Road trip from Salt Lake City to Bozeman

January 30, 2020 6:35 AM

We're thinking about doing a road trip from Salt Lake City to Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Bozeman, MT for our honeymoon in late August/early September. Recommend stuff to us?

I really want to see Spiral Jetty, but we're looking for other recommendations if you have them. We like art, history, beautiful landscapes, kayaking, etc. I also like handmade and vintage stuff.

We're adventurous eaters, but I can't eat bacon or pork for personal reasons.

We'd appreciate any recommendations you have!

posted by marfa, texas to Travel & Transportation (10 answers total)

Well, you can hardly go wrong. Loop through Jackson Hole for the curiosity of it. Hike up into the Tetons instead of just staying at the lake level. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone lake are don't miss sites. Spend a good amount of time in the Yellowstone Geyser basins, because they are unpredictable and pop up all over the place. Bozeman is a fun little college/Western town - get local recommendations for places to go and things to do.
posted by Miko at 7:03 AM on January 30, 2020 [2 favorites]

Keep in mind in August or Early september, the Spiral Jetty is usually not in the water. Still cool to see. Also when you're out there, you are also right near the Golden Spike monument where the east and west railroad met up.

Up near Jackson, this hot spring is great.

Also, going for a float down the Snake is great fun with a guide.

Go up the Tram at Jackson Hole.
posted by trbrts at 7:55 AM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]

This might be out of your way, but the route over Beartooth Pass on Hwy 212 is the most spectacular way to exit Yellowstone.
posted by theory at 8:17 AM on January 30, 2020 [2 favorites]

I've told this story on MeFi before, but we we there during a full moon, had dinner at Old Faithful Inn in the evening, went out at the scheduled time to see Old Faithful erupt (they'll leave your dinner, just ask). Full moon above, a lightning storm hung up on the not-very-distant mountains, and Old Faithful. One of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced.

Go to the NP Visitor's Centers; they have great maps, rangers are knowledgeable and patient. Go to Ranger talks. Just walking through the park(Grand Teton) to go to breakfast, we encountered deer on the path. Take binoculars - even if you're not a birder, so many cool birds, cool stuff in the distance.

It's dark; there are stars, download a good star map, use the binoculars. Rafting trip on the Snake River with my 8 yr old son and nephew was a blast. It's a lot of territory to cover, depending on your timeframe.
posted by theora55 at 9:23 AM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]

I adore Grand Tetons NP! Stay in Jackson. Get an early breakfast at Dornan's Chuckwagon before heading to Schwabacher’s Landing for the most iconic view of the Tetons. A good, easy hike is to park at the Jenny Lake visitor's center and take the trail around the late to Inspiration Point. Definitely take the short trail to Hidden Falls as well. Take in the views but wait until the return to take pictures, as the sun will be in a much better position. Head up the Cascade Canyon trail. The majority of the elevation gain is behind you, so don’t fret. Watch for bears in the huckleberry patches. Turn around when you feel like it and catch the Jenny Lake Ferry back. Total trail length around 6-8 miles, depending on where we turn around).

Another great hike is Delta Lake/Amphitheater Lake. It's much tougher, but not just crazy-hard if you're used to hiking with some elevation gain. Google photos and message me if you're interested because I have some good tips. Bear spray is recommended.

Cocktails at The Rose in Jackson (the bartender when we went was a former Death and Co employee).

Nora's Fish Creek Inn is a classic breakfast/lunch spot with a James Beard American Classic award. The huevos rancheros and the trout and eggs are good.

BTW, Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake on the way out of SLC is worth a drive/walk around. The short hike to Dooley Knob gives you great views of the lake. Take bug spray.
posted by Fritzle at 10:47 AM on January 30, 2020 [1 favorite]

You MUST stop at the Idaho's World Of The Potato Expo in Blackfoot ID.

Their motto is "Free Taters To Out-Of-Staters" -- used to be you got free a baked potato if you were from out of state. In recent years it's gone a bit upscale (well by Blackfoot standards) and the free tater is now a poly bag of dehydrated spuds (ugh) -- but still worth a visit.
posted by phliar at 1:16 PM on January 30, 2020

I worked in YNP for two summers. I'm far from an expert but I can advise heavily on your options there once I know more about your inclinations and how many days you plan to spend in the park. Those two factoids are critical or else I'm wasting my time recommending things that don't pertain to you or you don't have time to do if you did.

Is camping an option? What's your nightly budget if not? Are you fit and able to climb mountains?
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:10 PM on January 30, 2020

When you are in Bozeman, be sure that breakfast happens at The Nova Cafe.
posted by ikahime at 8:41 PM on January 30, 2020

2nding the Cascade Canyon hike. I was trying to remember the name of the one we did and that was it. We started with a boat ride across JEnny Lake, then you climb up another couple thousand feet, but the trail is gentle. It's unbelievably scenic. Also rich with wildlife: we saw a bull, cow, and calf moose, bighorn sheep, etc. The name of the trail reflects the fact that an ice-cold, pure stream runs all the way along it with lots of little waterfalls. We made it as far as a high field with a glacial lake - you could climb higher onto the glacier but the air was thin enough that we didn't. You just have to watch the time if you want to catch the boat back - if you miss hte last boat you have to hike another few miles around the lake. At the end of the day that was less appealing. Anyway, yes Cascade Canyon!
posted by Miko at 8:36 AM on January 31, 2020

I was trying to remember the name of the one we did and that was it. We started with a boat ride across JEnny Lake, then you climb up another couple thousand feet, but the trail is gentle.

We were just there a year or so ago and they had just completed a pretty massive improvement of the first bit of the trail going from the boat dock up into cascade canyon, I don't recall the shape of the trail before that but it was really, really great at that point. So, yea, probably even better than you remember it unless you went recently.
posted by RolandOfEld at 12:26 PM on January 31, 2020 [1 favorite]