Lodging
There are a lot of decisions to be made and planning to be done when it comes to where to stay and play in the park. Some people like to stay in one spot for the length of their trip, while others like to move locations in and around the park. Our favorite way to see the park is to stay in the Grand Tetons for a night or two, then stay in a few different lodges/ campsites within the park, and finally move to West Yellowstone a night or two. Camping in Yellowstone puts you right in the park, this has many pros but please note that you will be camping near other people.
Jackson Hole (1 hour from South Entrance)
Jackson Hole is the closest big town to all 4 park entrances and has excellent hotels, bed and breakfast cabins, camping in the Tetons, great shopping, art, music, golfing and much more. Jackson Hole is located just south of Tetons National Park, and is about 1 and a half hours from the south entrance and from Yellowstone National Park. Most of our clients for the photography tours in the Grand Tetons stay here. Below are some of our favorites.
Inn on the Creek (beautiful 10 room Inn on Flat Creek, in town, social hour, Amazing Staff)
Rustic Inn (Luxury Cabins in a Unique Setting)
Wort Hotel (Historic Hotel right downtown)
Huff House ( Luxurious Inn and Cabins close to downtown)
White Buffalo Club (Downtown Jackson Hole, High end Amenities)
West Yellowstone (West Entrance)
This is a quiet, quaint town with fun actives and a friendly local town. It have lots of character, history, more affordable lodging, lots of camping within 15 miles, good shopping, a variety of food options, and great fly fishing on the Madison river. It is only 3 miles from the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park and 45 minutes to an hour from Old Faithful.
Under the Canvas Yellowstone (Luxury Tent Camp and unwind in style)
Alpine Motel (Heart of Downtown, Rated 1 on Trip Advisor)
Explorer Cabins(close to town with an outdoor fire-pit)
Grey Wolf Inn and Suites (Next to Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center)
Kelly Inn(Closest to West Yellowstone Entrance and Pet Friendly)
Cody (East Entrance)
Cody is an old cowboy town with some very unique shops, lodging, and camping options that is located near the east entrance of the park. The Cowboy museum in Cody is also worth a visit.
Best Western(swimming pool, nice rooms)
Sheep Herders Cabin(sleep in a sheep herder Wagon, awesome)
Yellowstone National Park Lodging and Camping
Lodging in Yellowstone National Park is a real treat. Most people choose to stay at lodges, with the hope that they will be able to stay at a couple of different lodges during their visit. The park is so large that this makes it easier to see all of the hot spots without having to go back and forth across it each day. Make sure that if you stay in a lodge, you stay in the Old Faithful Lodge for at least one night. These fill up months in advance so book early.Yellowstone National Park. Also if you want to be able to drive or walk minutes away from our kayak tour stay at Grant Village Lodge. Please check the dates for both types lodging, and reservations are highly recommended. Last minute reservations and just trying to find a campsite the same day is not recommended and many days in the park campsites will be totally full forcing people to drive hours looking for campsites or lodging which can also be full. If possible, we suggest to book months in advance, if everything is full in the park you can still have an amazing trip by staying in the towns mention above.
Lodging in the Park and open and close dates, lodge info links
Canyon Lodge 2017 Dates – Opens: June 2, 2017 | Closes: October 8, 2017
Old Faithful Snow Lodge 2017 Dates – Opens: April 28, 2017 | Closes: October 22, 2017
Roosevelt Lodge 2017 Dates – Opens: June 9, 2017 | Closes: September 4, 2017
Old Faithful Lodge Cabins 2017 Dates – Opens: May 19, 2017 | Closes: October 1, 2017
Mammoth Lodging and Restaurants will be open April 28, 2017 through October 9, 2017.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel 2017 Dates – Opens: May 12, 2017 | Closes: October 8, 2017
Lake Lodge Cabins 2017 Dates – Opens: June 10, 2017 | Closes: September 24, 2017
Grant Village 2017 Dates – Opens: May 19, 2017 | Closes: October 1, 2017
Camping open and Close Dates, info links
Fishing Bridge RV Park May 5 September 17
Canyon Campground May 26 September 24
Bridge Bay Campground May 19September 11
Grant Village Campground June 9 September 17 (3 miles from our kayak tours)
Madison Campground April 28 October 15
Grand Tetons Lodging
Staying in the Grand Tetons is a great way to see the Tetons during the sunrise and sunset; many people argue that there is no other place on earth that is more magnificent at these times of day. The Grand Tetons are also a great place to spot Moose during the sunrise and sunset hours, making them a great place for our photography tours. There tends to be more camping here than in Yellowstone and the sites usually don’t fill up quite as fast, so if you are looking to camp, The Grand Tetons are a great option.