10-day Wyoming and Montana itinerary
This is the Wyoming and Montana itinerary that we'd follow, visiting stunning national parks in both states and making some interesting stops along the way. You can do it either by renting a car or renting a camper or motorhome: the itinerary would be the same, and only the places where you spend the night would change.
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We suggest this road trip from south to north, assuming you arrive by plane at one of these airports:
- Salt Lake City (Utah): international airport in northern Utah, 86 miles (140 km) from the border with Wyoming and 293 miles (470 km) from Jackson. There're many car and camper/motorhome rental options here.
- Jackson Hole (Wyoming): this is the closest airport, located just 5 miles (8 km) from Grand Teton and 70 miles (115 km) from Yellowstone. The downside is that rental options are somewhat limited and it only receives domestic flights, so you'll have to fly first to a main U.S. city such as Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Seattle.
If you want to do this itinerary from north to south, the alternative is to fly to Missoula Airport in Montana, which is about 130 miles (210 km) from Glacier. Direct flights arrive here from cities such as Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.
Day 1: Jackson
The first stop on your road trip has to be Jackson, an alpine town in Wyoming surrounded by the Teton mountain range. Here, the western atmosphere will captivate you as soon as you arrive, with its themed shops, summer rodeos, and the legendary Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, where you'll feel like you're in a cowboy movie.
Here, don't miss the main square with its four distinctive arches: they're made from the antlers that the local elk naturally lose during winter. They're enormous! Just a few miles from Jackson is the National Elk Refuge, where this animal gathers between December and early April.
Accommodation in Jackson isn't exactly cheap, regardless of when you go. The cheapest alternative is this hostel with private capsule-style rooms, but here are several options for you to consider:
Days 2 and 3: Grand Teton
From Jackson, you only have to drive 5 miles (8 km) to reach the first national park: Grand Teton. Sometimes overlooked in favor of its bigger brother Yellowstone, for us Teton is one of the most impressive natural gems in the United States.
Here, the landscape of rugged mountains (with the Grand Teton towering at 13,775 feet or 4,200 meters) blends with pristine lakes, waterfalls, meadows, and abundant wildlife. A true paradise!
With two full days, you have the opportunity to see much of the Grand Teton's charms: Mormon Row Road, Taggart Lake, Jenny Lake area, Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point, Jackson Lake, and the different viewpoints throughout the park.
As for lodging in Grand Teton National Park, you have several options:
- Back to Jackson (this capsule hostel is the most affordable option).
- Sleep inside the park at any of the campgrounds managed by Recreation.gov or lodges listed on this website.
- Choose accommodation in the vicinity of the park, such as Headwaters Lodge & Cabins, Jackson Lake Lodge, or The Hatchet Resort.
Days 4, 5, and 6: Yellowstone
Continue to the oldest national park in the world and probably the most impressive in the entire country. Yellowstone is unique no matter where you look, a place where the earth boils due to its location on a supervolcano and where fumaroles, geysers, and hot springs intertwine with canyons, waterfalls, valleys, and lakes. Not to mention its wildlife, including the largest herd of wild bison in the United States.
Yellowstone is extremely large, so you'll need to plan your three days here carefully to avoid wasting too much time traveling. Ideally, you should divide your days by area and, if you don't want to stay inside the park due to price or lack of availability, head out each day to one of the towns located near the various entrances.
This is how we would organize three days in Yellowstone, assuming you enter through the southern gate:
- Day 1 in Yellowstone: visit West Thumb, the Upper Geyser Basin area with Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Fountain Paint Pot. Exit through the west gate to sleep in West Yellowstone, such as at the City Center Motel or Yellowstone Lodge.
- Day 2 in Yellowstone: visit Gibbon Falls, Artist's Paintpots, Norris Geyser Basin, Roaring Mountain, and end the day in Mammoth. Exit through the north entrance and spend the night in Gardiner, for example at The Antler Lodge, Travelodge by Wyndham Gardiner, or Super 8 by Wyndham Gardiner.
- Day 3 in Yellowstone: go to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Mud Volcano, Tower Fall, and finish at the spectacular Lamar Valley. On this day, you have the option of returning to Gardiner to sleep (our most recommended option) or exiting through the northeast gate and staying at Silver Gate Lodging, Alpine Motel, or Antlers Lodge.
🏨Keep in mind that you can also stay inside the national park, although prices are quite high. You can book campsites through the Recreation.gov app and lodges in Yellowstone through this website.
Day 7: Virginia & Nevada City, Elkhorn, and Helena
This road trip continues deeper into Montana to explore one of the most cowboy-like states in the US, where ranches are a true symbol. Let's also add a historical touch to this itinerary!
The first stop is Virginia City, located 146 miles (235 km) from Gardiner and famous for having been one of the most important mining towns during the gold rush in the mid-19th century. Its historic center is very well preserved, and you can see several original wooden buildings both outside and inside.
If you stroll down Main Street, you'll come across old saloons and shops, museums, and lodgings that once served gold prospectors. It's like being on a movie set! Less than 2 miles (3 km) away is Nevada City, another open-air museum with restored buildings.
From here, continue to Elkhorn, located 156 km away. This quiet town surrounded by nature was once built around an important silver mine and had up to 2,500 inhabitants! Although people still live here, several old buildings such as Fraternity Hall and Gillian Hall have been preserved. As part of Elkhorn State Park, there is an $8 vehicle access fee.
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End the day in Helena, a city surrounded by mountains and the capital of Montana. If you have time, take a stroll through Reeder's Alley, the oldest part of Helena, and visit the Capitol and the Cathedral. As a good city, there're many accommodation options in Helena, although our favorites are the Best Western Premier Helena and the Best Western Capitol Hotel.
Day 8: Missoula, Dutton Ranch, and Whitefish
Missoula is 112 miles (180 km) from Helena and is the largest city before you enter the true Rockies. Although it's a pleasant city with lots of nature in the surroundings, it isn't an essential stop unless you are a fan of Yellowstone series and want to see the places Kevin Costner was.
🎬The Missoula County Courthouse appears several times throughout the series, and Ruby's Cafe is the site of a shootout in season 4. Since you're here, stop in for a drink—it's a very authentic spot.
If you're a fan of Yellowstone series, we're sure that visiting the Dutton Ranch is on your list of places to see in Montana, but we have two pieces of bad news and one piece of good news. The bad news is that you have to take a detour of 62 miles (100 km) from Missoula and that you can't go past the entrance, as it's a privately owned ranch. The good news is that the ranch is just as it appears in the series, with its distinctive Y-shaped symbol and the sign: Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
Whether you've visited the ranch or not, continue north to Whitefish, a town we recommend stopping at. Apart from the high mountains that surround it and the lake of the same name, we think downtown is adorable. It's a mix of tourist and local, with a great atmosphere that we love and lots of shops selling local products.
👢 At SM Bradford Co, you can see and buy traditional Western clothing, such as handmade boots and hats. And if you go into the Bulldog Saloon, you'll be amazed by the atmosphere inside, as well as the dozens of photos of bulldogs 🐶.
🏨 Whitefish is a fantastic place to stay, just 40 minutes from the west entrance to Glacier, and in the evenings and nights many bars offer live music. Some options are the Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge and the Whitefish Riverfront Hotel. Another option is to stay somewhere closer to the park entrance, such as the Wonderstone at Glacier or the unique Under Canvas Glacier, a glamping-style accommodation.
Days 9 and 10: Glacier
What a better way to end this Wyoming and Montana itinerary than at Glacier National Park, one of the most beautiful spots in the Rocky Mountains.
⚠️If you plan to access the Glacier via the west gate (as in this case) or via North Fork, from June 13 to September 28, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., you must reserve a time slot for access through Recreation.gov.
On your first day at Glacier, you can drive along the legendary Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the United States (it's very narrow in some sections!). You can stop at its viewpoints, although we wouldn't miss Avalanche Lake (you have to do an easy trek to get there), the Trail of the Cedars (very easy), and the Hidden Lake Trail (the views are some of the best in the park).
🏨Eventually, you'll arrive in the St Mary area, and although there aren't many lodging options to choose from, St. Mary Village is not bad at all. Alternatively, you can stay at one of the campsites and lodges within the park, but you must book well in advance through this specific website managed by the park or the Recreation.gov app.
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On the second day, if you're a mountaineer, you have to do the Grinnell Glacier Trail, which for us is the most beautiful hike in the park. Despite it's long (6 miles or 9 km one way), it's impressive from start to finish. If you still have energy left on this day, you can head to Fishercap Lake in the afternoon to try your luck at spotting moose.
As for the return trip, you have several options to choose: you can return to the starting point (Jackson or Salt Lake City), go to one of Montana's major cities (Missoula or Helena), or even drive all the way to Seattle.
10-day Wyoming and Montana road trip map
On this map, you can see the itinerary we've suggested:
We hope you've enjoyed this Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks road trip (together with the other cool stops along the way)!
