Hike, Bike and Paddle Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks
On today’s episode we head to northwest Wyoming to go on an adventure in the USA’s first national park, Yellowstone, and the nearby and also exceptionally beautiful Teton national park.
Both Yellowstone and Teton are known for their outstanding natural beauty as well as abundant wildlife, including elk, moose, bear, deer, pronghorn and big horn sheep and many smaller mammals and birds.
Yellowstone is home to ALL the different kinds of geysers and has some of the coolest and most colorful thermal hot springs you’ll ever see.
My guest, Irene, went with my affiliate, Active Adventures on a virtually all-inclusive adventure holiday. Email me for an exclusive Active Adventures discount promo code (they won’t let me publish it).
Learn what Irene did and saw and all about her outstanding adventure vacation on today’s podcast!
Here is an earlier episode about exploring the Grand Tetons with my friend, Lorna:
Why Visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
You will understand the expression, “Big Sky” when you visit Wyoming and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks!
The mountains jut up majestically from the plains, giving you unparalleled scenery! Plus, these parks are loaded with incredible BIG wildlife, much of which you can see from the roads. I had a bull moose walk into my campground outside Teton, and we saw a huge elk resting in the shade nearby. I saw bison by the hundreds – and let me tell you, they are ginormous! Their heads must be two feet across!
And in Yellowstone, you will see geysers galore and incredibly colorful thermal pools that look surreal.
Both Yellowstone and Teton also mean adventure! You can hike and bike amongst these rugged mountains, and float and raft the beautiful Snake River.
Active Adventures is a long time affiliate of my Active Travel Adventures podcast. I have personally gone on six of their amazing tours, and have Everest Base Camp with them scheduled for next year. Obviously, I’m a huge fan! They give my listeners an exclusive Active Adventures discount Promo Code: email me for the current code (they won’t let me publish it). It’s good for any of their outstanding worldwide adventure travel tours.
Why Go On a Guided Tour of Yellowstone and Teton National Parks
Let’s be frank: the national parks in the United States have become over-loved and are too crowded! If you are trying to see the best features of a park, it can sometimes be challenging, with some timing visits or demanding shuttle passes.
If you go with one of the National Forest approved tour companies, you get to skip the lines and frustration, and get driven right to where you want to see. Plus, these tour companies know when to go where to best avoid crowds, and they know of special places not regularly touristed. In addition, when you are hiking or biking a trail, there will be a van waiting for you at the end so you don’t have to waste time backtracking, saving you precious vacation time and allowing you to see and do more!
One of my favorite reasons to go on a small group guided tour whenever I venture into the wild, is not only safety and logistics, but also because the guides offer a wealth of knnowledge on the history, flora and fauna, so I get a much better understanding of what I am experiencing!
So while you can certainly go to any of the US national parks without a guide, I can assure you that you will have a less stressful and more enjoyable experience if you use one.
When to Visit Yellowstone and Teton National Parks
The parks may be open year ’round, but in the harsh winter climate of northwest Wyoming, many of the roads will be closed.
The best time to visit these parks for full access is from June through August. During the summer months, you can hike, bike and paddle as a way of exploring these magnificent parks.
But if you LOVE THE COLD, you can check out Active Adventures Yellowstone in the Winter tour! Better yet, do both, and get a completely different experience!
Active Adventures tours covered on the ATA podcast
I have covered numerous Active Adventure tours. You can check them out HERE.
Similar name to mine, but a different company
Active Adventures Promo Code
As a long time affiliate of the podcast, Active Adventures offers ATA listeners an exclusive discount promo code. I’m not allowed to publish it, so simply Email Me and I’ll send you the current code right away.
Things to Do in Yellowstone and Teton National Park
Yellowstone and Teton are an adventurer’s paradise! There are loads of trails to explore, a river to raft or float, and incredible wildlife and landscapes to discover.
The Active Adventures tour shows you the highlights, so you can see both parks’s best attractions on a week’s vacation.
If you prefer to plan everything yourself, or wish to stay longer, here is a list of things to do in Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. For access to a FREE printer-friendly Yellowstone and Teton National Park adventure travel planner, click HERE. I don’t spam you or sell your name, and you’ll get access to ALL of the adventure travel planners from the show as well as a once a month newsletter.
