September 2022 Trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton
- 1. Travel Guide
- 2. Day 0 Flight
- 3. Day 1 Hiking in Glacier National Park
- 4. Day 2 Itinerary Change, Escaping the Haze Circle
- 5. Day 3 Hiking in Grand Teton
- 6. Day 4 Yellowstone Lake, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
- 7. Day 5 Check-in at Old Faithful Lodge
- 8. Day 6 Mammoth Hot Springs
- 9. Day 7 Finally Saw a Grizzly Bear
- 10. Day 8 Grand Teton Colter Bay
- 11. Day 9 Jenny Lake Kayak
- 12. Day 10 Going Home
- 13. Travel Summary
This content was automatically generated by gpt-4o-mini (No human review). The original post is in Chinese.
This blog shares our road trip in September this year. Here is our final driving route: google maps
After more than two months of studying for exams and interviewing for jobs, followed by over 20 days of waiting for an offer (negotiation), and then about 10 days of suffering from COVID and high temperatures, I couldn’t wait to start this summer’s trip. Fortunately, just one day before our trip, both Cuihao and I tested negative for COVID, allowing us to successfully begin this road trip.
Travel Guide
This trip was planned to visit three national parks: Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park. Since Glacier and Yellowstone are both relatively remote, it’s not easy to visit them separately, so we decided to go together. As for Yellowstone and Grand Teton, they are so close that they practically feel like one park, so it makes no sense not to visit them together.
We mainly referred to the following guides, as well as the official national park websites.
For the parks we visited, mid-September is considered shoulder season, so the number of visitors should be lower, but car rentals and accommodation prices are still quite high. Following the idea of budget travel, we often saved money on previous road trips by camping and sleeping in the car. However, after 10 days of COVID and high temperatures, we unanimously agreed to treat ourselves better this time. Therefore, we gave up camping/sleeping in the car and stayed in hotels or cabins throughout the trip, which significantly increased our expenses. We will start from John Wayne Airport (SNA) near our home, fly to Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), rent a car in Kalispell, drive from Glacier to Yellowstone, and finally return the car at Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) before flying back to SNA.
After some travel planning, our expectations for this trip include:
- Hiking, glacial lakes/mountains/glaciers in Glacier National Park
- Geothermal features and wildlife in Yellowstone National Park
- Hiking, mountains, and autumn colors in Grand Teton National Park
Day 0 Flight
Our flight was at 5:30 PM, first flying from SNA to SLC, and then connecting to FCA from SLC. Since we had a checked bag, we arrived at the airport around 4 PM to check in and go through security, leaving us with about an hour of spare time. Normally, this would be a good time to have dinner, but we usually eat around 6 or 7 PM, so 4 PM felt a bit early, and we didn’t buy anything. After arriving in SLC, we forgot about the time difference and thought we had over an hour to eat dinner, almost missing our next flight. So we missed another chance for dinner and hurried onto the plane. By the time we actually arrived in Kalispell, it was nearly 11 PM. After getting off the plane, collecting our luggage, and picking up the car, we finally hit the road at around 11:30 PM. At this point, we still hadn’t had dinner and had only eaten some small snacks provided on the flight, so we were really hungry and planned to grab something to eat before heading to the hotel. However, after trying two or three places, we found that Kalispell was really small and desolate, and many places were closed, including McDonald’s. After some searching, we finally managed to get pizza and chicken wings from Papa John’s, but by the time we reached the hotel, it was already past midnight. After showering and getting to bed, it was well past 1 AM. The lesson learned is to never book a flight that arrives this late in the afternoon, as arriving at a place after 10 PM can be really inconvenient; also, it’s essential to either pre-order dinner or bring some snacks when flying.
Day 1 Hiking in Glacier National Park
After arriving in Kalispell yesterday, our coughs actually got worse, and we thought it might be a recurrence of COVID symptoms. However, when we woke up, we were shocked to see the sky outside was gray and even a bit red. The impact of the wildfires is really significant; no wonder we’ve been coughing so much.
Today’s main task was to buy supplies. We needed to go to Costco, Target, REI, and a few other places to get dry food, vegetables, fruits, snacks, tissues, gas canisters, and most importantly, we needed to buy bear spray. Originally, we planned to have the bear spray from home shipped to the hotel where we stayed last night, but the delivery was delayed (also because we got COVID before the trip and forgot about it; by the time we remembered, it was a bit late). The plan was for it to arrive on Friday, but it turned into next Monday, so we had no choice but to buy another bear spray (you’ll find out later that the bear spray became quite a burden).
