Grand Teton & Yellowstone
Wild country, an hour from the porch
Teton Valley sits on the Idaho side of the range. Grand Teton National Park is about an hour over Teton Pass, and Yellowstone's West Entrance is roughly two hours north.
The Greater Yellowstone
Two parks, one ecosystem
The animals don't know where one park ends and the other begins. Elk winter in Jackson and summer in Yellowstone's high meadows. Grizzlies wander down from the north. Stay a week and you can see both parks properly, then come home to a quieter valley at night.
Grand Teton National Park
Granite straight out of the sage
The Tetons have almost no foothills, so the peaks seem to climb right off the flats. Get to the lakes early, when the water is still and the light comes in low from the east.
- Oxbow Bend for Mount Moran's reflection at sunrise, and the best odds of otters and moose
- Jenny and String lakes for a paddle, a swim if you're brave, or the walk to Hidden Falls
- Schwabacher Landing for beaver ponds with the whole range behind them
Yellowstone National Park
Ground that steams and keeps time
Grand Prismatic Spring is about 370 feet across, and its colors come from heat-loving bacteria. Climb the Fairy Falls trail to the overlook to see it from above. Old Faithful goes off roughly every hour and a half, and the rangers post the next window at the visitor center.
- Midway and Upper Geyser basins, 30 to 50 minutes from the West Entrance
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for Lower Falls, twice the height of Niagara
- Hayden Valley at dusk, when the bison come down to the river
Wildlife
Who you might meet
Dawn and dusk are when most animals are out. Bring binoculars, pull fully off the road, and give it time.
Bison
Lamar and Hayden valleys, all year. Herds cross the road whenever they like, so leave room in the schedule.
Moose
Willow flats along the Gros Ventre River and the Moose-Wilson Road. Early mornings are best.
Elk
Thousands winter on the National Elk Refuge in Jackson. In September, listen for bugling at first light.
Grizzly bears
Spring on Yellowstone's northern range and around Oxbow Bend. Carry bear spray on every trail.
Keep your distance: park rules ask for 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from bison, elk, moose and everything else.
When to go
What each season brings
Spring
May to JuneBears wake up, calves and cubs appear, and the waterfalls run at full force. Some high roads open late.
Summer
July to AugustEvery road is open and the meadows fill with lupine and balsamroot. Start early to beat the crowds at the geysers.
Fall
September to OctoberAspens turn gold, the elk rut begins and the parking lots empty out. Our favorite time of year.
Winter
November to AprilYellowstone's interior closes to cars, so book a snowcoach from West Yellowstone. Sleigh rides run through the Elk Refuge.
Teton Valley, Idaho
Come home to the quiet side
Spend the day in the parks, then drive back over the pass to open fields, dark skies and a valley that still feels like ranch country.