Planning a Trip to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks
Hidden Lake, Glacier National Park
Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks are three of the most popular national parks in the US so it’s no wonder you want to plan a trip to visit all three! There are a few ways to make an itinerary to visit all of these parks. You may want to start and end your trip in the same location (in either Jackson Hole, WY or Kalispell, MO) for the convenience of booking flights and renting cars out of one location. Alternatively, you might decide to start in one place and finish in another to maximize the sites you see and to minimize drive times. Luckily, I’ve listed a few different itinerary options here so you can decide what’s best for you!
About This Road Trip
Getting There
The closest airports to the parks are located in Jackson, Wyoming (closest to Grand Teton and Yellowstone) and Kalispell, Montana (closest to Glacier). It’s also possible to fly into other, larger airports such as Salt Lake City, Denver, or Boise and have a few longer driving days.
When to visit
The best time to visit these parks is in the Summer or early Fall. All three national parks experience snowy Winters and roads like the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier, Teton Park Road in Grand Teton, and most of the roads in Yellowstone will be closed during that time. For that reason, I recommend doing this road trip in early July through mid-October.
You still can visit these parks in the wintertime but it will be much harder to get around and many trails will be snowy/inaccessible. If you want to avoid the crowds, plan your trip for September after students have started back up at school.
Costs & Fees
To enter each national park, there is a fee of $35 per vehicle. Instead of paying $105 for this trip, ask to buy an America the Beautiful Pass for $80 and get unlimited access to all U.S. national parks for one year! You can pick up a pass at the entrance kiosks to any of the parks or order one online here.
Itineraries
A full overview of each itinerary is listed here first with a more detailed description of each day further down in the blog.
Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton 11 Day Out and Back Itinerary: Jackson, WY
This itinerary starts and ends in Jackson, Wyoming. It’s a good choice for you if you are travelling from a town near Jackson or are flying in and out of Jackson for this trip. This itinerary is also the most similar to what I recently did, only I started and ended the trip in Boulder, CO! This itinerary is jampacked, so I totally suggest adding more days on if you have the time or switching to a one-way Itinerary if you don’t like feeling too busy.
Day 1: Arrive in Jackson, Wyoming and drive to your accommodation in Yellowstone National Park.
Day 2: Yellowstone Full Day: East Lower Loop
Day 3: Drive to Glacier National Park.
Day 4: Glacier Full Day: Going-to-the-Sun Road
Day 5: Glacier Full Day: Avalanche Lake
Day 6: Drive to Yellowstone National Park.
Day 7: Yellowstone Full Day: Upper Loop
Day 8: Yellowstone Full Day: West Lower Loop
Day 9: Drive to Grand Teton National Park & Half Day Activities.
Day 10: Grand Teton Full Day.
Day 11: Head Home.
You can easily change up this itinerary by moving Grand Teton National Park to the beginning of this list. Since both Yellowstone and Grand Teton are pretty close to Jackson Hole, it doesn’t really matter which one you visit first. Make sure you factor Grand Teton’s first-come-first-served camping into your plans if you want to camp. It can be hard to find a campsite, so I recommend planning a short travel day before camping in the Tetons (such as the short drive between Yellowstone and Grand Teton).
If you have extra time, add another day in Glacier National Park or spend some time in Jackson, Wyoming.
Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton 11 Day Out And Back Itinerary: Kalispell, MO
This itinerary starts and ends in Kalispell, Montana. It’s perfect for those who have round-trip flights to/from Kalispell or are traveling from another city close by. If you don’t like being too busy, I suggest adding extra days onto this trip or switching to a one-way itinerary (outlined below).
Day 1: Arrive in Kalispell, Montana and drive to your Accommodation in Glacier National Park.
Day 2: Glacier Full Day: Going-to-the-Sun Road
Day 3: Drive to Yellowstone National Park.
Day 4: Yellowstone Full Day: Upper Loop
Day 5: Yellowstone Full Day: West Lower Loop
Day 6: Yellowstone Full Day: East Lower Loop
Day 7: Drive to Grand Teton National Park & Half Day Activities.
Day 8: Grand Teton Full Day.
Day 9: Drive to Glacier National Park.
Day 10: Glacier Full Day: Avalanche Lake
Day 11: Head Home.
The drive between Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks is a long one (about 8+ hours) so you might want to modify this itinerary by moving a full day in Yellowstone after your Grand Teton visit, before you drive back to Glacier. This all depends on if you’d rather have a slightly shorter drive or less accommodation-hopping. Similarly, you can move the last full day in Glacier to the start of the trip if you don’t mind having a long drive the day before your travel day home.
If you have extra time, add on another day in Glacier National Park or spend some time in Whitefish, Montana.
Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier 10 Day one way itinerary
This plan will save you time in the car and give you more time to explore the national parks but could be more costly as you will need to book one-way flights to two different airports and have to drop off a rental car in a different city. You will save on gas money though so make sure you factor that all in when planning your trip! I’d say this itinerary is best for those who already know they’ll be flying in and renting a car.
Day 1: Arrive in Jackson, Wyoming. Explore the town of Jackson and head to your accommodations.
Day 2: Grand Teton Full Day.
Day 3: Enjoy a Half Day of Activities in Grand Teton & Drive to Yellowstone.
Day 4: Yellowstone Full Day: East Lower Loop
Day 5: Yellowstone Full Day: West Lower Loop
Day 6: Yellowstone Full Day: Upper Loop
Day 7: Drive to Glacier National Park.
Day 8: Glacier Full Day: Going-to-the-Sun Road
Day 9: Glacier Full Day: Avalanche Lake
Day 10: Head Home.
The good thing about this itinerary is that there is only one big day of driving, which means there’s plenty more time to explore the parks! You can easily flip this itinerary and begin your trip in Glacier National Park and end in Grand Teton.
If you have extra time, add on more days in Glacier National Park or spend time in Jackson, Wyoming or Whitefish, Montana.
Yellowstone National Park Guide
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Hayden Valley
Yellowstone is the United States’ first national park, established in 1872. It’s a very popular national park with over 4 million visits every year. The park is best known for its thermal features and wildlife but this huge park (3,472 sq. miles) has so much more to explore from hiking trails to lakes, canyons, and waterfalls.
Taking a look at the park map, we see that the main roads in Yellowstone form a figure eight. Typically, each loop (the upper and lower) can be explored in a day, but with three full days in the park, you’ll be able to take your time, relax, and maybe add on extra activities or hikes.
Where to stay in yellowstone
Yellowstone is a large park so it’s important to pick a good place to stay to avoid sitting in the car for too long. If you can, choose lodging or camping inside the park but if you can’t find anything, West Yellowstone or Gardiner are good options outside the park. You may even want to stay at more than one location during your trip to maximize your time.
Camping in Yellowstone
The most centrally located campground in Yellowstone is Canyon Village Campground. If you can reserve a spot here, you could easily stay here your whole Yellowstone trip without moving to a new location. A few other good options that are reservable are Grant Village Campground (where I stayed), Bridge Bay Campground, and Madison Campground. You can stay at these campgrounds the entire portion of your Yellowstone visit as well but expect more drive time. It might be a good idea to stay at one of those locations for two nights and then stay a third night up near Mammoth Hot Springs, especially if you will be driving further North to Glacier National Park the following day (or stay up near Mammoth on the night you are arriving in Yellowstone coming from Glacier). You can make a camping reservation here.
In addition to the reservable campgrounds, there are a few first-come-first-serve campgrounds available. Not all of them are open for the 2020 season so be sure to check this website for the latest updates.
Update for 2020: Take note that due to COVID-19, there are no showers available in Yellowstone campgrounds. The closest showers are in West Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park (Flagg Ranch is closest to Yellowstone).
Hotels and Cabins in Yellowstone
Like Canyon Campground, Canyon Lodge & Cabins is the most central place to stay in Yellowstone and you could stay here every night of your trip without having too much driving. But, if you want to stay in multiple locations or don’t mind a little extra driving, you could consider:
Old Faithful Inn or Snow Lodge & Cabins
Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Cottages, and Cabins
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins
There is also lodging located in Grant Village and Tower Roosevelt, but they are closed for the 2020 season.
Lake Yellowstone near Grant Village Campground
Arriving in Yellowstone National Park
Depending on which side you’re entering the park on and how long of a drive you’ve had, you may be able to see a few sites before settling in.
From the South entrance, Lewis Falls is a quick stop just off the side of the road about 11 miles into the park. The 30 ft fall is very beautiful in the late afternoon light. Head along the trail to the left of the river facing the falls to get a closer view. It looked like there were other trails on the right side of the river but after going over there, I realized that they were most likely caused by visitors hiking off trail and were damaging the hillside.
If you’re entering from the West side, consider driving Firehole Canyon Drive. This narrow one-way road winds its way through the Firehole Canyon and offers beautiful views of the Firehole River below. There are a few places to stop and take photos including a view of a small waterfall.
If you have time, there might be other activities you can check out on your arrival day depending on where you’re staying. If you’re staying outside of the park, I suggest saving all activities for your full days of adventures. If you’re staying at Grant Village, you could check out West Thumb Geyser Basin or watch sunset at Yellowstone Lake. If you’re in Canyon Village, you could check out a few other viewpoints of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Don’t worry about fitting much into your arrival day; you’ll have plenty of time to explore the park over the next few days.
