Grand Teton/Yellowstone NP questions

Hope you can help! We are 90% committed on a fairly last minute trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, should happen sometime in July. We truly understand this is THE MOST crazy crowded time to travel there, but it is what it is. We will be hiking a lot, so maybe the selfie stick crowd will mostly stick to the main attractions and scenic overlooks....we can only hope.

We are very early risers so arriving at the MUST SEE attractions shortly after sunrise could help avoid some of the masses. Of course 99% of the lodging within the parks is booked, but we are finding available lodging all around the parks within a relatively short drive, some hotel/motel and several airbnb. Question is if we fly into Idaho Falls which towns would you stay at for say 2-3 nights at a pop?

I have found a couple available places just west of the west entrance to Yellowstone to spend probably 3 nights , seems like the right spot to access Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and some others. Like I said we would plan to hit these spots super early then find a nice long loop to hike each day, have any favorites?

Then we could move around to perhaps Gardiner Montana and visit Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone from there? Probably 2 nights there with more late morning/afternoon hiking.

Then travel through the parks, roughly 4-5 hour drive towards Jackson Hole to access all that the Grand Tetons have to offer. I think we'll have 3 nights in this area, but do we stay in Jackson Hole? or look outside a little? I actually found an available resort on one of the large lakes within the park, seems very minimal for maximum $$$, but the location and views! Also found a nice new motel in the center of Jackson that is walking distance to a brewery!.... Lots of hiking to happen in these mountains, long high hikes, Cascade Canyon and Alaska Basin trail if we have that much energy! I'd like to explore snake river and Signal Mt to see if I can produce black and whites similar to Ansel Adams....I said similar.

Anyways, lots to consider and if you have any tips or advice (other than don't go in July), I would appreciate it. Oh and I said 90% committed, because my wife and daughter are still talking about Glacier NP or perhaps head to the Redwoods!! Either way I'm looking forward to the last minute adventure!

I cant answer most of your question, but get a National Parks Pass BEFORE you go. That will save a lot of time and money.

I do know if you ended up at Glacier, don't head up until the afternoon, everyone is coming down and you have a lot of daylight and no traffic.

Thanks, I gave my wife and daughter annual passes for Christmas. We live close to Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah so they’ve always paid for themselves! This is a tricky trip to put together last minute!

Cody, WY is a great place to stay (east of the park). Lots to see and do there like the famous Buffalo Bill Museum and the nightly rodeo. Jackson Hole is like going to Los Angeles, IMHO, since it has been californicated; but good to visit for 1 day and then get out of dodge

Thanks! We’ll look at Cody, rodeo sounds great! We do want to stay a couple nights within an hour of west entrance to Yellowstone and main entrance to grand Tetons. But towns like Cody 2-3 hours out are good options since we enjoy road tripping to see the countryside.

It is a spectacular drive to/from Cody to Yellowstone along the Shoshone River and less crowded than the west entrance, most days.

Less crowded is our speed, but we are prepared for the summer crowds. Plans continue to evolve... looking to fly into Salt Lake City now? Our daughter is home tonight so I'm hoping to commit to our dates so we can start with booking our flights. Hard to make lodging plans when the flights haven't been booked!

Well, the 90% committed comment was intentional because I know my family.....putting this trip on the backburner! Heading to worldwide section to start asking about.....

We stayed in West Yellowstone and drove in each day. The drive got old, even though it was beautiful. Be sure and hit Hayden and Lamar Valleys at dusk/sunset.

For Tetons, we stayed in the town of Moose and drove it. I'd do that again. Jackson has a rodeo on Wednesday nights. We loved it. Check out the book, "Teewinot," before the trip. I've read it multiple times.

We didn't do much hiking due to the age of our kids then. We went late June 2013 and it was already crowded then.

We flew in and out of SLC. A closer airport would have been nice, but I saved the money since it was 5 tickets.

Thanks Dayhiker, we shelved this idea and have committed to driving/hiking around Iceland next month! Cheers!

I realized after the fact that I was responding to an old thread. Iceland will be spectacular.