Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park
Day 1: Tuesday:
We started the day bright and early, thanks to the fact that our bodies were still operating on New York time!
After a delicious pancake breakfast, we headed to Dave Hansen Whitewater Rafting for a morning on the Snake River. After a quick check-in, we boarded a shuttle bus to the raft launch, suited up in our life jackets, and headed down to the river with our group.
Our guide, Turtle, was fantastic! She was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the area, sharing information about the local wildlife and landscape throughout the trip.
The ride was a peaceful two-hour float down the Snake River, and we were lucky enough to spot many bald eagles, beavers, and river otters along the way. There were a few small waves toward the end, but nothing too intense. Overall, this was a wonderful and easy activity for families traveling with young children.
Once we were back in Jackson Hole, we made a quick stop at Albertsons to stock up on some basics, including fruits, vegetables, and paper goods. After dropping everything off at our cabin, we headed back out toward Grand Teton National Park.
Honestly, even the drive to the park was beautiful!
Our first stop was the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. Although there is a large parking lot, this is one of the most popular areas of the park, and parking can be challenging. Be prepared to circle for a while—or possibly park along the road.
Thankfully, after a little circling, we found a spot. After a quick bathroom break, we headed to the boat dock to purchase tickets for the shuttle across the lake. The shuttle operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so even if you purchase tickets for a particular time, boarding at that exact time is not guaranteed. Because the morning had started out cloudy, the park was much quieter than a typical summer day, and we had no wait for our shuttle.
Jenny Lake was absolutely magnificent. The brilliant color of the water, surrounded by the towering Teton mountains, was truly a sight to behold.
The shuttle ride across the lake took about 10 minutes. Our captain was incredibly friendly and gave us helpful information about the different hikes in the area. Once across the lake, we headed toward Hidden Falls. The hike is approximately one mile and can be combined with an additional mile to Inspiration Point. The beginning of the trail is steep but manageable with a stroller. However, once you reach the first falls, the path becomes much more difficult to navigate with a stroller due to stairs and rocky terrain. Both of our children walked the entire way to the falls! Although the hike is relatively short, it is definitely strenuous, with much of the trail at a steep incline. Thankfully, the view at the end made every step worthwhile. The waterfall cascades dramatically down the face of the mountain and is absolutely beautiful.
The hike back down was much easier since it was mostly downhill. We decided not to continue to Inspiration Point because the kids were hot and tired, and honestly, so were we!
After taking the shuttle back across Jenny Lake, we headed down to the shore for some beach time. We were all so hot that the freezing water felt incredibly refreshing! We spent some time splashing around and cooling off before eventually heading back to the car.
Next, we drove to the Jenny Lake Overlook, a short scenic drive to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains.
From there, we continued along Teton Park Road, stopping at several scenic pullouts along the way.
We headed to Oxbow Bend next, hoping to spot some wildlife. Although we weren't lucky enough to see much wildlife that day, the views alone made the stop worthwhile.
Our next stop was the String Lake Picnic Area, where we had planned to make a BBQ supper. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we saw signs letting us know that fires were not permitted. Grand Teton National Park does not allow BBQs at many of its picnic areas, so definitely check the rules before making plans!
Although we couldn't enjoy our supper there, we spent some time taking in the magnificent views of the lake before heading back to the car. We then left the park via Moose-Wilson Road, once again hoping to spot some wildlife, but unfortunately, we weren't successful.
However, we did find a gorgeous pullout along the side of the road, where we stopped and enjoyed a delicious BBQ supper surrounded by beautiful scenery before finally heading back to our cabin.
It was a long but wonderful first day exploring Grand Teton National Park!
Day 2: Wednesday:
After checking out of our cabin, we headed to Schwabacher Landing, located just outside Grand Teton National Park. The trail is flat, stroller-friendly, and absolutely beautiful, with incredible views of the Tetons stretching out before you the entire way. The walk is approximately 15 minutes each way, making it perfect for families with young children.
And then we got an unexpected bonus: we spotted moose in the wild! Watching these incredible animals in their natural habitat was definitely one of the highlights of our time in Grand Teton.