Yellowstone Lake
Full Day in Yellowstone: East Lower Loop
Like I said before, the roads in Yellowstone form a figure eight and you could explore each loop in a day. I think it’s more enjoyable to split the Lower Loop in half so you have more time to spend at the attractions and can take a midday break if you want to. On this day, you will explore the East side of the Lower Loop.
The order of these activities depends on where you’re staying. I’ve written this from the perspective of someone travelling North along the road from Grant or Lake Village. If you are staying elsewhere in the park, check out the modifications section to see my alternative recommendations.
Hayden Valley
Start your day early if you can to beat the crowds and to see wildlife at their most active. I left Grant Village at 6:20am and felt like the timing of the day was perfect. Your first stop will be in the Hayden Valley. This area is usually filled with bison and you’ll probably be stopped in the road to wait for them to cross. There are plenty of pull-outs so make sure you use them if you want to stop and take photos. The only reason you should stop in the middle of the road is if an animal is crossing in front of you. Be sure to give the bison plenty of space. They look like gentle giants but they’re fast and have hurt or killed park visitors.
Hayden Valley
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Next, continue North to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This is a stop that I think can’t be missed on any visit to Yellowstone National Park.
There are two roads that offer views of the canyon: The North Rim Rd. and the South Rim Rd. We started on the South Rim at Artist Point. It was still early in the morning, so the parking lot was practically empty. Be aware that if you visit the canyon later in the day, it will be difficult to find parking. I suggest getting here before 10am. Another popular point on the South Rim is Uncle Tom’s Trail, which takes you down over 300 steps for an up-close view of the Lower Falls.
Head to the North Rim Rd. and be sure to stop at Lookout Point. There’s a short trail here that takes you down into the canyon for an awesome view of Lower Falls. Other great places to stop are Brink of the Lower Falls, for a view looking over the top of the falls, and Inspiration Point.
Norris Geyser Basin
After leaving the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, we looked for a picnic area to stop and cook breakfast. We stopped at the Norris Picnic Area, which was near a pretty meadow with a stream running through. Picnic areas are great because they usually have a few tables and you are able to easily cook a meal while out and about. We took advantage of many picnic areas in Yellowstone.
Norris Picnic Area
After breakfast, head to the Norris Geyser Basin for your first experience seeing some of the park’s geothermal features! This area has some very nice bright blue springs. We also liked some of the steam vents and small geysers. This area is also home to Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser. It’s rare to see a major eruption but when it goes off, the spray can even cause damage to cars parked in the lot!
Afternoon Break
Once you leave the Norris Geyser Basin, you might notice that the lot is starting to fill up with cars. Most areas of the park are pretty busy around 11am so I recommend planning to have some down time in the middle of the day. Drive back towards your camp or hotel the same way along the East side of the loop.
Update for 2020: You can go back around the West side of the loop but expect delays as there is road construction happening near Old Faithful.
On your way back down the East side of the Lower Loop, stop at a picnic area along the Yellowstone River for lunch. We stopped at the Nez Perce Ford Picnic Area, which was so peaceful and beautiful. Take your time relaxing here or anywhere on your way back. Most of the main attractions will be very busy this time of day but there are plenty of other areas to spread out and enjoy. When you go back through the Hayden Valley, it might be busier so be prepared to wait behind cars. At least it’s not a bad area to wait because you’ll probably be able to see lots of bison relaxing in the afternoon.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Head back out again right before sunset to see the West Thumb Geyser Basin. This area is pretty unique as the hot springs and geysers are located right along Lake Yellowstone. Some geysers are even in the lake! Be on the lookout for elk grazing, enjoying the cooler afternoon air. The lighting around this time of day makes for great photos of the pools and the lake.
Modifications
Here are a few suggestions for changes to this day depending on where you are staying.
Canyon Village, Norris, or Mammoth Hot Springs: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, breakfast along the Yellowstone River, West Thumb Geyser Basin, lunch along Yellowstone Lake, afternoon break, head back out to Norris Geyser Basin in the late afternoon (if you’re staying in Mammoth, visit Norris on your way back instead of heading out again).
West Yellowstone or Madison: Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, breakfast along the Yellowstone River or at Lake Village, lunch at Norris Picnic Area, Norris Geyser Basin (if you’re in Madison, you can easily drive back out to Norris in the late afternoon to avoid the crowds or just stop here on your way back). Save West Thumb for full day #2.
Old Faithful: Hayden Valley, breakfast along the Yellowstone River, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, lunch along Yellowstone Lake, West Thumb (either visit it on your way back or drive out again in the late afternoon). Save Norris Geyser Basin for full day #2.
Full Day in Yellowstone: West Lower Loop
On this day, you’re going to explore the West side of the Lower Loop. This route is best for those staying in the Grant or Lake Village areas, but I’ve provided some alternate route suggestions in the modifications section below.
Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
Start the day early and head to Old Faithful Geyser. The parking lot here fills up during the day so it’s best to stop here first. Check out the eruption prediction times so you can arrive on time. If you miss an eruption, don’t worry. The geyser goes off approximately every hour and a half so you could just walk around the Upper Geyser Basin area of have some breakfast while you’re waiting for the next eruption.
To view Old Faithful, you can either stand (or sit) along the boardwalk surrounding the geyser or take a walk up to Observation Point to view the eruption from above. I chose to stand back away towards the Old Faithful Lodge to keep my distance from the other viewers (since I was visiting during the coronavirus pandemic).
Update for 2020: Please make sure that you wear a mask while viewing Old Faithful and stay at least 6 feet from other viewers. Masks should also be worn on the boardwalks while passing other visitors. Keep one with you at all times while enjoying our national parks and just pop it on when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained.
Although watching Old Faithful is iconic and shouldn’t be missed, it wasn’t my favorite geyser eruption. I preferred Grand Geyser (also located in the Upper Geyser Basin), which is the tallest predictable geyser in the world. We just happened to be walking by this geyser when it started to erupt but you can see when it’s next predicted to go off here. Eruptions typically happen every 6-7 hours.
Another cool geyser in the Upper Basin is Castle Geyser. It’s pretty unique looking and I enjoyed seeing it even though it didn’t erupt while we were there.
Other Geyser Basins
If you’re still in the mood for geothermal features, you could check out Biscuit Basin or Lower Geyser Basin. Another cool drive is Firehole Lake Drive, which is a one-way drive that passes a few geysers and hot springs with different areas where you can get out and stretch your legs.
We were a little geysered-out at this point during the trip, so we skipped some of these basins (although we did drive along Firehole Lake Drive) and headed up to the Madison area next.
Firehole Canyon Drive
Drive along this road for a close-up view of the Firehole Canyon and River. Stop near the end of the road to see the Firehole Falls before continuing back onto the main road and heading South towards the Midway Geyser Basin. Stop for lunch at one of the picnic areas along the Firehole River.
Update for 2020: There is road construction near Old Faithful so to avoid traffic, you might consider continuing North from Madison and around the East side of the loop to avoid traffic depending on where you’re staying and then head back out to see Midway Geyser Basin later in the afternoon. This will add more driving to your day but could save you time spent stopped in traffic. Traffic is only bad here midday and won’t be as bad later in the afternoon.
Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring
This area was one of my favorites in Yellowstone and shouldn’t be missed! Finding the right timing to visit Midway Geyser Basin can be tricky as Grand Prismatic Spring can be too steamy to enjoy in the morning but parking gets packed midday. Try to come here in the late afternoon/early evening, if possible, to avoid the crowds and see the spring in nice light. We drove back to camp at Grant Village after Firehole Canyon for a midday break and then came back out to Midway a few hours before sunset.
Also, make sure you hike up to Grand Prismatic Overlook to see the colorful spring from above! You can also hike to Fairy Falls but be sure to bring bugspray as the mosquitos can be bad.
Modifications
Here is how I’d plan my day if I was staying in different areas of the park…
Canyon Village, Norris, or Mammoth Hot Springs: Firehole Canyon Drive, breakfast along Firehole River, Lower Geyser Basin/Firehole Lake Drive (optional), Old Faithful, lunch break, Biscuit Basin (optional), Midway Geyser Basin (either stop on your way back to your accommodation or have an afternoon break and drive back out to see it later in the day).
Madison: Old Faithful (have breakfast here), West Thumb Geyser Basin, Biscuit or Lower Geyser Basins/Firehole Lake Drive (optional), lunch along Firehole River, afternoon break, Firehole Canyon Drive, Midway Geyser Basin.
West Yellowstone: Same as Madison if you don’t mind re-entering the park later in the day or… Firehole Canyon Drive, Lower Geyser Basin/Firehole Lake Drive (optional), Old Faithful (have breakfast), West Thumb Geyser Basin, lunch at a picnic area along Craig Pass, Biscuit Basin (optional), Midway Geyser Basin.
Old Faithful: Old Faithful, Biscuit or Lower Geyser Basins/ Firehole Lake Drive (optional), breakfast along Firehole River, Norris Geyser Basin, lunch at picnic area along Gibbon River (between Norris and Madison), Firehole Canyon Drive, afternoon break, Midway Geyser Basin.
Full Day in Yellowstone: Upper Loop
On this final full day in Yellowstone (or perhaps it’s your first day, depending on how you’re doing this whole trip), you might want to change your accommodation to something in the Mammoth Hot Springs/Gardiner area just to save yourself some drive time. To keep things consistent, though, I’ll be writing about this day as if you are travelling from the Grant Village area. This itinerary will also work for those staying in Old Faithful, Madison, and West Yellowstone. If you are staying elsewhere, see the modifications section below.
