📋 Yellowstone Itinerary
Status: Draft. Flights and exact dates still TBD. Activities are suggestions — swap based on weather, energy, and wildlife reports.
Day 1 — Mon Jun 28: Travel Day + Summit Park
- Fly SFO → SLC (mid-morning departure, ~2 hr)
- Drive to Summit Park (30 min from SLC)
- Afternoon/evening with Molly's parents
- Pick up their car, repack, buy groceries/supplies for the road
Day 2 — Tue Jun 29: Summit Park → Jackson → Grand Teton
- Late morning departure from Summit Park
- Scenic drive US-189 N through Kemmerer to Jackson (~4 hrs)
- Lunch in Jackson (Oscar can see the antler arches in the town square)
- Afternoon: Colter Bay — easy lakeside walk with Oscar, visitor center
- Overnight: Jackson area or Colter Bay Village (inside Grand Teton)
Day 3 — Wed Jun 30: Grand Teton → Yellowstone → Silver Gate
- Morning: drive through Grand Teton (Jenny Lake overlook, Snake River pullouts)
- Enter Yellowstone at the South Entrance
- Drive through Hayden Valley (bison, maybe bears)
- Stop at Mud Volcano — bubbling pots Oscar will love
- Stop at Artist Point — Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone views
- Arrive at Silver Gate Lodges (check-in 3pm)
- Evening: short drive into Lamar Valley for sunset wildlife
- Dinner at the cabin / cook at the lodge
Day 4 — Thu Jul 1: Lamar Valley + Silver Gate Area
- Early morning: Lamar Valley wildlife drive (wolves/bears most active early)
- Breakfast at the cabin
- Late morning: **Trout Lake** hike (easy, 1 mi RT)
- Afternoon: Soda Butte Creek — Molly fishes, Oscar plays in the creek
- Late afternoon: drive up the Beartooth Highway alpine section for views + snow patches
- Evening: last night at Silver Gate, start packing
Day 5 — Fri Jul 2: Silver Gate → Old Faithful (Moving Day)
- Morning: final Lamar Valley loop
- Drive south through the park (~2–2.5 hrs)
- Stop at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — Artist Point, Brink of the Lower Falls
- Stop at Hayden Valley for wildlife
- Arrive at Old Faithful Inn (check-in)
- Afternoon: walk the Old Faithful Geyser Loop — catch an eruption
- Evening: dinner at the Inn, sunset from the balcony
Day 6 — Sat Jul 3: Old Faithful + Grand Prismatic
- Morning: **Geyser Hill Loop** walk
- Midday: drive to Grand Prismatic Spring — do the Fairy Falls Overlook walk with Oscar
- Lunch at Old Faithful Inn deli
- Afternoon: Firehole River fishing (Molly) while David + Oscar do the Morning Glory Pool walk (paved, easy)
- Evening: Oscar's Junior Ranger badge ceremony at the visitor center
- Late evening: last Old Faithful eruption after dark (less crowded, magical)
Day 7 — Sun Jul 4: Departure
- Morning: West Thumb Geyser Basin walk (on the way out, 30 min south)
- Drive to SLC via West Yellowstone → Idaho Falls (~5.5 hrs)
- Drop car with parents in Summit Park
- Fly SLC → SFO (evening flight)
Packing for Oscar (3yo)
- Bear bell — every kid wants one, helps prevent surprising wildlife
- Binoculars (child-sized if you can find them)
- Animal checklist — printable from NPS or make your own
- Rain jacket + pants — afternoon thunderstorms are daily in June/July
- Layers — mornings at 40°F, afternoons at 75°F
- Sunscreen + hat — strong sun at 7,000–8,000 ft
- Snacks. So many snacks.
- Comfortable carrier if he still rides
Notes & Tips
- Cell service — virtually none in the park. Silver Gate and Old Faithful Inn have Wi-Fi (spotty at Silver Gate, decent at Old Faithful). Download offline maps before you go.
- Gas — fill up when you can. Stations at Canyon Village, Tower-Roosevelt, Old Faithful, and Cooke City.
- Groceries — stock up in Summit Park or Idaho Falls before entering. Silver Gate has a tiny store with basics at high prices.
- Altitude — 5,000–8,000 ft. Oscar may tire more easily. Keep days flexible.
- Bear spray — borrow from Molly's parents or rent/buy at park entrances. Carry on any hike.
- Beartooth Highway — opens ~Memorial Day but can stay snowy into late June. Check conditions before relying on it.