Western United States Travel

Suggested starting point: San Francisco, CA → Jackson Hole, WY
This path highlights the best of the Sierra Nevada, the Great Basin, and the Rockies.

Route Outline

• San Francisco → Lake Tahoe (CA/NV): Take I-80 East, then cut south on US-50 or CA-89 to Lake Tahoe. Gorgeous alpine lake views surrounded by snowcapped peaks.
   
• Lake Tahoe → Great Basin National Park (NV): Head east on US-50 (known as “The Loneliest Road in America”). You’ll see wide open Nevada desert, mountain ranges, and starry skies at Great Basin.
   
• Great Basin → Salt Lake City (UT): Continue east toward Utah. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a surreal stop along I-80.
   
• Salt Lake City → Jackson Hole (WY): Drive north via I-15 and US-89 through Logan Canyon, Bear Lake (turquoise water), and then into the Snake River Canyon before entering Jackson.
   

✨ Why it’s scenic: You get ocean views at the start, Sierra lakes, wide desert basins, salt flats, and then alpine mountain passes leading into the Tetons.

Suggested starting point: Chicago, IL → Jackson Hole, WY
This route lets you follow historic byways and see the changing landscapes of the Midwest into the Rockies.

Route Outline

• Chicago → Madison → Minneapolis (WI/MN): Take I-90 north and west. Pretty lake country, rolling farmland, and bluffs along the Mississippi River.
   
• Minneapolis → Badlands National Park (SD): Continue west on I-90 across Minnesota and South Dakota. Detour into the Badlands for striking rock formations and colors.
   
• Badlands → Black Hills (SD): Just west, visit Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Custer State Park with granite peaks and bison herds.
   
• Black Hills → Bighorn Mountains (WY): Stay on I-90 into Wyoming, then take US-16 or US-14 across the dramatic Bighorn range.
   
• Bighorns → Cody (WY): A classic western town with Buffalo Bill history. From here, drive the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway into Yellowstone’s East Entrance.
   
• Yellowstone → Jackson Hole (WY): Head south through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, ending in Jackson with jaw-dropping Teton views.
   

✨ Why it’s scenic: Rolling Midwestern farmland transitions to Badlands, Black Hills, rugged Bighorns, and finally the crown jewels—Yellowstone and the Tetons.

Both routes can be done straight through in a few days, but if you take your time (7–10 days), you’ll experience America’s most beautiful landscapes.

• Airport inside Grand Teton National Park → only U.S. airport within a national park. On descent, you’ll see the full Teton Range, Snake River, and Jackson Lake.
   
• Small airport = easy arrival → you step right out with the mountains as your backdrop.
   
• Photography tip: Sit on the left side of the plane inbound from DEN/SLC/ORD for best Teton views.

• From the East Coast:
   
  • New York (JFK, LGA, EWR)
     
  • Washington DC (DCA/IAD)
     
  • Atlanta (ATL)
     
• From the Midwest:
   
  • Chicago (ORD)
     
  • Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
     
  • Houston (IAH)
     
• From the West:
   
  • Los Angeles (LAX)
     
  • San Francisco (SFO)
     
  • Seattle (SEA)
     
  • Denver (DEN – biggest year-round hub for JAC)
     
  • Salt Lake City (SLC – excellent connection, scenic 5-hour drive if you don’t want to fly directly)
     

If you want to pair flights with scenic road stretches:

• Fly Denver (DEN) → Drive 8 hrs via I-80 & US-287 (Rocky Mountain + Wind River Range views).
   
• Fly Salt Lake City (SLC) → Drive 5 hrs via Logan Canyon, Bear Lake, and Snake River Canyon (super scenic).
   
• Fly Bozeman (BZN) → Drive 4.5 hrs through Yellowstone → Grand Teton NP → Jackson (ultimate national park combo).
   

✨ Summary for Jackson Hole Options

• Road-trip scenic arrivals: Western U.S. (Lake Tahoe → Great Basin → SLC → Jackson) or Eastern U.S. (Chicago → Badlands → Yellowstone → Jackson).
   
• Fly-in scenic arrivals: Direct seasonal flights from most U.S. hubs, or pair nearby flights (SLC, DEN, BZN) with mini-road trips through mountains & national parks.