Update for 2020/21: The East side of the loop between Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon Village is closed for construction. This blog post has taken into account that road closure and will be updated in the future when the road is reopened. This means there are currently longer drive times for day 3 for those who are staying in the park outside of the Mammoth Hot Springs area.
Gibbon Falls
Start the day early and drive North along highway 191 (the West side of the Lower Loop). It’s a longer drive day today so you might want to have breakfast before making any stops. We stopped at a picnic area along the Gibbon River between Madison and Norris and cooked breakfast on a misty morning.
Next, make a quick stop at Gibbon Falls. There’s a long viewing area with plenty of space to spread out. The falls were nice, but I also enjoyed the view of the valley with beautiful green forest stretching out as far as the eye could see.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Keep driving North, past Norris and up Highway 89. Before you know it, you’ll arrive in Mammoth Hot Springs. Before you actually get to the town of Mammoth, you’ll see parking for the Terraces. First, you’ll be near the upper part of the terraces but if you keep driving, there is more parking below. Parking can be a bit chaotic here with cars entering lots from both sides. Just remember to stay calm and respectful. I witnessed some pretty bad road rage from a guy who thought someone else took his spot (this was debatable). The dude threw a fit about it even though there were spaces available at another lot just up the road. So just keep this in mind, especially if you don’t arrive in Mammoth very early.
From the lower parking lots, you are able to hike on boardwalks up above the terraces, or if you park in the upper lots, you can hike down below. All the boardwalks connect so it doesn’t really matter where you start.
After exploring the Terraces, drive East towards Tower Roosevelt and the Lamar Valley. There are only a few picnic areas to stop at along this drive and I suggest the Virginia Cascade Picnic Area for lunch. It’s a small spot along a creek with just a few tables so it might be hard to find a spot.
The Lamar Valley
After lunch, continue driving East to the Lamar Valley. This is another great place in the park to see wildlife including bison, elk, bears, and wolves! Like the Hayden Valley, the best time to visit is after sunrise or just before sunset. If you’re staying in the Mammoth area, take the afternoon to relax and then drive out to the Lamar Valley in the early evening. If you are staying in other parts of the park and have a long drive back (like I did), you can still visit the Lamar Valley in the middle of the day, and you are still likely to see lots of bison and potentially other animals.
Already got your wildlife fix from the Hayden Valley? I’d say you don’t have to visit both valleys, but the landscape of the Lamar Valley does feel different from the rest of the park and it’s a very beautiful area. I liked seeing some taller mountains here compared to the rest of Yellowstone.
When you are done with the Lamar Valley, feel free to head back to your accommodation to relax or revisit some other areas of the park!
Mount Washburn
Normally, I would suggest hiking Mt. Washburn during your visit to Yellowstone National Park, but since the road is closed for construction in 2020/21, I’ll update this part of the blog later on.
Modifications
Mammoth Hot Springs: Visit the Terraces in the morning, take an afternoon break, visit the Lamar Valley just before sunset (see Gibbon Falls on a different day when you are driving between the Upper and Lower Loops).
Lake Village or Canyon Village: Have breakfast at a picnic area between Norris and Mammoth, visit the Terraces in Mammoth Hot Springs, lunch at Virginia Cascades Picnic Area, Lamar Valley (see Gibbon Falls on either day #1 or #2 depending on the way you are driving).
Glacier National Park Guide
Glacier is one of my favorite national parks. Located in Montana right next to the Canadian border, Glacier boasts beautiful turquoise lakes, epic mountain peaks, and plenty of wildlife.
The park can be split into two main sections: Many Glacier and West Glacier, which are connected by the famous Going-to-the-Sun road. The park can be explored in two full days but if you really want to maximize your visit, I’d suggest you spend three or more days here.
Update for 2020: Currently, the Many Glacier and East side of the park are closed due to COVID-19 concerns. The only entrance to the park is in West Glacier. This guide takes these travel notices into consideration and will be updated in the future when the rest of the park opens. Visit the national park website for the most up-to-date travel information.
Where to stay in glacier national park
It can be hard to find a last-minute reservation in or near Glacier National Park but it’s always worth checking online for cancellations. We booked all three of our nights in Glacier as separate camping reservations as each night became available online. This isn’t as ideal as having one place to stay all three nights, but it was worth it to us to stay inside the park.
Camping in Glacier
The only place that’s currently available to camp inside the park is the Fish Creek Campground. This campground is located right on Lake McDonald and is the perfect home base for travelling throughout the park. Reservations can be made here at recreation.gov.
