Glacier National Park to Yellowstone

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone: An 8-Day Itinerary to Grand Tetons

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We just got back from the most epic summer vacation. We went from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone and then to the Grand Teton National Park. Here is our complete itinerary–including where we stayed and what we did. We had the kids with us, and they didn’t hold us back at all. In fact, these parks are some of the best national parks for kids.

I will also link to my other posts that go into more detail about each park–there is just too much to share in one post.

San Diego to Kalispell

We booked one-way flights from San Diego to the Kalispell airport and then rented a car to be picked up in Kalispell and returned in Salt Lake City. Jackson Airport is the closest airport to the Grand Tetons and Bozeman would be the closest to Yellowstone, just FYI. We had a ton more options driving to Salt Lake and then flying home from there, but it made for a long drive on our last day.

Days 1-3: Glacier National Park

I wanted to do as many of these top things to do in Glacier National Park as possible. I feel like we got a great feel for the park with this agenda:

• Day 1: Check in & hike to Avalanche Lake
• Day 2: Going to the Sun Road/ Explore St. Mary
• Day 3: Hike to Grinnell Glacier/ Many Glacier Hotel

West Glacier National Park

We landed in Kalispell around 1pm on the day we arrived. Because we went in June, we still had a lot of daylight ahead of us and we were excited to start exploring right away. We got our rental car and went to head towards the park, thinking we would grab lunch on the way. In hindsight, we should have grabbed lunch in Kalispell. There are a lot more options there than there are on the way to GNP. Flathead Lake is another scenic highlight in the area if you have extra time.

We stopped for lunch and groceries in Columbia Falls, on our way from the airport into the park. We wanted to stock up on waters and snacks to have for all the driving and hiking we were planning on doing.

After lunch, we headed straight to Glacier National Park and were immediately blown away by the beauty of Lake McDonald. We got situated in our room and then headed out to rent some bear spray so that we could start exploring right away. We actually ended up buying a can so that we could carry it with us for the duration of our trip, since we’d be going to several places.

Avalanche Lake Hike: Glacier National Park

It was about a 25-minute drive or so to the Avalanche Lake hiking trail. Avalanche Lake was on our “must do” list, so it felt good to be able to check that one off straight away, especially since there was a lot of rain in the forecast while we were there.

On the way back from Avalanche Lake, we grabbed pizza at the Lake McDonald Lodge. They had pizza and pastas there, and I felt like it was a great value for feeding our family.

Where to Stay GNP: Glacier Park to Yellowstone Itinerary

We stayed inside Glacier National Park at the Apgar Village Inn. This is a lakefront hotel that offers breathtaking views from inside every room. They also have rooms large enough to sleep up to 5 people, and with separate bedrooms, so that is a perk. Some even have kitchenettes.

I had originally booked at the Apgar Village Lodge, which is very close by and would have been a great option for a little less money, but I was dying to have this unbeatable lake view. Check out my complete list of the best places to stay in Glacier National Park.

If you want to save some money, there are nearby cities just outside of the west side of Glacier National Park. Whitefish is a popular option and is where my sister chose to stay. It took them about 40 minutes to get from their hotel to ours at Apgar Village.

• Great Northern Lodge – West Glacier hotel just minutes from the entrance into the park
• Paddle Ridge – Cabins with kitchens just outside of the West Glacier entrance
• Cedar Creek Columbia Falls – Great lodge about 15 miles outside of the park
• Hampton Inn & Suites – Whitefish – lots of amenities nearby, but about 35 minutes from west entrance
• Marriott SpringHill Suites – Kalispell – about 45 minutes outside of park
• Hilton Garden Inn – Kalispell – about 45 minutes outside of park

Under Canvas Glacier is another option, located seven miles from Glacier’s west entrance. It’s a popular glamping resort.

St. Mary & Many Glacier

When we went to Glacier NP, the Going to the Sun Road was still closed (it opened a week later). When it is open, Logan Pass parking is limited to three hours during peak season. But I had already decided we would spend a couple of nights at the Many Glacier Hotel–which is a beauty itself. But it’s also close to many of the best hikes in Glacier National Park, with Many Glacier and Two Medicine being two of the park’s most popular hiking areas. So we had to drive the long (and less beautiful) way to the other side of the park.

Even though it was even more out of the way, we backtracked a bit and went to explore St. Mary. It was very beautiful, so I’m glad we went there. We hiked 1.7 miles to St. Mary Falls and then another half mile to Virginia Falls, passing pretty views and a few alpine lakes along the way.

