Utah’s Mighty Five refers to the state’s five stunning national parks, each offering unique landscapes and experiences.
13
7
5
2,252 mi
This trip was the one. The one to start our journey to see all of the National Parks. The trip that made us fall in love with traveling as a family. This was the trip that helped us learn how to travel easily with small kids. It taught us so much about what they can do, see, and experience even at a young age. This trip showed us so much more of our country and the unique landscapes than we’ve ever seen before.
This trip is where it all started for us.
Through my mom’s company, she earned some major prizes to take a family vacation including car rental gift cards, hotel gift cards, and food gift cards. When she got that, we started planning a trip and decided it was time to go see some of the national parks in Utah and Wyoming.
When I was a teenager, we went as a family to Yosemite National Park. While we were sitting in our hotel, studying the map of the park, my mom was wondering why none of the geysers were on there. That’s when we realized we were mixing up Yosemite and Yellowstone. So when we were deciding where to go, she and my dad said they wanted to see the geysers. We knew Yellowstone was our ultimate destination, then decided how we could add on to that.
Our original plan only included Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone. But we changed some of our plans while we were there to add on Arches and Canyonlands. If you have more time, you could easily add on a day or two at Grand Canyon National Park, especially if you fly in and out of Las Vegas airport, as well as some of the other national monuments and state parks in the area.
The first National Park we went to as a family:
Zion National Park
Getting There
You can see all five of Utah and Wyoming’s amazing National Parks in a few ways. Most people, ourselves included, choose to fly into Las Vegas, Nevada, and rent a car from there. Las Vegas is usually a cheap airport to fly into, and rental cars are typically on the low end, too. Then it’s a matter of driving a couple of hours to Utah and Wyoming to get started on the parks. We then ended our trip at Salt Lake City International Airport based on the flight costs, but you could also fly out of Billings or Bozeman in Montana.
Otherwise, the second best option is to fly into Salt Lake City, Bozeman, or Billings, and take this trip in the opposite direction. You would still need a rental vehicle since the parks are spread out across Wyoming and Utah’s southern half.
Finally, if you don’t want the added fees for a one-way car rental, you can make a loop, but it will add a few hours of driving. For that trip, I highly suggest Salt Lake City as your airport of choice. Just make sure you plan an extra day for travel.
Best Time to Go
The best time of year to visit these parks would be in early fall, around September or October. The summer months are the most popular, and the most busy, since kids aren’t in school. But it gets very hot in southern Utah in the summer. Temperatures can get to dangerous highs, especially in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. If you go much later, or earlier in the spring, the National Park Service closes some of the roads through Yellowstone National Park for the season.
Day One
Fly to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada
We decided to fly to Las Vegas since this was the cheapest option and had the best choices for flights. My parents came with us on this trip, so they were able to get a layover in Houston from their airport in South Florida. Then we all boarded a plane together from Houston to Las Vegas.
Upon landing, my mom and I took Tyler and Ryan to get the checked bags while my dad and Justin went to the rental car facility to start getting our van. By dividing and conquering, they were able to come to pick us up at the passenger pickup area in the rental van so we could start our first big drive of the trip.
Hotel in Hurricane, Utah: Wyndham Wingate Hurricane Zion
From the airport, we had about a 2.5-hour drive to get to our hotel for the evening. We drove through a little bit of Arizona, but since we didn’t do something in the state, we don’t count that as a state we’ve been to on our quest to get to all 50 states.
We stayed at the Wingate by Wyndham in Hurricane, Utah. The hotel is about a 30-minute drive to the visitor center in Zion National Park, and my mom had enough points with Wyndham to get the hotel for free.
Flying over the mountains into Las Vegas
Day One Map
Day Two
Breakfast at the Hotel
We purposely chose hotels that offered free breakfast. With six people on the trip, this helps save us quite a bit of money since we aren’t eating out for every single meal. All Tyler and Ryan cared about was that they had some Fruit Loops cereal!
Breakfast Time
Breakfast Time
Zion National Park Visitor Center
After breakfast, we loaded up the vehicle and drove to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to start our first day in Zion. Justin and I had been here for a day trip from Las Vegas once before with his parents, but this was the first time for Tyler, Ryan, and my parents. We stopped on the way in to take a quick photo of the entrance sign.
Since it was the beginning of summer and peak season in the park, the roads were closed to private vehicles. The only option was to park our van and take the Zion Canyon Shuttle. Luckily, we were able to find a spot in the parking area for the visitors center since he got an early start to the day. Otherwise, there is a lot of parking available just outside the park with a shuttle that will bring you to the visitor center.
We weren’t positive about what we wanted to do in the park, so we got a map from a park ranger and asked about good hikes for kids Tyler and Ryan’s age (3 and 5 at the time). He suggested a few and then we got in line for the shuttle.