If you can’t get a reservation at Fish Creek, there are other camping options outside the park such as Sundance Campground or the West Glacier KOA.
Update for 2020: Take note that there are no showers available in Glacier National Park due to COVID-19. The closest showers are located at the West Glacier KOA, Moose Creek Resort, or the Glacier Outdoor Center and cost $6-8.
Hotels and Cabins in Glacier
There are a few different lodging options in Glacier including the Lake McDonald Lodge and the Village Inn at Apgar. The Cedar Creek Lodge is another option located in nearby Columbia Falls. You can check availability and make reservations for all three of these hotels here.
If you want to stay at a hotel outside of the park nearby, there are options in West Glacier, Columbia Falls, or Whitefish. Just make sure you factor in the extra drive time and potential traffic getting into the park.
Arriving in Glacier National Park
Since you probably just had a long day of travel, there’s not much to on this day other than get to your accommodation, set-up camp, unpack, or relax for a bit! If you’re staying inside the park, go watch the sunset on the Rocky Point Trail that you can access from Fish Creek Campground or see it from Apgar Village. The village is also a good place to pick-up any items you may have forgotten, buy some huckleberry ice cream, or get firewood for camp.
Full Day in Glacier: Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road
On your first full day in Glacier, wake up early and head out along the Going-to-the-Sun Road! It’s best to start early because parking lots will up quickly with many people visiting the park right now. The entire road is nearly 50 miles long and has a ton of tight curves. Make sure your vehicle is less than 21 ft long, 8 ft wide, and 10 ft tall. There’s usually a shuttle system to dive you over this road if you don’t have the proper sized vehicle but unfortunately, it won’t be available in 2020.
With the current east park closure, you’ll be able to drive out as far as Rising Sun before having to turn around and head back. Since you will be driving out and back, you can make the decision to stop at viewpoints on the way to Rising Sun or on your way back to Lake McDonald. Nico and I stopped at a couple stops on the way out but did most of them on the way back.
The first stop we made was at Logan Pass to see a mama mountain goat and her two babies. From this pass, there are a few different hiking options, but we just stopped for a couple photos before continuing along the road.
As we drove along the East side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, we enjoyed the views and had to stop the car for some baby bears to cross. The next place where we got out was the Wild Goose Island Overlook, which was very picturesque and peaceful as we were the only ones there that early.
Next up, we stopped at Rising Sun and visited the gift shop and cooked breakfast at the picnic area there. Instead of sitting on the picnic benches, we walked down to Saint Mary Lake and had breakfast on the shore.
Once our stomachs were refueled, we headed back along Going-to-the-Sun road and stopped at more pullouts on the way. My favorite stop was Big Bend, which is the best place in Glacier to watch the sunset.
Big Bend
Here is a list of all the great stops along the Going-to-the-Sun Road from West to East:
The Loop - A hairpin turn in the road with great views of Heaven’s Peak and is where the Highline Trail ends.
Weeping Wall - Part of the cliffside where water from snowmelt runs off onto the road (and onto your car!).
Big Bend - Located just after the Weeping Wall, this is a must-stop and great place to be for sunset.
Logan Pass - The highest point along the road (6,646 ft) and the location where you can hike the Highline Trail or Hidden Lake.
Jackson Glacier Overlook - A quick pull-out with a view of the Jackson Glacier and info about the glaciers receding over time.
Saint Mary Falls - Either hike here from the Saint Mary Falls trailhead or extend the hike by going along the Sun Point Nature Trail.
Wild Goose Island - Snap that iconic photo of the tiny island in the middle of Saint Mary Lake.
Rising Sun - A nice place to stop along the lake for breakfast or to buy a fridge magnet.
Highline Trail or Afternoon Break
Once you’ve seen all the stops along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, you can either take a little afternoon break at camp or along Lake McDonald or you could consider going on a hike like the Highline Trail! I wanted to do this hike but unfortunately, it was still closed due to snow even in July! The hike is an 11.8-mile point-to-point trail that starts at Logan Pass and ends at the Loop. You can either hike the whole thing and take the shuttle back to Logan’s pass or just hike part of the trail. Even though I didn’t get to hike this trail, I still recommend it because it’s said to be one of the most scenic trails in the US!
Update for 2020: Due to COVID-19, the free shuttles are not operating in Glacier National Park. Make sure you plan your hikes accordingly.
Big Bend for Sunset
After your hike or mid-day break, head back out to Big Bend for sunset. Be sure to get here in time to enjoy the golden hour. All of the mountains and wildflowers look so magical in the late afternoon light!
Full Day in Glacier: Avalanche Lake
Avalanche Lake
I might sound like a broken record but wake up early to get to the Avalanche Lake parking lot before it fills up. We arrived here around 7am and the lot was almost full. You can grab a spot and then cook your breakfast here to save some time!
