurants and hotels to choose from, and it’s only 15 minutes from the Moose Junction and 30 minutes from Jenny Lake.
I list suggested places to stay for each day of the itinerary below. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are simply too large to book one home base hotel and plan excursions for each day.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to All 5 Yellowstone Entrances (Lodging, Best Attractions, & More!)
The Ultimate 9-Day Yellowstone and Grand Teton Itinerary
Day 0: Fly into Bozeman or Billings
I always call the first day of any trip “Day 0” because we usually leave after work on a Thursday or Friday and get in late, so there is no time for exploring!
Take your day 0 to fly into either Bozeman or Billings, pick up your rental car, and spend the night near the airport.
Day 1: Beartooth Highway & Mammoth Hot Springs
Beartooth Highway
Start your Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary by driving the famous Beartooth Highway on your way into Yellowstone National Park. This is one of the most scenic drives I have ever done.
The Beartooth Highway is a 68-mile stretch between Red Lodge and Cooke City, Montana. After Cooke City, the road leads into the northeast entrance of Yellowstone.
This will be the most convenient way to enter the park if you flew into Billings, but it is also doable in a day if you come from Bozeman as well (what we did).
It will take about 3 hours to drive from Billings to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone via the Beartooth Highway and 4 hours from Bozeman. Red Lodge and Cooke City both make great lunch stops!
Related: How to Drive the Beartooth Highway
Lamar Valley
As soon as you enter Yellowstone from the northeast entrance, you will drive through Lamar Valley, one of the best places to see wildlife. We saw tons of bison while driving through here midday!
Stop at the Calcite Springs and Tower Fall Overlooks just south of the NE Entrance Road and Grand Loop Road junction. These are 2 scenic viewpoints just off the road that only take a few minutes to visit.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Head to the Mammoth Hot Springs next. This is one of the most unique areas in the park, and the only place to see travertine terraces. You can explore these features by walking the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces boardwalks.
The boardwalks are split into the upper and lower terraces. We parked at the lower terraces and walked to the upper boardwalk, but you can also drive.
Walking the entire Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces will take you about an hour and a half. It’s 2.2 miles with 324 feet of elevation gain.
Related: Yellowstone National Park North Entrance & Mammoth Hot Springs: A Complete Guide
Grab dinner at the Mammoth Hotel (Yellowstone’s in-park village in this area) or in Gardiner, just 15 minutes north of the park.
Where to stay: The Mammoth Hotel (in the park) or Gardiner, MT (Yellowstone Gateway Inn or Yellowstone Village Inn are highly-rated)
Day 2: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone & Norris Geyser Basin
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Head straight to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in the morning (pass Norris Geyser Basin for now).
Drive the one-way road along the North Rim first and stop at the viewpoints. There are some short, steep hikes along the North Rim that you can also do. Our favorite was the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail!
Visit the Brink of the Upper Falls and then drive the South Rim and stop at the 2 viewpoints.
Allow the full morning to explore this area of Yellowstone. If you get an early start, you should be finishing up just as the crowds start rolling in! The morning light is also best for taking photos.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Mud Volcano
Grab lunch in Canyon Village and head down to the Mud Volcano next. This area is less popular, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a parking spot. The trail is only 0.8 miles so a visit is short and sweet!
This area has some of the most acidic features in the whole park and is also home to the largest mud pot in Yellowstone.
Norris Geyser Basin
Check into your hotel and relax for an hour or two before exploring Norris Geyser Basin. Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic geyser basin in Yellowstone!
This area has 2 boardwalk loops: the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. It will take you about 2 hours to walk both boardwalk loops, and it’s definitely worth seeing both.
Add on a quick visit to Artists Paint Pots if you’d like since it’s so close by. This area encompasses a collection of small, colorful mud pots and hot springs with a short hike to an incredible overlook over the entire geyser basin.
Feel free to go wildlife spotting in Hayden Valley or relax for the rest of your evening!
Where to stay: Canyon Lodge & Cabins or the Lake Hotel (both inside the park)
Day 3: Hike Mt. Washburn or Explore Lake
If you’re up for a fantastic but strenuous hike, spend the morning hiking the Mt. Washburn Trail.
This hike is 6.8 miles with almost 1400 feet of elevation gain (and you’ll be hiking at elevation so keep that in mind!), but rewards you with panoramic views over the entire park. The peak is the second highest point in Yellowstone.
If Mt Washburn is a bit too strenuous for you, spend the morning looking for wildlife in Hayden Valley and exploring the Yellowstone Lake area. This area is a less popular area of Yellowstone, so it’s a great way to escape the crowds.
