Yellowstone is the world's first national park and the largest concentration of geothermal features on Earth — more than 10,000 hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles, all sitting atop a supervolcano. Grand Teton National Park immediately to the south has some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in North America, with the Teton Range rising 7,000 feet straight up from the Jackson Hole valley floor with no foothills to interrupt the view. Together, these two parks form one of the greatest wildlife and wilderness destinations on Earth. Five days is the minimum to do both justice.
Best seasons: June–September for full access to both parks. Memorial Day weekend to mid-June is excellent for fewer crowds (some high roads still closed). July–August is peak season with maximum crowds. September brings fall colors, elk rut, and dramatically reduced visitor numbers.
Fly into Jackson (JAC) — the airport is literally 5 minutes from the Grand Teton entrance, making it the ideal gateway. Book flights well in advance as JAC is a small airport.
Day 1 — Grand Teton: Jenny Lake & String Lake
Arrive in Jackson and drive straight into Grand Teton National Park ($35/vehicle entry). Head to the Jenny Lake area, the heart of the park. For a flat, beautiful warm-up hike, do the String Lake Loop (3.7 miles, 50 ft gain) — a quiet trail between String Lake and Leigh Lake with close-up views of the Teton Range reflected in the water. Or take the Jenny Lake Shuttle (fee) across the lake and hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point (5.4 miles RT from the dock, 1,400 ft gain) — the most popular hike in Grand Teton, and for good reason.
The reflection of the Teton Range in Jenny Lake at sunrise is one of the most iconic images in American nature photography. If you're an early riser, the Jenny Lake parking lot at 6am is worth it.
- String Lake Loop: 3.7 miles, flat — great for families and first-day legs
- Inspiration Point via shuttle: 5.4 miles RT, 1,400 ft — moderate, spectacular views
- Jenny Lake Shuttle: ~$20 RT, runs June–September
- Stay: Jackson — tons of options from budget hostel to luxury ranch; or Colter Bay Village in the park
- Dinner: Jackson's Town Square — Snake River Grill, The Handle Bar, or Persephone Bakery for breakfast
Day 2 — Cascade Canyon & Drive to Yellowstone
Spend the morning on the Cascade Canyon Trail — take the Jenny Lake Shuttle to the west shore and hike up the canyon (9 miles RT from the dock to the canyon fork, 1,100 ft gain, moderate). The trail follows a glacially-carved canyon between Mount Owen and Teewinot, with an ice-blue creek running through its center and wildflowers carpeting the floor in summer. Moose are commonly spotted here.
On the way back through the park, stop at Oxbow Bend on the Snake River — one of the best wildlife-watching spots in North America. In the early morning and evening, bison, moose, elk, great blue herons, and bald eagles are routine sightings. Bring binoculars.
In the afternoon, drive north to Yellowstone — the South Entrance is 80 miles from Jackson via Hwy 191. Enter through the park's South Gate and make your first camp or lodging stop at Grant Village or Old Faithful area.
- Cascade Canyon: 9 miles RT, 1,100 ft — plan 4–5 hours
- Oxbow Bend: Roadside wildlife watching; bring binoculars and a zoom lens
- Drive to Yellowstone South Gate: ~1.5 hours from Jenny Lake
Day 3 — Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic Spring
Enter Yellowstone through the South Gate and stop first at West Thumb Geyser Basin — a small boardwalk loop (0.6 miles) where geysers erupt directly into Yellowstone Lake, creating a surreal combination of boiling water and sapphire lake. Then drive to the Old Faithful area.
Old Faithful erupts every 60–110 minutes, shooting a column of boiling water 130 ft into the air for 1.5–5 minutes. The eruption time is posted at the visitor center. Walk the Geyser Hill Loop (1.5 miles) around the geyser basin — Beehive Geyser, Castle Geyser, and dozens of hot springs in every shade of blue and green.
In the afternoon, drive 3 miles to Grand Prismatic Spring — the largest hot spring in the US (370 ft wide, 121 ft deep) with a vivid thermal gradient: deep blue center, turquoise middle, and orange-red edges from heat-loving bacteria. The Fairy Falls Trail (5 miles RT, mostly flat) provides an elevated overlook of Grand Prismatic — the view you've seen in every documentary.
- West Thumb Geyser Basin: 0.6-mile boardwalk, easy
- Old Faithful: Check predicted eruption time at visitor center; arrive 15 min early
- Grand Prismatic overlook: Via Fairy Falls Trail, 5 miles RT, flat — the best view in Yellowstone
- Stay: Old Faithful Inn (most iconic building in the park — book a year ahead) or Madison Campground
Day 4 — Grand Canyon of Yellowstone & Hayden Valley
Drive to Canyon Village. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a 20-mile canyon up to 1,000 ft deep, carved by the Yellowstone River through rhyolite rock that's been chemically altered to brilliant yellows and oranges. The Lower Falls drop 308 ft — twice the height of Niagara Falls. Artist Point on the South Rim gives the classic view of the Lower Falls framed by the yellow canyon walls. For more adventure, take Uncle Tom's Trail on the North Rim — 328 metal steps descend to a platform two-thirds of the way down to the base of the falls.
Afternoon: drive through Hayden Valley — a wide, flat valley that's the best place in North America to watch bison herds, and one of the best for grizzly bears and wolves. Park at any pullout and scan the valley with binoculars at dawn or dusk. The wolf packs of Yellowstone are most reliably spotted in Lamar Valley (northeast corner of the park, 45 min from Canyon Village).
- Artist Point: Short paved walk from the parking area; the iconic Lower Falls view
- Uncle Tom's Trail: 328 steps, steep but paved — worth the descent
- Hayden Valley wildlife: Bison herds are almost guaranteed; bears and wolves require patience and luck
- Lamar Valley: Add an hour if you want the best shot at wolf sightings
Day 5 — Mammoth Hot Springs & Depart
Drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs — a series of terraced travertine formations that look like a science-fiction landscape. Hot water from underground springs deposits calcium carbonate as it flows down the hillside, creating cascading white and orange terraces. The Lower Terraces Boardwalk (0.5 miles, flat) winds between the active and dormant terraces. The formations change noticeably year to year as hot springs shift.
Browse the historic Fort Yellowstone buildings (now NPS offices and quarters) and stop at the Albright Visitor Center for the park's best museum exhibits. Then drive 2 hours south back to Jackson for afternoon flights.
- Mammoth Lower Terraces: 0.5 miles, flat boardwalk — allow 1 hour
- Drive to Jackson airport: ~2 hours from Mammoth via Hwy 191
Logistics & Tips
- America the Beautiful Pass ($80) — covers entry to both Yellowstone ($35) and Grand Teton ($35); essential
- Book accommodations 6–12 months ahead — Old Faithful Inn and Grand Teton Lodge Company properties book out a year in advance for July–August
- Wildlife safety: Stay 100 yards from bears and wolves; 25 yards from bison. Carry bear spray at all times — it's required outside of developed areas
- Best wildlife times: Dawn and dusk; midday is hot and animals shelter in shade
- Cell service: Essentially zero in both parks; download offline Yellowstone and Grand Teton maps before arrival
- Geothermal areas: Stay on boardwalks — the ground crust over hot springs can be paper-thin; people have died stepping off trail
- Gas: Fill up in Jackson and again at Canyon Village; stations are limited and prices are high inside the park
