Finish your day in Logan exploring great dining and world-class performing arts like the Utah Festival Opera. Two Things You Must Do at Bear Lake One of our top recommendations in this part of the United States is the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. From roller coasters to ski slopes, SLC has it all.

Town Square Inns of Jackson Hole Salt Lake Cityboasts a surprisingly robust food scene and the incredible Temple Square, with its namesake masterpiece that took 40 years to complete.

In addition, it is a very interesting city to visit (see our article on what to do in Salt Lake City), as it has many points of interest relating to Mormon history, and also for its beautiful surroundings, which include natural wonders such as Antelope Island State Park, an island populated by bison with splendid views of the salt lake, and Bonneville Salt Flats an unlikely salt plain whose bright white surface stretches as far as the eye can see until it merges with the horizon. A safari park with bears, deer, bison and many other animals. The New Salt Lake You'll find plenty of places to camp along the route from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone. Distance From Salt Lake City to Yellowstone: approximately 320 miles Once youre finished sightseeing, take Interstate 5 North toward Idaho Falls. Continue on the Interstate, through Malad City, through Inkom around Pocatello and into Blackfoot. At half an hours drive from the city, you will already come across the first reason to stop for at least an hour. Learning how to visit responsibly will enhance your overall experience. The journey is more or less the same length and along the way you will see Afton, the town that boasts of having the widest deer antler arch in the world, and also Bear Lake, a beautiful natural area with views of the lake, also renowned for the production of the infamous raspberry shake. What to do and where to stay, Best Places to Visit in Wyoming on a Road Trip.

Refer to the National Park Service website, where you can quickly find out whether Yellowstone is open and get information about road closures. (Read: Great Salt Lake Needs Your Visit) After a long day outdoors, you can let go of any leftover tension and relax at one of the many spa facilities on-site or you could hop in the hot tub with a cold beverage by your side, before joining everyone else for an evening meal. As you stop you will notice a traveling butcher and the Henry-Chester Country Store, opened by a Dutch pioneer in 1884. Make the most of your time by visitingsome of our favorite spots in the parkincluding wildlife watching, dining at historic lodges and see geysers erupt. Keep in mind that May can be rainy, so you'll want to bring some waterproof shoes and a rain jacket along if you're planning to visit during the spring. Check the NPS website to find out when the geyser is predicted to erupt. Follow Your Trail in Park City Then head back to town to explore pioneer life or see a live show.

If youre looking for something bizarre, youll also find something here: the Idaho Potato Museum & Potato Station Cafe, a museum entirely dedicated to potatoes! Spend two astounding days at Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. With some of the most beautiful mountain vistas in the world, some say Grand Teton National Park is the more scenic of the two parks. While exiting Salt Lake City, you could either take I-80 then turn north through Bear River and Laketown for a quick detour to Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, or follow the main route northward on I-15.

Hike or ride horseback among buffalo on Antelope Island or even float in the buoyant waters of the Great Salt Lake. A billion years of geological history surrounds Salt Lake City, where a modern landscape reflects ancient constraints. From the park, head southwest to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, Sun Valley, Boise and Twin Falls before reaching City of Rocks National Reserve on your return route to Salt Lake City. Yellowstone became the first national park in 1872. From there head east for adventures in beautiful Park City. Have a Shoshone-Bannock Native Experience Grand Teton Lodge Company. Continue to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area where trophy trout fishing awaits on the reservoir and below the dam on the Green River. Stick to I-15 until you drive into Idaho Falls, where you should hop on to US-20. Just a short drive north, the Falls Campground is convenient to both the popular Palisades Reservoir and Idaho Falls. If you plan to stay the night in Yellowstone, make sure to book ahead for lodging as those spots can fill up fast depending on the time of year you visit the park. Clean and Green in Pocatello operating hours) may not be up-to-date. The town of West Yellowstone sits right at the West Gate to Yellowstone National Park. Elk Country Inn Here there are mainly 2 attractions to consider for a stop: This is the largest town youll find in the area (but dont expect a metropolis, as we are only talking about 60,000 inhabitants). For an upmarket hotel experience with first-rate service, look no further than the Residence Inn by Marriott Idaho Falls. Top 5 Vistas in Yellowstone National Park Near Pocatello, Idaho, look for campsites at Scout Mountain Campground near the Cherry Springs Nature Area in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

With so much to see, make sure you read on to plan an ideal itinerary. The entire loop stretches nearly 150 miles, but that doesn't mean you can tackle it in just a few hours. The long and exciting road trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park is packed with amazing places to visit.

Soon after you will be arriving at the Western entrance to the Yellowstone National Park. Enjoy adventures in Jackson and nearby Grand Teton National Park. Visitors can also explore mountains, forests and lakes to watch wildlife ranging from bison, grizzly bears and gray wolves. During this season you will have the opportunity to watch the park bloom, without running into too many crowds. The 320-mile road trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone National Park takes 4 hours and 30 minutes to drive.

