A Grand Teton Camper Van Road Trip

Wyoming has so much to offer that there’s no better place to explore than Grand Teton National Park. This ultimate two-week road trip itinerary will take you through five states, beginning in Utah and finishing in Colorado. Our favorite part of the road trip was spending time in Grand Teton National Park and hiking so many amazing trails in the mountains.

Wyoming is the most wild and scenic places with majestic mountains and breathtaking hikes and our Grand Teton Camper Van Road Trip showed us all the landscape has to offer! My husband and I have dreamed of owning our own camper van, so the next best thing was to rent one to enjoy our hiking adventure with the Biggie, Native Camper Van.

Our Roadtrip with Native Camper Van

Being 6 feet tall, we chose the Biggie so I could stand without having to crouch down. Additionally, the bed was incredibly comfy and fit both of us comfortably. Furthermore, we enjoyed the side-vented window as well as the roof vent fan, which were perfect for the hot summer nights. Driving the van was smooth and comfortable, and surprisingly, it was effortless to park thanks to the back-up cameras. If you’re considering a similar adventure, Check out Experience Grand Teton National Park in a Camper Van. We rented the our camper van from Salt Lake City, UT.

Jackson is a fun town to get grab a local beer, dinner and stock up on groceries for camping in your van.  From breathtaking views of glacial lakes, woodlands and mountains, there is hundreds of miles to hike and explore along your way to Yellowstone.  Grand Teton National Park is a wild, scenic destination and we cannot wait to go back for more hiking adventures! Check out our road trip, hiking itinerary and experience from our camper van.

Antelope Island State Park – Utah

Antelope Island State Parks offer camping opportunities on their beautiful beaches. Hike, bike or kayak and definitely bring your bug spray for the biting gnats. Unfortunately, while we were there wildfires were raging and haze covered the mountains.

Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming

If you’re looking for a romantic road trip destination, Grand Teton National Park is one of the best places to go. It’s home to more than half of the park’s 2,000 miles of hiking trails, as well as the famous Jackson Lake Lodge. Additionally, you can visit the nearby town of Moran, where you can find restaurants, shops, and other attractions. We particularly loved hiking in Grand Teton National Forest and riding our bikes. As a result, we saw so much wildlife! Keep on reading to find out more about our epic Grand Teton Camper Van Road Trip.

Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming

Not too far from Grand Teton is Yellowstone National Park, which is also in Wyoming and is the place to go for all of nature’s wonders. It’s home to beautiful lakes, geysers, hot springs, and more. However, if you prefer something a little quieter, then head back to Grand Teton National Park (our personal favorite). Here, you’ll find gorgeous mountain ranges, diverse wildlife, and even a few glacial lakes.

West Yellowstone – Montana

West Yellowstone, Montana, is a rustic mountain town nestled between National Forest lands and is the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. It is only a mile from the park entrance, and the town airport is the closest to the park, and to attractions like Old Faithful.

Rock Springs – Wyoming

Home of open roads, blue skies and wild horses, so you know I had to go!

Estes National Park – Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the country. With majestic peaks in every direction, wildlife roaming the valleys and some of the most incredible outdoor adventures on the planet, it is no wonder more than three million people flock to the park each year. Check out one of our gorgeous hikes here.

Pikes Peek + Manitou Incline, Colorado

We climbed the Manitou Incline, one of the most popular, but strenuous stair master hiking trails in Colorado. The Incline is steep. It gains over 2,000 feet of elevation in less than one mile. After climbing there is a scenic 3-mile path back down to the base. You only live once!

Ultimate Grand Teton Roadtrip Itinerary

We bulked up on groceries and water at Winco as soon as we arrived to Salt Lake City, UT for our camper van adventure to Grand Teton National Park.  As a couple, we enjoyed cooking on the stove and having everything we needed at our fingertips.  Sleeping out in the wild, listening to the crickets, cicadas and birds was so peaceful.  We loved waking up before sunrise to be at the base of a trailhead to beat the summer crowds on our hikes.  The early bird gets the worm when it comes to cooler weather, wildlife and quiet hiking trails, especially during the week.