After buying the supplies, it was already close to noon, and we could finally drive to Glacier National Park. After more than an hour of driving, we checked into Motel Lake McDonald. After a short rest, we took a simple trail: Avalanche Lake Trail. This trail is about 10 kilometers round trip, ending at a glacial lake called Avalanche Lake, which is very clear and beautifully reflects the surrounding mountains. There were quite a few people on the trail, and we spent over three hours completing it just in time before sunset. I thought this trail was pretty good; it was supposed to be just an appetizer for our hiking in Glacier, but who would have thought it would be the only trail we hiked?
After the hike, we went to the lakeside in front of Lake McDonald Lodge. We originally wanted to catch the sunset, but we arrived a few minutes late, and the sun had already set. The haze by the lake was very noticeable, and the distant sky even had a faint pink hue, with the smell of something burning in the air.
Day 2 Itinerary Change, Escaping the Haze Circle
On the second day, we originally planned to hike a challenging trail: Highline Trail, which is 18 kilometers one way from a different starting point and 24 kilometers for a round trip. I had already filled the water bladder in my backpack last night. However, when I woke up, I found that the air quality was particularly poor. Cuihao checked multiple sources and found that the PM2.5 levels nearby were above 200. Once we stepped outside, it was visibly clear how severe the haze was today. Considering the harm outdoor activities could cause to our health in such weather, and the disappointment of hiking only to see a hazy view, we decided to cancel our hiking plans and instead opted for a scenic drive. So we set off from Lake McDonald and drove along Going-To-The-Sun Road to St. Mary, stopping at scenic viewpoints along the way. The haze was severe throughout the journey, and we stopped at many points, but none offered a satisfying view. Due to the haze, the mountains nearby were shrouded in mist, and those a bit farther away were completely invisible, with very poor visibility. The most disappointing stop was probably Weeping Wall, which had no water at all; overall, this Going-To-The-Sun Road was quite disappointing.
When we arrived at St. Mary, it was only 11 AM. We had initially planned to stay in Glacier for four days because we had three more hiking routes we wanted to explore. However, due to the severe haze caused by wildfires, we just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. After weighing our options, we ultimately decided to leave Glacier early and head to Yellowstone National Park that afternoon. We modified our accommodations for the next three nights and sacrificed the cost of that night’s stay (as it could no longer be canceled).
So we drove for nine hours and finally reached the area near Grand Teton, with the haze still very severe along the way (showing just how large the haze circle was, as all of Montana was engulfed in wildfires). On the way through Yellowstone, we saw one grizzly bear, two bison, and three deer. It was the first time seeing a bear in the wild, but it was very far away (at that moment, we just wanted to check in quickly and didn’t linger too long; we only watched the bear for five minutes, thinking bears were common in Yellowstone). Around 8 PM, we finally checked into a cabin at Headwaters Campground and RV Park, where we would stay for the next three days. This place has excellent signal reception, and the public restrooms/showers are in great condition, plus we can take hot showers.
The advantage of staying in the Headwaters cabin is that it is located between Yellowstone and Grand Teton, making it not far to either park. Grand Teton is mainly about the mountains, so it requires good weather, preferably sunny days; whereas Yellowstone is mainly about the geothermal pools and wildlife, so it can be visited even in rainy or overcast weather. Since most of the days in the coming week are expected to be rainy, we decided to save our precious few sunny days for Grand Teton.
Day 3 Hiking in Grand Teton
On the third day, it was a sunny day, so we headed to the most popular spot in Grand Teton, Jenny Lake, to hike the Cascade Canyon Trail. By the time we arrived at Jenny Lake, it was nearly 11 o’clock, and finding a parking spot was really difficult. We circled the parking lot several times and spent almost twenty minutes before finally snagging a spot. We started from the dock on the east shore of Jenny Lake, took a shuttle to the west shore dock, and then began our hike on the Cascade Canyon Trail. Along the way, we saw four moose. There wasn’t much snow on the mountains yet, and autumn colors hadn’t arrived, so the scenery was a bit lacking. Since the shuttle stops running at 4 PM, if we missed it, we would have to walk 2 miles around the lake. Therefore, on our way back, we hurriedly rushed down the trail at a pace of 11.5 minutes per kilometer, and we finally made it to the dock in time to queue up for the shuttle back at 4 PM.
Day 4 Yellowstone Lake, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
On the fourth day, it rained in the morning, so we drove to Yellowstone National Park. We originally planned to visit West Thumb to see the pools, but the site was temporarily closed. So we went directly to Yellowstone Lake, which is the largest high-altitude lake in North America (over 7000 ft), and then headed to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Near Hayden Valley, we saw a lot of bison and three elk. We also visited the Mud Volcano and nearby geothermal features, where we saw various strange, bubbling pools and mud pots that emitted a smell of hydrogen sulfide. By the time we reached the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone in the afternoon, the rain had stopped, and there were quite a few visitors, with many tour buses around. On the way back, we saw many more bison and traffic jams caused by bison crossing the road. Yellowstone truly is the national park where you can most easily see large wildlife.