Fun on the Water in Yellowstone National Park And if Yellowstone isnt enough for you, theres also Grand Teton National Park which is just a ten minute drive to the south. Photo Credit: Bigstock, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park. The most beautiful views on this route are offered on Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, a scenic road that leads through the lush Targhee National Forest to 2 spectacular lookouts over 2 scenic waterfalls. Overnight in Salt Lake City. After Yellowstone, dip into southern Idaho to explore nine attractions, including two national park sites, you wont find elsewhere. You could spot bighorn sheep and mountain goats along Sepulcher Mountain Trail. Whatever your daily activity may be (say, biking Deer Valley or stand-up paddleboarding at Jordanelle), youll work up an appetite for the diversity of fine restaurants that line Historic Main Street and beyond and want to wind down with a local craft beer or whiskey. This refuge offers some of the most phenomenal waterbird watching in the western U.S. Overnight inBrigham City. Stay west of the Tetons to discover all the gems in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Salt Lake City is the nearest big city to the park (the only one really) and is a perfect stop for those who, coming from Las Vegas, have visited the Utah parks.

This is a very interesting stop, worthwhile even for those who are not lovers of the genre.

When youre ready to head home, you can return your rental car at the Jackson Hole Airport or if youd like to continue exploring head southeast to Denver and add Colorado to the list of states visited.

Here, you can take some time to detour to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. Continue until you enter Sugar City, where you should make the time to see both Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest if you possibly can. Just minutes from the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park and the northern section of Grand Teton National Park, stay at the Headwaters Lodge & Cabins at Flagg Ranch. Mad River Boat Trips There are also some upgrades not included in the standard ticket, such as the possibility of feeding bear cubs (bottle feeding) or a guided hike with the curator for closer contact with the animals. Spectacular skies, off-road adventures and abundant wildlife in remote central Utah at Tavaputs Ranch. A surprise for many visitors is there is no Grand Teton entrance station when you head south from Yellowstone into Grand Teton. Find fun family activities in Salt Lake City with this guide from the Utah Office of Tourism. Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

Explore the area's natural beauty at Hell's Half Acre, a geological formation located on the south side of Idaho Falls. Theres no better place to go birding in Utah than the Bear River Migratory Refuge.

If you're in the Old Faithful Area, don't miss the Fairy Falls Trail, which takes you to one of the park's most scenic waterfalls. Overnight inLogan.

Volunteers Beth and Dennis Simonsen show visitors around the historic Fielding Garr Ranch complex on Antelope Island State Park in Northern Utah. Photograph the iconic barns of Mormon Row, canoe Jenny Lake, follow in the footsteps of Ansel Adams at the Snake River Overlook, hike, climb, and breathe the mountain air. Leave dry land behind to explore the rivers and lakes of Yellowstone. Yellowstone is home to a staggering number of hikes, and you can complete many of them in a day. Be warned, though: the ascent is challenging!

It's named for its frequent and relatively timely eruptions, and visitors can witness them throughout the day. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. From historic homesteads to breathtaking river valleys, here are our top stops for a fantastic scenic drive plus road-trip advice from Nokian Tyres. Take a Dip in Lava Hot Springs World famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is home to three ski areas and a host of stunning wildlife, including the breathtaking National Elk Refuge. Three Park Entrances and a Surprise

Head to Idaho Falls for a dose of culture and explore off-the-beaten path towns like Ririe and St. Anthony.

