East Coast to Yellowstone

[HelloChum]

Hello,

I am trying to plan our summer 2011 vacation to Yellowstone.

We are on the east coast and can fly out of PVD, BDL or BOS quite conveniently. It seems there are no nonstop flights to Jackson, WY (no surprise!) and it seems our most economical option is SWA out of BDL or PVD to SLC, with a return flight out of DEN (we plan to drive from Yellowstone to SD to see Crazy Horse/Mt Rushmore, etc.). SWA seems to have one stop in the flight itinerary and their prices seems way more reasonable than other airlines (of course, I will have to wait and see what the 6/11 prices are when released).

What have others from New England done as far as air travel? What airlines? If you flew into SLC and drove up to Tetons, did you first stay over in SLC? Any recommendations on SLC highlights?

Any suggestions welcome!!

Thanks!

 

[skiingfast]

From SLC to Jackson is about 5 hours. Since you are flying from the east you could find a early flight and do it in one day. If you do stay over in SLC Temple Square is nice to wander around, it is the center of downtown.

To Jackson there are direct flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis and Dallas, but they varie depending on the season. Mostly this is because Delta, United and American serve Jackson Hole.

You may look at Jet Blue to SCL, but it may only fly from NY I'm not sure.


It's a little awkward to drive across Wyoming. When you go to the black hills, you should try taking highway 387 from Midwest, Wy to Wright, WY and continue on hyw 450 to Newcastle which meets US 16 and goes into the middle of the back hill where Rushmore and Crazy horse are. It's easier and faster than going to Rapid City.

 

[HelloChum]

I think Jet Blue also goes out of Boston--I actually forgot all about Jet Blue! I'll have to check that out.

I appreciate the driving tip as well--thanks!

 

[CPT Tripss]

We have flown into SLC for our YNP trips. The prices and schedules were much better than into the "closer" airports. I also think I got a better car rental price (be sure to check the "drop charge" on your rental). Obviously you want to shop around.

We overnighted at a motel near the airport going to YNP, late arrival . . . got on the road to Jackson the next morning. Returning we spent a couple days in the SLC area . . . Temple Square, the lake, and the ski areas outside SLC were on our list.

Get your YNP accommodations early!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

When we went to Yellowstone in June, we flew into SLC and then spent the night (We had rewards points for a room). It was much nicer driving into the Tetons first thing in the morning. Yes, it is around 5 hours to get to the Teton's South Entrance gate. It may take a little longer to drive around to Yellowstone's West Gate.

 

[skiingfast]

When we went to Yellowstone in June, we flew into SLC and then spent the night (We had rewards points for a room). It was much nicer driving into the Tetons first thing in the morning. Yes, it is around 5 hours to get to the Teton's South Entrance gate. It may take a little longer to drive around to Yellowstone's West Gate.

To the Tetons in Jackon Hole is 5 hours from SLC. It is about 1.5 hours of driving through Grand Teton National park to the South Gate of Yellowstone so total 6.5 hours from SLC. To the West Gate of Yellowstone 6.5 hours as well.

Both parks can be accessed through one fee. So even if you go through a gate between GTNP to YNP you don't pay twice, merely show your reciept and get more park info and a map.

Hotels in Jackson Hole can be reserved even upto a couple weeks in advance, inside the parks 6 months or even a year in advance is good.



In SLC there are several hotels near the airport with free shuttles, but there is nothing to walk to from them as far as entertainment. So if you come in late a rental is not nessecary the first day. But if you go strait to your hotel and then take the shuttle back in the morning to the airport to pick up your rental car it can save money. There isn't entertainment near these hotels, so if you have a whole afternoon you may want a rental car to visit in or around SLC.

 

[HelloChum]

Thanks for clarifying the drive times and Jackson and SLC hotel info...our plan would be to arrive in SLC and possibly stay 1 night there depending on flight arrival time, etc. Head to GTNP and stay there for 1 or 2 nights, then go to YNP. It sounds like a long drive from SLC to GT, then 1.5 hours to south YNP entrance--plus the internal park drive to OFI--which is about 40-50 miles!

We have an Annual America the Beautiful Park Pass that will be good thru July '11--so I'm pretty sure that should get us through the Park fees at both parks. (It's already paid for itself after this summer's trip!)

We already have our reservations for Yellowstone lodging--our first 2 nights will be at OFI, followed by 2 nights at Mammoth, 2 at Canyon and 2 at the Lake Hotel. Have some dinner reservations and cook-out/horse back ressies, too.

