Grand Teton National Park

Jackson, home to about 10,800 people, is the main town in the Jackson Hole valley and the natural base for Grand Teton National Park. It sits at 6,237 feet (1,901 m), right next to the National Elk Refuge, and is named for trapper David Jackson, who also gave the valley its name.Shops, restaurants and bars such as the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar line the Town Square with its four elk-antler arches. In summer a shootout is staged there Monday through Saturday at 6 p.m.; in winter there's an ice rink. On the edge of town, Snow King Mountain was Wyoming's first ski area, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village is 12 miles (19 km) away.Know Before You GoLocation: Jackson Hole Airport is about 7 miles (11 km) north of town, inside Grand Teton National Park.Seasons: Summer is for the national parks; winter is for skiing and horse-drawn sleigh rides among the elk on the refuge.Without a car: The START bus is free within town, but no public bus runs to the national parks.

Established in 1872, Yellowstone is considered the world's first national park. Most of it lies in northwest Wyoming, with slivers in Montana and Idaho, and people come for the geysers, the hot springs, and the free-roaming bison and elk.The park has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including over 500 geysers. Old Faithful goes off about every 90 minutes on average, and predicted times are posted at the visitor center. In the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Lower Falls drop 308 feet, and in the Lamar Valley in the northeast corner you can watch bison at dawn and, with luck, wolves.Good to knowFees: $35 per vehicle for 7 days, cash or card. Since 2026, visitors who don't live in the U.S. pay an extra $100 per person age 16 and up, unless they have an annual pass. No entry reservation is required.Season: In 2026 the first roads from the West and North entrances opened on April 17, with more following in May. Most roads close to cars in early November.Time: Give it at least two days, ideally three; distances between areas are long. Start early, because lots at Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic fill fast in summer.

Wyoming borders Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, and with about 589,000 residents it's the least populous state in the country. You come for the national parks, the mountains, and the old Western towns, and you drive long stretches of nearly empty country in between.In the northwest, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park sit end to end, linked by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Jackson, at the south end of Grand Teton, is the base for flights, hotels, and restaurants. Gannett Peak, the state's highest summit, rises in the remote Wind River Range.In the northeast, Devils Tower stands 867 feet above its base and 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Theodore Roosevelt made it the first national monument in 1906. Cody, named for Buffalo Bill, sits on the road to Yellowstone's East Entrance; the capital, Cheyenne, is in the southeast corner.

Arches National Park lies in eastern Utah just north of the town of Moab, about four hours southeast of Salt Lake City. It holds more than 2,000 sandstone arches, and the most famous, including Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, are within short to moderate hikes of the road.A 19-mile scenic drive runs through the park past the trailheads for the Windows Section, Balanced Rock, Wolfe Ranch and, at the far end, Devils Garden. You'll reach many arches within 15 minutes on foot, but there's almost no shade along the way.Moab as your baseMoab is five minutes from the park entrance and also the base for Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. It has hotels at every price point, grocery stores, gas and outfitters for jeep, rafting and canyoneering trips. Rooms book up early in the March to October high season.What to know in 2026No timed entry: you don't need an entry reservation in 2026. Expect lines at the entrance on weekends and holidays, and lots that staff close temporarily when they fill up.Still reservation-only: Devils Garden Campground (March through October) and every Fiery Furnace hike, self-guided or ranger-led.Entrance fee: $30 per private vehicle. Arches does not charge the $100 nonresident surcharge. The $55 Southeast Utah Parks annual pass covers Arches, Canyonlands and two national monuments.Heat: July and August highs often pass 100°F. Hike early or late and carry at least two liters of water per person; water is only available at the visitor center.

Moab is a small town of about 5,000 people in eastern Utah, on the Colorado River and US 191, just under four hours' drive southeast of Salt Lake City. It's where you'll stay for Arches National Park, five minutes up the road, and Canyonlands' Island in the Sky district, about 45 minutes away.Main Street doubles as US 191: motels, outfitters, grocery stores and most restaurants are on it or a block or two off it. Jeep, rafting and mountain bike tours leave from here, and in the evening most visitors end up on the Main Street patios after a day on the trail.Good to knowPeak season: March through October, especially around Easter (Jeep Safari) and holiday weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day. Book rooms and campsites weeks or months ahead.Heat: July and August regularly top 100°F. Hike early in the morning or in the evening.Groceries: City Market on Main Street is the biggest grocery store in the area. Stock up on water and supplies before heading into the parks.