5-Day Yellowstone and Grand Teton Itinerary

Arrive at Jackson Hole Airport and pick up a car

Jackson Hole Airport sits inside Grand Teton National Park itself. Grab groceries and water in Jackson, about 15 minutes south, before heading north.

Teton Park Road and the Jenny Lake overlook

Drive the Teton Park Road north past the Jenny Lake scenic drive and overlooks for your first big views of the Grand Teton.

Check in near Jackson Lake

Stay at Jackson Lake Lodge, Colter Bay or Signal Mountain to be well placed for an early drive into Yellowstone tomorrow.

Sunset over Jackson Lake

Watch the sun drop behind the Tetons from the Colter Bay shoreline or Signal Mountain summit road, then look for moose at Oxbow Bend on the way back.

Drive into Yellowstone via the South Entrance

Take the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway north to Yellowstone's South Entrance and on to Old Faithful, about 2 hours, stopping briefly at West Thumb Geyser Basin.

Watch Old Faithful erupt

Check the posted prediction, park early and watch Old Faithful from the boardwalk or from Observation Point for a view above the crowds.

Upper Geyser Basin boardwalks

Walk the boardwalks to Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser and Morning Glory Pool, catching other predicted eruptions along the way.

Grand Prismatic Spring and the Fairy Falls overlook

Drive 8 miles north and hike about 0.6 miles each way from the Fairy Falls trailhead to the overlook, then walk the Midway boardwalk as parking frees up late in the day.

Sunrise wildlife drive in Hayden Valley

Leave early for Hayden Valley, about 1.25 hours from Old Faithful, and scan the river for bison herds, elk, eagles and possibly bears.

Mud Volcano and Yellowstone Lake

Stop at the Mud Volcano area, home to bubbling mud pots and Dragon's Mouth Spring, then take in Yellowstone Lake from Fishing Bridge.

Drive north to Tower-Roosevelt

Head north via Canyon over Dunraven Pass (typically open late May to fall) to Tower-Roosevelt, stopping at pullouts for views of the Absaroka Range.

Evening wildlife watching in Lamar Valley

Drive into Lamar Valley for golden-hour bison and elk, and look for wildlife watchers with scopes who may be tracking a wolf pack. Stay in Gardiner or Cooke City.

Dawn wolf watch in Lamar Valley

Head back to Lamar at first light, the best time for wolves, and stop wherever you see spotting scopes set up.

Artist Point and the South Rim

Drive to Canyon and walk to Artist Point for the classic view of the Lower Falls framed by yellow canyon walls.

North Rim Drive and Brink of the Lower Falls

Walk the short, steep trail to the Brink of the Lower Falls and stop at Lookout Point and Grand View along the North Rim Drive.

Overnight at Canyon Village

Stay at Canyon Lodge or a nearby campground and enjoy a quiet evening drive into Hayden Valley for wildlife at dusk.

Norris Geyser Basin

Walk the Porcelain Basin and Back Basin trails at Norris, the hottest and most changeable thermal area in the park, home to Steamboat Geyser.

Drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs

Continue about 45 minutes north to Mammoth, watching for elk along the way; they often graze on the lawns of the historic village.

Mammoth's travertine terraces

Explore the Lower Terraces boardwalk and drive the Upper Terrace loop to see the chalk-white, steaming formations.

Dinner in Gardiner

Drive 5 miles down to the gateway town of Gardiner and the Roosevelt Arch for dinner. Bozeman airport is about 1.5 hours away for shorter trips.