Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Many people interested in visiting national parks probably have Yellowstone near the top of their bucket list. If those intent on making that trip, Grand Teton is just a short drive south. I strongly recommend that you take advantage of your proximity and make the drive. You will be glad you did.
Yellowstone
Signed into law by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, Yellowstone was America’s first national park and for good reason. Its abundant geothermal activity, plentiful wildlife and spectacular natural beauty has captured the imagination of every visitor that has ever passed through the region.
Visitors may see a grizzly bear or wolf, but they will certainly encounter moose, elk and bison throughout the park. This coupled with easy access to some best-known (and lesser known) geothermal features provide more sightseeing opportunities than one can exhaust in a few days.
Yellowstone National Park offers a variety of lodging and campground options along with backcountry camping for the more adventurous. One can see the park on foot or horseback. Alternately, one can see much of the park from inside the car and roadways provide access to a large part of the park.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway
The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Highway is a unit of the National Park Service constructed to connect Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. It is a beautiful drive and, like the parks, if offers a variety of activities, has its own dedicated visitor center and has its own campground.
Grand Teton
The view of the major peaks of the Teton Mountains looking across the lake is one of the most iconic national park views. It is, in a word, breathtaking. One can also explore the park on foot, horseback from the vantage point of a boat on the Snake River. Visitors can camp in the park or base out of nearby Jackson, Wyoming.
Wildlife in the park is abundant. One of the continent’s great elk migrations passes through the valley below the Tetons, which was one of the motivations for promoting it to national park status back in 1929.