We flew into Salt Lake City, based ourselves in West Yellowstone, and spent two days in Yellowstone and one day in Grand Teton in June 2026 — and saw five black bears, a grizzly, bison, elk, and pronghorn. It was the trip of a lifetime, and if you’re planning your own, this page puts everything we wrote about it in one place, in the order we’d read it.
Start Here: The Trip, Post by Post
Part 1 — Day One: the northern loop, Mammoth Hot Springs, and our first bears
Our first day in the park: the northern loop, the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, and the bear sightings that started it all.
Part 2 — Day Two: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, a grizzly, and Grand Teton
Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone, then south into Grand Teton for Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon — and one unforgettable grizzly encounter.
Yellowstone vs. Grand Teton: Which National Park Did I Like Better?
After visiting both back to back, here’s my honest take — plus the best time to go, wildlife safety distances, and answers to the questions everyone asks before their first trip.
Plan Your Own Trip
When to go: We went in June and loved it — baby animals, waterfalls running full, and (mostly) beautiful weather. Layers are non-negotiable; June mornings are cold even when the afternoons warm up.
Where we based ourselves: West Yellowstone, Montana, right at the west entrance — an easy drive into the park each morning, with restaurants and coffee in town for the evenings.
What to pack: Everything we actually used, in one list: Yellowstone Packing List: What to Bring for a June Wildlife Trip — wildlife viewing gear, the layers that matter, and daypack essentials.
Wildlife safety, quickly: Stay at least 25 yards from bison and elk, and 100 yards from bears and wolves. The animals are wild, the photos are never worth it, and the rangers do enforce it.
Happy planning — and if you go, come back and tell me which park YOU liked better!