“Feeding” the turtle statue
Waiting for the Zion Canyon Shuttle
Weeping Rock Trail
The first trail we did was Weeping Rock Trail. This is a short hike that takes you to a large alcove where water seeps out of the rock face, creating a “weeping” effect. The water comes from rainfall and snowmelt that has seeped into the porous rock above, taking thousands of years to filter through and emerge as springs along the cliff.
From the alcove, you get a wonderful view of Zion Canyon, including park landmarks like the Great White Throne and Angels Landing.
Weeping Rock is stop number 7 on the Zion Canyon Shuttle.
Trailhead sign
Looking up at the canyon walls
Ryan uses binoculars and daddy’s height for a better view
Looking at birds up on the cliffs
Weeping Rock
A view of the canyon
Family photo underneath Weeping Rock
The viewing platform under Weeping Rock
Plants growing on the side of the wall
Riverside Walk
Our next stop was the last one, shuttle stop number 9, which is called the Temple of Sinawava. This is the start of one of the most famous trails in Zion National Park, The Narrows. While we weren’t doing something as ambitious as The Narrows, we were able to go on the Riverside Walk which is the trail that leads up to the mouth of the canyon.
The path walks along the Virgin River, which carved out the canyon, on a short accessible pathway. We walked all the way to the end of the path where your options are to turn around or walk through the river into The Narrows. We turned around at this point and slowly walked back to the trailhead.
Along this path, we were able to see some deer grazing across the river. The boys also took a few minutes to take their shoes off and dip their feet in the cold river water.
Touching the cold water
Water rushing over the rocks
Looking into The Narrows
Calm spot on the river
A deer across the river from us
Tyler & Ryan take a break with Grandma
Stephanie taking photos along the riverside
Tyler posing with the deer behind him
Looking into the canyon
Riverside Walk
Lunch at Red Rock Grill
For lunch we took the shuttle to stop number 5, the Zion Lodge, and went to the restaurant in the main lodge building called Red Rock Grill. We already knew the food was delicious because Justin and I ate here with his parents a few years ago. Everyone was able to get something they enjoyed and it was a great way to cool off and take a break in the middle of our day.
Welcome sign
Tyler trying to wink
Ryan devouring his chicken tenders
Bacon burger with sweet potatoes fries
Regular burger with sweet potato fries
Grilled chicken salad
Emerald Pools Trail
The Emerald Pools Trail is also at this shuttle stop, so we decided to go ahead and try this trail after we were done eating. We did the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and loved the scenery along the way. There were options to go to the Middle Emerald Pool or the Upper Emerald Pool, but the boys’ little legs were getting worn out by this time so we didn’t want to overdo it on our first day of hiking.
Stephanie & Justin on the first trip to Zion (pre-kids)
Family photo on the bridge to the trail
Red rock formations
Crossing the river to the trailhead area
Walking through the trees
Towering canyon walls
Water barely flowing over the rocks
More canyon walls
All four of us along the trail
Lower Emerald Pool
Visitor Center
We took the shuttle back to the visitor center to get back in the van and head to the hotel.
Snow Canyon State Park
On the way back, my mom and I were looking up other things in the area and found Snow Canyon State Park just a few miles from our hotel. We read about the old lava flows and volcano caldera in the park as well as the unique rock structures and decided to check it out.
My dad was done for the day, so Justin, my mom, and I took the boys to the park for a little bit. We didn’t stay long and didn’t go on any of the trails, but we went just to see the landscape. From the main road, we were able to drive to a lookout point on the top of one of the cliffs to look out on the beautiful red rocks in the area.
While this isn’t as grand as some of the national parks, I’d say Snow Canyon is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.
Driving into the park
Towering rock walls
Different rock formations
The four of us at the state park
Looking at the inactive volcano caldera in the park
Pretty views near sunset
Looking at the edge of the plateau we parked on
Large black volcanic rocks
Rock formation
Dominos Pizza at the Hotel
On the way back to the hotel, we ran through a Domino’s Pizza to grab some dinner to eat at the hotel before going to bed to rest for another day in the parks.
Yummy pizza!
Day Two Map
Day Three
Breakfast at the Hotel
In the morning, we got up and had breakfast at the hotel again. The food didn’t change much, but it was enough to fuel us up for the morning. Originally, we planned to spend another half-day in Zion National Park, but we felt like we did what we wanted the day before, so chose to drive straight to our next lodging. We did decide to take the scenic route, though, that goes through Zion National Park and along Byway 12.
Biscuits & Gravy and a Blueberry Muffin
Driving through Zion National Park
Even if you are just passing through Zion National Park, you must pay the entrance fee. Before the trip, we purchased an America the Beautiful Pass which gives access to all of the national parks in the country, so we just had to show this at the ticket booth.