My recommendations for this area are stopping at the Lake Butte Overlook and hiking the Natural Bridge Trail, an easy 3-mile hike to a natural arch.
Related: The Ultimate Yellowstone Bucket List: Top 17 Things to See & Do
Grab lunch at the Lake Hotel when you’re done exploring and then walk the boardwalk trail at West Thumb Geyser Basin. West Thumb Geyser Basin is super unique because you get to see hot springs right on the Yellowstone Lake!
Spend the evening relaxing in your hotel or grabbing drinks at the M66 Lounge in Canyon Village.
Where to stay: Canyon Lodge & Cabins or the Lake Hotel (both inside the park)
Day 4: Lower Geyser Basin & Grand Prismatic Spring
Lower Geyser Basin
Grab breakfast and supplies for a picnic lunch in Canyon Village before heading out for the day.
Drive the south loop in the counterclockwise direction (toward Norris Geyser Basin) and explore the Lower Geyser Basin. There are 2 popular things to do here: the Fountain Paint Pot Trail, a short, 0.5-mile boardwalk trail and the Firehole Lake Scenic Drive.
Grand Prismatic Spring
When you’re done at Lower Geyser Basin, head to the Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin.
There are 2 ways to experience Grand Prismatic Spring: by walking the 0.8-mile boardwalk in Midway Geyser Basin and hiking the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail. These 2 trails have separate parking lots (they are close, but you will have to drive) and I recommend doing both!
The Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk trail allows you to admire the Grand Prismatic Spring from eye level. You’ll also see 3 other fantastic hot springs here in addition to the Grand Prismatic Spring: Excelsior Geyser, Opal Pool, and Turquoise Pool.
Feel free to eat your picnic lunch before or after walking the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk.
Note: The parking lot at Midway Geyser Basin is way too small for the amount of visitors this area gets. Skip the lot and just park along the street and walk. Trust me, it’s much faster this way!
Next, head to the Fairy Falls Trail parking lot and hike the 1.5 miles up to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook. Yes, it will be crowded midday but it’s definitely worth it to see the colors! In the mornings, the large hot springs are covered in steam and you can’t really see them!
You can also add the Fairy Falls Trail onto the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook since they share the beginning of the trail. It’s an easy 4.8-mile, out-and-back hike.
Old Faithful Area
Head back to the Old Faithful area and relax at the Old Faithful Inn for the rest of the afternoon. There are also free, daily, guided tours of the Old Faithful Inn, the world’s largest log cabin structure!
You can also watch an Old Faithful eruption from the viewing area at this time if you’d like (you will explore the Upper Geyser Basin tomorrow, so don’t worry about missing out!). I recommend grabbing a seat 30 minutes before the next predicted eruption if you want to sit, otherwise there is plenty of standing room!
Grab dinner at one of the restaurants at Old Faithful and explore Biscuit and Black Sand Basins with your evening. These are all short boardwalk trails to some beautiful hot springs.
When you get back, grab a drink at the Old Faithful Inn second-floor bar and watch another Old Faithful eruption from the viewing deck!
Where to stay: Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, or Old Faithful Lodge Cabins (all inside the park)
Day 5: Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin
Spend the day watching Old Faithful erupt and exploring the 5 miles of boardwalk trails at the Upper Geyser Basin. Eruption times are posted throughout the Old Faithful area (or just wait until you see the viewing area start to get crowded!).
Related: All 11 Geyser Basins in Yellowstone Ranked
You can also hike up to Observation Point where you’ll see a birds’ eye view of Old Faithful. This is a short, steep trail right off of the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk to another Old Faithful viewing platform. Walk counter clockwise around Old Faithful and you’ll see the signs for the trail.
Time it right and you might see another eruption from this viewpoint! We actually never made it up here because there was a bison in the trail when we attempted the hike.
The Upper Geyser Basin also has a handful of smaller geysers with frequent, somewhat predictable eruptions. You might get lucky and see one or more eruptions while you’re exploring the boardwalks!
Some of the highlights in the Upper Geyser Basin are the Morning Glory Pool, Beauty Pool, Grand Geyser, and Castle Geyser.
Exploring this entire area will take you all afternoon, but it is well worth it.
Don’t worry too much about crowds here. Yes, the Old Faithful viewing area will be packed with people, but the boardwalk trails are large enough to disperse the crowds.
