Dates visited: October 2024 & July 2025
Juno & I have been to Yellowstone twice. Once with my brother, my sister & her husband, and their two dogs. It was originally a trip to just the Rocky Mountain National Park & surrounding areas with our new puppies (just months old!), but as the trip grew to a close, my brother and I were called to continue our trip to Grand Teton & Yellowstone. After all, we were so close! When would we ever get out that way again?
The answer to question was “a year later”, when Yellowstone was the terminus for a huge loop trip that first stopped in Moab for some off-roading with the same crew from my first trip and then went west to Yosemite before hitting the PNW and scooting over to Glacier National Park. This was a month-long endeavor, and Juno thrived as our traveling companion. She is an adventure dog, through and through! My youngest two children flew into Jackson, WY to explore Grand Teton & Yellowstone with us for that second visit.
As we awaited the arrival of my kiddos, we spent about a week on the other side of the Grand Teton mountains in Idaho at Riverside Park Campground. It was a great jumping point to explore the area and challenged the Great Sand Dunes for the most stars I’ve ever seen at night. There are plenty of gravel roads to explore, both along the Snake River in Idaho, as well as the mighty Grand Tetons.
Is it even a road trip if you don’t grab a coke & some peanuts and kick up some dust?
Grand Teton National Park and its surrounding area stole a piece of my heart, and I don’t think I will escape this mortal coil without forever hearing their call to return.
Yes, if I have my say, return I will.
My physical health kept me from fully exploring both Grand Teton and Yellowstone (I’m working on it!). Naturally, I’d love to go back and have an opportunity to explore some of the more challenging hikes and trails. But a third visit? That just seems greedy and there’s so many more parks to explore! That being said, the minions’ flight into Jackson, WY was delayed a day, so their trip was cut short. They deserve a redo!
If I do manage to get back to Yellowstone one day, I would likely set up base camp in one of the many boondocking spots between Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Grassy Lake Rd was an amazing option, and we spent a whole day exploring this gravel road that connects to Idaho, giving you amazing views of the neglected backside of the Grand Teton mountain range. Otherwise, I would either tent camp or car camp Mammoth campground. Mammoth campground is where we car-camped the first trip; Fishing Bridge RV Park (hard campers required due to bear activity) is where we camped the second trip in my brother’s trailer. I was very disappointed in the size of the individual campgrounds in Fishing Bridge. It felt more like sleeping in a parking lot (obviously) than camping. A trip to Yellowstone deserves more than that.
For the longest time, Yellowstone (and Grand Teton, which I view as a package deal) was my absolute favorite National Park. While many flock to Yellowstone for the geothermal landscapes, I prefer the waterfalls and various rock formations, not to mention the wildlife. I’ve seen bears, wolves, elk, and moose (and various other birds and mammals) at Yellowstone. Honestly, seeing a grizzly mom with her three cubs crossing the road was something of a spiritual experience that left me sobbing. And that’s the beauty of this park; it is a vast span of beauty and wonder that houses so many stunning geological marvels and ecosystems. They ebb and flow into each other, leaving you breathless from one view to another.
.
Yellowstone
For more photos, check out my Gallery or head to my brother’s instagram: jhankinsmedia. He is a phenomenal photographer and loves shooting wildlife in our beautiful parks. He also takes amazing pics of my pups, Juno & Willow.
Health & Happiness 