By taking this route, we were able to drive through the eastern part of the park that we hadn’t visited the day before, including the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. This famous tunnel has 6 “windows” cut into the side that allow you to see through the canyon walls as you drive along the road. The tunnel is low and narrow, and sometimes only open to traffic in one direction if a large vehicle needs to get through.
Driving through Zion
Driving through Zion
Scenic Byway 12 & Dixie National Forest
Another part of our drive was across parts of Scenic Byway 12, also referred to as “Highway 12”. On this day, we drove about half of the scenic highway, from where it intersects Highway 89 through Boulder, Utah.
There’s a reason it’s considered one of the most beautiful and diverse scenic routes in the United States. In this part of the drive, we went through the Dixie National Forest and also saw some of the red rock formations leading up to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Scenic Byway 12 sign
Just outside of Zion
Near the Bryce Canyon area
Bryce Canyon National Park
The original plan was to check into our cabin at Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch after spending time in Zion today, but since we only drove through Zion and were ahead of schedule, we decided to go ahead and stop at Bryce Canyon National Park since we were passing right by it. We arrived at the park at about 11:30 in the morning.
Our first stop, as always, was the National Park Sign and the Visitor Center. We didn’t have a lot of time to spend in the park, and knew we didn’t want to do any long trails while we were there. Since the park wasn’t too busy, we drove to Sunset Point and were able to find parking. Otherwise, during the peak season, Bryce Canyon National Park runs a shuttle bus throughout the park.
Driving through Zion
Driving through Zion
Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail
We walked a small portion of the Rim Trail, from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point. This portion of the trail is a great way to see some of the park without the strenuous walks into and out of the canyon. You are above the canyon so you can see formations for a long distance. From here, we were able to see many of the rock formations such as Thor’s Hammer, Wall Street, Silent City, Queen’s Garden, Boat Mesa, and Sinking Ship. This was one of the best places to see many of the hoodoos without having to do a major hike into the canyon.
Tyler & Ryan at the Bryce Amphitheater
Stephanie & Justin at the Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce Amphitheater
The boys in front of Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce Amphitheater through the trees
Ryan got to touch the horse as they came through on a trail ride
Sunset Point to Sunrise Point
Dinner at Rustler’s Restaurant in Tropic, Utah
After walking through Bryce Canyon National Park, we were all hungry, so we had a late lunch/early dinner at Rustler’s Restaurant which is not far outside of the park. We left the park at about 1:45 PM and had our food there by 2:15 PM. It only took us a few minutes to get to the restaurant, and their service was very fast.
Tyler ordered a kid’s hamburger meal and Ryan got their chicken tender meal. Justin got an adult hamburger plate with onion rings and I ordered a grilled chicken salad.
Everyone enjoyed the food and we filled up enough there that this served as our lunch and dinner for the day. We just had some snacks once we got to the rental cabin.
Grilled Chicken Salad
Kids chicken tenders with fries
Kids cheeseburger with fries
Scenic Byway 12
Continuing along Byway 12, we passed through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, and down the section called The Hogback to Boulder Mountain. Justin was a little nervous on The Hogback because it’s a stretch of Highway 12 that winds along a narrow ridge with steep drop-offs on either side. The views from the road were just amazing the entire way.
Between Bryce Canyon & Grand Staircase-Escalante
Between Bryce Canyon & Grand Staircase-Escalante
Deer in the meadows near Boulder Mountain
Check in to Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch
Our new lodging was at the Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch which is on Hell’s Backbone Road. The road itself offers another scenic drive right off of Highway 12. The ranch is only a few miles down the road on the left.
There are a few cabins, hotel-style rooms, and glamping yurts that you can rent. The ranch offers a few sizes of cabin, we opted for Cabin 3, their largest cabin, which has two private rooms and a set of bunk beds in the loft area. This was perfect to give us all a little bit of space and privacy after being in a small hotel room in Hurricane.
The ranch has 168 acres of walking paths, pastures, and wetland ponds. Once we got settled, we walked around the property for a little while.
Entrance to the Ranch
View from the balcony
Walking down by the creek on the property
The cabin we stayed in
Bedroom one-downstairs
Bedroom two-upstairs
Day Three Map
Day Four
Breakfast at the Sweetwater Kitchen
Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch has its own restaurant, Sweetwater Kitchen. When you stay at the ranch, they offer free breakfast. When we first got the menu to order breakfast, we were a bit disappointed in the choices. We had to fill out our requests the night before and turn them in at the main lodge. In the morning, the food was ready for us.
We were pleasantly surprised by the amount of food and the quality of the food! Although it didn’t sound like much at first, we were all very full by the time we left breakfast in the morning.
Before leaving the main lodge, we asked about the closest place to get groceries since our cabin had a full kitchen and we wanted to save some money by cooking since we would be here for a few nights. They said we could either go to the small convenience store a few miles up the road, or the closest grocery store was over the mountain in Loa, Utah. When we looked that up, it was close to Capitol Reef National Park so we again changed our plans a bit and decided to go ahead and hit the road to the park.
