Salt Lake City Circular 7 – A beautiful route for nature lovers that features spectacular, diverse, scenery in one of wildest regions of Northwestern USA. This route combines the glacial peaks of the Glacier National Park, in addition to the one and only Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, in addition to National Monuments and State Parks in Montana and Idaho.
Day 1 – Land in Salt Lake City and spend a few hours in the city
Lodging location: Salt Lake City
(if you land early you may start driving north on this day, lodging on the way, for example here)
Day 2 – Drive north and on the way visit Shoshone Falls (in Twin Falls), 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Twin Falls
Day 3 – Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument, 3 hour drive
Lodging location: Sun Valley or Hailey
Day 4 – Enjoy the morning in Sun Valley and then drive north in the scenic Sawtooth Mountains and enjoy the vistas along the way, 1.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Stanley
Day 5 – Enjoy a day of leisure and recreation in Redfish Lake, short drive
Lodging location: Stanley
Day 6 – Drive north to Montata, 5 hours drive
Lodging location: Missoula
Day 7 – Drive to the western part Glacier National Park and visit the park, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Apgar or West Glacier
Day 8 – Travel in the western part Glacier National Park and enjoy activities in the town of Whitefish, short drive
Lodging location: Apgar or West Glacier
Day 9 – Drive east on the scenic Going to the Sun Road (that crosses the park) and go on hikes along the way, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Saint Mary (or the eastern part of Glacier National Park)
Day 10 – Visit the Many Glacier region and/or the Two Medicine region of Glacier National Park, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Saint Mary (or the eastern part of Glacier National Park)
Day 11 – Visit the Two Medicine Region of Glacier and then drive south to Helena, 3.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Helena
Day 12 – Drive south towards Yellowstone National Park and in the afternoon bath in the Boiling River (on the way you may visit this museum in Bozeman), 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Gardiner
Day 13 – Visit Mammoth Hot Springs and then drive east to the Lamar Valley and tour the valley, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Canyon (or Lake Yellowstone)
Day 14 – Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and enjoy this canyon’s wonderful waterfalls and views and then drive west, 1 hour drive
(if you have time, add a drive back and forth in the Hayden Valley where wildlife is abundant)
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 15 – Visit the Upper Geyser Basin, 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 16 – Visit the Midway and Lower Geyser Basin (and if time allows visit the Norris Geyser Basin as well), 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: West Yellowstone
Day 17 – Visit at the Lower Geyser Basin and then drive south to Grand Teton National Park (on the way stop at the West Thumb Geyser Basin, on the shores of Lake Yellowstone), 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 18 – Visit the southern part of Grand Teton National Park and enjoy activities around Jackson, less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 19 – Enjoy one more day in the southern part of Grand Teton National Park and in activities around Jackson, less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Jackson
Day 20 – Spend the morning in the southern part of Grand Teton and drive to Salt Lake City, 5 hours drive
Lodging location: Salt Lake City
Day 21 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Northwest USA destinations page, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