Next, we headed into the park to our first official stop of the day: String Lake.
This is a very popular area of the park, and parking can be difficult to find. I would recommend arriving early or being prepared to circle and wait for a parking spot.
Once we finally found parking, we headed to the trailhead located at the end of the beach.
The String Lake Loop is mostly flat and stroller-friendly, although both of our kids spent most of the hike running down the pathway! The views along the trail were absolutely magnificent. The glistening turquoise water surrounded by the towering Teton Range made this one of our favorite walks in the park. At one point, we discovered a quiet little sandy beach and immediately took off our shoes and socks to cool off in the water for a few minutes. The water was crystal clear, beautiful, and refreshingly cold.
We continued hiking for another half mile until we reached the fork where you can either continue around String Lake or head toward Leigh Lake. Our original plan was to continue to Leigh Lake, but the kids were beginning to get tired, so we decided to turn around and head back.
Once back at the parking lot, we enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch before heading back to the main beach for some much-needed swimming and cooling off. We had such a great time splashing around in the shallow water! The lake is definitely cold when you first get in, but after a minute or two, your body adjusts, and it becomes incredibly refreshing.
After our swim, we headed to Signal Mountain Summit. The drive up was beautiful, and the views from the top were absolutely incredible. We spent some time taking in the scenery before continuing to Signal Mountain Lodge to see if we could rent a boat.
Unfortunately, the only rentals available that day were kayaks, and our daughter is terrified of kayaking, so we decided to skip it.
If boating is something you definitely want to do, reservations can be made in advance, and I would highly recommend booking ahead!
From Signal Mountain, we continued down Teton Park Road, stopping at several pullouts we had missed the previous day. The views were incredible, and at one of the stops, we even got to see horses, mules, and donkeys up close! Some of them came right over to greet us at the gate, which the kids absolutely loved.
After leaving the park, we stopped at a cute playground in Jackson Hole so the kids could run around and burn off some energy. They had so much fun playing while surrounded by the beautiful mountain scenery.
From there, we continued toward our next destination, closer to Yellowstone National Park.
The drive itself was absolutely beautiful, with magnificent mountain and sunset views along the way. We pulled over along the highway for a quick but beautiful BBQ supper before continuing on our way.
Additional Kid-Friendly Hikes in Grand Teton:
Unfortunately, we didn't have time to do everything we wanted to in Grand Teton! Here are a few additional family-friendly hikes that we had considered:
Lunch Tree Hill- A quick climb with beautiful panoramic views. The trail is paved but steep.
Moose Ponds- An easy three-mile loop with beautiful views. If you're hoping to spot moose, beavers, or pronghorn, try going early in the morning.
Lakeshore Trail- An easy two-mile hike beginning at Colter Bay and following the shoreline of Jackson Lake, with beautiful views of the Teton Range.
Additional Activities
There is also the Jackson Hole Tram, which takes visitors up the mountain for spectacular views of the Teton Range.
If you're traveling between Grand Teton and Yellowstone during the day, another stop worth considering is St. Anthony Sand Dunes.
The area features magnificent towering sand dunes, some reaching up to 400 feet high. Visitors can explore the dunes on ATVs or UTVs, making it a fun and unique stop for families looking for something completely different from the mountain scenery!
Day 3: Thursday:
We headed out toward Yellowstone early in the morning. Due to some road construction, we hit a bit of traffic along the way, but thankfully, the magnificent mountain views kept us entertained!
Once inside Yellowstone National Park, our first destination was Grand Prismatic Spring.
Parking at Grand Prismatic can be extremely difficult since this is one of Yellowstone's most iconic and popular attractions. Rather than waiting for a parking spot to open, we decided to park along the side of the road and walk a short distance to the main parking area.
From the parking lot, there is a short, flat walk to the boardwalk surrounding the springs, making this area stroller accessible.
We slowly made our way around the boardwalk, taking in all the fascinating geothermal features. Some of the springs were enormous, releasing tremendous amounts of steam, while others were tiny, almost like child-sized hot tubs!
And then, of course, there was the Grand Prismatic.
