As we continue to live amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the perfect opportunity to do more road trips and explore all the treasures we have here in the United States. We decided to plan a big 12-day road trip from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks for September 2021. We put a ton of work into researching and planning the absolute best things to do, and we’re happy to share what we learned and experienced with you!

Even if you’re not coming from Seattle, the information below can still be used to help you plan an itinerary for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. And as always, feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram if you have additional questions we could help with!

Best time for a road trip from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

For the best experience traveling from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, we recommend planning your trip for the shoulder seasons. This includes spring (late April to May) and fall (September through early October). These time periods are great because the weather is a little cooler, there are less people, and you don’t have to worry about weather-related road closures. 

Our trip spanned September 2-12 and it was absolutely perfect weather. It was plenty hot during the days, but note that it was pretty chilly at night (down to freezing point some nights!). Labor Day weekend was a bit crowded, but it thinned out some after that.

Distance from Seattle to Yellowstone National Park

If you were to drive straight through, it would take you approximately 12 hours to get from Seattle to Yellowstone, and 13 hours to get from Seattle to Grand Tetons. This will of course be affected by your exact route, traffic (really only an issue in western Washington!), and the stops you decide to make. 

With all of our stops, our trip there ended up taking around 18 hours, and the trip home took around 16 hours. That may sound like a crazy amount of driving, but we were actually pleasantly surprised with how it all went, and it didn’t feel too bad.

Best route from Seattle to Yellowstone National Park

Whether you’re going to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park first (we did Grand Teton first), there are generally two routes from Seattle to get you there. One passes through Spokane into northern Idaho, and the other passes through northeast Oregon and into southern Idaho. 

We really wanted to hit some hot springs in southern Idaho (more on that below), so we opted for the latter route both ways. On the way there, we passed through Twin Falls, Idaho, and on the return trip, we went a tad out of the way to pass through Stanley, Idaho, which was totally worth it!

Where to stop between Seattle and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Having some really cool stops along the way made the long journey much more enjoyable.

On the way there, we visited:

• Worswick Hot Springs, located north of Fairfield Idaho. Looking back, I think we would skip this stop. It added about two hours of driving to our trip, and the payoff just wasn’t worth it for that amount of time compared to the amazing hot springs we visited on the way home.
• Twin Falls, Idaho. We LOVED Shoshone Falls, Perrine Coulee Falls, and dinner with a gorgeous view at Elevation 486. If you’re in this area, highly recommend checking out all three of these stops!
• Craters of the Moon National Monument. This was a pretty cool stop – very unique and we enjoyed exploring the caves.

On the way home, we visited:

• Mountain Village Resort, near Stanley Idaho. This was a great overnight home-base for exploring more around Stanley. The room was pretty basic (not a resort in the traditional sense!) but they have their own indoor/outdoor hot spring on the property and other points of interest are very nearby.
• Stanley area hot springs. Our favorites were Sunbeam Hot Springs, Boat Box, Kirkham Hot Springs, and Pine Flats, but we also visited the soaking pool at Mountain Village Resort and Snake Pit / Valley Creek Hot Spring. 
• Other spots in Stanley: Redfish Lake for sunrise, Kasino Club for a drink and fun atmosphere on their patio, and Stanley Baking Company for breakfast.
• Pit stop in La Grande, Oregon for our favorite beer (Oregon Fog) and some delicious lunch at Side A Brewing (the mac’n’cheese is amazzzing).

Where to stay throughout your road trip from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

We did a mix of airbnbs, hotels, and camping for this trip, and it worked out perfectly (links to our various accommodations are in the sample itinerary below). If you’re able to stay inside the National Parks, we highly recommend it! This will majorly cut down on driving and allows you to make the most of your time. We camped for two nights in Grand Tetons, then stayed two nights at a hotel in Jackson, followed by four nights of camping in Yellowstone. It was a good balance for us!

When to book campgrounds at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Most campgrounds operate on a six-month rolling basis, and they do book up early! We recommend setting a reminder on your calendar to ensure you don’t miss booking as early as you can. And for reference, we also booked our Jackson hotel in February for a September trip.

Tips for your trip from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

• Food: Aside from Jackson and some small surrounding towns outside the parks, there are limited food options for eating out. We brought a lot of food with us, and kept it pretty straightforward and opted for things that don’t need to be kept cold. That said, there are grocery stores in Jackson and both of our campgrounds had ice for sale.
• Gear and Activities: We chose to stick with hiking, but there are other activities you could consider for your visit. We saw tons of people biking on the Jackson Hole “Pathways.” You could also bring or rent kayaks or canoes to take out on some of the area’s beautiful lakes. And if you’re looking for more of a thrill, consider booking a whitewater rafting excursion (our friends did this and enjoyed it!).  
• Avoiding Crowds: This is a trip where you’ll definitely want to get up early to avoid getting stuck in traffic and heavy crowds. It’s also nice to beat the heat – it was surprisingly hot in the afternoons even in September. Added bonus: you’re more likely to see wildlife at dawn and dusk, and it’s gorgeous driving through the park at sunrise!
• Wildlife Viewing: Check out this post for what to expect and tips for optimal sightings!