Breakfast at Sweetwater Cafe
Birthday decorations for our 5 year old!
Scenic Byway 12
Driving from Boulder to Capitol Reef means we finished driving the entirety of Byway 12. This end of the road has colorful cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges. The road ends right at the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park.
Capitol Reef area
Capitol Reef area
Sunset over the mountains
Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center
Like every park, we started with a stop at the national park entrance sign and the visitor center. Then we drove the scenic drive down Capitol Gorge Road to where it ends at the trailhead for the Pioneer Register path.
Capitol Reef National Park Entrance Sign
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
Capitol Gorge Trailhead & Petroglyphs Narrows at the Pioneer Register Trail
We had a great time here and were very impressed with this park. I feel like it’s highly underrated, and we only explored this area. It was neat to walk between the canyon walls where the pioneers of the area once traveled. There were petroglyphs on the walls as well as the “registry” of names of those who traveled through in the 1800s.
Capitol Reef Gorge
Desert plants
Capitol Reef Gorge
Family photo in Capitol Reef Gorge
One of the many petroglyphs on the walls
Tyler holding up a 5 because this was his 5th birthday!
Ryan in Capitol Reef Gorge
Capitol Reef Gorge
Capitol Reef Gorge
Pioneer Register Hike
Mariana’s Country Cafe
By the time we were done exploring the Capitol Gorge area, we were all very hungry. I plugged in the location for the grocery store and we found a cafe near it to have a late lunch/early dinner. Mariana’s Country Cafe offered a variety of southern-inspired foods, including the “hot hamburger” which was a burger on toast smothered with gravy sauce. I also ordered a side of mashed potatoes and green beans.
Lunch at Mariana’s Country Cafe
Grocery Shopping in Loa
It’s usually not a great idea to go grocery shopping when you’re hungry, which is why we went after going out to eat. My mom and Justin ran into the store while Dad and I waited in the van with Tyler and Ryan. They got some basics for us for the next few days. We didn’t want to overshop since we couldn’t bring a lot of the food with us.
Ice Cream & Cookies for Tyler’s Birthday
Since this was Tyler’s 5th birthday, my mom and dad took him and Ryan to the main lodge building where they had a little camp store. They bought each of them some cookies and ice cream to celebrate Tyler’s birthday.
Sharing ice cream on the balcony
Yummy cookies for the birthday boy!
Day Four Map
Day Five
Breakfast at the Sweetwater Kitchen
We again had our breakfast at the Sweetwater Cafe. After the day before, we had a better idea of which foods we liked and placed an order for a larger variety of foods and shared it all among the six of us.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center
Since we went to Capitol Reef National Park the day before, which was originally on the plan for today, we decided to check out Grand Staircase-Escalante on recommendation from the couple who were running the ranch.
My dad chose to stay behind today, so Mom, Justin, and I brought Tyler and Ryan. We stopped first at the visitor center and they asked if the boys wanted to be Junior Rangers. This was the first time we had heard about the Junior Ranger program and it made me sad we missed it at the first three parks of the trip.
Outside the visitor center
Tyler & Ryan getting “sworn in”
Officially Junior Rangers!
Devil’s Garden Outstanding Natural Area
We talked to the ranger about what to do in the area, and she suggested we take a drive down the gravel road to the end at Devil’s Garden Outstanding Natural Area. Here there was a small picnic area and a bunch of large boulder formations that we were able to climb on and explore.
Before we left the cabin, we packed a picnic lunch so we sat at the tables and ate lunch before exploring. Overall, we spent almost 1.5 hours in the area. It was fun to wander around on the rocks, through some small “slot canyon” type of areas, and under natural caves.
Picnic lunch
Picnic lunch and staying hydrated
Lunch with a view!
All four of us on the rocks in Devil’s Garden
Tyler & Ryan sitting on a large boulder
There were even arches in the area!
More views of the arch
Exploring together
Stephanie and Ryan walking on the large rocks
Dinner at the Cabin
For dinner, we went back to the cabin and made a pork tenderloin with rice. After dinner, we walked around the property near the creek. Tyler had fun with the dandelion flowers. Ryan was walking around until he got stuck in a little bit of mud and had Justin carry him the rest of the way. While we were out there, Dad found a horseshoe that he brought back and placed on the mantle in the main lodge.
Down by the creek on the property at Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch
Tyler found a “wish flower”
Ryan was tired so Justin ended up carrying him
Stargazing
Late that evening, Justin and I stepped outside a few times to look at the stars. It was amazing how much of the night sky we could see out there without any of the light pollution that plagues us in Houston.
