Oh my goodness you guys! I recently spent the most incredible week between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. If you follow me on social media, you got a small taste of my trip through photos and stories. But SO many of you reached out with questions, I thought I would share in more depth about my week.
For those of you around for a while, you may remember a few years ago I made a decision that every summer I would take a trip with my parents to the location of their choice. In 2016, we went to the Grand Canyon. Last year, we traveled to the Midwest to tour the Ark Encounter, the Creation Museum, the Cincinnati Zoo and the Underground Railroad Museum. And this year, my parents really wanted to head west to visit Yellowstone and the Tetons. Even though I had been before, I was thrilled to be able to return and explore the parks in more depth. (See, you guys just thought I was traveling solo! My parents won’t let me post about them while we are traveling, lol.)
We began our trip by flying out of Shreveport, stopping in Dallas and then onto Bozeman, Montana. (And YAY for ALL THREE OF US getting bumped up to First Class on the way to Bozeman! Traveling for work has its perks!) In order to see the majority of both parks in a limited amount of time, we decided to start north and travel through Yellowstone and down to the Tetons. And I was MORE than thrilled to start in Bozeman, as I had never been to Montana and was able to whittle down my list of states left to visit to only 13.
The first night we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman (and used Hilton points, so it was free HOORAY). I stay in a LOT of hotels and this one was very nice and cozy. It had a western flair to it. It wasn’t too far from the airport and easily accessible to the interstate.
The next morning, we got up super early to travel down to Gardiner, Montana, for a little horseback riding. I researched guides and ultimately we landed with Paradise Adventure Company. They had excellent reviews and the location was perfect, at the northern entrance of Yellowstone. On their website, the pictures showed trails weaving through gorgeous meadows and beside streams. It didn’t show that we would spend the vast majority of a 2.5 hour ride along a mountain ledge. I’ve ridden plenty of horses in my lifetime, so definitely experienced in this area. But I’m not experienced with trusting a 2000 pound animal with my life, literally 6 inches from dropping off a mountain! Needless to say, I was pretty tense the entire ride. If you know me well, you know I like to be in control of situations, so this was the ultimate test of relinquishment. All I could think about was a snake or bear jumping out, spooking my horse and never writing another word to you guys! But old Mouse did a great job of taking care of me. We were able to see the most incredible sights we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Once we were safely back down the mountain, I was super grateful I had the opportunity to experience this.
After the ride and grabbing a quick lunch in Gardiner, we headed south into Yellowstone taking the eastern loop through Mammoth Hot Springs and over to Tower-Roosevelt. We stopped at nearly every side road and several pull offs along the way. I was driving and while I’m not normally afraid of heights, I was a smidge nervous driving in this area as it’s VERY mountainous and about 90% of the road doesn’t have guard rails! YIKES! So if you saw a silver 4Runner, moving at a granny pace, that was me!!
We slowly worked our way south to Canyon Village, Norris, Madison and eventually West Yellowstone for the night. (Here’s a PRO trip. If you want to stay in the park, you have to book your rooms ONE YEAR in advance. I didn’t know this and even booking six months out, there were no rooms, so we had to stay outside of the park.) All along the way to the hotel, we stopped to hike a bit and take in the Paint Pots, waterfalls, canyons, streams and meadows.
For two nights, we stayed at the Best Western Weston Inn in West Yellowstone. (Boo for no Hilton Hotels so we had to actually pay to stay here.) I was VERY apprehensive when I realized this hotel had outside hallways. (Don’t hate on me….I’m mostly a hotel snob!) But I was pleasantly surprised with the rooms here! They had been recently updated and were comparatively like a Hampton Inn property. So it really wasn’t all that bad.
We were EXHAUSTED at the end of this day (well at the end of every day) but did opt to eat dinner at the Outpost Restaurant. The outdoor menu showed us lots of homestyle cooked food which suited us after such a long day. And it didn’t disappoint! The portions were HUGE and flavorful. After dinner, we mozied onto our hotel and crashed as soon as we could! WE. WERE. DEAD.
The next day we traveled the south loop of Yellowstone. Honestly, this was probably my favorite part (includes Old Faithful, West Thumb, Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and LOTS of geyser basins). I could use an entire week to just “off road” and hike or bike this region. The entire park is incredible, but to me, this is the “meat and potatoes” of Yellowstone!
After another extremely full day, we circled back out to West Yellowstone. This evening, eating dinner at the Old Town Café. It’s basically a steakhouse and while it was good and filling, I would rate it a 3 of 5. Again, after dinner, we CRASHED and crashed hard.
The following day we headed out to south Yellowstone and made our way into the Tetons. I remember first driving this route back in 2009. And I distinctly remember being completely overwhelmed with awe as I first laid eyes on the Tetons. Y’all, I honestly cannot put this view into words. And the pictures below don’t do it justice. The first glimpse, as well as every subsequent glimpse, will utterly and completely take your breath away. The towering peaks bordered by Jenny Lake is simply incredible. We stopped at the Visitor Center and hiked down to a secluded place on the lake and literally sat in awe for a good thirty minutes. After that, we traveled down to a nearby picnic area where we had an unobstructed view of the mountains while we ate lunch. No words.
After lunch, we slowly made our way to Jackson, Wyoming, which is where we stayed for two more nights. As per the usual, we stopped at nearly every pull out because every view of the Tetons was different and inconceivable. Luckily, Hilton properties are present in Jackson, so we chose the Homewood Suites (and again HOORAY for work travel and points because it was free)! It really is a nice property located just a few blocks from town square which made navigating Jackson a breeze!