The brilliant colors were absolutely breathtaking. Seeing it in person was even more incredible than we had imagined.
Next, we headed to the parking area for the hike up to the Grand Prismatic Overlook.
Because the walk from the roadside parking would have been quite long, we chose to wait for a spot to open in the parking lot. Although the lot was full when we arrived, we didn't have to wait too long since people were constantly coming and going.
The walk to the overlook is mostly flat and stroller-friendly, but the final portion becomes very steep and difficult to navigate with a stroller.
The walk was absolutely worth it!
Once we reached the overlook, we were rewarded with a magnificent view spread out below us. From above, we could see the entire Grand Prismatic Spring and all of its incredible colors.
After spending some time taking in the view, we headed back down toward the car, stopping along the way to check out some of the smaller springs along the way.
Our next stop was Old Faithful, and we arrived just in time; it was due for an eruption soon! The visitor center has a huge parking lot to accommodate the crowds, and the viewing platform is located right nearby. There is seating surrounding the geyser, making it easy for visitors to wait comfortably. We waited for about 10 minutes before the eruption began.
The geyser was incredibly powerful, shooting boiling water high into the air. As soon as the eruption started, the entire viewing area seemed to fall silent as everyone watched in amazement. It was fascinating to watch boiling water from deep underground shoot so high into the sky!
The eruption lasted for approximately four minutes before slowly coming to a stop.
We had originally planned to walk around the boardwalk and explore some of the other geysers in the area, but it was incredibly hot, and none of the nearby geysers were expected to erupt anytime soon. We decided to skip the walk and instead enjoyed a delicious lunch at the visitor center.
After lunch, we headed toward Artists Paintpots, another fascinating geothermal area in Yellowstone.
Along the way, we made a quick stop at Gibbon Falls.
The falls are located right near the parking lot, making this an easy and worthwhile stop. We enjoyed the beautiful waterfall and surrounding mountain views before continuing on to the paint pots.
The walk to Artists Paintpots begins along a flat gravel path that is mostly shaded, a welcome treat after all the walking and hiking we had already done earlier in the day!
Once we reached the geothermal area, we explored the boardwalk around the lower section before heading up a steep incline to see the paint pots from above.
The climb was definitely worth it.
At the top, we came across bubbling mud and clay pots that were fascinating to watch. The clay was actually bubbling as though it were sitting in a pot over an open flame!
At one point, a piece of clay shot up so high that it landed on our daughter, who was standing a few feet away on the boardwalk!
The walk back down to the lower boardwalk was again mostly shaded, which we definitely appreciated in the hot weather.
After Artists Paintpots, we decided to head out of the park and explore West Yellowstone, the charming town located just outside the park entrance.
The town has a fun Old West feel, and we enjoyed browsing through the different stores before stopping at a supermarket to stock up on some basic groceries.
On our way back, we stopped at Henry's Lake State Park for a delicious BBQ supper.
The park is located right along the lake and has a beautiful waterfront area. There are opportunities for free kayaking and canoeing, as well as a small beach where children can wade in the water.
It was the perfect way to end a long and exciting first day in Yellowstone!
Day 4: Friday:
We started the morning with a bit of a slower drive than expected due to traffic and a long wait to get into Yellowstone. Once inside the park, we headed toward North Rim Drive for views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
North Rim Drive is a one-way scenic road with multiple parking areas and lookouts along the way. Each viewpoint offered a completely different perspective of the canyon, the waterfalls, and the colorful rock formations lining the canyon walls. The views were absolutely magnificent!
Most of the lookouts are just a short walk from the parking lots, with paved pathways leading to the different viewpoints.
There is also the North Rim Trail, which follows the edge of the canyon and connects many of the different overlooks. Since the full trail is quite long, we chose to drive from viewpoint to viewpoint rather than hike the entire trail.
Next, we headed over to the South Rim Drive and stopped at Artist Point. This overlook provided an incredible view of the falls and the canyon stretching out below us.
It was another one of those Yellowstone views that is nearly impossible to capture properly in a photograph!
On our way to our next destination, we drove through Hayden Valley, one of the best areas in Yellowstone for spotting wildlife.
And within minutes, we got lucky!
