This trip was a 14 night trip starting in late August into September. We flew into Jackson Hole, Wy and took a return flight from Rapid City, SD.
The breakdown was: 5 nights @ Jackson Hole, WY 2 nights @ Old Faithful Inn Yellowstone Park, Wy 2 nights @ Canyon Village Lodge Yellowstone Park, Wy 1 night @ Cody, Wyoming 1 night @ Sheridan, WY 1 night @ Deadwood, SD 2 nights @ Keystone, SD 3 nights @ Rapid City, SD
The trip was planned by first doing some early bookings of nights in Yellowstone National Park with primary consideration for Old Faithful Inn. These rooms go fast and need to be done months in advance! The rest of the trip was then laid out using multiple sources including Roadtrippers to plan a route between destinations with considerations given to points of interest and drive time (we like to limit it to less than 5 hours in the car).
The car was rented in Jackson and dropped off in Rapid City. Note: some car rentals have extra charges for not dropping a car at the same location it was rented.
Finally not all of the sites listed were actually visited and we took in others that are not here. This guide is used as a starting point but after hitting a new destination we first try to visit Welcome / Visitor Centers to hotel concierge to put final activities in place!
Jackson was 5 nights because of the flight time, car and check-in took most of the first day; plenty to see and do in Jackson; and we used this location as our base for sightseeing up into the Tetons.
Hotel: “western hospitality and elegance”
The legacy of western hospitality and elegance begin when you arrive at your Jackson Hole destination location at the Wyoming Inn. As our guests, we invite you to experience the luxurious and enduring qualities of our Inn, amenities, and Breakfast Restaurant. Our qualified and knowledgeable Guest Services Agents are available to assist you as your new vacation memories begin with us!
The Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center is an inter-agency visitor center located in Jackson, WY. The visitor center is owned and operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the National Elk Refuge. The six agencies that operate from the visitor center are the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Grand Teton Association, Grand Teton National Park, National Elk Refuge, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, and Wyoming Game & Fish.
The visitor center offers beautiful views onto the National Elk Refuge as well as indoor interpretive displays. Surrounding wetland and grassland habitat allows for excellent bird and wildlife observation year round.
“connecting people to places” Founded in 1958 by avocational archaeologist and western history enthusiast Slim Lawrence, Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum plays a critical role in the Jackson Hole community and Greater Yellowstone. In addition to collecting, preserving and exploring the past, the museum supports educational programs and research that focuses on archaeology and the history of the Native American presence in the Intermountain West. The fur trade, homestead, ranching and dude ranch eras, development of tourism, mountaineering, skiing and other outdoor recreation, are also part of our mission, as well as the importance of the region’s role in the history of the country’s national and international conservation movements.
“Wyoming's landmark watering hole” Welcome to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming! The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is no ordinary bar. This gallery-like atmosphere is an awesome display of the true Wild West. The decor alone will keep you fascinated for hours at a time. Wyoming's landmark watering hole for spirits, beer and wine, The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is located right on the town square in the heart of Jackson. It is famous for its western cowboy flare motif, complete with a large collection of western memorabilia, unique knobbled pine architecture, cowboy murals, animal mounts, and genuine saddle barstools. The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is known world wide for its western dancing and live entertainment. Some of the finest entertainers on the country music scene have been known to hit the stage here, including Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Jr., Asleep at the Wheel, Hoyt Axton, Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Willie Nelson, Commander Cody and the James Cotton Blues Band.
We went and had some good wholesome fun... fantastic night!
Welcome to the Historic Jackson Hole Rodeo! Rodeo has been a part of Jackson Hole’s cowboy culture since the first settlers arrived over 100 years ago. Your Jackson Hole vacation would not be complete without experiencing the legendary Jackson Hole Rodeo. See you at the Rodeo!
We went here 1 night as well and had some good wholesome fun... another fantastic night! When researching this we found some videos of the act on the Internet. Note: I did see a notice from them that this may be their last season.
"Western music, stand-up comedy show” Some folks call it a western music show; some call it a stand-up comedy show with masterful cowboy music; others call it the best musical experience in the west. Call it what you want to - the fact remains - The Bar J Wranglers from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, deliver some of the purest harmony, best musicianship and funniest ranch humor ever seen on stage. As soon as the Bar J Wranglers take to the stage, listeners leave behind their busy life and settle into a time long ago - a time of the singing cowboy.
Note: this is a seasonal event and there were no Elk when we were there.
“Helping protect the Elk population” The National Elk Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Wyoming and was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for the largest elk (also known as the wapiti) herd on Earth. The refuge borders the town of Jackson, Wyoming on the northeast while Bridger-Teton National Forest is to the east and Grand Teton National Park borders the refuge to the north. It is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Elk migrate from as far away as southern Yellowstone National Park and historically migrated south of the present location of the refuge into southwestern Wyoming during the fall, wintering on grassy plains that were usually snowfree most of the winter. During the spring, the herd would follow the retreating snows back into the Yellowstone National Park region. The original size of the elk herd has been estimated to have been in excess of 25,000. The expansion of the town of Jackson blocked off the migration route by the end of the 19th century and the elk herd was severely reduced in size due to the hostile climate and lack of food supply.
“culturally unique landmarks” The four elk antler arches are culturally unique landmarks. If you spend time around Town Square, you'll see people taking photos with the iconic arches as a backdrop, from family vacation keepsakes to office staff portraits and everything in between!