Day Five Map
Day Six
Breakfast at the Sweetwater Kitchen
Another breakfast at Sweetwater Kitchen
Burr’s Trail Slot Canyon at Long Canyon
While we were at the Escalante Visitor Center, the park ranger told us about a small slot canyon that’s very easy to get to from the side of Burr Trail Road not far from our cabin. At the time, we didn’t know it had a name but have since learned this is Long Canyon.
It’s not a very narrow slot canyon, but it was the first one we had ever been to. The slot canyon is not marked, and we had to know exactly where to pull over on the side of the road. From the roadway, you can’t tell there’s a slot canyon. Once you park and walk past the trees along the road, the canyon comes into view.
Getting to the slot canyon can be tricky. From Boulder, turn onto East Burr Trail Road. Go about 11 miles and there’s a small unmarked paved pullout on the north (left) side of the road. The canyon is surrounded by 80-foot walls of red, purple, and pink rock.
Just across the street, there’s a small creek where you can observe the natural surroundings, cool off your feet, or walk a bit along the creek banks.
Slot Canyon
Trees and the red rocks in Utah
Looking into the slot canton
Path to the slot canyon
Looking up from the back of the canyon
The small creek across the street
Picnic Lunch at the Cabin
We packed sandwiches for lunch, but never found a good picnic area along the Burr’s Trail that wasn’t swarming with mosquitos. So we ended up driving back to the cabin to eat the sandwiches there.
Grilled Dinner at the Cabin
For dinner, my dad found charcoal in the storage closet and we were (barely) able to get the charcoal grill lit to grill some chicken. There wasn’t a lighter in the cabin, so we were lighting some sticks on fire from the gas stovetop and placing those in the bottom of the grill to get it lit. Finally, it lit and we had delicious grilled chicken with a rice side for dinner. Tyler had been asking to eat out on the deck so we did, although the wind made our food cold very quickly.
Grilled chicken with rice for dinner
Day Six Map
Day Seven
Breakfast at the Sweetwater Kitchen
We were supposed to stay at the cabin for one more night, but we also wanted to see Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. So the day before, my mom and I decided to suck up the cost and we would leave the cabin a day early and booked a cheap hotel in Green River, Utah, which was only about 30-45 minutes from the parks. We got up and had breakfast at the cabin lodge, then packed up and headed out.
Check in to Motel 6 Green River
We got to our hotel at about 11:30 in the morning and luckily they weren’t very busy so we were able to get into our room right away to get our luggage from the vehicle and get a few things settled.
Lunch at Tamarisk Restaurant
Then we went to the diner next door for a late lunch/early dinner before heading to the parks. I got another grilled chicken salad, and this one was the best I’d had. It came with a huge bowl of dressing, which was nice because I put just a little bit on at a time as I needed it. My mom got one also and asked for no eggs so I asked for hers and got twice as many hard-boiled eggs. I love eggs on my salad!
Grilled chicken salad with extra eggs!
Arches National Park Visitor Center
Since the reason we went that way was to visit the parks, we went straight to Arches National Park after having lunch. Even though it was early June, it was incredibly hot in the park. After stopping at the entrance sign and the visitor center, we started driving into the park.
Driving into Arches National Park
An arch and other rocks
Balanced rocks
Double Arch Trail
We didn’t have a goal in mind for the park, so drove until we found something we wanted to do. The first trail we stopped at was the Double Arch Trail in the Windows area of the park. The parking area was large but very busy. This is one of the most popular places in the park with multiple trails at this parking lot.
All six of us made the easy walk from the parking lot up to the arch. Once we got up there, I started feeling horrible so walked back down to the parking area. After about 10 minutes, my dad got very concerned, came and found me sitting in the shade against the restroom wall, and basically carried me back to the van. Because of this, we decided not to do any more trails but just drive through the park.
Ryan checking the “Googa Maps” for the trail
Starting the trailhead for Double Arch
The boys said this looked like a dragon’s cave
First view of the arches
Ryan taking a break under the arch
Double Arch
Ryan & Tyler resting under the double arch
Standing under Double Arch
One more look at Double Arch from the parking area
Double Arch Viewpoint
Canyonlands National Park Visitor Center
Just across the street from Arches National Park is the Island in the Sky region of Canyonlands National Park. I was sitting in the front passenger seat to make sure I got as much of the air conditioning as possible to cool my body down. Looking back on it, we are pretty sure I was suffering from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and getting close to a heat stroke.
Driving into Arches National Park
An arch and other rocks
Balanced rocks
Drive through Island in the Sky
Again, because of how I felt, we spent most of the time in Canyonlands just driving through the scenic road. At one point, my mom and Justin jumped out to walk the short path to Mesa Arch, the most famous arch in Canyonlands National Park. While driving through the park, we were able to look down on the Colorado River on one side and the Green River on the other side.