If you know me well, you know my weekly splurge is pizza on Friday nights. ALWAYS PIZZA ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. (And it’s also when I have my one weekly carbonated beverage, a Dr. Pepper. Ha.) So after asking around for the best pizza joint, we ultimately decided on Hand Fire Pizza. It’s a relatively new place in downtown Jackson. And while the pizza was incredible, the location was my favorite! The owners had actually taken an old movie theater and converted it into a restaurant. The ceilings were super high (because DUH movie theater) and the firing ovens were located where the screen would have been. I HIGHLY recommend this place if you go.
For our last full day, we opted to have a sort of lazy morning, and didn’t get out until about 10ish or so. We spent the morning and early afternoon exploring downtown Jackson and let me tell y’all, it’s SOOOO adorable. Cute shops line the streets. The town square and architecture looks straight from western novel and will transport you back in time.
We opted for lunch at The Bunnery. Also, if you know me well, you know I LOVE eggs benedict and I LOVE trying eggs benedict all over the country. (My favorite thus far is at The Imperial in Portland, Oregon.) So even though breakfast was over, I begged the waiter to allow me to try the benedict, and after asking permission from the cook, they obliged. And it was VERY yummy! It didn’t top The Imperial but it was good nonetheless. The Bunnery is a super cute restaurant with bright orange umbrellas over the dining tables and flower pots that overflow with all kinds of colorful annuals. Interestingly enough, shortly after I posted on Instagram and Facebook that I was in Jackson, a friend commented for me to be sure and eat at The Bunnery! It didn’t disappoint and I also highly recommend this restaurant. Note they are only open for breakfast and lunch.
After lunch we strolled the streets a bit more, then returned to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for our safari with Scenic Safaris. Around 4:30, they picked us up at the hotel in this monster travel van with massive tires and we headed into Grand Teton National Park for an evening of animal watching and dinner.
Again, we were floored by the sights we saw. Our guide took us down country roads where we continued to see lots of bison, pronghorn, deer and elk. (No bears this trip, boo!) About halfway into the safari, we stopped at the Signal Mountain Lodge for dinner. The food here was AMAZING, but our dinner view was unbeatable. We literally sat at the base of the Tetons and had an expansive view of the range. Honestly, this is probably the best dinner view I’ve ever experienced (and I’ve experienced a lot of amazing dinner views).
After dinner, we continued up the mountain for some additional sightseeing and eventually made our way back to Jackson around 10pm.
The next morning our journey home began, flying this time out of Jackson to Dallas and home to Shreveport. (No first class going home BOO, but we were in the bulkhead which is basically first class without the meal.) We left with full hearts and definitely a longing to hopefully return for further exploration. With every glimpse of every wonder, I kept thinking, “This is how Eden must have looked!” Pristine and untapped. Truly like another world. I also kept hearing Psalm 8:3-4 on repeat in my head. “When I consider the works of the heavens, the moon and the stars, who am I that He is mindful of me?” Seeing wonders as such is truly life changing. But when you ponder being on HIS omnipresent, omniscient mind, it’s doesn’t even make sense! But to behold such beauty and know that He designed you with the same amount of intricacy, it completely mindblowing!
Most of you know me well enough by now and know I’m not a “things” girl, but rather an experiences girl. I want memories, pictures and adventures filling my tank. So I beg you, trade in some things, give up some material luxuries and spend your money on meaningful journeys that will leave you inspired and full of wanderlust!
Here are a few tips to consider if you go:
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- If you want to stay inside of Yellowstone, book your rooms one year in advance. Booking dates open in May for the following year and go quickly, so plan accordingly.
- Take a drive down every side road. That’s where all the GOOD THINGS are. The waterfalls, geyser basins, caverns, hidden streams plus much more.
- Wear comfy clothes and shoes. Dress in layers. It’s cool in the mornings but pretty warm by afternoon. And whatever you do, DO NOT WEAR FLIP FLOPS for cryin’ out loud. You need a good pair of tennis shoes or hiking boots. Trails are rocky and unsteady and you need solid footwear protecting your feet and ankles.
- Prepare for a variety of weather conditions. We experienced sun, rain, sleet AND snow all over the course of a few days.
- If you happen upon what appears to be a traffic jam, be patient. There’s a 99% chance the jam is caused by an animal sighting that you’ll definitely want to see.
- Grab a case of water and an ice chest to keep in the car with you. We also packed our lunch and snacks each day. There are facilities within the park, but they are spread out and you’ll want to be able to eat and drink at your leisure. (And stay hydrated!)
- Things to not forget: bug spray, a cap, sunglasses, umbrella, camera, notepad-highly recommend the Pack This Journal.
- There are restrooms (port o potties) located throughout the park, but honestly, they are ICK. Plan your restroom stops at major junctions where there is a visitor center. Those are MUCH nicer and your nostrils will thank you.
- Relax and enjoy the creation our Father made just for you! Make sure you allow plenty time to explore the parks and all their wonder!
Have you been to Yellowstone or the Tetons? I’d love to hear about your adventures in the comments below. We definitely didn’t get to see it all and do hope to return. If you’ve been, what are some of your favorite, secret spots and absolute must sees?
Danny Sigmon says
Wonderful family traveling experience you share. Here are you discuss the very useful article and express it is beauty. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks is best place for family travel. My kids enjoy this place very much.