Sample itinerary traveling from Seattle to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

Day 1: Seattle to La Grande, Oregon

• We started our trip after work and drove 5 hours to the La Grande, Oregon area.
• Since we got in so late, we opted to camp in the back of our SUV at Spring Creek Dispersed Area (free). This worked out really well! There’s also a free campground (Spring Creek Campground) on the same road, but there are only four spots, and they were all full by the time we arrived. There is a pit toilet at the campground.

Day 2: La Grande, Oregon to Twin Falls, Idaho

• We drove about 5 hours to Worswick Hot Springs, but as mentioned above, we would skip this next time since it adds 2 hours of travel time (round trip) and wasn’t that spectacular. 
• If you skip Worswick Hot Springs, you could just drive the 4.5 hours straight to Shoshone Falls, which was awesome! There are easy walking paths and several viewpoints to enjoy the falls.
• If you have time, do the short hike to Perrine Coulee Falls, which is located practically right in town. It’s a huge waterfall that you can walk behind, and the hike only takes a few minutes! We ran out of time, so pushed this to the next morning. It’s a little tricky to know where to start the hike – this pin roughly marks the start of the trail. We were confused at first and scrambled up a steep path, but on the way down, it was really clear to see where the actual trail goes down, which is more gradual.
• We made a dinner reservation for the patio at Elevation 486 and highly recommend it! Not only were the views amazing out over the canyon, but the food and service was incredible too. We timed it up so we could enjoy sunset while we ate and then went for a short walk after.
• We capped off the night at Milner’s Gate – Idaho Craft Brewery.
• Accommodation: This airbnb was clean, comfortable, and in a convenient location.

Day 3: Craters of the Moon National Monument to Grand Teton National Park

• From Twin Falls, it’s just under 2 hours to Craters of the Moon National Monument. We spent a few hours there and drove the 7-mile road, hiked up Inferno Cone, and went into a few caves. You’ll definitely want a headlamp for the caves!
• If you need an additional pit stop, you could visit Hell’s Half Acre, which is a rest area between Pocatello and Idaho Falls with an interpretive walk through a lava field.
• We arrived at our campground in the early evening. We stayed at Colter Bay Campground and reserved a spot that was only a short walk down to the shores of Jackson Lake, which we visited for sunset this evening.
• If time allows, you could check out the Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail (2.5 miles, 85’ elevation gain).

Day 4: Hike in Grand Tetons, Astoria Hot Springs, Dinner in Jackson

• We decided to do our biggest hike on our first full day while we were still fresh – Delta, Amphitheatre, and Surprise Lakes (11.5 miles, 3,667′ elevation gain). It was definitely challenging, but worth it. Be sure to start early, as the trailhead was already really full when we arrived at 7:30 a.m. We hiked to all 3 lakes, but Delta is the most beautiful by far!
• We made reservations for Astoria Hot Springs later that night. While it was really nice to have a good soak following the long hike, the reservation made us feel a bit rushed on our hike, so we would suggest bumping this to another, shorter day if you can. The hot springs are just 24 minutes south of Jackson. The cost is $18 per person and reservations are highly recommended. There are five different man-made pools of varying temperatures that you can hop between.
• Dinner at Roadhouse Pub & Eatery in Jackson.
• Stay: Night two at Colter Bay Campground (52 minutes from Jackson).

Day 5: Hike in Grand Tetons, Gondola in Teton Village

• We were pretty exhausted from the previous day’s hike, so we opted for the nice, easy Leigh Lake Trail. Thanks to an early start, we had the trail almost entirely to ourselves and enjoyed some perfect reflections in the water. It was a beautiful day and the water looked inviting as the sun got stronger, so we hung out by the shore for a bit, had lunch, and went for a quick swim (the water was COLD!). 
• After checking into our next accommodations, Mountain Modern Motel, and cleaning up, we headed to Teton Village to ride the Bridger Gondola. The 12-minute ride to the top is free starting at 5 p.m. We got there a little after 5 and there was already a super long line. It moved pretty fast, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt to arrive earlier! There are a few options to eat at the top (details at above link), but it was really busy so we opted to just have a drink, take a few photos, and take the gondola back down where we ate at the Mangy Moose Steakhouse and Saloon. You could also pack a picnic dinner so you’re on your own schedule and don’t have to pay the high prices at the restaurants!
• If you’d like to do some hiking from the top of the Gondola ride, you could do Casper Ridge Loop (1.75 miles roundtrip).
• Stay: Mountain Modern Motel – not the fanciest place and the walls were a little thin, but overall a pretty nice place right in the heart of Jackson. We enjoyed the hot tub and pool, and they provided free coffee and muffins in the morning.

