Growing up in small-town Michigan, living in a 'gateway' town to Wyoming's National Parks was a bit overwhelming at first.

Driving through National Parks is, many times, our standard route to get anywhere these days. It doesn't matter how many times we do it or how long we've lived here; I still pinch myself. Sure, the 'bison jams' get agitating after the 12th backup of the day when you're just trying to pass through, but I'd take that kind of traffic jam over a four-lane highway at rush hour any day.

I was a travel blogger long before I moved to Wyoming. However, I didn't want to write about the Wyoming National Parks until I felt like I understood them the way they deserved.

Here we go:

What to Know Before Visiting Wyoming's National Parks 

 

 Are you visiting in the summer? So is everyone else. 

Wyoming winters are not kind. Yellowstone National Park is typically closed late October – Mid-May. Grand Teton National Park closes many of its roads around this time as well. Unlike many other National Parks that are open year-round, the tourist season for Wyoming National Parks is condensed between June-September.

I'm not one to plan travels or follow an itinerary, but Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are two of the places I recommend securing your details, accommodations, and activities at least six months ahead of time. Attempting to book and plan a trip three months out will prove nearly impossible unless you want to overpay for the last available campsites/hotel rooms.

 The crowds don't only affect availability for accommodation. Many of the parking lots in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are full by 10:00 am. Peak mid-day travel times cause long car lines that lead out to the main road in places like Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Old Faithful, and more. If you plan to visit any major attractions in either park, attempt to coordinate visits in the early morning or evening.

Slower Vehicles Use Pullouts 

There are signs throughout both parks that ask slower vehicles to use turnouts. Unfortunately, most don't, which causes long lines and eventual traffic jams. A general rule-of-thumb for courtesy in Wyoming is if there are more than four cars behind you, let them pass.

This also includes using turnouts for wildlife. Everyone's first bison or elk is exciting, but please avoid stopping in the road. As stated above, these are known as 'bison jams' and usually cause quite a backup as well as a headache for rangers. Especially in Yellowstone, there are ample pull-offs that allow those viewing wildlife a safe place to park. It is rare for a wide shoulder to exist on narrow roads, which means being courteous of your fellow parkgoers behind you is all the more meaningful. Bison and elk move slow, so I promise they aren't going to run away in the three minutes it takes to park. We thank you!

Bear Safety in Grizzly Country

Northwest Wyoming and Western Montana are the only regions in the United States home to the grizzly bear outside of Alaska. We also have wolves, bobcats, coyotes, black bears, rattlesnakes, and more. I will admit my midwestern soul was a bit terrified of the wildlife when we initially moved to the region, especially since we have two hiking cats, but I've learned awareness and common sense go a long way out here.

The first thing to know is that grizzly bears are different than black bears. Black bears are found throughout the United States and are significantly smaller than male grizzly bears. Many people think they have grizzly encounters in states like Colorado, Washington, and California, but those are beyond their boundaries.

Most grizzly attacks occur under two circumstances.

1. A mother protecting her cubs. Most attacks happen in the spring, partly because mothers are protecting their newborn cubs.
2. A surprise encounter. Grizzlies rarely want to attack humans and typically charge under self-defense. This is why it is recommended to travel in groups if you are in grizzly country. If you must hike alone, wear bear bells or and attempt to make noise, especially in thick brush/forests.

Most bear encounters are uneventful, but a few attacks do happen every year. Be smart, don't approach any bears, and carry at least one canister of bear spray per group. If you head into the backcountry, ensure you have a bear bag and properly hang food every night for safety.

Read more about bear safety in Yellowstone National Park here.

Read more about bear safety in Grand Teton National Park here.

Where to Visit in Wyoming's National Parks 

Yellowstone National Park

Recommended stay length: 2-4 days 

Best place to stay: Cody (outside the park) or Lake (inside the park)

YNP encompasses 3,471 square miles of wilderness, which is larger than both Delaware and Rhode Island combined, according to the History Channel. That's a lot of land, but most of it is located deep in the backcountry and away from roads.