Hike * Bike * Raft * Float * Fish * Climbing and Mountaineering * Wildlife Viewing *
Wildlife Viewing at Teton National Park
This pristine ecosytem is host to a vast variety of wildlife and there are plenty of opportunities to see animals big and small in their native habitat. You are likely to see elk, deer and bears, and while rare, possibly even a wolf.
Peregrine Falcons have returned to the park! When they are nesting, trails nearby might be closed, so check with the Rangers before you head out.
Oxbow Bend
Otters, osprey, bald eagles, pelicans and mergansers can be found fishing for suckers and trout. You might also see beavers and muskrats, or moose or elk grazing in the open areas.
Timbered Island
In this forested area, you can see pronghorn antelope, the US’ fastest land animal. At dawn and dusk the elk leave the trees to graze the grasses nearby.
Mormon Row
It’s common to see bison and the pronhorns along Mormon row and Antelope Flats from spring – fall.
Snake River
Be on the lookout for moose, elk and bison grazing on the grasslands along the river. Look up to see large nests of the osprey, eagles and great blue herons that call this river home.
Cascade Canyon
Songbird heaven! You can see mule deer and moose grazing. The squirrels can be a pest and beg – DO NOT FEED THEM!
Blacktail Pond
When it’s cooler, you might see elk grazing on the grassy meadows, and moose on the willow along the river. Many ducks frequent the pond.For you best chances to see what you are looking for, check out this NPS link.
Who Should Visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park
All of the US National Parks have something for everyone to enjoy! So whether you are traveling solo or as a couple or with friends, or with a family that has young children, there is always something exciting to see and do! The US National Park system is a treasure!
Irene’s small group Active Adventures tour was an ‘Adults Only’ tour (they also offer ‘Family Tours’of Yellowstone). And if you have a few more days, you can consider their Yellowstone, Teton AND Glacier National Park 8 day tour.
I covered my own camping and hiking adventure in Glacier National Park on an earlier episode. You can check it out HERE.
Jackson Hole WY : Gateway to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks
The best way to get to Jackson, Yellowstone and Teton national parks is by flying into the delightful Jackson Hole Airport(JAC). I do believe it is the prettiest airport I’ve ever seen, and as a bonus, it is very close to the delightful town of Jackson Hole.
The airport is served year-round by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta and United, with seasonal service by Sun Country Airlines. Visit this link to see direct flights so you can plan the best route for you to JAC airport. There is FREE shuttle to town from the airport and for a modest fee to get to Teton Village.
Jackson Hole, WY Things To Do Besides Yellowstone and Tetons
Try to spend at least a couple of days in Jackson Hole!
It is a charming, upscale western town with loads of boutiques and restaurants.
Be sure to check out the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse : it is popular with locals as well as tourists. It’s located in the heart of town and features regular live music. Also consider Piste Mountain Bistro: Our earlier Teton guest, Lorna, also recommends checking out Piste for pizza. Open late June to early September.
In Jackson Hole, you can visit the National Elk Refuge, Jackson Town Square, where you can see the famous Elk Antler Arch, go horseback riding or even see a rodeo, a highlight of Irene’s vacation!
Tram: Get an unparalled view of the Tetons and Jackson Hole from the 12 minute tram ride up over 4000′ from Teton Village (fee). It runs mid-May through early October.
Breakfast and Dinner Cruises: Starting from the Colter Bay Marina, enjoy a great meal while getting a tour on beautiful Jackson Lake on a breakfast or dinner cruise. You’ll learn about the history of the area and gain insights about this magnificent region. Runs May to early Sept.
42 Mile Scenic Loop Drive: A great way to see Grand Teton National Park! You drive Teton Park Road, the one-way Jenny Lake scenic drive and some of Hwy 89 to visit Jenny Lake, the Craig Thomas Visitor Center in Moose, Schwabacher’s Landing, Snake River Overlook, Cunningham Cabin, Oxbow Bend, and the Signal Mounain Summit Road. This drive will give you a great overview of the park.
Important: This is bear country and you need to carry bear spray and use bear canisters or use the boxes if hiking. Check out our companion podcast and webpage on Safety Tips for Hiking in Bear Country on the Adventure Travel Show Podcast. It’s best not to bring your dog. Plus dogs are not allowed many places.
Permits are required for many activities and for crowd control. Check with the Rangers. Try to book your permits 6-9 months in advance so you won’t be disappointed!