Day 6: Hike in Grand Tetons, Sunset at T.A. Moulton Barn and Mormon Row

• For our final Grand Tetons hike, we opted for Cascade Canyon Trail (9.1 miles, 1100’ elevation). To avoid an extra 2 miles each way, you can take the Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle, which was a fun way to start the day. Again, we started early to beat the crowds and were glad we did … It got really crazy busy as we were heading back. The boat costs $18 per person roundtrip and runs every 10-15 minutes. 
• That evening we went to T.A. Moulton Barn and the Mormon Row Historic District at sunset to snap a few photos.
• To cap the night, we met our friends at Thai Me Up / Melvin Brewing for a drink and some yummy Thai appetizers. 
• Stay: Night two at Mountain Modern Motel.

Day 7: Morning in Jackson, then travel to Yellowstone

• We grabbed breakfast to go from The Bunnery and then walked around town and stopped into some shops. You can enjoy a sit-down breakfast there too, but expect a solid wait. Highly recommend the ham and cheese croissant!
• We wanted to check out Snake River Brewing before heading out of town, so grabbed a quick drink and enjoyed their large outdoor area.
• Then we hit the road and made our way north to Yellowstone. Without stops, it’s a 2.5 hour drive to where we stayed (Canyon Campground), but we took our time and saw lots of sights along the way. Below are the main stops from south to north. But don’t worry if you don’t have time for some of the later stops; you can always come back another day!
  • Snake River Overlook (27 min from Jackson)
  • Oxbow Bend (17 min from Snake River Overlook)
  • Moose Falls (25 min from Oxbow Bend)
  • Lewis Falls (12 min from Moose Falls)
  • West Thumb Geyser Basin (17 min from Lewis Falls) – this is your first stop where you’ll see colorful hot spring pools, and it blew us away! It’s especially pretty because it’s right along Yellowstone Lake. We liked it so much, we even came back another night for sunset.
  • Yellowstone Lake
    • Potential hike: Storm Point (easy, flat 2.1-mile loop hike) – we saved this for when we had some down time later in the trip. It was a nice hike, but not a must-do if you don’t have the time.
  • Mud Volcano area (15 min from Storm Point Hike) – we actually never made it here, but we drove by a few times. Your nose will definitely know when you’re passing it!
  • Hayden Valley (8 min from Mud Volcano area) – this is a key spot for wildlife viewing. Would recommend stopping in a pull-off at dawn or dusk. Bring some food and hang out for a while!
  • Grand Canyon of Yellowstone – this was only about 5 minutes from our campground, so we decided to visit for sunset this evening. There are several viewpoints, and definitely be sure to stop at Artist Point.
• Stay: Camp at Canyon Campground (15 min from Hayden Valley). We found this to be a great, centrally-located place to stay.

Day 8: Yellowstone (Old Faithful Area)

• Old Faithful Geyser (best to arrive before 8 a.m., just over an hour from our campground) – You can download the Yellowstone National Park app in advance, which shows you approximate times for 6 major geyser eruptions, including Old Faithful. This is popular for a reason; it’s worth the hype!
• After seeing Old Faithful erupt, be sure to check out the Upper Geyser Basin area. There were so many incredible pools, and we got lucky and saw several major geyser eruptions! My favorite was probably the Morning Glory Pool, which had such vibrant, incredible colors. We tried to continue on past Morning Glory Pool but ended up turning around due to a big buffalo in the path! You can also access these additional pools across the road from the Biscuit Basin area by heading south.
• Black Sand Basin (up the road 5 minutes)
• Biscuit Basin (up the road about 5 more minutes)
• Potential hike: Mystic Falls (3.5 miles, 606’ elevation gain). It is recommend to do this hike clockwise, and you could just go to falls and turn back to make it shorter.
• Grand Prismatic (6 min from Biscuit Basin). It’s best to visit mid-day for the most vibrant colors!
  • Take the Fairy Falls Trail for the best overlook view (4.8 miles, 170’ to do the full hike to the falls, but only 1 mile roundtrip to the overlook with 100’ gain)
• We packed dinner and cooked overlooking Hayden Valley for sunset. We didn’t see any wildlife, but it was still a nice evening!
• Stay: Night two at Canyon Campground (50 min from Grand Prismatic)