Even with most of the park being remote or inaccessible, it is impossible to see everything in a single day. To put it in perspective, it takes three hours to drive straight across the park without stopping. Unlike Yosemite, Grand Teton, Zion, and other national parks, Yellowstone's amazement doesn't stem from grand views and towering mountains. Instead, it comes from its abundance of wildlife (nearly 300 species of birds alone) and distinctive geysers. Nowhere else in the world has an ecosystem like Yellowstone National Park. It is one of the last (nearly) intact temperate-zone ecosystems in the northern hemisphere.

That is what makes this place so special. Nowhere else in the world can you find this kind of natural diversity.

When it comes to places to see in Yellowstone National Park on a time restriction, some places are worth fighting the crowds, and some are not.

NOT: Old Faithful 

I'll be the one to say it: Old Faithful is underwhelming and highly crowded. It might be worth the stop if you have kids, but otherwise, I would skip and spend more time at other thermal features such as West Thumb Geyser Basin and Norris Geyser Basin.

Old Faithful erupts roughly three hours, which also makes it inconvenient for many driving through the park. If you miss the eruption, you will have to wait half the day for it to erupt. However, you also don't want to cut the timing too close as you may find it hard to get a parking spot or seat near the eruption. Benches start to fill up to an hour before the scheduled time. 

WORTH IT: Grand Prismatic 

The parking lot for Grand Prismatic is roughly 1/5 the size it should be. This often causes chaos and clusters for anyone trying to visit. There are two viewing points of the natural wonder: The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook and the Firehole River Bridge Parking lot.

The Firehole River Bridge is a series of boardwalks that circles Grand Prismatic and a handful of other thermal opal pools. The walk allows you to get up close and personal with the spring and is my recommended route.

Grand Prismatic Spring overlook is a one-mile roundtrip hike that leads to a lookout a few hundred feet above the geyser basin. It is a unique perspective but is quite far from the spring and only offers a small viewing platform, making it uncomfortable and crowded most of the season.

The opal pool of Grand Prismatic is a world of its own and unlike anything else I've seen in my 35+ countries, which is why I put it at the top of the 'worth it' list.

Additional note: Leave hats behind if you plan the Firehole River Bridge loop. Many hats litter the springs around Grand Prismatic from unsuspecting winds blowing them off tourist's heads. It is illegal and extremely frowned upon (seriously, don't do it) to step off the boardwalk, making retrieving any lost hat nearly impossible.

NOT: Petrified Tree

I'll let you in on a secret: there are a lot of petrified trees in Wyoming. You must hike into the wilderness for most of them, but the petrified tree is nothing special. Not to mention, there is an entire National Park in Arizona dedicated to these ancient fossils. Save the stop for your southwestern road trip. There are also few parking spots, and it is easy to get trapped down the narrow road if too many people pile in at once.

WORTH IT: Backcountry in Yellowstone 

For the most part, Yellowstone is a 'pull-off' National Park, meaning visitors rarely travel more than a mile from their car. That is surprising given that Yellowstone is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Any stop in Yellowstone will be busy, but the complete opposite is said for the backcountry. Unlike many of the long-distance hikes in places like Zion and Yosemite, the wilderness of Yellowstone is, well, empty. Get an overnight camping permit somewhere in the park if you want to experience the true wild west of Yellowstone. You might even hear the cry of one of the many Yellowstone wolf packs in the middle of the night.

 

WORTH IT: Yellowstone Lake + Lake Butte Overlook 

On the eastern side of the park, Lake Butte gains elevation over Yellowstone Lake for a unique perspective of the ancient crater. On clear days you can see the Teton mountain range in the distance. As the plaque at the pullout states, the mountains directly across the lake are some of the most remote wilderness in the country. I call it one of the great postcards of Yellowstone National Park.

I recommend stopping at Yellowstone Lake for lunch during your travels across the park as picnic areas are frequent and the views are plentiful. The lake is cold, with a yearly temperature in the 40s, but that doesn't stop many families from enjoying a small 'beach' day along the rocky shoreline. It's also one of the best spots in the park to watch the sunset.