I may be scrapping the SD idea in favor of more time at Yellowstone--I just added the 2 nights at the Lake Hotel since it was available for our dates. Even scrapping SD from the trip, it will be a loooong drive back to SLC for our return flight!!

disneyfaniaz--I enjoyed your trip report!! Great photos! Were you happy with the amount of time you spent in each spot? Anything else you can advise?

Thanks everyone!

 

[skiingfast]

We already have our reservations for Yellowstone lodging--our first 2 nights will be at OFI, followed by 2 nights at Mammoth, 2 at Canyon and 2 at the Lake Hotel. Have some dinner reservations and cook-out/horse back ressies, too.

I may be scrapping the SD idea in favor of more time at Yellowstone--I just added the 2 nights at the Lake Hotel since it was available for our dates. Even scrapping SD from the trip, it will be a loooong drive back to SLC for our return flight!!

I might take a night off the Lake Hotel. From there you may end up doing the same things you could from Canyon. So alternatively you could scrap a day from Canyon.

I'm basing this off stuff you do just minutes from your car which is typical. If you want to do longer hikes then you may want the days. Also you can fish in Yellowstone Lake and keep all the lake trout you want! You can rent boats.

From the Park exit between Lake and Canyon. It is a long drive to the SD border. Maybe 10-12 hours.

I will add that if you could reverse the order of hotels it would let you get a different drive back to Salt Lake as OFI is closer to the West Entrance than the South Entrance.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Hellochum,

Thanks! We had just enough time to get a great overview of the entire park. It sounds like you will have more time. Now that we know the lay out, we would like to go back and spend more time looking for and enjoying the wildlife. I would also like to take the time to wait for the geysers and see more of them erupt. Otherwise, we thought a week was plenty of time.

The Lake area isn't that far from the south entrance. Maybe an hour's drive. You just have to decide if you want to take the extra 1 1/2 through GTNP or up and around through Idaho from the west gate. The drive through rural Wyoming and Idaho back to SLC is very scenic.

 

[HelloChum]

I might take a night off the Lake Hotel.

I'm basing this off stuff you do just minutes from your car which is typical. If you want to do longer hikes then you may want the days.

From the Park exit between Lake and Canyon. It is a long drive to the SD border. Maybe 10-12 hours.

I will add that if you could reverse the order of hotels it would let you get a different drive back to Salt Lake as OFI is closer to the West Entrance than the South Entrance.

I may consider only staying 1 night at the Lake once I get into the details of our itinerary--I want to make sure I have enough time built in for hikes, etc. We enjoyed some of the longer hikes on this summer's trip to GC, Zion, Bryce...and I just want to make sure I build in enough time while the rooms are available.

Yep--SD is sounding like too long of a ride for this trip! Better to realize now than when I have non-refundable flights booked!

I like the idea entering/exiting park from different entrances...will have to look at that.

Thanks again...

 

[HelloChum]

The drive through rural Wyoming and Idaho back to SLC is very scenic.

Sorry for silly question....is the drive you describe via the west entrance? I'm wondering if we enter thru that entrance since we are first staying at OFI and then exit from south entrance and then stay in GTNP....

Thanks again!

 

[skiingfast]

Sorry for silly question....is the drive you describe via the west entrance? I'm wondering if we enter thru that entrance since we are first staying at OFI and then exit from south entrance and then stay in GTNP....

Thanks again!

You could do it a number of ways. How I drive to the South Gate and West Gates can changed a couple hours of driving or several. But I would be a little wary of advising you to take backroads with hard to spot intersections and few signs.

If you look at a map you could take I15 to Idaho Falls Idaho, and make a right toward Jackson Wyoming north through GTNP into Yellowstone. Returning you could take the West Exit of Yellowstone and take US20 back to Idaho Falls. Or do this in reverse which would work well if you are first staying at OFI.

If you did this in the reverse order you may want to stay a night in Jackson, WY it has nice shopping if you want to take souvenirs home, and many restaurants. It is also has lots of options for rafting, horseback rides, dinner shows and scenic rides on ski lifts.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Sorry for silly question....is the drive you describe via the west entrance? I'm wondering if we enter thru that entrance since we are first staying at OFI and then exit from south entrance and then stay in GTNP....

Thanks again!

On the way to Yellowstone, we took I-15 from SLC to Idaho Falls and then US-26 to the south entrance of GTNP. On the way home we left GTNP at the south entrance and took US-26 to US-89 to I-15 back to SLC. We spent the night in GTNP before heading back to SLC.