Schwabacher Landing sits at the end of a narrow gravel road, and at sunrise the Tetons show up twice. Once in the sky, once in the water.
That's day one on this route. I split five days between Grand Teton and Yellowstone and color coded every stop on a map so each day was its own loop. Just leave room for the bison. One bison jam in Hayden Valley kept me from getting back for about two hours. Here's the plan, day by day.
Hayden Valley, where the bison set the schedule.
At a glance
- Five days, two parks, one rental car: Grand Teton on days 1 and 5, Yellowstone on days 2 to 4.
- Base one night near Grand Teton and three in West Yellowstone, so each day runs as its own loop.
- The Yellowstone loops run about 115 to 130 miles each before stops, so start early.
- Shoot Schwabacher Landing at sunrise and save the geyser basins for midday.
Where I stayed
Two bases kept the driving sane. One night at Togwotee Mountain Lodge, about 16 miles east of Grand Teton. Then three nights at the Days Inn in West Yellowstone, Montana, which put me right by the West Entrance for the Yellowstone days.
Day 1: Grand Teton, east side
I flew in, picked up the rental car in the afternoon, and went straight for the classics. (Flying with camera gear on a cheap fare? Here's how I beat budget airline bag fees.) It's about an hour and change of driving total.
- Moulton Barns on Mormon Row. The old barns with the range behind them. You've probably seen this photo already. Go take your own.
- Schwabacher Landing. Narrow gravel road, south of Snake River Overlook, about 1.3 miles in. It's one of the top sunrise spots for mirror reflections, so I'd scout it today and come back at dawn if you can. My sunrise there was cloudy, but I still managed to make it work.
- Snake River Overlook. Best at sunrise or sunset. Ansel Adams made this view famous, and it still holds up.
- Cunningham Cabin. A quiet stop. An old homestead cabin with a lot of sky around it.
Day 2: Yellowstone, south and southwest
This is the long one. Around 116 miles and almost three hours of pure driving before you count stops.
- Oxbow Bend on the way north. Technically still Grand Teton, and the classic spot for Mount Moran over the river.
- Lewis Falls, right along the road.
- Kepler Cascades, a roadside viewpoint near Old Faithful.
- Old Faithful. My notes say it goes off every 1.5 to 2 hours. The park posts predicted eruption times, so check before you settle in.
- Black Sand Basin (0.5 miles of boardwalk), Biscuit Basin (0.7) and Midway Geyser Basin (0.8).
- Mystic Falls. About 3.5 miles. Bring mosquito spray. My notes are very clear on that.
Old Faithful mid eruption.
The steam of Midway Geyser Basin.
Day 3: Yellowstone, northwest
Another big loop, roughly 121 miles.
- Gibbon Falls. Easy paved half mile.
- Norris Geyser Basin. Yellowstone's hottest and most changeable thermal area.
- Mammoth Hot Springs. The boardwalks cover about 1.75 miles around the Upper and Lower Terraces. Easy walking, figure about an hour.
- Undine Falls. Do the upper falls, about 0.8 miles. The lower falls trail is very steep and not worth it.
- West Yellowstone Rodeo in the evening, if your dates line up. The show starts at 7.
- The Montana and Idaho border is about 15 minutes from the West Entrance, if you want to tick off another state.
Day 4: Yellowstone, east
About 127 miles. This is the day for color.
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Upper Falls, Lower Falls and Artist Point. Artist Point is an easy 0.2 miles from a big lot at the east end of South Rim Drive. The Canyon Visitor Center is close if you need a map.
- Hayden Valley. Just drive it slow. Lots of wildlife. Budget extra time here, because this is where I sat in bison traffic.
- Mud Volcano. Short walk, plenty of parking.
- Natural Bridge. About 3 miles. My notes flag it as off limits in June because of bear activity, so check before you go.
- West Thumb Geyser Basin. Easy boardwalk on the edge of the lake.
Artist Point, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Day 5: Grand Teton, west side
The drive back south, about 122 miles, with a few last stops.
- Firehole Falls, along the road.
- Fountain Paint Pot. A 0.6 mile loop to the mud pots.
- String Lake, then Jenny Lake to finish. The Jenny Lake Visitor Center has trail info if you want to stretch your legs before the flight.
Midday is for the geyser basins.
Photo spots and best light
- Sunrise: Schwabacher Landing for the reflection, Snake River Overlook as a backup. Oxbow Bend works early too.
- Sunset: Snake River Overlook again, or Mormon Row with the barns in front of the range.
- Midday: Save it for the thermal basins and waterfalls. Steam, boardwalks and canyon color don't need golden hour.
- Artist Point: Bright light actually helps the canyon walls pop.
If you bring a film camera out here, I wrote about why I still shoot 35mm film.
A few tips from my notes
- Map each day as its own loop. I color coded mine (red, yellow, green, blue, orange) and it kept me from backtracking. Would I cut any of the loops? Probably not. Each stop was something new, except the times I just ended up at another parking lot that led to nothing.
- Stay on the boardwalks in the thermal areas. The ground there isn't solid and the water is dangerously hot.
- Check the park road status before you lock dates. Roads open and close by season.
- Pack bug spray for the hikes, especially Mystic Falls.
Mormon Row, the one everybody comes for.
FAQ
How many days do you need for Yellowstone and Grand Teton?
Five days covers the highlights of both if you map each day as its own loop. Expect two lighter Grand Teton days and three long driving days in Yellowstone.
Where should you stay to see both parks?
Split it. I did one night at Togwotee, east of Grand Teton, then three nights in West Yellowstone right by the West Entrance. That kept the backtracking down.
When is the best time to photograph Schwabacher Landing?
Sunrise, before the wind picks up and breaks the reflection. Scout the gravel road the day before so you're not hunting for it in the dark.
Can you walk off the boardwalks in the thermal areas?
No. The ground around the geysers and hot springs can be a thin crust over scalding water, so stay on the boardwalks and marked trails.
Book and plan
- Yellowstone National Park (NPS)
- Grand Teton National Park (NPS)
- Grand Teton fees and passes
- Yellowstone road and facility dates
- Old Faithful eruption predictions
- Grand Teton day hikes
- Togwotee Mountain Lodge
If you're heading out there and want someone behind the camera, we shoot travel and elopement sessions in places like this. Take a look at our experiences or just reach out.
