Hi,
I will be attending a wedding in Jackson Hole in June. Airfare is outrageous, but it appears less if fly into Salt Lake City, rent a car and drive from there. Could anyone tell me what the drive is like? We are anticipating making the drive the same day as I understand it may take 5 hours to reach our destination. Is this even do-able? Also, how travel friendly is the Salt Lake City airport? We have two small children.
Thanks for your help!
Pam
Yes 5 hours can be driven fast. SLC is fairly easy to get rental cars in and get out of. It's right off I-80.
Get on I-80 East almost immediatly merge onto I-215 North. So as you leave the airport stay left to get on I-80. Then stay right to get on the offramp for I-215. Stay on the left of the offramp to get on I-215 northbound.
After you cross the border into Idaho go about 30 miles and make a choice, the fast way or the freeway.
For the
fast way, exit at McCammon US30. Take US30 east to Soda Springs, ID(last fast food until Jackson). In Soda Spring take a left to go on a bridge over the rail road tracks. This is ID 34. After the bridge take a right. Stay on ID34 to the town of Freedom(ID or WY it's on the border). In Freedom make a right, then the next left. Road goes about a mile up a slight grade(It's a county number road, don't know the number). Go left on the Highway US89. Take north. In Alpine, WY at the stop light go right, still on US89. Follow the Snake River through a canyon. In Hoback Wy is some construction, building a round about. Make a left following the Snake River still taking US89.
For the
freeway take I-15 to Idaho Falls, ID. Don't take the first exit that says Jackson or Grand Tetons or Yellowstone. Take the Broadway exit(I think exit #118) It is just past a
Walmart on the Right and near an Olive Garden. Take a right on Broadway going west. In the down town you want to merge left to turn left on the Yellowstone Highway US26. Idaho Falls will have the last fast food until Jackson (BK and Taco time on the right). Take US 26 until Swan Valley, ID.
In Swan Valley you can choose the quicker more difficult mountain drive, or the longer way.
For the quicker drive make a left in Swan Valley, ID going onto ID 31. You go over one mountain pass. In Victor Idaho make a right onto ID33, this road goes over another mountain pass. It changes from ID33 to WY22. In Jackson Hole at the first stop light Teton Village is to the left. If you go strait it will take you into the town of Jackson, WY. In town, at the 3rd light make a left, at the Town Square make a left to Grand Teton National Park.
In Swan Valley if you take the longer way continue on US 26. In Alpine, WY at the stop light take a left onto US89. In Hoback, WY where there will be contruction on the intersection go north staying on US89/26 which take you into Jackson, WY.
If you have any question please feel free to send me a PM. I will be happy to give specific directions to lodging, dining, stores or the wedding location.
