The good news is that Yellowstone and Grand Teton are only 31 miles apart. Making visiting both in one trip easily achievable.
However, there are some things you should be aware of when planning a trip of this magnitude. Planning looks very different between the two parks and depending on what you are there to experience you will want to know how to efficiently split up your time.
Below is a breakdown of expectations between the two parks.
Table of Contents
- Park Overview
- What seasons should you visit?
- What airports should you use?
- Where should you stay?
- When should you visit to avoid the crowd?
- Will you have cell service in the park?
- How much prep work is needed?
Yellowstone
A sight-seeing destination for the masses.
Yellowstone is very accessible for travelers of all activity levels. If you are wanting paved paths with easy viewpoints, then this park is for you. If you are super intrigued by geothermic (volcanic) activity, then this is 100% where you want to be. This park has some once in a lifetime must-see’s but sometimes the best things in life come with some obstacles.
Seasons
Knowing when to visit is a great place to start. Due to heavy amounts of snow most of the park shuts down for a long winter starting in November. Fully opening back up at the end of May. There are some winter activities, but for the most part the park is closed during this timeframe.
Due to the long winter season and schools being out summer months are busy. Leaving the ideal time to visit, if you are not constrained by schools, the short fall season in September and October. Though be prepared a snow shower or two can pop up in these months.
If you visit in the shoulder months, be prepared with layers of clothes. The temperatures can swing from 19 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 in a few hours.
Airport
Yellowstone doesn’t have a convenient airport. Yes, there are many regional options to fly into; West Yellowstone, MT (WYS), Bozeman, MT (BZN), Jackson Hole, WY (JAC), and Cody, WY (COD) to name a few. However, flights in and out of these airports are limited and some of the locations are still a good drive from your lodging choices in or near Yellowstone.
Stay
Lodging inside the park is limited and fills up quick. Plan months ahead if possible. Reservations will be needed for campgrounds and permits are required for backcountry camping. West Yellowstone, MT is a popular out of the park lodging location. Just be prepared to have longer drive times when basing yourself outside of the park. A large benefit to staying outside of the park is more food options. If you are looking for restaurants, grocery stores, or gas stations they are very few and far in between inside the park. Tip: Always make sure to start your day off with a full tank of gas.
Visitors
Yellowstone has the second highest annual visitors of all national parks in the US (4.86 million). Also keep in mind that the park mostly shuts down in the winter. So that means the summer months are poppin’. Yes, the park is big but there are limited roadways and the main attraction points see high volume.
Expect long drive times from destination to destination. Not only is point A a good distance from point B, but you also must deal with traffic and wildlife stops. Wildlife cause big traffic jams in Yellowstone. Awesome if you are getting to see the wildlife. A bit aggravating if you can’t see them and would like to reach your destination for the day.
Cell Service
Cell service is almost obsolete inside the park. That’s right, brush up on your map reading skills, which you will be handed as you enter the park. The good news, as I stated, there are limited roads and they basically make two loops. You are most likely not going to get lost, but you could miss your destination without that friendly voice saying, “You have arrived at your destination.”
Prep Work Needed
Yellowstone takes preparation, there is no way around it! It is not a destination for, “Let’s see where the wind takes us.” The prep is not necessarily hard, but is necessary to provide a stress-less trip.
Grand Teton
An adventure seeker’s dream location.
With a scenic mountain back drop Grand Teton is a day hiker’s dream location. Open to all levels of adventure seekers, Grand Teton has it all. You can easily go to the Tetons and not plan to hike and still see amazing views and experience wildlife. However, the real magic happens when you get out on the trails. The trails are well marked but they are not built for the millions to see like in Yellowstone.
Seasons
Grand Teton is open year-round. While busiest in the summer, it also attracts winter sport lovers in the winter. Since the park is slightly south of Yellowstone and is easier to access it does start to see activity in the spring around the end of April. However, expect a wet spring with snow beginning to melt. Similar to Yellowstone, if you have the availability to visit Teton in the fall it is a cool beauty. Just remember to pack your layers.
Airport
Quite possibly the easiest national park to fly into, no kiddin‘. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), is the only commercial airport in the US that resides within a national park. The airport is well maintained, and I had a wonderful experience flying in and out of this airport.
Stay
With Jackson, WY being your main base point, you have many options for lodging and food within the small town. Additionally, there are seven campgrounds in the park that require reservations. Along with permits given for those seeking to camp in the backcountry.
Visitors
Grand Teton (485 sq miles) is more contained than Yellowstone (3,472 sq miles). You don’t have the long drive times. You have more roadways, which alleviate the traffic jams. The annual visitors come in around 3.5 million, but this park is open year-round and has a large winter draw with its glamorous ski slopes. The park has main attractions but has a diverse offering in levels of adventure activities which helps spread the visitors out.
Cell Service
You also don’t have to deal with lack of cell service, for the most part. When you get out on some trails and in the backcountry yes the signals fade, but when you are trying to reach your destination you can rely on your technology to get there. You can jump off the grid for the day, but then quickly return at the days end.
Prep Work Needed
In contrast to Yellowstone, Grand Teton is more of a destination that you can loosely plan and allow the wind to carry you down a winding road, if you so wish.
Takeaway
Please understand I in no way want to discourage travel to Yellowstone. I think it is an absolute must see! Grand Teton is just a little more user friendly. The key to Yellowstone is preparation. If you go into a situation knowing what the barriers are you’re better equipped to tackle them head on.
If you want to visit Yellowstone and you are a bit of a travel planning novice. I have two pieces of advice.
- Do your research or ask a planning expert for help.
- Bloggers (like myself)
- Travel Agents
- Local Guides
- Look into a bus tour service. You will not get to go at your own pace, but everything will be handled for you. Alleviating most of the stress.
Want more?!
I will be building more content on Grand Teton and Yellowstone, but in the meantime you can check out some other articles on the below topics. Let me know if you have any further questions below in the comments. I’m happy to lend a helping hand!
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