Day 5 Check-in at Old Faithful Lodge
On the morning of the fifth day, we left Headwaters and headed to Yellowstone Airport-WYS to pick up a friend, and also stocked up on some food in West Yellowstone. After re-entering the park, we visited Lower Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic Spring), and Old Faithful Geyser, where we saw many geysers and pools. We stayed in a cabin at Old Faithful Lodge, which had much better facilities than the Headwaters cabin, and the location was excellent; we could see Old Faithful Geyser right outside. At $150 a night, it was worth it. After dinner, we took a walk nearby and watched Old Faithful erupt twice. The first time it erupted while it was raining, and we hadn’t found a good viewing spot yet. The second time, we timed it perfectly and rushed over, capturing the entire eruption under the sunset (it lasted quite a while).
Day 6 Mammoth Hot Springs
On the sixth day, it rained all day. We drove north from Old Faithful, first visiting Norris Geyser Basin, then heading to the Mammoth Hot Springs area (the Visitor Center here is quite nice, with a good introduction to the history of Yellowstone National Park). While at the Lower Terrace of Mammoth Hot Springs, the rain suddenly intensified, and my REI GTX jacket failed to keep me dry; my clothes, pants, and shoes were wet to varying degrees. To look for wildlife, we took the dirt road Blacktail Plateau Drive, where I was eagerly scanning for animals but ended up seeing none. We then drove six miles towards Lamar Valley, but the road was closed, so we could only go that far. However, in that area, we saw a lot of wildlife: bison, elk, and pronghorn. This was my first time seeing pronghorn (American antelope), and at first, I mistakenly thought they were elk. In the morning, we also spotted mule deer by the river. There are so many bison in Yellowstone National Park; they are often seen on the roads, and in some places, they cover the hills. Elk are the second most common large wildlife. On the way back, we saw a rainbow, which felt like a nice reward after a day of rain.
Day 7 Finally Saw a Grizzly Bear
On the seventh day, it finally stopped raining in the morning, but the fog was very thick. I watched the Old Faithful Geyser erupt and walked a nearby trail. Because the fog was too heavy in the basin, I drove to the Yellowstone Grand Canyon to visit a few spots I hadn’t seen before, and also went to the Visitor Center to watch a documentary and learn about Yellowstone’s geology (I think Yellowstone’s Visitor Centers do a great job of educating; several Visitor Centers have different content, and it’s very rich). On the way back, I saw a Grizzly Bear. Earlier, a Ranger had told me there would be a bear here at 1 PM, and I didn’t expect to see so many cars around at 2 PM. Just by looking at the number of parked cars along the road and people with various cameras pointed into the distance, I knew this was definitely not a Bison, so we also stopped. We watched for an hour by the roadside; for the entire hour, the bear hardly moved at all, just digging for roots in the distance? It raised its head very few times, but I could confirm it was a Grizzly Bear because its shoulders were very high and it was quite large. When it did lift its head, I could indeed see it was a bear. In the end, the bear didn’t give us much of a show; after an hour, we only saw its back, so we left. Next, we headed to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook trailhead for the third time. The first time we planned to hike the trail to the overlook, it rained heavily; the second time, we intended to go this morning, but the visibility was very low due to fog. The view of the Grand Prismatic Spring from the overlook was still quite nice and worth the hike. Finally, in the biting cold wind, we walked through Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin.
During this trip to Yellowstone, I saw 2 Grizzly Bears, 2 Mule Deer, many Elk, Pronghorns, and even more Bison, but the only large wild animal I didn’t see was a Wolf. Today, I met a couple of tourists who saw many wolves yesterday, right near the area we visited. The only difference was that we were there around 3 PM, and it was raining at that time. But they left their accommodation at 4 AM, arrived at the spot where wolves often appear by 6 AM, and watched the wolves for four hours. In comparison, we sleep until after 7 AM every day, so we just can’t make it to the places where wildlife is active at sunrise and sunset.
Day 8 Grand Teton Colter Bay
On the eighth day, we finally left Yellowstone and headed south back to Grand Teton National Park. As soon as we arrived at the Colter Bay Visitor Center, we encountered a Ranger Program, so we joined the Hike With Ranger activity and walked 4 km with a group of tourists. Hiking with the ranger was very interesting because he often stopped to explain relevant knowledge (geography, history, flora and fauna, etc.) to us. For example, he explained why the water level of Jackson Lake is so low this year that most of the lakebed is exposed, and how Mt. Maron, although not the highest in the Teton Range, is the largest in volume. During the hike, we even saw five deer, which were probably mule deer. In the end, we visited several viewpoints along the Grand Teton road to see the peaks (Signal Mountain, Oxbow Bend, Elk Ranch Flats Turnout, etc.), but unfortunately, it was backlit in the afternoon, and the photos of the mountains turned out dark, which was quite disappointing.