Day 1 – Salt Lake City, UT

Arrive at Salt Lake City Airport – Uber to pick up Biggie Native Camper van
Stock up on groceries at Winco
Enjoy tasty tacos at Red Iguana 2
Camp out for a night at Antelope Island State Park

Day 2 – Utah / Idaho / Wyoming – 254 miles 

Hike – Trails by campground
Watch the sunrise from our van, have coffee and breakfast – wildfires + smoke
Make the breathtaking drive to Wyoming through scenic farmlands in Idaho and the mountains of Bridgerton National Forest to Camp Out Trail Creek Campground

Day 3 – Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming

Hike – Jenny Lake Loop to Cascade Canyon Trail – 13 miles
Start early – 6 a.m. to beat the crowds, boat to/from or back or choose the lake loop like we did for a longer, scenic hike.
Camp out 

Day 4 – Wyoming

Back to Jenny Lake to hike earlier 6 a.m.
Hike Surprise + Ampitheater Lake – 13 miles
Jackson – Snake River Brewing – I definitely “Earned it”
When in Jackson, check out the – Million Dollar Cowboy

Day 5 – Wyoming

Rented Bikes – Wilson Back Country Sports
Rode our bikes for a nice loop from Wilson to Teton Village to Grand Teton Park, Moose, Jackson and Wilson. The grravel roads along the snake river were fun and we saw a herd of elk. Saw a moose and her cow along the way in Teton Village. – 26 miles
Loved circling back to the Snake River for a cool down dip before we returned our bikes.

For more information on biking, check out, How We Roll in Jackson Hole for bike maps and more.

Day 6 – Yellowstone – Scenic Drive to Yellowstone – 68.8 mi 

Sunrise Hike to Bradley Lake – Easy 6 miles
Went for a swim in Jackson Lake
Washed our clothes + showered at Colter Bay Campground
Waited for Old Faithful and she didn’t disappoint, saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone which is also in my Print Shop under Wyoming.

Day 7 – Yellowstone

Mammoth Hot Springs at sunrise!
Hiked to to Osprey Falls – very steep, switchbacks, difficult trail. Not in all trails for a reason. – 13 miles
Camped out in Montana – West Yellowstone KOA
Dinner – Buffalo Bar

Day 8 – Yellowstone to Grand Tetons

Sunrise at Grand Prismatic and an easy hike by the geysers! We saw a buffalo!
Watched a storm roll in over the Teton Range and headed back to camp.

Day 10 – Grand Tetons

Hiked Paintbrush Canyon – 10 miles – didn’t do the whole loop – moderate
It started drizzling, but we were prepared with our gear. Speaking of gear, we saw a grizzly (packed the bear spray, thankfully didn’t have to use it) and a moose! Met some cool peeps on the trail and cooled off with a swim in Leigh Lake.

Day 11 – Drive from Grand Tetons to Rock Springs, WY – 234 mi

Long scenic drive with open roads, cumulous clouds and breathtaking scenery. We saw wild horses! Get your wild horses for your home in my Print Shop under Wyoming.
Saw the most incredible sunset and sunrise from our base camp on BLM land.

Day 11 – Drive from Rock Springs, WY to Estes Park, CO – 348 mi

Camp out – KOA Estes
Take that long-awaited and certainly necessary shower + laundry
Horseback Riding in the mountains – Sombrero Stables

Day 12 – Estes National Park, CO

Hike Lawns Lake – 13 miles – hard
Beer + Dinner – Estes Park Brewery

Day 13 – Drive from Estes to Boulder, CO – 78.3 mi

Easy morning driving/sightseeing before lunch
Afterward drive to see our friend Paul in Boulder
Dinner – Community Supper Club

Day 14 – Boulder to Colorado Springs, CO – 206 mi

Drop off Native Camper Van – Denver, CO
Breakfast in Edgewater – Syrup Restaurant
Drive up Pikes Peak
Hike the Manitou Incline – hard but beautiful nonetheless
Only one mile, but straight up! And then 3 1/2 miles downhill.

Day 15 – Denver, CO – fly home

What do you think of our incredible Grand Teton Camper Van Road Trip Itinerary? If you have any questions or would like to check out more blogs from our travels, click here.