WORTH IT: Geyser Basins

There are multiple geyser basins located throughout Yellowstone National Park. These include

• West Thumb Geyser Basin
• Mud Volcano
• Midway Geyser Basin
• Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful)
• Norris Geyser Basin
• Mammoth Hot Springs

It is not necessary to stop at every geyser basin, but they are worth some time while you are in the park. My favorites are Norris Geyser Basin and Upper Geyser Basin. It is important to note that Upper Geyser Basin is the basin surrounding Old Faithful, which means if you decide to go, try visiting between Old Faithful eruptions to avoid parking issues and crowds.

Upper Mammoth Hot Springs is also worth a quick stop, although I believe the lower springs is quite overrated and crowded.

 

 

Grand Teton National Park 

Recommended stay: 2 days (non-hikers), four days (hikers/climbers)

Best Place to Stay: Dubois (affordable-outside park), Moose (inside the park) 

I was eight years old the first time I saw Grand Teton National Park. The peaks pierced the sky as we crested the ridge, and I had to crank my neck upward to see the tippy tops. The sheer magnitude seemed almost mystical. Growing up in the Midwest, I had only ever seen mountains on television. The Grand Teton seemed to put any mountain I ever saw on a screen to shame.

For the next 18 years, I feared a return to the Tetons would prove underwhelming. As a child, everything is magical. Would the first mountain range I loved even compare?

Few mountain ranges in the world have such an abrupt and intoxicating appearance. Rising 6,000ft in a near-vertical stance above the valley floor, the Tetons have managed to impress me time and time again, even now. They indeed are a statement.

WORTH IT: Grand Teton's Mountain Lakes 

A significant advantage to Grand Teton National Park is that there is rarely a bad view. The park has five primary lakes and dozens of more mountain lakes woven between peaks and valleys. String Lake, Leigh Lake, Jackson Lake, and Phelps Lake are prime for swimming and relaxing on hot summer days. Although often crowded, String Lake is also a popular stop for kayakers and paddleboarders. Jackson Lake has plenty of room to spread out, relax on a rocky beach, or even rent a boat for the day. My favorite is Leigh Lake, which requires a flat 2-7 mile round trip hike, but the extra distance allows for solitude with crystal-clear water perfect for snorkeling.

 NOT: Jackson (town limits) 

Jackson, Wyoming, is the most expensive real estate market in the country. When you visit, it's obvious to see why. Even to stay and visit the town costs a pretty penny. However, my biggest whoa with Jackson isn't the cost; it's the crowds.

Summer often comes with hour-long waits for dinner, shoulder-to-shoulder street crowds, and an instant headache when it comes to finding parking. Even amid COVID, tourists were flocking to 'nature' and National Parks in the millions, and Jackson Hole was more crowded than ever.

Driving through Jackson and visiting their main square is probably worth a quick stop, but if looking to grab some grub after a long day in the park, I recommend: 

• Dornan's Pizza (Moose) 
• Melvin Brewing (Alpine)
• Noon Rock Pizza (Dubois)
• Family Picnic (Anywhere in the park)

WORTH IT: Gaining Elevation 

The Tetons are some of the most impressive mountains in the world, but most visitors only get a chance to see them at the same angle as everyone else: the valley.

Now, I wouldn't recommend adding 'climb the Grand Teton' on your list, but there are many options to get into the backcountry without needed technical gear or climbing expertise. Most of these hikes are considered strenuous, solely because the Teton's gain elevation so fast, but if you are up for the challenge, try one of these popular day hikes:

• Bradley Lake (Easy)
• Paintbrush Canyon (Difficult)
• Delta Lake (Difficult)

NOT: Jenny Lake Visitor Center 

There are plenty of scenic spots around Grand Teton National Park, but one of the main visitor areas, Jenny Lake Visitor Center, doesn't offer much besides parking and a long line for a gift shop. To be honest, the only time we stop at the area now is to refill our water. Yet every day, cars are parked far out onto the main road.