After this, we headed to the Many Glacier Hotel. This hotel came highly recommend to me–and even if you don’t stay there, it’s worth a visit. It is referred to as the Switzerland of the U.S. and you can see why. Its location is absolutely stunning, and Many Glacier is a great spot to see wildlife, including mountain goats. It’s also where popular trailheads are. Glacier has 700 miles of trails overall, including Grinnell Glacier, Grinnell Lake, Cracker Lake, Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Tunnel.

We stayed two nights at Many Glacier and hiked to Grinnell Glacier on our full day there. I wanted to hike to Iceberg Lake as well, but it was still frozen over, it was snowing (again), and the kids were over my crazy hiking adventures. I’ll definitely make it there next time!

Where to Stay on East Side of GNP: Glacier National Park to Yellowstone

• Many Glacier Hotel – beautiful lodge in Many Glacier section of park
• Swiftcurrent Motor Inn – just a mile from Many Glacier hotel
• St. Mary Lodge – Located near St. Mary Lake; beautiful lodge with lots of amenities
• Glacier Park Lodge – Located 12 miles outside of the park; lots of amenities here

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Day 4: Bozeman

We spent one night in Bozeman in order to break up the trip from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone, which is roughly 380 to 400 miles and usually takes about 6.5 to 8 hours depending on your route. The West Glacier to West Yellowstone route is about 467 miles.

It was a beautiful road trip from the east side of Glacier NP, and the Park-to-Park Highway is a great scenic drive for mountain views and ranchland scenery. So I’m actually really glad we did it to see so much more of Montana.

If you have extra, time, Helena is a worthwhile midpoint stop between the parks and a good place to explore a historic town on a Montana road trip near the Rocky Mountain Front. We stopped there for lunch.

There are plenty of great hotels in Bozeman to choose from.

We stayed the night at the Baymont by Wyndham Bozeman because I had read someone else’s blog and they mentioned the indoor waterslide. After booking the hotel with my Wyndham rewards points, I read that there are a lot of homeless people that hang out just across from the hotel–and there were. Once in the hotel, we felt fine and the accommodations were clean, but it’s just something to be aware of. The kids truly did love the indoor waterslide.

My brother and sister-in-law flew in to Bozeman to join the trip and they stayed just a few minutes away at the Homewood Suites by Hilton – Bozeman. There’s no waterslide there, but it’s a beautiful hotel with an indoor pool, plus a bar and restaurant in the hotel. And the rooms are spacious.

After staying the night in Bozeman, we were headed to Yellowstone. But first we spent a little time exploring the Gallatin National Forest. And then we went whitewater rafting on the Gallatin River, which was on the way to Yellowstone.

This was a huge hit, and we all had so much fun! From Bozeman to West Yellowstone is only about an hour drive, so Bozeman is a great city to stay in when wanting to break up the trip from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone. There are so many fun things to do in Bozeman.

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Day 5-6: Yellowstone

• Day 5 – Drive the lower loop in Yellowstone: Old Faithful (which erupts about every 90 minutes), Grand Prismatic, Yellowstone Lake, Canyon Village; Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo at Night
• Day 6 – Drive through Yellowstone to Grand Tetons

I think the biggest surprise of our trip was how cute the town of West Yellowstone is. Typically I love staying inside the park, but I would stay in West Yellowstone again in a heartbeat–particularly at the Kelly Inn in West Yellowstone. This hotel was absolutely perfect for families. It had spacious rooms–some with bunk beds over queen beds. There’s an indoor pool and spa, and each of the three buildings does a full breakfast buffet in the morning–all with different food items, and you’re welcome to go to any of them.

From the hotel, we could walk to all of the cute shops and restaurants in West Yellowstone, and we were just a few minutes away from the entrance into Yellowstone. It was absolutely perfect. You can read my full review of the Kelly Inn here.

We spent our full day in Yellowstone driving the lower loop and stopping at the many sights along the way. Yellowstone is easiest to explore by focusing on one distinct area each day, especially if you want time for the geyser basins and other great sights without rushing.

Yellowstone feels unworldly and definitely belongs on any list of bucket list travel places in North America. It’s absolutely indescribable. We saw tons of bison and elk as we drove, plus gorgeous views.

After spending several hours in the park, we went back to West Yellowstone for dinner and then attended the Wild West Yellowstone rodeo that night, which was a blast!

Where to Stay in West Yellowstone

There are lots of great places to stay in West Yellowstone.