Where to stay: Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, or Old Faithful Lodge Cabins (all inside the park)
Day 6: 42-Mile Scenic Drive in Grand Teton
Say goodbye to Yellowstone and head south toward Grand Teton National Park! You’ll drive the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway south and enter the north end of Grand Teton National Park.
You’ll first see Jackson Lake, the biggest lake in Grand Teton National Park. Feel free to stretch your legs at the Lakeshore Trail in Colter Bay Village. This is an easy, flat, 2.5 mile trail along Jackson Lake.
Make your way down to Jackson and explore the shops and restaurants downtown. There are a ton of great restaurants, so you can’t really go wrong!
Spend the afternoon and evening driving the 42-mile scenic drive and exploring the overlooks and viewpoints. There are opportunities for wildlife viewing and lakeside hikes on this drive as well.
Related: The Ultimate 1, 2, or 3 Day Grand Teton National Park Itinerary
Doing the scenic drive later in the evening will give you better lighting for those iconic photos of the Tetons and a higher chance of spotting wildlife!
The 42-mile scenic drive is made up of Teton Park Road (the inner road) and US Highway 26/89/191 (the outer road). There are junctions to enter the loop at Moose, Moran, and Jackson Lake.
If you only plan to drive and stop at a few scenic spots, the scenic drive will only take you 1-2 hours. But I recommend taking a few hours to explore all the scenic spots along the way.
Here are my favorite stops along the 42-mile scenic drive:
- Jenny Lake Overlook: scenic overlook of the Tetons across the lake
- Signal Mountain Summit: narrow, winding road up to an overlook of the Teton Mountains, Jackson Lake, and the Jackson Hole Valley
- Oxbow Bend: scenic overlook on the Snake River and an amazing place to spot wildlife
- Snake River Overlook: one of the most photographed areas in Grand Teton National Park
- Teton Point Turnout: iconic view of the entire Teton Range
- Schwabacher Landing: a great place to see the reflection of the mountains in the the water along with an easy 0.5-mile hike along the river
- Moulton Barns on Mormon Row: the iconic Mormon settler barns famous for sunrise photography
There are a lot more scenic turnouts on the drive, but the ones listed above are the best ones, in my opinion!
Where to stay: Elk Refuge Inn, The Lodge at Jackson Hole, or Hotel Jackson (all in Jackson, you will spend the next 3 nights here!)
Day 7: Hike to Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls
Wake up early and watch the iconic sunrise at Mormon Row. It’s best to get there ~30 minutes before the actual sunrise so you don’t miss the red colors on the mountains just before the sun rises over the horizon!
There will be plenty of photographers here in the morning, but parking isn’t an issue!
Related Post: 13 Best Easy Hikes in Grand Teton National Park
Next, head directly to the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center. The iconic hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls are located across the lake. You can either hike there, or take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake.
There are a ton of different ways to do the Jenny Lake/Hidden Falls/Inspiration Point hike, so I wrote a whole blog post on it. This is by far the most popular thing to do in Grand Teton National Park!
My recommendation is to hike clockwise around the lake, hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, and then take the boat shuttle back. This is what we did, and we loved it!
And if you’re feeling ambitious, you can continue hiking past Inspiration Point into Cascade Canyon. This trail continues for 9 more miles, but even hiking into it for 20-30 minutes will give you some great views of the mountaintops!
We started hiking around 8 am, and did not have to wait in line for the boat shuttle back at 11 am when we finished hiking. When we returned to the East Boat Dock, there was an hour and a half wait to take the boat shuttle across the lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point!
If you would rather not hike the 2+ miles around the lake, you can also take the boat shuttle across the lake and back. The price for a roundtrip ticket is $20/adult and a one-way ticket is $12.
Related: Hiking Jenny Lake in Grand Teton: The Complete Guide
Jenny Lake is the most popular area to explore in Grand Teton National Park. The parking lot at the Visitor’s Center gets insanely full midday and the lines for the boat shuttle can reach an hour or more long. I recommend starting this itinerary no later than 9 am, especially in the summer!
Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing in your hotel, exploring Jackson, going wildlife spotting at Oxbow bend or doing another hike. The String and Leigh Lake Trails are relatively short, easy hikes with gorgeous mountain views!
String Lake is also a popular place for swimming, so bring a swimsuit if you’re up for braving the cold water!
Day 8: Hike the Taggart & Bradley Lake Loop
If you’re up for another sunrise over the Teton Mountains, Schwabacher Landing, the Signal Mountain Boat Launch, Snake River Overlook, and the Teton Point Turnout all make excellent locations. You really can’t go wrong with a sunrise location here!