In the evening, after dinner at the campground, we went for a walk and encountered the evening program at the campsite. The staff gathered around a campfire in an outdoor amphitheater to introduce the sounds of wildlife. They explained the calls of elk of different ages and genders, as well as the meanings of the different calls. One of the staff even performed several vocal imitations of elk calls. Additionally, we listened to the sounds of moose, bison, and bears, which was very interesting.
Day 9 Jenny Lake Kayak
On the ninth day, we were still in Grand Teton National Park. We got up early to watch the sunrise at Oxbow Bend and see Mt. Moran. There were quite a few people there to catch the sunrise, including many landscape photographers. However, there was a layer of fog over the river before sunrise, so the reflections on the water weren’t very clear. When the sun rose, the fog lifted a bit, but it still obscured some of the mountains. Personally, I feel that the best time to photograph Oxbow Bend is about two hours after sunrise, when the blue sky and white clouds reflect beautifully on the water. After watching the sunrise, we drove along Jenny Lake Rd scenic highway, but to our surprise, the road was closed, and we could only reach String Lake. Next, we hiked the Moose Ponds Trail near Jenny Lake, and we actually saw a female moose drinking water, proving that Moose Ponds lives up to its name. After the hike, since it was still early, we rented a tandem kayak at Jenny Lake, finally getting to paddle on our road trip. I must say, the wind and waves on Jenny Lake were quite strong at noon, and we were pretty nervous crossing the lake, fearing we might capsize in the cold water. In the afternoon, we hiked the Taggart Lake Loop, where we saw a herd of pronghorn and heard elk calls. Before sunset, we drove along Moose Wilson Rd and spotted two moose grazing by the river. It was a tiring day with two hikes and one kayaking trip. Overall, if you want to see the mountains in Grand Teton, it’s best to do it in the morning when the lighting is good; the mountains we saw today were much more beautiful than those we saw yesterday.
Day 10 Going Home
The day of returning home turned out to be another unlucky day. Before heading to the airport in the morning, we needed to send the Bear Spray from Jackson. Jackson is really a small place, with narrow roads and heavy traffic, leaving us with a bad impression. The FedEx Office in Jackson couldn’t ship Bear Spray, so we went to USPS to send it, which wasted quite a bit of time. When we arrived at Jackson Hole Airport, we found that the location was quite nice, with a direct view of the Teton Range. During our layover in SLC, our last flight home was delayed by 3 hours and might continue to be delayed. After much deliberation, we changed our flight from SLC to LAX and rented a car in LA to drive back to Irvine. We were supposed to arrive at SNA Airport around 4 PM, but finally got home after 8 PM.
Travel Summary
This trip covered a total of 1422 miles, and here’s the driving route again: google maps
This trip was full of ups and downs. The biggest disappointment was the wildfires in Montana, which caused extensive haze that lasted a long time, reducing our 4-day trip to Glacier National Park to just 1 day, and we missed many great trails. Additionally, several areas in Yellowstone National Park were closed; not only was West Thumb closed, but the Beartooth Highway in Lamar Valley was also closed, preventing us from seeing wildlife (mainly wolf packs). There was also rain and heavy fog; we got rained on, and several mornings were affected by thick morning fog, hindering our views. Lastly, we didn’t see the snow-capped mountains and autumn colors in the Tetons. This summer was relatively hot, and it seems we didn’t time our visit well, as there was no snow yet and the fall colors hadn’t arrived, so the scenery was quite lacking.
The highlight of this trip was Yellowstone National Park, with its beautiful hot springs, geysers, large wildlife, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. All of this is due to the geothermal resources here, a truly magical place shaped by volcanic eruptions and frequent earthquakes many years ago.
I slept very poorly over the past 10 days, with an average high energy level of 58 and a low of 7.2 over 8 consecutive days. Even though I slept around 9 hours each day, we didn’t sleep in the car or in a tent at all. I returned home from this trip feeling exhausted; aside from flight and weather factors, the main issue was poor sleep quality. It was even worse than when I was under work stress, as I felt like I was continuously burned out for 10 days. I believe the high altitude affected my sleep; I spent 5 days at Headwaters at an altitude of 2088 meters and 3 days at Old Faithful in Yellowstone at an altitude of 2240 meters.
The total cost of this trip was $2600 (food $300, gas $210, car rental $570, airfare $20, accommodation $1200, other $300). This trip was the longest, most expensive, least enjoyable, and most frustrating trip we’ve had in the past 3 years. That’s life; even if you take time off, spend money, and do a lot of planning, there are still joys and troubles during the journey.