A bison was standing right alongside the road, seemingly there to greet us. As we continued driving through the valley, we spotted groups of bison scattered throughout the fields.
Seeing these enormous animals roaming freely through the valley was incredible.
We stopped at several points along the way to take in the scenery and get a closer look at the wildlife, while, of course, keeping a safe distance.
Our next stop was Sulphur Cauldron, located right alongside the road.
We stopped to take in the enormous bubbling pits before continuing on to the Mud Volcano area.
At Mud Volcano, we decided to explore the geothermal features located along the main boardwalk rather than taking the longer trails farther up the mountain.
The boardwalk was short and easy, with views of bubbling mud, clay, and water-filled geothermal pools.
One thing to keep in mind: the area smells very strongly of sulfur!
After exploring Mud Volcano, we headed back to West Yellowstone to pick up some treats for the kids before Shabbos. We were thrilled to find kosher pareve ice cream, a very welcome treat after such a hot day!
Additional Hikes to Add to This Yellowstone Loop
We didn't have time to fit everything into our day, but here are two additional family-friendly stops that can easily be added to this route:
Natural Bridge- A short and easy two-mile loop leading to a natural rock bridge.
Yellowstone Lake- A scenic boardwalk along the lakefront with beautiful mountain views and additional geothermal features nearby.
Day 5: Shabbos:
After several busy days of exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone, we enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing Shabbos at our resort.
The kids had a wonderful time enjoying the playground and bouncy house, while we spent time taking peaceful walks around the property.
It was the perfect opportunity to slow down, recharge, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings before continuing our adventure.
Day 6: Sunday:
After packing up in the morning, we headed to our first destination of the day: the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.
We really enjoyed watching the bears and wolves as they foraged for food and interacted with their surroundings in a habitat designed to mimic their natural environment.
The center also has a small playground, which gave our kids the perfect opportunity to stretch their legs and burn off some energy before getting back into the car.
Next, we headed back into Yellowstone and made our way toward Mammoth Hot Springs.
The drive there was absolutely gorgeous, with magnificent mountain views stretching out around us for nearly the entire journey.
Mammoth Hot Springs was unlike anything else we had seen in Yellowstone. Surrounded by enormous mountains, the springs consist of fascinating terraces that have formed over time as hot water flows and bubbles across the landscape.
We parked at the second parking lot along the Mammoth Hot Springs drive and walked in both directions to explore the terraces.
There is a boardwalk throughout the area, but be prepared for plenty of stairs, especially on the left side, which takes you down toward the lower terraces. There is a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk at the bottom, although it covers only a limited portion of the area.
We walked almost all the way down, allowing us to see both the upper and lower terraces during one visit. However, the area can also easily be divided into two separate walks.
The hike wasn't too difficult for the kids, and they enjoyed seeing the fascinating multi-level springs in shades of white and orange.
Once we finished the boardwalk, we continued driving the loop and stopped at several additional viewpoints on the upper level to see smaller springs and more of the terraces they had created.
Afterward, we headed to the Mammoth Visitor Center, where we enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch. We were also lucky enough to see elk up close, a fun and unexpected addition to our wildlife sightings!
After lunch, we headed toward Mount Washburn via Dunraven Pass. The sheer beauty of this drive is almost impossible to describe. Massive mountains surrounded us in every direction, and the views along the drive were absolutely incredible. We stopped at several viewpoints just to take everything in.
The road up Mount Washburn begins in the middle of Dunraven Pass. It is a dirt road, so be sure your vehicle is capable of handling the terrain.
The views from the top were truly spectacular! After making our way back down Mount Washburn, we continued along the rest of Dunraven Pass before heading to our hotel for the night.
We also made a quick stop at Tower Falls. There is a large parking lot, a visitor center, and a paved walkway leading to the viewing platform. It was a short and easy stop, making it the perfect place to stretch our legs while enjoying the magnificent views of the falls and surrounding landscape.
After checking into our hotel, we were staying inside Yellowstone that night, we headed back out to a nearby picnic area for a delicious BBQ supper before sunset.
We were even lucky enough to meet another frum family from New Rochelle!
