This past July, we loaded up the car, drove up to Montana, and spent a week exploring Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks with my in-laws.
While I’d been to both parks before and my husband had been to Yellowstone twice, this was the first ever visit for my in-laws. It was very much a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing for them, so we traveled at somewhat a slower pace (a statement they might dispute, haha!) and took the time to really see a good variety of what both parks have to offer.
I do intend to write up a series of posts on both parks – an undertaking that feels particularly daunting for Yellowstone given the size of the park and my thousands of photos from dozens of previous visits. I know I’ll figure it out eventually, though it might take me a few weeks to sort through everything and get it all written up in an organized fashion.
In the meantime, I’m going to return to my tradition of putting together a post with my favorite photo from each day of the trip. So, well, here we go:
Day 1
The roads through Yellowstone form a figure-8, and over the next few days we would be making our way through the park in a counterclockwise direction. We began in the somewhat quieter – but no less interesting – northwest section of the park, the first of three days spent amongst the thermal features for which Yellowstone is so famous. In particular, the pale blues and greens found in Porcelain Basin have always been a favorite of mine.
Day 2
We continued our southward journey on day two, once again surrounded by geysers and hot springs. My in-laws witnessed their first ever geyser eruption, we saw more bubbling and colorful hot springs than we could count, and we ended the day at one of my favorite areas of the park, home to some brilliant (and exceptionally deep) blue pools that drain into the crystal clear waters of Yellowstone Lake.
Day 3
Day three was Old Faithful day, and we were lucky enough to watch the geyser erupt three times (see the cover photo of this post for one of those eruptions). But what many people don’t realize is that there’s so much more to this area of the park than just Old Faithful. There are dozens of geysers and hot springs here, all connected by a network of boardwalks and trails. We spent the entire day walking miles through the area, and ended with a short hike to what might just be my very favorite hot spring in Yellowstone.
Day 4
After three wonderful days in Yellowstone, we headed south to Grand Teton National Park, where we would spend the next two days marveling at the prominent and rugged Teton Mountains. This was mostly a driving day for us, stopping to admire the expansive views and take far too many photos from every possible vantage point. It wasn’t easy for me to pick a favorite, but this one ultimately won thanks to the bright splash of color in the foreground.
Day 5
Our second day in the Tetons began with a boat ride and a hike to a waterfall and viewpoint. You’d think that would be the daily highlight, but amazingly it wasn’t. Because after lunch, we headed into Jackson Hole for the afternoon, where we braved the crowds to ride the gondola up to the 10,450 foot (3185 m) summit of Rendezvous Mountain. It was expensive, and we stood in line for 30 minutes, and then we were crammed into an aerial tram with a bunch of other people for the ride to the summit. But it was absolutely worth it for the stunning views of the Teton Mountains and Jackson Hole!
Day 6
After far too little time in Grand Teton, we headed back up to Yellowstone to drive the eastern half of the figure-8. This half of the park is less about geysers and more about wildlife and waterfalls, and there was no shortage of either. In fact, despite the beauty and intrigue of the geysers and hot springs, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone has always been my favorite part of the park. How could I ever tire of this view?
Day 7
On our final morning in Yellowstone, we (mostly) completed the figure-8 and then exited through the northeast entrance. From here, US Highway 212 becomes the Beartooth Highway, a scenic byway that winds its way up to 10,947 feet (3337 m). From the summit, lakes, wildflowers, panoramic views, and mountain goats surrounded us. We were racing incoming storms, which meant we weren’t able to be as leisurely as we would have liked. But even with the moody skies, cooler temperatures, and quicker pace, it was a wonderfully scenic drive.
More to come on Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Beartooth Highway in the near future!
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