Day 1
Newark, New Jersey – Bozeman, Montana.
We landed in Bozeman around noon and went for lunch at MacKenzie River Pizza Co., which is about a 15-minute drive from the airport in Bozeman. We tried the Mackenzie River Pizza & Artichoke Dip, both of which were amazing.
Next, we drove towards the North entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Our first stop was Mammoth Hot Springs. Feeling a bit tired, we skipped the hike to the geyser from the trailhead and instead drove up to Upper Terrace Drive. We parked at the terrace parking lot and walked down from the top to the paved paths to get closer to the formations.
Our next stop was Norris Geyser Basin. We hiked the Norris Geyser Trail, finding it more interesting than Mammoth as it featured various geological formations. There was a very strong sulfur smell on this trek; if you are sensitive to chemistry lab smells, consider carrying a mask.
Afterwards, we made a quick stop at Gibbon Falls, where the overlook is right at the parking lot. Then, we drove to Grand Prismatic Spring and walked around the loop, which took us about 45 minutes. It was amazing to see the beautiful formations up close. I highly recommend this, though due to constant steam, you can barely see the Grand Prismatic Colors. We planned to hike the Fairy Falls Trail the next day for a top view of Grand Prismatic. We spent the night in West Yellowstone.
Please note: We visited during the long summer days, with the sun setting around 9 PM, allowing us to do more activities in daylight. Try to exit the park or reach your accommodation before dark, as animals start to come onto the roads after dark.
Day 2
Our first stop of the day was the Fairy Falls Parking Lot. DO NOT go to the Fairy Falls Trailhead, as these are two different places. We parked at the Fairy Falls Parking Lot and hiked the 0.8-mile trail to the Grand Prismatic Overlook. It took us about an hour for the entire loop. This hike is a must-do.
Next, we drove to Old Faithful Geyser. This geyser erupts approximately every 90 minutes; check the timings on the NPS website or at the visitor center. Arrive 10-15 minutes before the eruption. Look for a Park Ranger’s Talk near the geyser or inquire at the visitor center to learn about how it works.
We stayed overnight in Cooke City, Montana, to be closer to Lamar Valley for an early morning wildlife drive. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, plan to visit Lamar Valley in the early morning. We drove northeast through West Thumb, Canyon Village, and Tower-Roosevelt. Along the way, we stopped at Artists Point, which offers a nice view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone with the falls. The views along this road are amazing, and you may encounter wildlife.
In Cooke City, we had dinner at Wooka’s Wild Eat. They are open late and custom-made some delicious veggie-loaded quesadillas.
Huckleberry is a wild berry that grows in this area, so you will find many shops selling huckleberry products.
Day 3
In the morning, we couldn’t go to Lamar Valley early, so we had breakfast at Cooke City Coffee, which offers a variety of freshly made options. Our goal was to reach Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, about 3 hours away. However, we made several stops in Yellowstone to see wildlife and landscapes.
We exited Yellowstone from the south and reached Jenny Lake. We hiked around the lake and had dinner at Everest Moms Shack in Jackson, which is known for its momos and North Indian food. It was truly satisfying.
We stayed near Moran at Togwotee Mountain Lodge for the night, a bit north of Jackson. I recommend finding accommodation around Jackson to explore Grand Teton.
Day 4
We started our day with the Ariel Tram at Jackson Hole Resort. We purchased the sightseeing ticket online (it’s cheaper) for around $50. The ticket includes two gondola rides and one Ariel Tram. We only did the Ariel Tram, which offers amazing views of the Tetons from the top. If you have time, try all three rides.
Next, we went whitewater rafting with Lewis and Clark. There are other companies like Jackson Hole & Mad River that offer similar whitewater rafting experiences. It cost us $125 per person and took about 3 hours in total, with 1.5 hours spent rafting on the water. I recommend this activity for first-time rafters as it is very safe, with a guide on the raft, and the rapids are not too intense. After rafting, we returned to Everest Moms Shack for dinner. Before driving back to West Yellowstone for the night, we stopped at Oxbow Bend to see the sunset as it was on the way.
Day 5
We woke up and had breakfast at Mountain Mama’s Cafe, which serves great sandwiches and coffee. Our flight was at noon from Bozeman, so we started driving towards the airport.
Arushi Sharma 