A practical 10-day Yellowstone and Grand Teton road trip itinerary looping from Jackson Hole through the geysers, the canyon, Lamar Valley and Cody.
Two of America's greatest national parks sit side by side in the Northern Rockies, linked by a single parkway. This Yellowstone and Grand Teton road trip itinerary turns them into one relaxed 10-day loop from Jackson, Wyoming, with realistic driving legs, the best wildlife stops, and a scenic eastern detour to Cody before the drive back over Togwotee Pass.
The loop starts and finishes in Jackson. You head north into Grand Teton National Park, continue through Yellowstone's geyser basins to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, swing through the wildlife-rich north at Mammoth and Lamar Valley, then exit east down the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway to Cody. The Togwotee Pass road closes the loop back to Jackson. Distances inside Yellowstone look short but the 45 mph limit, wildlife jams and frequent stops mean slow going, so plan early starts.
This is a scenic, nature-led drive rather than a hard adventure. It suits travellers who want geysers, waterfalls, big mountains and a real chance of seeing bison, elk, bears and wolves, with short walks and boardwalks rather than long hikes. Any car copes on the paved park roads in summer, and the pace is comfortable for families.
Ten days is a comfortable length: two nights in Grand Teton, four in Yellowstone, and a night in Cody, plus travel. With only a week, drop Cody and the Togwotee return and exit the way you came. With more time, add nights for hiking in the Tetons or a day on Yellowstone Lake.
Start in the valley's gateway town. Collect your car, stock up on groceries, fuel and bear spray, and rest before the parks. Walk the Town Square with its elk-antler arches and look for elk on the National Elk Refuge.
The Tetons rise straight off the valley floor with no foothills. Spend two nights around Jenny Lake: walk the lake loop to Hidden Falls, drive the Teton Park Road, and catch sunrise at Schwabacher Landing or Oxbow Bend. The summit road up Signal Mountain gives the widest view over Jackson Hole.
Cross into Yellowstone on the Rockefeller Parkway and base two nights near the Upper Geyser Basin. Watch Old Faithful erupt, walk the boardwalks past Castle and Grand geysers, and hike the short Fairy Falls trail to the Grand Prismatic Spring overlook, the best view of the largest hot spring in the country.
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Head to the quieter north. Mammoth's travertine terraces form a chalk-white staircase that shifts year to year. An hour east, Lamar Valley is the best place in the lower 48 to see wildlife: drive it at dawn for bison herds, and wolves and bears in the distance. Two nights lets you make an early wildlife drive without a rush.
The Yellowstone River drops through a canyon of yellow rock. See the Lower Falls from Artist Point on the south rim and Lookout Point on the north, then watch for grizzlies and bison in Hayden Valley on the way through.
Exit the East Entrance down the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, past the Shoshone canyon and dam, to Cody. Spend the afternoon at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and catch the nightly summer rodeo.
Drive from Cody to Dubois and over Togwotee Pass, crossing the Continental Divide as the Tetons reappear ahead. Close the loop in Jackson, ready for an onward flight or a final night.
Give Yellowstone the most time: it is far bigger than it looks on the map, and the long, slow park roads eat into each day. Keep Grand Teton relaxed at the start, and treat Cody and the Togwotee return as an easy wind-down rather than a packed finale.
Late May to September is the window, when the East Entrance and high passes are open. May and June bring bison calves, bear cubs and wolf pups but cooler, changeable weather. July and August are warmest and busiest, so book lodging months ahead. September brings thinner crowds, the elk rut and the first golden aspens.
This is a self-drive route on paved roads that any car can manage in summer. Fuel is limited and expensive inside the parks, so top up in Jackson, Cody and Dubois. The 45 mph park limit and frequent wildlife jams make average speeds low, and the East Entrance and Togwotee Pass close in winter, so this loop is a summer trip.
This is bear country: carry bear spray, store food properly, and keep your distance from all wildlife, at least 25 yards from bison and elk and 100 yards from bears and wolves. Never walk off the boardwalks in thermal areas, where the crust is thin and the water scalding. Mobile signal is patchy across both parks, so download offline maps before you set off.
Ready to plan it in detail? Use our full Yellowstone and Grand Teton route below to see every stop, driving leg and overnight on the map.
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The full route — stops, maps, and driving times — is on Routebook by Kington.
A 10-day loop from Jackson through Grand Teton and Yellowstone, out to Cody on the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway and back over Togwotee Pass: geysers, canyon, wildlife and big mountains.
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