Start by hiking the Trail of the Cedars, which is the wheelchair accessible boardwalk portion of the hike. This part of the trail is really beautiful and forms a loop so you can see the other side of the trail as you hike back to your car. Follow signs for Avalanche Lake as you continue on a dirt path along the Avalanche Creek. The whole trail is 4.5 miles out and back and has about 730 ft elevation gain.
Once you get to the lake, spread out to avoid the crowds and see the lake from every angle! It probably takes about an hour to do this hike each way so I would plan for at least three hours to hike and enjoy this scenic place.
Afternoon Break
Spend the afternoon however you like! We hung out along the McDonald Creek and Nico even took a dip in the freezing turquoise water!
Hidden Lake Overlook
Before sunset, drive back out to Logan Pass to hike to the Hidden Lake Overlook. Make sure you get here with plenty of time before sunset to capture the scene in the golden light. This is a pretty popular place for photographers so it can get crowded here. Bring a mask if you’re visiting during the pandemic.
Be aware that there could be snow on the trail even in late July. We crossed a few patches and they weren’t bad, but you should check the trail conditions beforehand and plan accordingly.
Make sure you watch for wildlife while you’re here and try to keep a safe distance! There was a curious mountain goat that came pretty close to us and the other photographers and we saw a couple of bighorn sheep run down the hill.
Modifications to the Glacier National Park Itinerary
If you’re planning a trip to Glacier National Park for the future (after coronavirus), I’d highly recommend visiting the Many Glacier area. It’s worth staying in this region to have access to the many hikes here such as Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier. I would probably suggest extending your Glacier National Park trip to include at least three full days in the park but if you just have two days here, you can spend one full day on the West side of the park and another full day in Many Glacier.
I’ll update this blog with more info in the future when the East side of the park reopens.
Grand Teton National Park Guide
Grand Teton is easy to navigate and won’t require as much driving as the other two national parks. Also, since it’s located so close to Yellowstone, you can easily swap the two around on your itinerary. Just be aware that all the camping here is first-come-first-serve so it’s best to plan your visit here after a short day of travel if you plan to camp.
Where to Stay in Grand Teton National Park
Stay at one of the many campgrounds inside the park, at a lodge, or in the nearby town of Jackson. You will save yourself some driving if you stay centrally in the park such as at Jenny Lake or Signal Mountain but truly anywhere is fine.
Camping in Grand Teton
Like I mentioned before, camping is first-come-first serve and can fill up quickly, especially on the weekend. Check this website to see the current fill times for each campground. The most popular campground is definitely Jenny Lake, with stunning views of the Tetons and a central location. We tried to get a site here, arriving around 7am on a Friday but there was a long line of cars waiting for sites as well, so we made our way back north, stopping at each campground along the way. We eventually found a site at Lizard Creek, which was a nice little campground on Jackson Lake. We could have probably waited in line at Colter Bay and maybe got a site but, we didn’t want to risk waiting and then not getting anything. My suggestion is to not even try Jenny Lake if you are arriving there at 7am or later. Just head to one of the larger, less popular campgrounds instead.
When driving around a campground looking for an available space, look for sites that have your arrival date written as their check-out date. The previous occupants may have not left the site yet, but you can ask them if they are okay with you registering for the site and coming back when they leave. Don’t bother the previous occupants, obviously, but if they have started packing their car and you don’t have to encroach on their space to talk to them, most people won’t mind you leaving your registration slip on the post. Just don’t start unpacking your things until they have completely left the site.
My biggest advice is to not stress yourself out over camping. Just take your time to read all the check-out dates on each campsite or head to one of the less popular campgrounds to avoid any stress all together.
Showers are available in Grand Teton National Park (even during COVID!) at Colter Bay, Signal Mountain, and Headwaters at Flagg Ranch.
Hotels and Cabins in Grand Teton
There are a couple of different lodging options available inside Grand Teton National Park such as:
Colter Bay Cabins
Jackson Lake Lodge
Jenny Lake Lodge
Signal Mountain Lodge
Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch
To make reservations at these or see more options, head to the national park website. There are also plenty of other accommodation options outside the park in the city of Jackson.
Update for 2020: Jackson Lake Lodge and Jenny Lake Lodge are closed for the season due to COVID-19.
Arriving in Grand Teton National Park
What you do on your arrival day will greatly depend on how much traveling you had to do to get to Grand Teton. If you are traveling from Yellowstone or from Jackson, you should have a fair amount of time to go on a hike or two and check out some of the sites.
Hike to Taggart Lake
The hike to Taggart Lake is an easy 3 mile out and back loop. Once you get to the lake, enjoy the beautiful views of the Tetons! Since this hike is pretty moderate, it can easily be done in winter too!
