Distance:
296km
(184miles)
Pick up the road south to Yellowstone National Park where you will be awe-struck by the natural surroundings and the bewildering variety of wildlife. Moose, bear, bison, wolves, elk, river otters, bighorn sheep roam this epic wilderness and the park is home to the largest concentration of geysers and hot pools in the world. Driving around is easy, thanks to a straightforward loop road with plenty of places to pull over and hike from on foot. Take the Upper Loop through the park, leading past Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Falls and Upper Falls.
Allow a full day to really explore Yellowstone with all its beauty spots and natural thermal features in all their myriad iridescent colours (Grand Prismatic Spring is a highlight). Take the Lower Loop in order to witness Old Faithful, the world’s most famous geyser shooting 42 metres in to the sky every 78 minutes, and Yellowstone Lake.
Just to the south in Wyoming lies Grand Teton National Park, an idyllic area with plenty of opportunities for hiking, canoeing and swimming amid spectacular scenery. The Tetons are one of the world’s most dramatic mountain ranges, rising up from the Jackson Hole valley floor. Some of North America’s most talismanic creatures live here, including bears, bald eagles and elk. Take a boat trip across Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls, where water cascades down 100 feet or so amongst tall trees.