Back in September, I took a trip out to Montana and Wyoming and it was exactly the break I needed. We stayed in Bozeman, Montana and drove our way down through Yellowstone National Park all the way to Jackson, Wyoming. Bozeman to the top of Yellowstone is about an hour and a half drive and 4 hours-ish from Jackson. A 7-day pass for Yellowstone for a private non-commercial vehicle (the one we got) is $35.
Our trip to Yellowstone was only for 1 full day but the park is HUGE and some people stay up to a week. You won’t fit everything in a day or a couple of days – so making a plan is crucial. We drove in from the north entrance so I tracked all of the most worthy spots we should see. I planned it so that we directly would drive down through the park and come out on the south entrance towards Jackson. Here’s the list of spots we had planned to visit:
1. Boiling River Hot Spring
2. Mammoth Hot Springs
3. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
4. Old Faithful
5. Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring was closed on the day we went and it bummed me out, but I added it to the list because it’s a must see and when I go back this will be a must see!
Here’s what you must know about traveling to Yellowstone National Park:
The majority of the park does not have signal. You will get some signal throughout the bigger attractions like Old Faithful. My tip is to screenshot the directions from each place before you arrive to the park. We drove around 2 hours to Jackson from Old Faithful in the dark with very little signal so having the back up screenshots of your directions is key.
Enjoy the wildlife. At first it may seem like you’ll never see them, but the more you keep driving you’ll increase your chances. Take them in when you see them but be careful and don’t get too close. Remember to always have bear spray with you.
Gas stations in Yellowstone are at Canyon, Old Faithful, Tower Junction, Fishing Bridge, Grant Village, and Mammoth. Some even have repair services. Throughout the park at some of the bigger attractions theres also places to pick up snacks and food.
The drive is just as beautiful as the attractions themselves. I’m convinced that every nature painting ever created was inspired by Yellowstone National Park.
Jackson, Wyoming
We arrived in Jackson at 9 at night. We actually stayed at a hostel called Cache House. Airbnbs and hotels are relatively expensive and this was on the more budget friendly side. The hostel was very nice, clean and comfortable. The beds were big enough for 2 people with extra space as well.
We woke up and watched the sunrise from Grand Teton National Park, we then visited Mormon Row. I can’t describe the awe I felt when seeing the Grand Tetons, they’re truly a sight to behold. Feels unreal.
Downtown Jackson is your typical hallmark looking mountain town. It reminded me of Park City, Utah when I attended Sundance Film Festival. It’s quaint, looks out of a post card and is very busy! There’s tons of shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and more along downtown. I should also note that the people we encountered in both Montana and Wyoming were extremely friendly.
We ate at Hatch Taqueria and Tequilas. The margarita I ordered was great and our food was good (but not the best Mexican ever, it got the job done).
We were only in Jackson for a day, but I would recommend atleast two. We also went at the end of September when it was getting chillier, and I can’t wait to go back in the summer when the weather is perfect. All in all it was a great roadtrip for us and we saw so much!