Mesa Arch at Canyonlands National Park
Beth (Stephanie’s mom) and Justin
Desert at Tamarisk Restaurant
When we got back to the hotel, I chose to stay behind while everyone else walked over to the diner to get some dessert. We were all still full from our lunch there, so skipped dinner to go straight to dessert.
Day Seven Map
Day Eight
Breakfast at the Diner
Since the hotel we stayed at in Green River was the only one without free breakfast, we went to the diner next door again for breakfast. The boys both got the kid’s pancake meal. I also got a meal with pancakes and strawberry sauce for the top. The strawberries were obviously not fresh, and I ended up scraping a majority of them off. I’ve gotten so accustomed to eating real food. The syrup which was obviously high fructose corn syrup full of added sugars was too much for me.
Leave for Driggs, Idaho
Thursday was the first of two very long drives that we knew we would have on this trip. We left pretty early in the morning to hit the open road through Utah and Idaho.
The first time any of us had ever been to Idaho!
Lunch
For lunch, we stopped at Chick-fil-A while we were on the road. As we were talking about stopping for lunch, Ryan piped up that he wanted “chick-a-lay”. There happened to be one at the next exit. I didn’t take photos since it was regular Chick-fil-A food and we just wanted to get back on the road.
Check-In at Super 8 by Wyndham Driggs
We stayed at another Super 8 since my mom had so many points for Wyndham Hotels. It was hard to find a place close enough to Grand Teton National Park without going way over our budget for this trip. Ideally, we would have liked to have stayed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but there weren’t any hotels in our price range. So, instead, we stayed just over the state line in Driggs, Idaho.
Dinner
We looked through the restaurant recommendations from the hotel. My mom saw that one had a rooftop view. When we looked up the menu it was a pizza place, so we headed there. The restaurant is called Tatanka Tavern and it was the best food we had eaten yet on the trip! We were all in the mood for something easy and it hit the spot. We ordered an appetizer of rosemary flatbread with hummus and artichoke dip to share. And a large pizza with half cheese and half pepperoni. As we sat on the roof we could look over the mountains of the Grand Tetons. If we had stayed here more than one night, we would have definitely been back!
Tatanka Tavern
View from the outdoor seating area
Our first real view of the Grand Teton Mountains
Delicious rosemary flatbread with hummus
Pizza!
Hotel Pool & Hot Tub
After dinner, we went back to the hotel to enjoy some time in the pool and hot tub. It was a great way to spend the evening relaxing after the hours we spent in the vehicle that day.
Ryan and Tyler in the pool
Justin relaxing in the hot tub
Swimming with Grandpa
Day Eight Map
Day Nine
Breakfast at the Hotel
Our hotel had continental breakfast, so we hit that in the morning before packing up and heading to Grand Teton National Park. It was slim pickings here, so I had a bowl of Frosted Flakes, toast, and a donut. Luckily, I don’t usually eat a huge breakfast so this was enough for me for a while.
Continental breakfast was slim pickings today
Grand Teton National Park Visitor Centers
Our first stop was at the entrance sign to grab a photo. Then we went to the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center and the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Visitor Center. At each of these, we talked to the rangers, picked up our park maps, and planned our day.
Bridge over a flowing creek
Trees on the mountains
Pretty purple flowers
Delicious rosemary flatbread with hummus
Fast flowing creek from snow melt running downstream
Taggart Lake Trail
The first trail we did was Taggart Lake Trail. It was along the main scenic drive through the park, and we were able to find parking at the trailhead. The first part of the walk is through the meadows with great views of the Teton Mountains that the park is named for. Once we walked closer to the foothills of the mountains, the path went through a forested area. We came to a wooden bridge across Taggart Creek with a dramatic waterfall coming down from the mountains. Due to the snowmelt, the water was ripping through the area. It made me a little nervous with the boys as young as they were (ages 3 and 5) so we held on tight to them near the water. The entire loop trail is 3.8 miles, which was too much for the boys, so we walked just a little bit past the creek and then turned around.
The trailhead walks straight towards the Teton Mountains
Water rushing downstream
Stephanie and Tyler on the bridge
Water flowing around the bridge
Closer look at the Tetons
Further downstream
Justin, Stephanie, Ryan & Tyler on the bridge
Feeling the cold snowmelt waters of the creek
Long exposure of the water over the rocks
Taggart Lake Loop Trail
String Lake Trail
While in Grand Teton, we also walked for a little while on String Lake Trail. Again, with the boys as young as they are, we didn’t go along the entire trail but we were able to walk along parts of the lake.
It’s amazing to see the Tetons towering over you from everywhere in the park
Ryan
Ryan and Tyler, always climbing rocks!
First views of String Lake
Teton Mountains behind the lake
Parts of the dirt path through the dense trees
Stephanie with Ryan and Tyler at the edge of the lake
The boys were impressed to find snow in June!