We spent some time enjoying each other's company before eventually heading back to the hotel to rest up for the next day.
Day 7: Monday:
We started the morning by making our way out of Yellowstone through Lamar Valley.
Lamar Valley is known for its incredible wildlife sightings as well as its breathtaking scenery.
The ideal time to visit is around sunrise, but we decided to take a slightly more realistic approach to our morning! Even though we didn't make it there at sunrise, we were still lucky enough to spot deer, elk, bison, and other wildlife as we drove through the valley.
The scenery surrounding us was absolutely magnificent, with majestic mountains rising up in every direction.
From Lamar Valley, we continued out of Yellowstone through the Northeast Entrance.
The drive was spectacular, with mountain and meadow views unlike anything we had ever seen before.
Once outside the park, we made our way toward Cooke City and the famous Beartooth Highway.
Cooke City is a historic mining town, and many of its shops have maintained their rustic charm. We stopped at the Trading Post and explored their animal displays. The kids loved seeing displays of many of the animals that can be found throughout Yellowstone.
From Cooke City, we continued along Beartooth Highway. The mountain views were absolutely incredible, and we found ourselves stopping frequently at the many pullouts and scenic overlooks along the way.
We stopped at the Beartooth Lake Campground Picnic Area for a delicious picnic lunch, and were treated to a very unexpected surprise: a grizzly bear sighting!
Definitely not something we had planned for lunch that day!
After continuing our long drive for a while, we stopped at Granite Peak Playground in Columbus, Montana.
After a good break, we headed back out onto the road and continued toward our final destination for the night: Columbia Falls, Montana. Along the way, we stopped at Glen Lake Rotary Park in Bozeman for a delicious BBQ supper. We were lucky to enjoy a beautiful evening outdoors and witness a magnificent sunset before getting back on the road and continuing north toward Columbia Falls.
After such a long day of driving, exploring, and stopping along the way, we were definitely ready for some rest before beginning our Glacier National Park adventure!
Day 8: Tuesday:
After a good night's sleep following the previous day's long journey, we were ready to begin exploring Glacier National Park! Since we were still exhausted from all the driving, we got a slightly later start than we had on most of the other days of our trip. Thankfully, the park entrance was only about 20 minutes from where we were staying.
Once inside Glacier National Park, we headed straight toward the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road winds its way through the mountains, offering some of the most magnificent views we had seen anywhere on our trip.
The Glacier National Park Red Buses are a popular way to explore this part of the park. However, we wanted the flexibility to move at our own pace and choose which lookouts to stop at, so we decided to drive the road ourselves.
Along the way, we stopped at multiple scenic viewpoints to take in the incredible mountain scenery stretching out both above and below us.
Our main stop along Going-to-the-Sun Road was Logan Pass, one of the most popular areas in the park. We parked at the visitor center and set out on the Hidden Lake Trail.
There is a three-hour parking limit at the Logan Pass parking lot, and we used almost every minute of it!
The hike to Hidden Lake isn't particularly long, but it is definitely strenuous. Much of the trail is uphill, and while the boardwalks and stairs make the hike a little easier, you are essentially climbing a mountain for the majority of the trail. Our kids were absolute champs and did an amazing job! We stopped frequently for water breaks and to catch our breath, but everyone made it to the top.
And the views were more than worth the effort.
The turquoise lake surrounded by towering mountains was absolutely breathtaking.
The trail does continue farther down toward the lake, but we, and most of the other hikers we saw, chose not to continue all the way down.
We were also treated to some incredibly close encounters with mountain goats at the top of the hike!
The hike back down was much easier and significantly faster. The kids practically ran the entire way while we tried our best to keep up with them!
Once back at the car, we continued along Going-to-the-Sun Road. Every turn seemed to reveal another incredible view! About 15 minutes past Logan Pass, we stopped at a beautiful picnic area for lunch.
After lunch, we made the decision to turn around rather than complete the entire Going-to-the-Sun Road.
We drove back along the same route in reverse, and somehow the scenery looked completely different and just as spectacular from the other direction.