Hike Around String Lake
This is another easy trail located close to Jenny Lake in the Tetons. String Lake is a 3.8-mile loop but can be extended if you want to hike from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center (add on 3.4 miles each way). We accidentally started at the visitor center, adding the additional mileage to our hike. Luckily, after doing the String Lake loop, Nico was able to hitchhike back to the visitor center to get our car so we wouldn’t have to hike another 3.4 miles back. If you want to avoid the Jenny Lake portion of the hike, make sure you start at the String Lake trailhead.
The hike can also be extended in the other direction, adding on Leigh Lake. This would bring your hike up to about 7 miles.
Besides hiking, String Lake is a popular place for water activities such as stand-up paddle boarding or boating. It’s also a nice place to relax and take in the views.
Full Day in Grand Teton
I think the best way to see Grand Teton is to get out on the trails and hike! Plan a long hike for your full day in Grand Teton. Be sure to pack a lunch and plenty of water!
Cascade Canyon
The hike up Cascade Canyon is one of the prettiest hikes in Grand Teton - and possibly the US. To get to the Cascade Canyon trailhead you have three options:
Take the ferry from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center to the Cascade Canyon trailhead.
Hike from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center for about 2.4 miles to the trailhead.
Hike from String Lake for about 1.7 miles to the trailhead (my recommendation).
Choose the route you want to take. If you take the ferry, there is a fee of $18 per adult round trip or $10 one way. Some hikers have reported that you can get $5 round trip tickets if you arrive at the shuttle before 7am. I can’t confirm this but let me know in the comments if you have the same experience! Visit this website to find out more about ferry fees. You don’t need to make a reservation as the shuttle service runs every 10-15 minutes. Taking the ferry eliminates about 2.4 miles of hiking. So, if you want to shorten your hike but still see all the views, this is a good option for you. Note that there can be long wait times for the shuttle during peak times.
If you decide to hike from Jenny Lake Visitor Center, it takes about 2.4 miles to reach the Cascade Canyon trailhead. It can be difficult to find parking in the Jenny Lake parking lot and this route is sometimes busy, which is why I recommend the String Lake Route.
It’s much easier to find parking at the String Lake trailhead and we barely saw anyone else on the trail. Park in the first lot off String Lake Road and begin the hike. Make sure you cross the bridge and follow the String Lake Trail, not the Jenny Lake Trail. Then, at the next fork, head left and follow the trail along the river to Jenny Lake. Continue on that trail along the NW side of the lake until you reach the Cascade Canyon trailhead. It’s a good idea to have bear spray as this part of the hike is less trafficked. I didn’t see any bears but it’s always a good call to have, especially if you are hiking solo or in pairs.
From the Cascade Canyon trailhead, it’s about 9.7 miles out and back to the Forks but you can turn around at any point. Pretty soon after the trail starts, you have the option to see Hidden Falls. After that, you climb up a few switchbacks to Inspiration Point, which has a great view over Jenny Lake (photos will be better here in the afternoon when the sun isn’t shining directly from the East). The climb is gradual from that point on to the South Fork so take your time and enjoy the views.
You can continue from the South Fork for about 2.5 miles to Lake Solitude. Just be aware that you will have to hike back those 2.5 miles plus the rest of the Cascade Canyon trail.
If you start the hike early enough, it’s likely that you’ll see some wildlife. We had three moose sightings and saw a number of pikas (AKA mountain hamsters IMO). You could also spot marmots, deer, elk, and bears! Be sure to keep a safe distance from wildlife. Moose are known to be aggressive and can run up to 35 miles per hour.
It’s also a good idea to be prepared for any weather. The hike was mostly sunny for us all day, but we had a brief period of hail at the end of the hike (yes, in July)!
Leaving Grand Teton
Even on our long travel day home, we decided to squeeze in one last activity in Grand Teton. I’d go as far as to argue that it’s even a requirement to see at least one sunrise when you visit the Grand Tetons. If you don’t have time on your travel day to visit a sunrise spot, you can easily squeeze this in before a hike on your full day (hey, you already have to wake up early to hike)!
Sunrise at Schwabacher Landing
Located near Moose Junction just off Highway 191, Schwabacher Landing is a popular spot amongst photographers to watch the sunrise over the Grand Tetons and capture the reflection in the Snake River. Be sure to arrive here a little before sunrise. Even though the sun hasn’t crept over the eastern mountain peaks yet, the lighting is still beautiful, and you’ll need some time to find the perfect photo location.
We were greeted by a mother moose and her two calves when we arrived at the river. I even caught a video of them walking right under the Tetons as the sun began to illuminate the scene.
There are a few other great spots to see the sunrise including:
Black Tail Ponds Lookout
Snake River Overlook
Glacier View Turnout
Togwotee Pass
Moulton Barns