Stephanie and Justin in front of the Teton Mountains
Lunch
At lunchtime, we drove to Jenny Lodge to eat there. But the hostess told us their “chicken truck broke down” so they didn’t have any chicken at all. They gave us a menu to look over and we decided that there wasn’t enough on there we would all eat without the chicken meals. And the prices were more than we wanted to pay anyway. So we decided to keep driving and make our way toward Yellowstone National Park.
As we were nearing the exit, we saw a sign for Leek’s Pizzeria near the lake in Grand Teton. Since we all agreed that the pizza the night before was delicious we went there for lunch. It was a great choice, and we were all full after that meal. My parents split a large pizza with the boys, Justin got a Caprese sandwich, and I got the Teton bread. Originally, I wanted to get a cheese calzone but was worried it was too big. The woman behind the counter suggested the bread since it was similar but not as big at a lower cost and had garlic on top. Sold!
Teton Bread
Pizza
Caprese Sandwich
John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway
The stretch of highway between Grand Teton National Park’s North Entrance and Yellowstone National Park’s South Entrance is about 27 miles known as the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Highway. We didn’t stop along the road, but there are a few pull-offs with scenic views if you want to stop and get a last look at the Teton Range.
Pulloff from the highway
Driving past a creek
Snow-covered mountains through the trees
Yellowstone National Park South Entrance
Driving into Yellowstone National Park from Grand Teton National Park brought us through the south entrance to the park. We showed our pass, got our maps, and asked about the next eruption time for Old Faithful. Unfortunately, the next one was too soon so we decided to stop at the Grant Village Visitor Center on the way in.
Continental breakfast was slim pickings today
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Before heading to the geyser, we went to the West Thumb Geyser Basin and walked around the boardwalk trail. At one point, we were stopped by rangers to walk slowly and carefully because there was a mother elk and her calf bedding down just off the boardwalk and they didn’t want them to get startled. We walked past there and kept going around the 1-mile loop trail.
Spring at the West Thumb Basin
Momma elk and her calf
West Thumb Geyser Basin
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Old Faithful Geyser & Visitor Center
Our next stop was at the Old Faithful Geyser and Visitor Center. We were able to find parking since we got there just after the previous eruption, so many people were leaving the area. Since we got there so early, we had to wait around for a little bit. Luckily, the area was well-shaded so we found some logs to sit on and hang out. When it got closer to the estimated time, we got closer to the boardwalk around the geyser basin to watch it. This was the first geyser we’d ever seen, and it was neat to watch how high and how much water pressure could come out of the earth!
After the eruption concluded, we didn’t want to fight the parking lot just yet, so walked over to the visitor center. We had just learned about the Passport Book at Grand Teton National Park, so wanted to collect the cancellation stickers at the parks. There’s one at the Old Faithful Inn for the visitor center and the geyser.
Signpost for the geyser
Tyler sitting on a tree branch while waiting for the geyser to erupt
Ryan waiting for the geyser
Old Faithful
Old Faithful
Old Faithful
Lamar Valley
Since it was starting to get late in the afternoon, and we knew we still had a 2.5-hour drive to get through the rest of Yellowstone to our hotel in Cooke City, Montana, we didn’t make any more stops. Our path took us through Lamar Valley around sunset so we were able to see the herds of bison and elk grazing in the meadows, pronghorns running alongside the roadway, and a coyote in the hills.
Herds of buffalo and elk
Buffalo calf
More of the valley
Pronghorn running along the road
Coyote up in the hills
Check In at Super 8 by Wyndham Cooke City
Our hotel for the next three nights was the Super 8 in Cooke City, Montana. The hotel is about a 15-minute drive from the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The staff were very friendly and the rooms were decent. One thing we weren’t prepared for, though, was no cell service in Cooke City or Silver Gate. Apparently, every year the town votes about whether or not to add a cell tower and they always vote “no” so they don’t have to take away from the natural beauty of the area.
Cooke City sign
Cooke City, Montana
Funny sign on the side of the hotel
Dinner at Beartooth Cafe
When we arrived at the hotel, we asked the best place to get dinner and they suggested the Beartooth Cafe which was within walking distance. Justin and my dad both got fish meals since they wanted to try the local fish in the area. Both of the boys got a hot dog meal which they devoured. My mom and I split a teriyaki chicken meal that came with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables and it was amazing! This was also the first time I ever had a salad with sunflower seeds in it and I was not a huge fan of that.
Side salad
Local-caught fish
Teriyaki chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables
Day Nine Map
Day Ten
Breakfast at the Hotel
By this morning, Justin and I were looking for something besides the typical foods of the hotel continental breakfasts. So we walked next door to Bearclaw Bakery and got some cinnamon rolls to go that we split with the boys. The wait to eat breakfast there was over 20 minutes so we just grabbed those from the baked goods rather than getting a full meal. Both of the boys also enjoyed the larger variety of cereal that was available at this hotel.