Day 9: Yellowstone (Canyon Village and Norris Area)

• Our first stop of the day was Gibbon Falls, which is a quick, easy walk to an overlook.
• Artist Paint Pots (10 minutes from Gibbon Falls) – this was so cool and really unique! It was pretty in the early morning with all of the mist and steam.
• Norris Geyser Basin – we did both sections, but if you’re tired or short on time, stick with Porcelain Basin.
  • Porcelain Basin – shorter loop (¾ mile)
  • Longer trail to Back Basin (1.5 miles) – worthwhile if you have the energy
• This was a really quick day, so we took a nap back at camp then went and hiked Storm Point (mentioned above).
• Then we went back to West Thumb Geyser Basin at sunset. We saw several elk all around the area, heard wolves off in the distance, and as we were driving back in the dark, we saw several owls, a weasel, and a porcupine! 
• Stay: Night three at Canyon Campground

Day 10: Yellowstone (Lamar Valley and Mammoth Area)

• Lamar Valley (20 min from Calcite, 1 hr 42 min back to Canyon Village campground due to a road closure between Canyon Village and Tower Village which will be in effect until April 2022).
  • This is a great area for wildlife viewing, and it’s best to arrive around dawn or dusk.
• Calcite Springs Overlook and Tower Falls – we didn’t make it here due to the road closure.
• Undine Falls (20 min from Mammoth Hot Spring) – a quick pit stop to an overlook view.
• Mammoth Hot Springs – this was awesome! So different from everything else in the park. Best to park at the bottom and hike to the top and back down. We saw tons of elk in this area, including some snoozing right on the rock formations! Be careful and keep a good distance — we saw an angry elk ram a boardwalk where a person was too close, and later that night as we were passing back through, we saw an elk ram a car that was slowly driving by!
• From here, we headed north into Montana to visit Yellowstone Hot Springs, which was a nice relaxing way to end the trip.
• Dinner and drinks in Gardiner, Montana (definitely recommend the Iron Horse Bar and Grille over the Cowboy’s Lodge and Grille)
• Stay: Night four at Canyon Campground

Day 11: Drive from Yellowstone to Stanley, Idaho and Hot Springs

• Drive 7.5 hours to Mountain Village Resort Hot Spring in Stanley, Idaho, where we stayed overnight. We called at 8 a.m. to make a hot spring reservation for around sunset. They have a naturally-heated pool on-site that’s sort of like an oversized hot tub in a small building with barn doors that open up to a beautiful view of the Sawtooth Mountains. One thing we didn’t realize is that there would be other people at our same reservation time (we were bummed at first, but it was kind of fun meeting the 2 guys from elsewhere in Idaho).
• We also stopped at Sunbeam Hot Springs right along the way and really enjoyed it. There are natural pools of varying temperatures, plus a pavilion and bathroom on-site.
• We went a few minutes up the road to the Kasino Club based on their recommendation, and it was a fun vibe! We enjoyed their outdoor patio with a firepit and met some other folks who visit Stanley every year all the way from Washington DC!

Day 12: Redfish Lake, Hot Springs, and Drive Back to Seattle

• We ended the trip with a bang by visiting several amazing hot springs! We tried to first go to Boat Box Hot Spring, but found someone else already there (it is small and only fits about 2 people). So we instead went to Redfish Lake for sunrise, which was beautiful but super cold.
• We went back to Boat Box and got lucky and had it to ourselves this time! I wasn’t sure if I’d like this less natural feeling tub, but it was actually super neat, especially after being freezing at the lake. The water coming out of the pipe is extremely hot, so you need to use the bucket to add cold river water until the temperature is just right.
• From there, we grabbed breakfast and coffee from Stanley Baking Company.
• Our next two stops were our absolute favorite hot springs: Kirkham and Pine Flats. They both have several pools and waterfalls to explore. It was one of the most unique, relaxing, and incredible experiences we’ve ever had. Highly recommend! If you can only visit one — Pine Flats was a bit more secluded and relaxing, but it requires a short hike to get there.
• Feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, we made the journey home with a pitstop at Side A Brewing in La Grande, Oregon (highly recommend the mac’n’cheese and Oregon Fog hazy IPA!). From Pine Flats to Seattle is roughly 8.5 hours.

While you could certainly shorten the length of this trip, we felt that 12 days was the perfect amount of time to see everything that we wanted in both parks, and enjoy some incredible stops along the way to break up the drive! If you have questions or want help adjusting this itinerary to suite your needs, feel free to message us on social media!