Yellowstone Road Trip: 7-day itinerary & map
Wyoming's two great parks in one loop
A loop from Jackson Hole takes in the Tetons' sheer skyline and then all of Yellowstone's Grand Loop Road: geysers, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and wildlife valleys. Distances inside the park look short on a map but drive long. Speed limits are low and bison jams are real.
When to go: Late May to early October. Most park roads close to regular cars from November to April.
Map loads when you scroll here…
Route line and mileage from OSRM over OpenStreetMap roads. Open this route in the planner to change the stops.
Day-by-day Yellowstone & Grand Teton itinerary
- Start
Jackson
Visit the National Elk Refuge and the town square's antler arches.
1 night here - 40 mi · about 1 h 6 min from Jackson
Colter Bay (Grand Teton)
Mormon Row barns at sunrise, then Jenny Lake and Oxbow Bend.
1 night here - 59 mi · about 1 h 48 min from Colter Bay (Grand Teton)
Old Faithful
West Thumb, then the Upper Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic from the Fairy Falls overlook, and Midway Basin.
2 nights here - 43 mi · about 1 h 18 min from Old Faithful
Canyon Village
The Norris Geyser Basin, then Artist Point and the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
1 night here - 29 mi · about 1 h from Canyon Village
Lamar Valley
Come at dawn for wildlife watching. Bring binoculars: wolves and bison are often visible.
Pass through - 34 mi · about 1 h 6 min from Lamar Valley
Gardiner
Mammoth Hot Springs terraces and the Roosevelt Arch.
1 night here - 152 mi · about 4 h 30 min from Gardiner
Jackson
Return south through Hayden Valley and past Yellowstone Lake.
End of the trip
Before you drive
- Keep at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other wildlife. That's the park rule, not a suggestion.
- Road construction and seasonal closures change each year. The Yellowstone road status page is updated daily.
- Lodging inside Yellowstone books out close to a year ahead for summer.
Fuel for this trip
At 28 mpg and $3.50/gal, 356 miles costs about:
$45
Price is a placeholder. Enter what you're seeing locally. Full gas cost calculator
Yellowstone & Grand Teton FAQ
How long does the Yellowstone & Grand Teton road trip take?
This itinerary takes 7 days and covers about 356 miles, or roughly 11 hours of driving without traffic or stops. You can drive it faster, but the nights listed leave time for the sights.
When is the best time for a Yellowstone & Grand Teton road trip?
Late May to early October. Most park roads close to regular cars from November to April. Check official road status before you go.
What is the longest driving day?
Gardiner to Jackson: about 152 miles, or 4 h 30 min of driving before stops. Leave early that day.
Where should I stay overnight?
The overnight bases in this plan are Jackson, Colter Bay (Grand Teton), Old Faithful, Canyon Village, Gardiner.