It's all on the way to Bear Lake, a must-see for lunch and afternoon water activities. Considered the main road in the heart of Yellowstone, the Grand Loop takes you to many of the park's attractions and most stunning sights. Hike, bike, camp, kayak, watch wildlife and reel in blue-ribbon trout while learning about nature and how to protect it. LazyTrips is a trading name of Strategy Desk Ltd. My advice is in any case to opt for the West Entrance, thus following my Yellowstone itinerary and visiting Grand Teton afterward, going down towards Salt Lake City (in the last part of this article you will find also a suggested itinerary for this return leg). Nestled among majestic mountain peaks, and surrounded by natural scenic wonders, the town is rich in history and activities. Its compact downtown makes for easy walking among the many restaurants, bars, and other attractions that bring life to the city center. After a morning of history (and hot springs soaking) in Idaho, venture on to the Golden Spike National Historic Site, a tribute to the perseverance and talents of all who worked to complete the transcontinental railroad. Right next to Grand Teton National Park,spend a day on the newVia Ferrata assisted climbing course, riding the gondola, tackling the ropes course or biking and hiking downhill. Truth be told, this magnificent naturalistic monument could be enjoyed during every day of the year. Drive Time From Salt Lake City to Yellowstone: approximately 4-5 hours Stretch your legs on local trails in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and Cache Valley, including a 2-mile one-way trek to see a triple arch rock formation and the Wind Caves. There are also uncrowded trails through untamed forests and lots of opportunities to see wildlife. Theres a lot to see and do ranging from Temple Square, Capitol Hill and the Great Salt Lake itself. No matter where youre coming from, this loop will show you some of the best Northern Utah has to offer along the way. Old Faithful is a geyser and one of the most popular attractions in Yellowstone National Park. First of all, we need to clarify something: Yellowstone has 5 entrances and obviously the journey depends on which one you choose. Two beautiful, fully-functional replicas of the original locomotives are on display from May 1 through Labor Day, with reenactments on Saturdays during summer. Obviously, you will need a car and, if you havent done so yet, I suggest you read my guide on how to rent a car in USA. Average temperatures during Fall range from the mid-30s to low 60s during daytime, while temperatures at night hover just below zero. Saddle Up in Jackson Along this route, you will cross the Blackfoot Reservoir, a beautiful lake whose shores are home to one of those historic villages that make you imagine the life of yesteryear. Stroll along the Idaho Falls River Walk to take in the beautiful scenery. Photo Credit: Bigstock. Next, discover what life in the West was like in the 1800s at the American West Heritage Center where youll join costumed interpreters to enjoy hands-on learning as you visit the mountain men encampment, pioneer cabins, and a turn-of-the-century farm. Whether you are fan of winter sports or summer walks in the sun, this trip is bound to surprise you in the most pleasant of ways. For the first half of the route, you will drive through a beautiful rural area, full of pastures, fields that stretch as far as the eye can see, and a few towns with a population of less than 100. Utah is the perfect gateway to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Rent an RV with Outdoorsy Established in 1872, Yellowstone is the worlds first national park.

This rugged landscape is home to extensive wildlife, beautiful scenic drives, and unforgettably iconic destinations like Old Faithful. Mid-Fall, most crowds disperse and prices on accommodations become reasonable, regrettably quite a few of the facilities like stores and visitor centers close down in the end of September. This is the place where I recommend you stop for a snack. The resort offers an outdoor fireplace as well as barbeque, helping you effortlessly tap into that back-to-nature feeling - which is what this trip is all about.

The park resides in three different states: Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. This article concludes our unusual West Coast itinerary in search of unusual natural wonders: after crossing California and Nevada we landed in Oregon, where we admired Crater Lake National Park,, If youve seen Steven Spielbergs masterpiece, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, like the characters in the film, you may be obsessed by the shape of a strange and mysterious, If youve been to Arizona, Utah, or California, but also Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, its almost impossible for you not to be reminded of the famous ghost towns, spooky ghost towns, Every state in America has its own symbol, and just as its impossible not to associate Florida with sunny beaches and a tropical climate, you cant help but identify Wyoming. Learn more and start planning the ultimate nature getaway! Theres also the Museum of Idaho and the Idaho Falls Zoo to visit before finishing the final leg of your journey to Yellowstone. Otherwise, drive northward until you enter Ogden. The Vernal area is also home to three distinct state parks, hiking, rafting and Old West and Native American history. Don't miss an excuse to hit the road: our latest offers delivered to your inbox.

Considering the length of the drive, feel free to make as many stops along the way in order to savor the beauty of the American West. Visit the Museum of Idaho to experience interactive science and history exhibits that visitors of all ages will appreciate. However, the capital city of the Mormons is not just a stones throw away from Yellowstone: although it is indeed the nearest large city to the park, it is still about 5 hours away, which is not exactly a short trip. There is also a picnic area that you can take advantage of, if the weather allows for it. 49er Inn and Suites. As you visit, do your part to keep Utah Forever Mighty. In the Canyon Area, follow the Cascade Lake Trail to see wildflowers in the summer and fall, or pass by lakes, meadows, and marshes along the Howard Eaton Trail. Challenge yourself to one of the toughest day hikes in Yellowstone when you tackle the Avalanche Peak Trail or see fascinating geological formations along the Natural Bridge Trail. The itinerary, as mentioned above, is feasible in 1 day, if you dont stop at every attraction along the way. Soak in hot springs and float down a river in this charming town in Idaho. Plan two or three days, if possible. Here are the places that seven of Utahs most well known women writers knew and loved most. This park is a treasure. As soon as you enter Yellowstone, get your day pass and stop at the nearest Visitor Center to grab a map. Nonetheless, a trip to Yellowstone National Park from September through October is very pleasant and tranquil. Read theseresourcesto learn how to travel thoughtfully and experience your destinations most fully. Overnight here or continue north and overnight in Jackson. Shortly after that, you will pass the insignificant town of Soda Springs. Your email will not be provided to third parties. Or head further north into Montana and check out Glacier National Park!

Once you arrive, you can divert west to either Golden Spike National Historic Park - with its working steam trains - or head east to Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.