Yellowstone and Grand Teton, the United States: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Yellowstone, created in 1872, was the world’s first national park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It lies mostly in northwest Wyoming, with portions in Montana and Idaho, over the caldera of a supervolcano. Underground heat powers more than half of the world’s known geysers, as well as colorful hot springs, boiling mud pots, and fumaroles.

The most visited sites lie along an 8-shaped road of about 230 km: the Old Faithful geyser, which erupts several times a day; the Grand Prismatic, the country’s largest hot spring; the terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs; and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, with its waterfalls. In the Lamar and Hayden valleys, bison, elk, deer and, if you’re lucky, wolves and bears are often seen from a distance.

To the south, Grand Teton National Park protects the Teton Range, which rises without foothills above the Jackson Hole valley, with glacial lakes at its base. Jackson, the valley town, is the gateway for Grand Teton and the Jackson Hole ski area. West Yellowstone, in Montana, sits by Yellowstone’s west entrance; Gardiner, also in Montana, lies by the north entrance.

Most of Yellowstone’s roads close to cars from early November until April or May. At that time, the park is visited by snow vehicles, departing from West Yellowstone and Gardiner, and Jackson’s economy centers on the ski season.

This destination brings together 4 cities: Jackson, West Yellowstone, Gardiner, Cody.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Yellowstone and Grand Teton is

Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Yellowstone and Grand Teton

✈ Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) · 16 km to Jackson

Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is inside Grand Teton, 16 km from Jackson. Bozeman Airport (BZN), in Montana, is about 140 km from Gardiner and West Yellowstone. In summer, the small West Yellowstone airport receives regional flights.

Suggested arrival point: Jackson

Wyoming · Yellowstone and Grand Teton Suggested arrival point

Jackson

The town of Jackson Hole in the valley, in western Wyoming, at about 2,000 m elevation, between Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger‑Teton National Forest. The central square has arches made of elk antlers, and the town preserves Old West wooden facades. It’s the base for Grand Teton, the elk refuge and the Jackson Hole ski area in Teton Village.

Montana · Yellowstone and Grand Teton

West Yellowstone

Small Montana town adjacent to Yellowstone’s west entrance, less than an hour’s drive from Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic. It grew in the early 20th century with the arrival of the railroad to the park and lives off tourism: in summer it serves visitors to the geysers; in winter, those who visit the park in snow vehicles. It has a bear and wolf observation center.

Montana · Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Gardiner

Small Montana town at Yellowstone’s north entrance, on the Yellowstone River beside the Roosevelt Arch. It’s the only park entrance open to cars year‑round, via the road that leads to Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley, where bison and wolves are often seen.

Wyoming · Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Cody

City in Wyoming founded in 1896 by William Cody, Buffalo Bill, about 80 km from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It has the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, with five museums about the American West, the log-cabin village of Old Trail Town, and rodeos on summer evenings.

The local experience

Things to do in Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Cody · Wyoming · Museum

Buffalo Bill Center of the West

A complex of five museums in Cody about the American West: the life of Buffalo Bill, Western art, the Plains Indigenous peoples, firearms, and the natural history of Yellowstone.

Gardiner · Montana · Hot spring

Mammoth Hot Springs

Travertine terraces formed by hot springs, 8 km from Gardiner, with boardwalks, and the historic village of Mammoth, with the old Fort Yellowstone.

West Yellowstone · Montana · Geyser

Old Faithful Geyser

Yellowstone’s best-known geyser, which erupts several times a day in the Upper Geyser Basin, with boardwalks among dozens of other geysers.

Jackson · Wyoming · National park

Grand Teton National Park

The Teton Range above the Jackson Hole valley, with glacial lakes, the Snake River and trails, about 30 km from Jackson. Entrance fee applies.

See 11 more places in Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Gardiner · Montana · Monument

Roosevelt Arch

Stone gateway at Yellowstone’s north entrance in Gardiner, built in 1903; the cornerstone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt.

West Yellowstone · Montana · Hot spring

Grand Prismatic Spring

The largest hot spring in the United States, with rings of blue, green, yellow and orange color, in the Midway Basin; also visible from the Fairy Falls trail overlook.

Jackson · Wyoming · Ski resort

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Ski resort in Teton Village, about 20 km from Jackson, with a gondola up to the top of Rendezvous Mountain and famously steep terrain.

Cody · Wyoming · Open-air museum

Old Trail Town

A village of 19th-century log cabins gathered west of Cody, with buildings linked to pioneers and outlaws of the West and graves of frontier figures.

West Yellowstone · Montana · Canyon

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Canyon with yellow and orange walls carved by the Yellowstone River, featuring Upper and Lower Falls and viewpoints such as Artist Point.

Jackson · Wyoming · Square

Jackson Town Square

Jackson’s central square, with four arches made of elk antlers, surrounded by Old West wooden facades.

Cody · Wyoming · Engineering work

Buffalo Bill Dam

A 1910 concrete dam in the Shoshone River canyon west of Cody, with a visitor center and a walkway over the canyon, on the route to Yellowstone.

Gardiner · Montana · Valley

Lamar Valley

Open valley in the northeast of Yellowstone, with herds of bison and wolf packs that are usually seen from a distance, early in the morning.

West Yellowstone · Montana · Wildlife center

Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center

Center in West Yellowstone that houses brown bears and wolves that cannot live in the wild, for close-up viewing and animal education programs.

Jackson · Wyoming · Nature reserve

National Elk Refuge

Refuge beside Jackson where thousands of elk spend the winter; from December to April there are usually sleigh rides among the animals.

Jackson · Wyoming · Museum

National Museum of Wildlife Art

Art museum dedicated to wildlife, on a hill above the elk refuge, with paintings and sculptures by artists from several centuries.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

June to September, when all roads are open; July and August are the busiest months. May, September and October have fewer people and a better chance of wildlife sightings, with cold nights. From late December to March, the park is visited by snow vehicles, and Jackson hosts the ski season.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Five to seven days: three or four in Yellowstone, staying in different locations inside the park or in the gateway towns, and two or three in Grand Teton and Jackson. The park is large: just driving the full loop of the main road takes a whole day.

Which city to stay in

Jackson, for Grand Teton and skiing. West Yellowstone, for the geysers, less than an hour from Old Faithful. Gardiner, for Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley. Inside Yellowstone there is lodging and campgrounds in the Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake and Mammoth areas, which book months in advance.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Yellowstone and Grand Teton

How many days are needed for Yellowstone and Grand Teton?

Five to seven days. Yellowstone requires at least three days because of the distances between main sites, and Grand Teton one or two.

What is the best time to visit Yellowstone?

June to September, when all roads are open. May and early October have less traffic; in winter, almost all roads close to cars and the park is visited by snow vehicles.

Do you need a car in Yellowstone?

Yes, in practice: there is no public transport inside the park, and distances between sites are large. In the United States you drive on the right. There are also organized tours departing from the gateway towns.

How is entry to Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks handled?

Both parks charge an entrance fee per vehicle or per person, valid for a few days, and there is an annual pass for all national parks. International visitors may pay an additional fee: check each park’s website before you go.

Do you need a visa to visit the United States?

Entry requirements for the United States depend on your nationality and travel document: some countries participate in the visa waiver program, with prior electronic authorization, while others require a visa. Requirements can change: confirm before traveling.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip