When is the Best time to Visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton Every season at Yellowstone is different and has different things to offer. Established as a national park in 1929, it takes its name from its most prominent feature, Grand Teton (13,775 ft), the tallest mountain in the range. Best time of year to visit Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone is open all year round, though most park roads are closed when winter comes due to heavy snowfall and inclement conditions. Every season offers something different to those who travel to the world’s first national park. Also, nearby Jackson Hole and the Grand Teton National Park are less than an hour away from the southern entrance to Yellowstone and provide excellent shopping and scenery of the Tetons. DAY 2: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Villаgе Viѕit Jackson Hоlе Mоuntаin Rеѕоrt. This guide will allow you to visit most of the best venues in both National Park. It is not really practical to stay in just one place and see both Parks - without a great deal of driving and back-tracking each day. You might also like: THE BEST TIME TO VISIT YELLOWSTONE & GRAND TETON: 5 REASONS + 35 PHOTOS. If you’re without a car, this Grand Teton day tour from Jackson or Teton Village is a great alternative option. These cookies do not store any personal information. The spring is called the “mud season” and is a low-volume time to visit Yellowstone. For more information, please see our, This post contains affiliate links. Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park border one another, and have some of the greatest Adventures in the U.S. It’s only natural that the two get compared against another often. These shoulder months offer mild weather and fewer crowds. You have the option to opt-out of these cookies but doing so may affect your browsing experience. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. It can still be cold and snowy. Because fall is getting to be a more popular time to visit because crowds are lower, you’ll still want to book your reservations months in advance. Want to receive a printed insider’s guide to Yellowstone, where to stay and what to do? The aspen glades are igniting in gold, maples add a splash of rouge, the conifers a dense green background, and the sky overhead often is clear and blue. The weather is generally favorable during these times, and you’ll be able to take advantage of a diversity of activities in Grand Teton. Tourism is at a minimum during these months (with good reason) leaving the park, weather and roads permitting, all to yourself. Good question and some good ideas already from zackdog. This is the time when you can spot baby animals with the mother. Along those same lines, hiking trails in the higher elevations are often snow-covered until mid-late June. Steam from thermal vents and springs turn to frost on nearby trees, elk post-hole through thick snow, and geysers burst boiling hot water scattering into droplets that freeze in the air. Best Time of Year To Visit Grand Teton. 30 and many park amenities follow the same schedule. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. When you’re at the Mammoth Frontier Cabin you’ll want to focus on that area which is Day 4 on our itinerary. Lower Yellowstone Falls. Average Weather per Season in Yellowstone, 10 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone and Beyond, 11 Places to Watch Wildlife Beyond Yellowstone. So pack up, head out and go see Yellowstone! Best Times to Visit Yellowstone The best times to visit Yellowstone National Park are from April to May and between September and October. The months between Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend are exceptionally beautiful, although they draw the highest volumes of families taking summer vacations and road trips. One draw to visitors in Jасkѕоn iѕ Jасkѕоn Hоlе Mountain Rеѕоrt – which also оffеrѕ аmаzing ѕummеr асtivitiеѕ аѕ wеll аt their Grаnd Advеnturе Pаrk. I recommend spending time at Grand Teton in June if you need to travel during the summer, hope to find slightly smaller crowds, and don’t plan on hiking in the backcountry. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are fun to visit any time of the year, and the best time to visit will ultimately depend on what you want to see when you’re there. Yellowstone winter visitors at Dragon’s Mouth Spring. If you love wildlife, vast landscapes, and incredible natural wonders, then you cannot go wrong with this combo of two of the most popular National Parks in the U.S.. If that is your plan, you can start in Grand Teton, hit the main sights in Yellowstone, and end the day in either Mammoth, West Yellowstone, or in one of the lodges inside of the park. 3. There’s that slight bite in the air. It’s the most challenging time to visit the park, and the last season we’d recommend visitors come. Wyoming Road Trip: 3 Epic Routes to Yellowstone & Grand Teton. The remaining snow of winter thaws turning the park’s roads, trails, meadows and campgrounds—you guessed it—muddy, icy, snowy and difficult to navigate. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Take advantage of staying so close to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and hit the easy, 1.5-mile Brink of Lower Falls Trail first thing in the morning for a cool view from the top of Lower Falls. Catch a quieter Yellowstone in the early days of September, after kids are back to school, bison are nearly done with finding mates and the mosquito swarms die down. Visiting Yellowstone in September and early October can be especially exciting because the elk are in rut and act a little crazy. A 7 day itinerary to trek through Yellowstone and Grand Teton has you touring geyser basins, hiking waterfalls, and viewing wildlife. Dinе аnd Drink at Sрur Restaurant & Bаr аnd Ill Villaggio Osteria Yellowstone’s best-kept secret is no longer a secret. Get a free Yellowstone trip planner with inspiring itineraries and essential information. More about winter in Yellowstone, Winter Road Access and Average Weather per Season in Yellowstone. Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park are less than 10 miles apart, measuring the distance between Yellowstone's south entrance and Grand Teton… This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. A motorcycle trip to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons National Parks, one of the nation’s most popular destinations requires advanced planning. I’m so excited to have won Honorable Mention in, The ESB is arguably one of the most iconic buildin, As we wrap up the last weekend of the holidays, I, The Empire State Building was beautifully and fest, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Yellowstone – Artist’s Point Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. No matter when you decide (for you) the best time to visit Yellowstone, what matters is that you get there. Yellowstone is home to thousands of geysers, roaring waterfalls, bountiful wildlife, massive canyons, sprawling lakes. If you are a witness, stay at a safe distance. In fact, the colour of this eroded canyon is what inspired the name Yellowstone. I would also suggest more time in Yellowstone compared to Greand Teton. I think a minimum of 2 nights for GT and 4 for YNP, then you can spread any remaining time as you see fit based on your research into things to see and do. Fall in Yellowstone National Park is a magical time to visit for dozens of reasons -just make sure you check for road closures (usually early November) and pack appropriately for unpredictable weather. If you don’t have much time, it makes a great day trip from Yellowstone. Yes, weather iffy, not just temps but sun/rain/wind/calm/a little brief snow, etc. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Carved by the Yellowstone River to a depth of 366 metres (1,200 feet) in places, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one of the most impressive landscapes in the park. The colors are all so vibrant in late spring but I must admit I would also love to visit Grand Teton in winter! And you’ll have a chance to see baby animals. On the final day of the Yellowstone to Grand Teton road trip it is time to explore Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I prefer June when the wildlife abound, including the youngsters. And we all want to go when the weather is great……July or August….if you’re lucky. If you’re wondering when to visit Grand Teton National Park, I highly recommend going between the months of April-October. Make your vote at the bottom! Therefore, the best time for this road trip is from early July through mid-October, when all of the roads in each park will be open. What You Need to Know . Order our free stunning Yellowstone Trip Planner filled with an inspiring itinerary, gorgeous photographs and everything you need to plan your dream vacation. On that date, reservations will be available for stays through July 26, 2021, and then on a rolling six-month basis thereafter. Summer (June thru August) is the peak season for the parks, so the parks will be the most crowded during these months. The best vacation plans require careful planning. The park protects stunning mountain scenery and diverse wildlife. The upside to going in spring? The Blue Lion might have been the cutest little place EVER! You can read my full disclosure policy. A winter in Yellowstone is simply magic. Pssst. It is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities. Grand Teton National Park Itinerary. You could see it in 1 day if your plan is just to drive through, stop at the lookouts, and check out the lodge, but there is very beautiful hiking in the park if … Early morning is the prime time for wildlife viewing, so make sure that you get to the park as early as you can. Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are both amazing destinations for outdoor lovers. I hope you'll plan on six days, you'll need them to experience the two parks (suggest 4, YNP, 2, GTNP or 3 and 3. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. Campsites will be reservable for the 2021 season on Recreation.gov beginning January 26, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. When you stay at Old Faithful that will be the best time to visit Grand Teton National Park (Day 1 & 2); that also is the best location for Day 3 on our itinerary. Check the official NPS site for information on seasonal opening and closing dates. Packed with wildlife and teeming with geysers, Yellowstone National Park's singular beauty is virtually unmatched by any other park or patch of wilderness in the country. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Each park has countless out of this world Adventures, but which is the best? Because fall is getting to be a more popular time to visit because crowds are lower, you’ll still want to book your reservations months in advance. Site by Design by Insight. This season may yield swampy hiking conditions, occasional mudslides blocking parts of the Grand Loop, slushy snowpack and freezing pouring rain that could hamper activities in Yellowstone like driving, skiing, biking or boating. Fall is one of my favorite times to head to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. I was slightly nervous about this and ready for the worst. 8:30 AM – Photograph the Antelope Flats. The best time to visit Yellowstone depends on whether you value warm weather, sparse crowds, baby animal sightings or brilliant fall foliage. The Teton Park Road is closed from Nov. 1 – Apr. And the masses of summer tourists have returned home. But how to best plan your time and see the best of Yellowstone and Grand Teton in one trip?. I took a year to research what, when, and where we would eat and sleep. Summers alone attract more than three million tourists, but you can beat the influx of campers and sightseers if you travel to Yellowstone early in June or September. For up-to-date weather information and road conditions, call 307/344-2117 (Yellowstone), 307/739-3614 (Grand Teton in summer), 307/739-3682 (Grand Teton in winter), or 511 (in-state mobile), or visit www.wyoroad.info. Jackson Lake is a must-see during the day or at sunset. Leaves and grasses turn lovely yellows and oranges. Hundreds of thousands of people (over half of the park’s yearly visitors) visit Yellowstone in June, July, and August. Hard to tell. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. © 2021 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. How Many Days to Spend in Grand Teton: We recommend at least 2 days in Grand Teton National Park.