Unless your destination is one of the few hiking areas that start in the parking area, skip this spot on your Grand Teton itinerary during peak season.

 

WORTH IT: Learning the Mountains 

Grand Teton, Teewinot, Middle Teton, Mount Moran, Nez Pierce, South Teton. How many of these have you heard of? Pretty soon, you'll know them all!

You'd be amazed how many people visit Grand Teton National Park and leave not knowing which mountain is the 'Grand' Teton. Part of what makes this range so incredible is the magnitude of the peaks. Not a single major summit in Grand Teton National Park can be accomplished without a scramble or class-five roped climb. Yet, every clear day in the summer, a handful of climbers will be standing at the summits between 10:00 am-1:00 pm. These climbers typically leave from the valley between 2-3:00 am and climb through the early mornings to claim the peak before afternoon storms have a chance to build over the range.

I've found learning about the mountains makes you appreciate them more.

WORTH IT and NOT: Wildlife

Like Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park is home to a range of wildlife, including Moose, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, and Elk. There are not nearly as many buffalo here, but Yellowstone will more than makeup for that.

In 2021, the park had to add numerous shoulder blocks to prevent tourists from camping out and creating traffic jams after they would wait all day for a chance to see the most famous grizzly in the park: Bear 399 and her four cubs. Even when it was clear she had migrated to a different area; rangers would spend hours on traffic control on the narrow roads.

Wildlife is exciting. And stopping if you see a bear is always worth it. But scouting, stopping in the middle of the road, or getting too close to wildlife negatively impacts the park. The best way to enjoy wildlife is to also be considerate of the regulations and those around you. When wildlife, specifically bears, get accustomed to tourists, they may have to be relocated or hazed (a practice where wildlife agencies use non-lethal rounds to push bears into new territories, which can be dangerous for both mothers and cubs). Just earlier this year Felicia, a mother bear and her two cubs, were in trouble because of their proximity to a main tourist road just outside the gates of the Grand Teton National Park boundary. Due to no fault of her own, Felicia was under the threat of hazing by authorities to keep her away from tourists and roads, even though she has never acted aggressively to park visitors. 

WORTH IT: Catch a Sunrise 

Sunsets in Grand Teton National Park can be underwhelming, while sunrise is where the real magic is. Trust me when I say: it's worth the wake-up call.

The most famous sunrise spot in the park is known as 'the barn' on Morman Row. I'm sure you've seen a classic shot of the Tetons with an old historic barn in the forefront of the camera. This sunrise spot is NOT worth it. In my personal opinion, as a photographer, it is the worst photo location in the park. Every morning, photographers and tourists gather at the barn in the hundreds for the shot. I'm not too fond of this location for two reasons:

1. Too many people – there is a specific angle the barn must be shot at. This means all photographers crowd together in a tight space. Even when I trekked over a mile out to the barn on a -4 degree morning in February, there were three other photographers there looking for the shot.
2. There is no uniqueness to the photo – When I take photos I have this thing about wanting it to be the only photo of its kind. That's kind of hard to do when 30 photographers are crunched together in the same spot for the same shot. 

The good news is, there are a hundred other places in the park I can think of that are stunning for sunrise. And because most photographers gather at the barn, chances are you'll have a better location for yourself. Try visiting one of the lakes to scout for a reflection.

Places to See Near Wyoming's National Parks 

Although the two parks take center stage for most Wyoming visitors, it's the tip of the iceberg when it comes to beauty in one of the most underrated states in the country.

These outer areas also provide a welcoming contrast to much of the chaos within the National Park boundaries. Take Bighorn Canyon, for example, which only receives a handful of visitors each weekend, but it is often called the 'Grand Canyon of the north'.

There's an entire article dedicated to underrated places to visit in Wyoming, none of which are within the boundaries of either Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park. Explore more that this state has to offer here.

Here's a sneak peek of what the list includes: