Road trip guide
About 100 miles from Old Faithful to Jackson — geyser basins, the Rockefeller Parkway, Oxbow Bend, and the Tetons rising straight out of the sagebrush.
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Yellowstone and Grand Teton are neighbors, joined by a short strip of protected land called the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway — named for the philanthropist who quietly bought up much of the valley that became Grand Teton National Park. From Old Faithful it's about 100 miles to the town of Jackson: past the geysers of West Thumb on Yellowstone Lake, out the South Entrance, down the parkway, and into the valley of Jackson Hole with the Teton Range filling the windshield.
It's a 2.5-hour drive, but wildlife jams and viewpoints stretch it — and the Tetons deserve two full days. Here's the route, the stops, and a three-day plan. Let Wanderply build your version and narrate each stop from geyser to glacier.
The route
Yellowstone's most famous geyser erupts roughly every 60–110 minutes; rangers post the next predicted time at the visitor center. Between eruptions, walk the boardwalks to Morning Glory Pool and Grand Geyser. Half a day.
Hot springs and geysers on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, including Fishing Cone, where early visitors claimed they cooked trout on the hook. A 30–45 minute boardwalk loop right on the way south.
Out Yellowstone's South Entrance past the Lewis River Canyon, the road enters the parkway, a strip of forest and river between the two parks. Headwaters Lodge at Flagg Ranch is the spot for gas, food, and a break by the Snake River.
A slow curve of the Snake River that mirrors 12,605-foot Mount Moran on calm mornings. Look for moose in the willows, pelicans, and bald eagles. Best at sunrise; 20–30 minutes.
Take the boat shuttle across the lake (fee, runs summer to early fall), then hike a half-mile to Hidden Falls and another half-mile up to Inspiration Point — or walk the 2.5 miles around the south shore. Off the Teton Park Road; lots fill by 9 a.m. in July.
Weathered homestead barns built by Latter-day Saint settlers in the 1890s–1910s, with the Tetons behind. The T.A. Moulton Barn is one of the most photographed barns in America. Sunrise is best; bison often graze nearby.
A Western town with elk-antler arches on each corner of the Town Square, the National Museum of Wildlife Art on the hill, and the National Elk Refuge just north. Good food, lots of lodging, and the gondola at Teton Village a short drive away.
Suggested plan
Day 1
An Old Faithful eruption and the Upper Geyser Basin, West Thumb, then south through the parkway to Colter Bay or Jackson Lake Lodge. Sunset from Jackson Lake Dam.
Day 2
Sunrise at Oxbow Bend, Signal Mountain Summit Road for the valley view, then Jenny Lake by boat to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Overnight in Jackson.
Day 3
Sunrise at the Moulton Barn, Schwabacher Landing, then an afternoon in Jackson — the Town Square, the wildlife art museum, and a gondola ride at Teton Village.
Wanderply doesn't just plan the Yellowstone → Grand Teton route — it narrates every stop like a podcast you play in the car, with the history and the story of each place. And it all works offline, the whole way.
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Good to know
Grand Teton's northern boundary is only about 8 miles south of Yellowstone's South Entrance. From Old Faithful to Jackson is about 100 miles and 2.5 hours — but wildlife jams can add an hour.
Yes — each park charges its own vehicle fee (about $35, valid 7 days). The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers both. The Rockefeller Parkway between them has no fee. Non-US residents pay higher rates at both parks as of 2026.
The road from Yellowstone's South Entrance north to West Thumb typically opens to cars in mid-May and closes in early November. In Grand Teton, the Teton Park Road past Jenny Lake is open to cars May through October; US-89/191 through the valley stays open all year.
Bison and elk in Yellowstone's geyser basins, moose at Oxbow Bend and in the willows along the parkway, bison and pronghorn near Mormon Row, and elk on the National Elk Refuge outside Jackson in winter. Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other animals.
Mid-June through September, when all roads and services are open. September brings fall color, the elk rut, and thinner crowds. July and August are busiest — start early to get parking at Old Faithful and Jenny Lake.
Tell Wanderply your dates, pace, and who's coming — it builds a day-by-day plan around your must-dos and narrates the whole drive.
Plan your Yellowstone → Grand Teton tripWanderply Road Notes
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