Before planning your trip to Salt Lake City road trip, there are a few things you should know. Get a free Yellowstone trip planner with inspiring itineraries and essential information. This is one of our favorite hidden gem areas of Yellowstone. However, if you really dont want to drive from Salt Lake City to Grand Teton, you can take the Salt Lake Express bus from SLC to Jackson. When you are ready, drive north and enter Yellowstone via south entrance. would love to hear feedback. Salt Lake is surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains with a vibrant, compact, clean, and safe downtown area. If you cant find availability or prices are too high at cabins and lodges inside the park, you should consider staying at a hotel in either Gardiner or West Yellowstone. A longer but more scenic drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone is about 400 miles along Highway 89 / Highway 26, taking in more of the highlights of Wyoming and Idaho. Spend an hour walking around Abyss Pool, Black Pool, Big Cone Geyser, Fishing Cone and various other colorful hot springs located in West Thumb. The main reason for starting and ending your Yellowstone road trip in Salt Lake City is the large airport located here, but its an incredible place to visit too! You can go inside with free entrance and might even strike it lucky with a choir performance. Six Weekend Road Trips from Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park is a popular bucket list road trip route filled with natural beauty and unique landscapes. Stay in Canyon. Day 3 . Day 4 Revisit any favorite spots in the Tetons before driving to West Thumb and Old Faithful. Day 6 Explore Norris Geyser Basin, then visit Lower Falls and Hayden Valley. Day 10-11 Las Vegas. How far is West Yellowstone from Salt Lake City - Trippy Need help! *Please note this post may contain affiliate links. Drive further south into Hayden Valley for the first of your major Yellowstone wildlife spotting experiences. Day 2 - Spend the whole day in Grand Teton, do Mormon Row or Schwabacher Landing for sunrise if possible. Read More: 25 Best Things to Do in Grand Teton, If you want to learn more about Grand Teton National Park, check out these posts! Where to Stay: 35 Best Places to Stay in Grand Teton Camping: 7 Best Campgrounds in Grand Teton Things to Do: 25 Best Things to Do in Grand Teton Hikes: 18 Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park Add Yellowstone: 7 Days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. A Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park Road Trip - MSN Whether you decide to go to Park City, the Great Salt Lake, hiking or to a museum, we highly recommend you spend at least an hour walking around Temple Square in the center of town. Itinerary: How to Spend 1 to 5 Days In Yellowstone Things to Do: 22 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone Hikes: 15 Best Hikes in Yellowstone Getting There: 8 Best Airports Near Yellowstone When to Visit: The Best Time to Visit Yellowstone Where to Stay: Where to Stay in Yellowstone Airbnbs Nearby: 25 Best Airbnbs Near Yellowstone. Yellowstone is due north of SLC along I15, and you'll pass through the towns of Ogden, UT and Idaho Falls, ID during the drive. Known for: Gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Stop at Lookout Point for amazing views into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Lower Falls crashing into the Yellowstone River. Read more about all the locations with flights to Salt Lake here. Ultimate Road Trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Best Road Trips from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Here are our popular road trip resources for planning and packing: Packing for Grand Teton and Yellowstone is fairly straightforward year round. Take the right onto N Beach Road to enter Idahos North Beach State Park with $7 vehicle entry fee and dont forget your swimsuit. You might want to consider leaving the park via west entrance to eat a late lunch in West Yellowstone before re-entering the park to visit Norris Geyser Basin. If you drive from SLC to the West Entrance, the drive will take roughly 4.5 hours one way. Then see Tower Fall, Lamar Valley for wildlife, Mammoth Hot Springs and sleep either Mammoth or Gardiner. It will be getting into mid afternoon by now. The only downside if you stay at Old Faithful is being limited to eating in the restaurants or food courts on site. Follow Firehole River as far as Morning Glory Pool, which is one of our favorite hot springs in the park. It is a quiet, relaxing wild west town with saloon-style bars and a great vibe. You can then hire a car in Jackson so you only drive around Grand Teton and Yellowstone before taking the bus back to Salt Lake City from Jackson. Day 4 Walk around Artists Paintpots and Norris Geyser Basin, before driving over to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Hayden Valley. The best hot springs along the route include Crystal Hot Springs in Brigham City, Utah, and Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. There will be four major areas of interest on your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park road trip: Depending on your time frame and travel preferences, you might want to see all four places or you might only have eyes for Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Watch sunset over Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Splitting the fourth day between Grand Teton and Yellowstone is completely open to your interpretation. If you cant get a room in Old Faithful or they are too expensive, book a night at a hotel in West Yellowstone such as Kelly Inn or Explorer Cabins. Why trust us to help with planning your once in a lifetime trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone? Spending a final night in Salt Lake City allows you to have a relaxing road trip from Yellowstone to Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City to South Yellowstone (300+miles, 4.5-6 hours) Unless you arrive at West Yellowstone airport, you will end up renting a car and being on the road for at least an hour. Road conditions from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park We now help over 2 million people each year to travel, hike and photograph their bucket list destinations. My goal is to help busy people like you plan epic national park adventures with super-detailed itineraries, gear guides, and planning tips. Its gorgeous in the fall as the leaves change. Lets assume you will arrive into Salt Lake City or SLC airport the night before we begin this itinerary on Day 1. Yellowstone National Park is a place of natural beauty and wonder. Routes and Distance from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park, Tips for Travel from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park, Day 2: Scenic Drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole, Days 3 and 4: Visit Grand Teton National Park, Days 5, 6, and 7: Visit Yellowstone National Park, Day 8: Return from Yellowstone to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City to Yellowstone and Grand Teton Map, Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Road Trip Variations, Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone from Salt Lake City, Final Thoughts on Salt Lake City to Yellowstone Wyoming, Best Places to See Between Salt Lake City and Grand Teton National Park, Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park, Where to Stay in Grand Teton National Park, Things to Do in Yellowstone National Park, Where to Stay in Yellowstone National Park, Best Things to Do Between Yellowstone National Park and Salt Lake City, Where to Stay Near the Salt Lake City International Airport. The park is home to various wildlife, including grizzly bears, bison, elk, and wolves. Answer 1 of 6: Planning a roadtrip for February / March 2013. Hi Jim, yes you'll need to cancel your Gardiner reservations but you will still be able to complete your full Yellowstone itinerary within the park. Day 2: Scenic Drive from Salt Lake to Jackson Hole. The City Lastly, Salt Lake City itself is well worth a visit if you have the time. Day 6 Here are seven reasons to visit. Location, Location. What is the most scenic route from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole? This makes Grand Teton and Yellowstone accessible to millions of potential tourists. The road begins to follow the Snake River as you head towards Jackson. Head into Wyoming where youll find summer fun at Snow King Resort before exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. However, we know many visitors prefer to book one hotel and stay there for the duration. In spring and fall you should be able to book night 5 in Canyon quite easily, but for a summer visit you might run into issues with Canyon being fully booked. Most people planning a Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip have very limited timeframes, which means it is usually a straight-shot for Jackson, Grand Teton and Yellowstone. The best cities to stay between Salt Lake City and Grand Teton are Logan, Afton, and Jackson. The mountain city is safe, clean, walkable and has a wonderful vibe. See the road trip map here or click the image below. Outside the park your best bet is West Yellowstone, which has several hotel options and makes it easy to leave for SLC the next morning. 3 Roadside Stops in Grand Teton National Park Outside of Winter, the scenery around Teton village is spectacular and it is slightly closer to the national park. This is one of our favorite road trips and we cant wait to help you plan the perfect Salt Lake City to Yellowstone vacation. The easiest option would simply be to cut out the day in Salt Lake City and pick up the full itinerary above on Day 2. Rent an RV with Outdoorsy 2 Days in Grand Teton National Park Stunning waterfalls, an abundance of wildlife and the most popular hiking trail in Yellowstone will make this a memorable day. If you have more or less time for your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park road trip, here are a couple of modifications: Read More: 7 Days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone. But they might be worth a stop if you have enough time, which is why we have included several SLC to Yellowstone road trip itinerary ideas later in the guide. Moab, Utah. In winter or early spring, you will instead turn right onto Gros Venture Road at an earlier roundabout. There are no rail routes or train services to Yellowstone National Park and the closest Amtrak station is in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City is the natural stopping off point between visiting Glacier, Grand Teton and Yellowstone to the north, and the 5 Utah national parks to the south for those on longer US road trips. This viewpoint overlooks Bear Lake, the second-largest natural freshwater lake in Utah. 6 Outdoorsy Weekend Road Trips from Salt Lake City, Utah - Territory Supply However, if youre short on time or plan on skipping Grand Teton National Park, you can take the Fastest Route above both ways. Travel Tip: If you have flexibility over your travel dates, we recommend planning your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip itinerary around booking night 5 in a Canyon Village hotel or lodge. rodeo in cody. Find pet-friendly stops. I use Skyscanner to find the best flight prices and compare routes. West Yellowstone to Salt Lake City road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from West Yellowstone to Salt Lake City. Day 7 Hike Mt Washburn, head into Lamar Valley and see Mammoth Hot Springs. You can then grab dinner either back in SLC downtown or at the airport. Stay in West Yellowstone. You could also do Grand Canyon / Zion. There are 27 tribes with historic ties to Yellowstone who are now spread across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. 6 Best Road Trips to Yellowstone with Detailed Stops Overnight in West Yellowstone or continue on to Pocatello, Idaho. Well, lets take a summarized look at how you could adapt this itinerary to suit a shorter or longer trip: If you have 5 days for this road trip you are going to have to compromise and cut out some of the luxury stops, such as Salt Lake City and stopping on the way to Jackson. Whose Land Am I On? We try to incorporate each place with what we think is the right amount of time, but you may have entirely different goals. If you're interested in wildlife we would recommend getting away from the crowds, maybe try to east side of the park around Hayden Valley and the road to east entrance (Cody). Sleep in Moran. You can continue south to Yellowstone Lake but in this 7 day itinerary you will head back towards Canyon and continue until you reach a parking lot at Dunraven Pass. How many days do you need to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park from Salt Lake City? Hi Matt, thanks for getting in touch and we're happy to hear you are following our itinerary. In truth, booking your hotels will be the hardest part of planning your Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip. If you want to feel on top of the world,here are 5 views you must seeincluding Artist Point, Lamar Valley, and the Yellowstone River cutting thru lava spires. Heres how we might plan a 5 day road trip: Day 1 Drive straight from SLC airport to Jackson. Its truly a sight to see! We have spent a night at both a Mammoth Hot Springs cabin and a Canyon Village hotel room.