Once we reached the bottom of the mountain, we headed to Apgar Beach on Lake McDonald. Once again, we were completely blown away.
The turquoise water, surrounded by enormous mountains, was absolutely breathtaking.
The kids had a wonderful time splashing in the water and collecting the colorful rocks along the shoreline while we sat back and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset views.
It was the perfect ending to our first day exploring Glacier National Park.
Day 9: Wednesday:
For our final full day of vacation, we headed toward the east side of Glacier National Park and the Many Glacier area. The drive itself was beautiful, with magnificent mountain scenery surrounding us the entire way.
We arrived at the Many Glacier boat dock, one of the most popular starting points for exploring this area of the park. Parking can be difficult here, so be prepared to circle and wait for a spot.
This area is particularly popular because the boat shuttles can take visitors across the lake and significantly shorten the distance required to reach some of the area's most famous hiking trails.
If you plan on using the boat shuttles, make sure to book your reservations well in advance. During the busy season, tickets can sell out quickly, and many boat rides are completely booked days ahead.
After looking more closely at the hike we had originally considered, we decided to skip it. Once again, it involved a significant climb up the mountain, and after several days of hiking, we decided to choose something a little more relaxing. Instead, we rented a rowboat at the dock and enjoyed a peaceful ride across the calm lake. It was such a relaxing way to take in the incredible mountain scenery surrounding us.
The Many Glacier area is not directly connected to the other sections of Glacier National Park, so we had to leave the park and drive around to reach our next destination.
Along the way, we stopped at Lake Sherburne for a picnic lunch.
We had originally planned to do some swimming, but the shoreline was quite muddy, so we decided to skip it and continue toward Two Medicine.
The drive toward Two Medicine was absolutely beautiful, and we even spotted more black bears along the road!
At Two Medicine, we enjoyed some kayaking before taking the boat shuttle across the lake.
The boat ride was beautiful, offering incredible views of both the lake and the surrounding mountains.
Our boat captain, Paige, was wonderful. She shared information about the history of the area and even helped us spot a bull moose standing along the water's edge!
After the boat ride, we spent some time cooling off in the refreshing lake water before heading back out on the road.
Our original plan for the afternoon was to start at the other end of Going-to-the-Sun Road and stop at Wild Goose Island Overlook before hiking to St. Mary's Falls. The hike to St. Mary's Falls is relatively short and easy, making it a great family-friendly option.
Unfortunately, a storm moved in while we were driving, and our kids made it very clear that hiking in the rain was not part of their vacation plans!
So, we changed course. Instead of hiking, we drove through the park and simply enjoyed the incredible scenery. Even with dark clouds and stormy skies overhead, the mountains were absolutely breathtaking.
As the day came to an end, we were treated to a magnificent sunset over the mountains at the top of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
It was the perfect final view to end an unforgettable family vacation.
After taking in the sunset, we headed back to our Airbnb for our final night and began preparing to say goodbye to the mountains, lakes, wildlife, and incredible national parks that had made this trip so special.
Glacier National Park was so magically beautiful that it is definitely still on our bucket list to explore again, next time, with the goal of tackling some of the longer and more challenging hikes in the area. One can truly never see enough of Glacier!
Day 10: Thursday:
Since there were no direct flights from Kalispell/Glacier Park International Airport to New York City, we had a midday flight to Dallas before continuing home.
Rather than squeeze in one more activity and spend the morning rushing around, we decided to keep things calm and peaceful. After a relaxing morning, we headed to Emerald Heights Park North, a beautiful playground located just minutes from the airport.
It was the perfect way for the kids to burn off some energy before a long day of travel! They had a great time running around, and the obstacle course and climbing features were especially appreciated.
If you have a later flight, or simply want to head out earlier and enjoy one last activity, Whitefish Lake State Park is another beautiful option located just minutes from the airport. The park offers opportunities for boating, hiking, and enjoying the beautiful lake scenery.
There are also plenty of more adventurous activities available in Columbia Falls, including ziplining, ropes courses, water parks, mini golf, and family fun centers.
For us, though, a peaceful morning at the playground was the perfect way to wrap up an unforgettable family adventure before beginning our journey home!
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