Breakfast options at Bearclaw Bakery
Undine Falls
My dad wanted a break that day, and both of the boys were complaining that their legs hurt so Justin stayed with them. My mom and I went together into Yellowstone to look for animals and we wanted to drive over to Mammoth Springs. The first stop we made was at the pull-off parking area for Undine Falls. From the road, you can get a great view of the waterfall. We had seen it on the way through the area the night before, but we didn’t stop. My mom loves waterfalls, so we spent a few minutes here just watching the beauty of nature.
Bridge over a flowing creek
Trees on the mountains
Pretty purple flowers
Mammoth Hot Springs
From the fall, we drove all the way over to Mammoth and parked at the parking area near the Mammoth Hot Springs Trail. There were a bunch of elk all over the small town of Mammoth, so we had to be careful not to disturb them.
Mammoth Hot Springs was so different from the other thermal features we had seen so far. Instead of erupting geysers or large pools, Mammoth has tiers of rock that the thermal water washes over. It creates a beautiful array of colors from white to orange to brown. The trail is on a boardwalk, but it has a lot of stairs to get up close to the features.
Mammoth Hot Springs sign
Liberty Cap
Steps of Mammoth Hot Springs
Steps of Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth Hot Springs from above
Mammoth Hot Springs
Lunch
We never had any lunch, but we did stop at one of the convenience stores in the park and grabbed a bag of Doritos. We were obviously hungrier than we thought because we polished off the entire bag. I guess that was our lunch on the way back to Cooke City!
Stephanie & Beth exploring together
Dinner
For dinner, we were looking online for ideas and I found the Miner’s Saloon which served wings, pizza, and similar foods. We decided that every pizza place we went to has been the best food, so more pizza it is! They had a large variety of pizzas, so we got their biggest, which is a 20″ pizza, with half only cheese and the other half their “redneck pizza.” The slices were big, and Ryan refused to have his cut up. So I taught him how to fold a piece of pizza to eat it easier.
Yummy Pizza
Ryan trying to eat folded pizza
Day Ten Map
Day Twelve
Breakfast
Our last day of driving for the trip, woohoo! We had another 7-hour drive from Cooke City, Montana, down to Salt Lake City, Utah. In the morning, we had the free hotel breakfast again before packing up and heading out on the road.
Driving through Yellowstone
To get to Salt Lake City, we drove through Yellowstone again from the Northeast Entrance over to the West Entrance which gave us a view of some of the park we hadn’t seen yet. And we got stopped in traffic because everyone was taking photos of a bear! Mom and I really wanted to see a bear so we were so excited! It looked like a female black bear because I saw a cub run over the hill right as we pulled up. The last thing we saw was a moose, but by the time we stopped to get photos it turned to walk away so I only got photos of its backside.
Formations along the road
Black bear cub
Black bear momma
Fumarole along the roadside
Bufallo calf walking on the road
Buffalo under the trees by the lake
Lunch from Olive Garden
We were all ready for something we knew. I got soup, salad, and breadsticks as usual. Their alfredo dipping sauce for the breadsticks is a must for me. I had a small salad then two bowls of chicken & gnocchi soup! The boys both had a kid’s pizza meal.
Check in at Super 8 by Wyndham Salt Lake City Airport
Staying near the airport makes things much easier in the morning. By being close, we didn’t have to worry about getting stuck in a lot of traffic and being late to the airport.
Dinner
For dinner, at the hotel, we weren’t very hungry, so we reheated the leftover pizza from the kid’s meals which was enough for all of us at that time.
Day Twelve Map
Day Thirteen
Breakfast at the Hotel
Time for our last continental breakfast for a long time (I hope). It’s great having one meal free, but the options are so limited. Especially when we were at Super 8 hotels most of the time. The boys did have fun trying to eat an apple without it being cut up.
Arrive at Salt Lake City Airport
We made sure to have plenty of time to get to the airport, drop the rental car off, and get through security.
Lunch at the Airport
For lunch, we were at the Salt Lake City airport. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the food options at that airport. Most of the places were grab-and-go without much seating. We had 3 hours until our flight since we had to check out of the hotel at 11 so we wanted somewhere to sit down. With 6 people, two gate-check car seats, and a few suitcases, we needed some space.
After trying one sit-down restaurant, only to learn it was mostly seafood which my mom is allergic to, we ended up at a food court with a McDonald’s for the kids, a Greek place for my dad, and a Mexican place for my mom and me (Justin got food a little later).
Fly Home
Finally, after days of traveling, we were on the way home. While I absolutely love to travel, I also love getting home.
The boys got to look at the cockpit of the plane as we boarded
Goodbye Salt Lake City
Hello Houston!