After the sunrise, head over to the Taggart Lake Trailhead and hike the Taggart and Bradley Lake Loop. This is a 6-mile moderate hike to two lakes with some of the best views of the Teton Mountains.
There is a decent amount of elevation gain on this hike, so I’d recommend only the Taggart Lake Loop if you’re looking for an easier hike (I also thought Taggart Lake had better views).
This is another popular hike, so it’s best to get to the trailhead before 9 am to ensure you get a parking space!
Day 9: Drive to the Airport & Fly Home
Catch one last sunrise over the Tetons to end your Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary. Jump in the car and drive to the airport to catch your flight home!
If You Have More Time
If you have more time to spend on your trip, you could honestly spend an endless amount of time hiking and backpacking through Yellowstone or Grand Teton. This itinerary just scratches the surface of ourdoor adventures here!
However, another unique place to explore around this area is Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. It’s about 3 hours from Jackson and is a super unique place to see remnants of volcanic activity. You will only need a day trip here, and it is a nice way to break up the drive back to the airport at Salt Lake City or Bozeman.
Butte, Montana is also a unique town to spend a day in as well. It has a rich (and somewhat dark) mining history. There are some cool breweries, museums, and unique sights here, and it’s only an hour from the Bozeman airport!
If you have more than a few extra days to spend, I recommend adding on Glacier National Park at the beginning or end of your itinerary. Glacier is 8.5 hours from Jackson Hole, so you’ll probably want to plan a point-to-point road trip.
We considered adding Glacier onto our trip, but we only had 10 days and it was just too much to pack in (plus the expensive rental car drop fee on top of an already expensive trip!). If you have 12-14 days, I think the Glacier-Yellowstone-Grand Teton road trip would be fantastic!
We decided to wait to do Glacier justice on another trip instead of trying to cram it into an already full itinerary.
Did this post help you plan your own Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary? Please let me know if you have any questions about either park in the comments below!
More Info on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Check out my other posts on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks to make the most of your trip!
Yellowstone Posts:
- The Ultimate 1-5 Day Yellowstone Itinerary
- The Ultimate Yellowstone Bucket List: Top 17 Things to See & Do
- Yellowstone in One Day: 7 Best Yellowstone Road Trip Itineraries
- The Complete Guide to All 5 Yellowstone Entrances
- Visiting the Old Faithful Area of Yellowstone (How to Beat the Crowds, Tips, & More!)
- The Ultimate Guide to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- Yellowstone National Park North Entrance: A Complete Guide
- All 11 Geyser Basins in Yellowstone Ranked
- 12 Essential Tips for Visiting Yellowstone in the Summer
- Beartooth Highway Scenic Drive Guide (With Tips & Photos!)
Grand Teton Posts:
Pingback: 7 Unique Things to Do in Butte, Montana - Engineer to Explore
Interested in help with a Yellowstone and grand Tetons trip Saturday to Saturday late August 2024 and arrive and departs around 2 PM from Bozeman, maybe stay in 3 places at most, could be 2 then last night of 7 nights in Bozeman. Thank you!
Hey John, here’s how I would spend 7 days in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons:
Day 1: Fly into Bozeman and drive the Beartooth Highway, stay in Canyon Village
Day 2: Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Artists Paint Pots, stay in Canyon Village
Day 3: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, West Thumb Geyser Basin, stay in Canyon Village or Old Faithful
Day 4: Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, stay in Old Faithful
Day 5: Lower Geyser Basin, Biscuit & Black Sands Basin, drive to Jackson Hole and do the 42-mile scenic drive through Grand Teton National Park, stay in Jackson Hole
Day 6: Watch the sunrise at Mormon Row, hike to Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls near Jenny Lake, potentially do another afternoon hike in Grand Teton National Park or explore Jackson, stay in Jackson Hole
Day 7: Drive to Bozeman and fly home
I hope this helped, you will have an amazing time out west!
-Megan
Ooh I love your organised mind! I enjoy planning trips as well to the extent that my husband now thinks everywhere in the world is sunny, uncrowded, has great restaurants and that he never has to worry where to go because I will have local knowledge🤣 I begin by reading posts like yours which I found to be very helpful. Thank you for your time and effort. I appreciate it!
Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment, Yvonne!! So glad my post helped:) I love finding other type-A planners out there who love to travel🤣. There are a ton of great bloggers out there that I definitely pull trip-planning inspiration from- I love that we can crowdsource help to make the most of our trips!