Last month I wet your appetite with images of our recent visit to central California and Yellowstone. Today’s post will continue the vacation post by sharing tips for vacationing in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone!
While our kiddos were at camp, my husband and I escaped for a few days to Wyoming to explore more of God’s beautiful creation. We flew into Jackson Hole and rented a car. The airport is in the middle of nowhere but has the gorgeous backdrop of the Tetons. It is a regional airport making it very easy to fly in and out of.
Lodging and Meal at Grand Tetons
Jackson, Wyoming is a small tourist town providing ample amount of lodging and grocery options. It is a short-distance south of the airport and National Park. Visiting during the week at the end of June, we didn’t have any trouble with traffic flow up to the Grand Tetons, but I can see how this would be an issue on weekends.
Because we knew we would be spending some time in Yellowstone, we chose a cabin further north. We called the Luton Teton Cabins home for few days. The location 35 miles northeast of Jackson and 30 miles to the south entrance of Yellowstone made it the perfect hub. The cabins were incredibly clean and the owners were wonderful. We purchased groceries in Jackson and saved money by making meals at the cabin. For a treat, we enjoyed a meal out at Dornans at Moose Junction.
What to Do at the Grand Tetons
The Grand Tetons are amazing. Ever angle provides a new view. (The image above was the view from the entrance of the Luton Cabins.) Multiple turnouts along the highway and Teton Park Road are available for you to experience the different views.
The highway travels along the east side of the Teton Mountains. A loop is provided to get you closer and visit the Visitor Centers. I always suggest beginning your visits at these centers to talk witha ranger to find out the best hikes and views based on your likes and energy level.
There are several levels of hiking trails available in the National Park. Some simple ones for strollers, with other trails providing more challenge. Several small lakes can be hiked to as well. I love the reflection of the mountains in the clear lakes.
My favorite view was the Hidden Falls. The hike around the bottom of Jenny Lake to the falls contains steep drop offs and isn’t best for kids. Another option is to ride the Shuttle boat one way or both.
I liked the Grand Tetons for families because the park wasn’t as busy as other National Parks that we have visited in the summer. There were several easier trail options for children. It is suggested that you carry bear spray on the trails. While we never saw bear, there was a report of a bear causing havoc while we were there.
Yellowstone National Park: Lower Loop
I loved, {loved} Yellowstone National Park. I would go back to Yellowstone (and Zion…and Bryce…and the Smoky Mountains National Parks). I loved how each turn was a new surprise. I loved how I saw things that I have never seen before. I loved the colors. I could imagine the oh’s and ah’s that would have come out of my children’s mouths, because they definitely came out of mine!
We only spent one day at Yellowstone traveling the lower loop in a counter-clockwise circle. We got up early and traveled the 30 minutes from Moran to the park. What I didn’t realize is that it is a LONG way from the park’s entrance until you actually see “Yellowstone.” Without much of a plan, we stopped at the main pull offs and took the popular, easy, and short hikes that almost anyone could do.
Yellowstone Grand Canyon
A few years ago we visited the Grand Canyon. While it was beautiful, it wasn’t my favorite National Park. After seeing the Yellowstone Grand Canyon, I am more convinced that the real deal isn’t my favorite.
The Yellowstone Grand Canyon is breathtaking. Amazing. Stunning. Unbelievable. Gorgeous on ever level. Several pull outs and side roads allow you to enjoy it from many views.
Hot Features of Yellowstone
Mudpots, hot springs, fumaroles, and geysers fill Yellowstone. While each are beautiful to look at, extremely hot temperatures make them very dangerous. Watch your children very carefully around these features.
You can’t go to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful. The estimated eruption time is posted in the Visitor’s Center. I encourage you to start there and plan your visit to the Old Faithful Village around the estimation so less time is wasted.
But the Crowds at Yellowstone…
If I had to do it again, we would have arrived much earlier to the park. Arriving at 8:30 was wonderful. We saw very few cars. Very quickly the park filled up and parking was a problem.
What we didn’t expect was the 2 hours lost because the bison didn’t want to get off the road. And when I say they didn’t budge, I mean they didn’t mind walking in the middle of the road, for a long distance, with no hurry whatsoever. Traffic was backed up for miles and moved at a snail’s crawl pace. I hear this is very common in Yellowstone. Because you never know when bison will choose to walk the road, be prepared for major delays when traveling with children. I encourage bathroom use when it is available because you never know how long it will take to get to another!
If you choose to stay a few days at Yellowstone, I encourage you to stay in the park. Yes, it is more expensive, but if you truly want to see the park and not waste time traveling, this is the best option. And because the park is so big, you may want to stay in one area of the park for part of the time and stay in another for the remainder. This would free up the most amount of travel time.
One more point…when they say cell phone service is limited, they aren’t kidding. Don’t plan on using your cell phone in the park at all. Then you can be pleasantly surprised when it works.
How many are your works, Lord!
Psalm 104:24
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Whether you have plans to visit next summer or these are simply places on your bucket list, be sure to pin this post for future use! And, check out our other vacation spots, activity ideas, and tips!
