Grand Tetons & Yellowstone
Our first client had a great existing itinerary with Yellowstone being the highlight of their trip. With just over a week to explore by car, they wanted to experience the old school big-sky country in a new age way. They reached out, and we were able to curate an expedition just for them!
Beginning in Colorado, their idea was to be able to hit Grand Teton National Park, along with Yellowstone.
If you’ve ever visited either of these places, let alone any National Park, you know that driving time can be quite lengthy. With thousands of acres of protected lands, lodging accommodations can be sparse.
Camping tends to be a popular option, however, most of the established campsites are first-come-first-serve. This prevents you from making a reservation ahead of time, and can add unnecessary stress to your trip if the campsites are all full when you arrive. Backcountry permits tend to book out a bit in advance, and can be tricky to secure.
Colorado —> Teton National Park!
From Fort Collins, the drive time is a little over 7.5 hours to Driggs, ID. With summer in full swing, maximizing daylight hours is a must. The lodging for this leg outside of the Grand Tetons, includes a private farm stay. They offer camping in their yard for a small fee. With onsite amenities, this seemed perfect in proximity to all the good trails.
Grand Tetons —> Yellowstone!
From their farm stay outside of Grand Teton National Park, their next stop involves an 1.5 hour drive northwest, for a couple days off the beaten path. Here, they plan to soak up the sun and wildlife on the rural eastern side of Yellowstone National Park.
The next accommodations are in the form of a canvas glamping tent. Here, they can recharge their electronics, socialize with other guests, and get out of their tent and into a bed for a night.
We love this idea, especially if you’re not a fan of living in your tent full-time.
We were able to secure them spots with a local rental for an adventurous 4-hour ride.
An opportunity to see the wild-west, and to experience the scenery a bit faster than on foot.
West Yellowstone —> Lamar Valley
Lamar is known for its primitive wildlife; endless bison, grizzly & black bears, and wild wolf packs! This protected valley hosts a wide variety of big game, and is a major bucket list item for a lot of people!
“Yellowstone’s huge, wide valleys make excellent habitat for wildlife. For your best chance of spotting bears, wolves, bison, pronghorn, and many more species, head to Lamar and Hayden valleys.”
From wildlife watching, our guests then migrate northeast to an 450-acre Organic Farm where they can spend the rest of their trip in solitude. This farm hosts small teepees, scattered around a vast landscape.
Lamar Valley —> Peaks & More
Without being too detailed here, there are some epic mountain hikes in Yellowstone that are worth the steep slopes, and threat of grizzlies. With some day-hike peaks in mind, we highly recommend taking the hard routes to experience Yellowstone from above and beyond. Check out the local trails and figure out what works for you best!
Yellowstone—> Grand Tetons—> Home
From their Teepees in Yellowstone, they’ll wrap up their trip by doing a long-drive through the park. Hitting the Tetons once more for a farewell, and onto the open road back home. These clients were so flexible, and had a great beginning plan! With the holiday weekend, we were able to hit all the things on their bucket-list! Including; a firework show, ATV ride, tons of day hiking, and wildlife watching.