“inspiring international appreciation and knowledge of fine art” The National Museum of Wildlife Art focusses on wildlife and nature. This museum is unique among American art museums. The NMWA was founded to enrich and inspire international appreciation and knowledge of fine art. With a collection of over 5,000 catalogued works of art, the museum strives to strengthen humanity's relationship with nature through its collections, exhibitions, research, educational programs and publications. The beautiful building that houses the museum is located on a butte overlooking the 20,000-acre National Elk Refuge and is on route to Grand Teton National and Yellowstone National Parks.
Great views!
“up, up, and away!” Our current tram, is the second tram of its kind at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. In 2006, after forty years of service, we retired our first tram and began building our new bigger and sleeker version, which currently runs today. The original Tram held 52 people and took 10.5 minutes to reach the summit, while the new tram holds 100 and takes just about 9 minutes to the top.
Miles of trails a great scenery and views. The Park Service website has a great detailed map that can be downloaded as a PDF file.
“Discover the mountains of Imagination” Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place. Park rangers provide a wide variety of activities for park visitors including hikes, slide shows, children's activities and wildlife viewing. Did you know that a large fault lies at the base of the Teton Range? Every few thousand years earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter Scale signal movement on the Teton fault, lifting the mountains skyward and hinging the valley floor downward. Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Wyoming. At approximately 310,000 acres (130,000 ha), the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long (64 km) Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. It is only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, to which it is connected by the National Park Service-managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.
Phelps Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The natural lake is located at the entrance to Death Canyon in the southern section of the park. A number of hiking trails can be found near the lake, the most popular being a 1.8 mile (2.9 km) roundtrip hike to the Phelps Lake overlook.
“In the middle of Grand Teton” The Chapel of the Transfiguration The rustic Episcopal Chapel of the Transfiguration, constructed in 1925, held the first services on July 26 of that year. Prior to its construction, worshipers traveled 12 miles over rough roads to the town of Jackson. Today, that is just a short car ride away, but in the 1920’s roads were rough and automobiles rare. Once fully constructed, the Chapel of the Transfiguration served to provide spiritual refreshment to dude ranchers and tourists that flocked to the chapel every Sunday to worship and gather as a community. Today, the Chapel continues to draw people, and services are held every Sunday during the summer.
Across the valley, the Teton Range rises abruptly from the valley with no foothills to obscure your view. Glaciers lie sheltered on the northeastern flanks of the highest peaks including the Middle Teton and Teton glaciers. Climate change is causing these glaciers to retreat. Smaller glaciers are retreating more rapidly than larger glaciers. Along the valley floor, conifer and cottonwood trees line the Snake River as it cuts through the sagebrush flats.
Jenny Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The lake was formed approximately 12,000 years ago by glaciers pushing rock debris which carved Cascade Canyon during the last glacial maximum, forming a terminal moraine which now impounds the lake. The lake is estimated to be deep and encompasses . Jenny Lake is considered to be a major focal point in Grand Teton National Park, with many hiking trails, scenic boat rides, and quick access to the major climbing routes onto the tallest peaks of the Teton Range. Jenny and Jackson Lakes are the only lakes in Grand Teton National Park where motorboats are permitted; both lakes have scenic tours available. A 2005 study of the water quality of the lakes in Grand Teton National Park indicated that all the lakes in the park were still considered pristine and that they had not been impacted by air or water pollution. Jenny Lake is a starting point for many day and overnight hiking trips. The Jenny Lake Trail loops around the lake and is considered to be relatively easy due to the small altitude gain of . However, the altitude increases rapidly once Cascade Canyon is entered. Jenny Lake is named after a Shoshone Indian woman who married an Englishman, Richard "Beaver Dick" Leigh. Jenny, and their 6 children, died of Smallpox in 1876.
Jackson Hole – Snake River Scenic Float Trips and Guided Fishing Trips Entirely in Grand Teton National Park.
“a starting point in grand teton np!” The Colter Bay Visitor Center offers trip planning, weather, permits and camping information.Rangers lead a variety of programs throughout the day including a hike to Swan Lake, a lakeshore stroll, a tipi demonstration, Indian arts and culture, wildlife watches, short presentations on park highlights, and a variety of evening programs. Please refer to the park newspaper for current schedules.Become a Junior Ranger of any age! Either complete a worksheet and one ranger-led program, or during the summer attend a Jr. Ranger program limited to 8-12 year olds.Enjoy 35 never before see Indian artifacts from the David T. Vernon collection. Visiting Indian artists from around the country demonstrate and sell their artwork in the lower level of the museum during the summer.Visit the permits desk for backpacking information and permits, or to purchase a boat permit.
“natural link between 2 national parks” Located at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Rockefeller Parkway connects Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. The late conservationist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made significant contributions to several national parks including Grand Teton, Acadia, Great Smoky Mountains, and Virgin Islands. In 1972 Congress dedicated a 24,000-acre parcel of land as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway to recognize his generosity and foresight. Congress also named the highway from the south boundary of Grand Teton to West Thumb in Yellowstone in honor of Rockefeller. The parkway provides a natural link between the two national parks and contains features characteristic of both areas. In the parkway, the Teton Range ramps down a gentle slope at its northern end, while rocks born of volcanic flows from Yellowstone line the Snake River and form outcrops scattered atop hills and ridges.
Miles of trails a great scenery and views and some many points of interest to see - too many to list. We did see lots of wildlife: Bison, Elk and Bear! The Park Service website has a great detailed map that can be downloaded as a PDF file.
“1st national park in the world” It's a wonderland. Old Faithful and the majority of the world's geysers are preserved here. They are the main reason the park was established in 1872 as America's first national park—an idea that spread worldwide. A mountain wildland, home to grizzly bears, wolves, and herds of bison and elk, the park is the core of one of the last, nearly intact, natural ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone.