• Kelly Inn – West Yellowstone – As I mentioned above, I would stay here again and again.
• Gray Wolf Inn & Suites – West Yellowstone, right next to Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center
• Holiday Inn West Yellowstone

There are many campgrounds inside of Yellowstone National Park as well, if you prefer to camp. Under Canvas West Yellowstone is another nearby option, about ten minutes from Yellowstone’s West Entrance.

Click here to read our full Yellowstone travel itinerary.

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Day 7-8: Grand Tetons

After going from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone, we made the short drive to the Grand Tetons. On the day we arrived, we went out for a horseback ride and then enjoyed some time on Jackson Lake. We stayed at Signal Mountain Lodge and had a room that was just steps from the dock and lake. It was breathtaking.

Horseback riding was a highlight of our trip. We didn’t book through the national park website since that was booked up and seemed a bit limited for our group size, so we booked with SwiftCreek Outfitters. They don’t take reservations, but just as their website assures, they were able to accommodate our group of 10 with no issue. We even saw a moose on our ride!

We enjoyed a dinner at the Jackson Lake Lodge, which offers absolutely breath-taking views, and we spotted grizzlies in a meadow on our drive from Jackson Lake Lodge back to Signal Mountain Lodge.

On our one full day in the Tetons, we got up early and hiked to Delta Lake. This is a strenuous 8-mile hike that requires scrambling over some boulder fields (and trekking through snow when we went), but the emerald green lake at the end is amazing. My kids even did the polar bear plunge in it. We saw a bear just off the trail on the way up, but learned that it was a black bear, not a grizzly.

There are a ton of hikes in the Grand Tetons, so if Delta Lake is too strenuous, choose from one of the other fantastic hikes in the park.

Where to Stay in Grand Tetons

There are so many great lodges to stay in near Grand Teton. Here are some great options:

• Jackson Lake Lodge – absolutely amazing views right on the lake; restaurants and shops on site; suites, cottages and hotel rooms available
• Signal Mountain Lodge – where we stayed; right on the lake; kitchenettes in room, beautiful views
• Headwaters Lodge & Cabins – conveniently located between Tetons and Yellowstone; on the Snake River
• Heart Six Ranch – a fun dude ranch experience located outside of the National Park, but gives you the true Wyoming Ranch experience

Rafting With Teton Views

The Grand Tetons are so beautiful and there are many ways you can view them. Whitewater rafting in the Tetons is very popular, as well as enjoying slower scenic floats. You’ll find adventures leaving near Heart 6 Ranch, and from Jackson Hole.

Wildlife Tours

Grand Teton National Park is a great place to see wildlife and is one of those quintessential mountain vacation family-friendly destinations. Each night after dinner, and some early mornings, we’d see wildlife tours that go out and seek grizzlies, elk, wolves, big horned sheep, etc. These tours are a great way to spot such amazing creatures in their natural habitats.

Glacier National Park to Yellowstone: What to Pack

We spent a lot of time preparing for this trip because I didn’t want our kids to hold us back too much. They are very active kids, so I knew they could keep up if we invested in some good hiking gear for kids. You don’t need to go out and spend a fortune, but there are some basics that made this trip successful for all of us.

• Waterproof Hiking Boots – I went mid-range expense-wise and loved these Columbia Hiking Boots. My husband went with these Columbia Hiking Boots, and the kids wore Merrell Hiking Boots
• Camelbak Hiking Backpacks – I went with this one that had more space for storage (snacks, bug spray, etc.). But the kids got a smaller style that worked fine.
• Hiking Socks
• Rain jackets – it rained (and snowed) on us each day in GNP — in June! I found a great deal on a Women’s North Face Rain Jacket, so I went with that, but any hiking rain jacket should do the trick.
• Hiking Pants – KÜHL has a great selection of hiking pants for both men and women. In fact, they have a huge selection of outdoor gear — jackets, vests, socks, bags, and more– on their website.

Final Thoughts & Tips

I got into each one of these national parks for free thanks to my 4th grader. Make sure you have your 4th grade national parks pass if your kid qualifies (all 4th graders in the U.S. do!).

One more practical note: the $80 America the Beautiful Annual Pass covers entry to all federal recreation sites, including Glacier and Yellowstone. Cell service is poor in both parks, so download maps or a tour guide app before you go. Late May through early October is the best overall time to visit both. And both parks are active bear habitat, so food storage matters. If you’re entering spontaneously, neither park requires advance vehicle reservations.

If you’re limited on time and can only do two of the parks, check out this Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary.

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