This 2 week Jackson Hole to Seattle Road Trip itinerary is PACKED with amazing places, amazing scenery, and amazing things to do. It’s mostly focused on natural areas and becoming one with nature–you won’t see many cities on this trip. But you will see some of the most beautiful places in the Northwest United States!
Starting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you’ll spend a day enjoying the area however you please. Then it’s time to hop in the car for a day in Grand Teton National Park, followed by a couple of days exploring Yellowstone. After that, you’ll enter the state of Montana for even more adventures, including hot spring resorts, small towns, waterfalls, and a couple of days in Glacier National Park.
After Montana, you’ll drive through the tiny panhandle of Idaho and over to the grand state of Washington. You’ll spend a bit of time in Spokane, then make your way up through central Washington to the small town of Winthrop. Drive through North Cascades National Park and end your road trip in Seattle.
This 2 week road trip from Jackson Hole to Seattle is one of the most scenic trips. You’ll drive through a lot of remote areas, giving you the chance to get close to nature. And yes, you’ll see FOUR national parks on this road trip; not bad for 2 weeks.
Read through the full road trip itinerary to get more information on the route, where you’ll be stopping, and what to do along the way!
2 Week Jackson Hole to Seattle Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1 // Jackson Hole
This road trip starts in Jackson, Wyoming, so take some time to explore before hitting the road. Jackson is definitely a tourist-driven town, but it still has the heart of the locals. There are tons of attractions and things to do around here. You can spend your time in town checking out the local shops, numerous art galleries, and restaurants. You can head over to Teton Village on the other side of the valley for a fun-filled day. Or you can spend more time in nature, exploring the rest of the area through hiking or biking.
Things to Do:
- Head over to Teton Village to hike, try some restaurants, or take the Bridger Gondola up the mountain
- Walk around town and check out the shops, galleries, & restaurants
- Go on a day hike in the area
- Stop in at the National Museum of Wildlife Art
Read Next: Jackson Hole Guides
Day 2 // Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton is the most beautiful national park in the country (in my biased opinion). It has the most stunning, jagged mountains, deep green forests, lots of lakes, and plenty of wildlife. Generally I’d recommend spending a few days in the park, but for this road trip, 1 day is enough to get a good overview. You can drive the main roads and see a lot of the major points in the park, plus take a short hike and spot some wildlife before the day is done. You can stay in the park overnight, or head back into Jackson. I recommend staying at Headwaters Lodge & Campground, because you’ll have an easy start to Yellowstone the next morning.
Things to Do:
- Hike (or take the shuttle boat) to Hidden Falls
- Drive around the main loop and stop off to take pictures and see the sights
- Spot wildlife near Antelope Flats
- Go on a short hike if you’re short on time
Read Next: 15 Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
Days 3 & 4 // Yellowstone National Park
If you stayed in Jackson the previous night, allow a couple of hours to get to Yellowstone and to your first stop/attraction. It is quite a drive to get through Grand Teton, which is why I recommend staying in one of the parks on your second night of the road trip.
Yellowstone National Park is HUGE. You would need at least a few days, or even a week, to really explore this place properly. You’ll have 2 days on this road trip to see the park, so stick to the main loop and you’ll get to see a bunch of the major attractions. You can decide the exact route you want to take within the park and what you want to see, but here are some suggestions. Check my Yellowstone Accommodation Guide to decide where to stay during this part of the trip.
Things to Do:
- Stop at the West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Watch Old Faithful blow and walk around the rest of the basin
- Explore Fort Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs area
- See the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Upper/Lower Falls
Read Next: 15 Things to Do in Yellowstone National Park
Day 5 // Chico Hot Springs
Once you’re done in Yellowstone, drive up to Chico Hot Springs. It’s just north of Gardiner, Montana, which is through Yellowstone’s North Entrance. How long it takes you to get here depends on where you stay and how you spent your time. You can use this day to see a bit more of Yellowstone before driving to Chico later in the afternoon, or you can drive straight here. Book a room, take a dip in the hot spring pool, relax, and prepare for a day of driving tomorrow.
Read Next: Relaxing at Chico Hot Springs
Day 6 // Gardiner to East Glacier
The drive from Chico Hot Springs to East Glacier is a little over 5 hours (about 329 miles). It’s not too long, but I would allocate most of the day to driving. I recommend waking up to take another swim before checking out of the resort, then hitting the road late morning. Stop in Bozeman, Montana for lunch and then continue north. You can stop as much as you want along the way, or you can just drive straight through to East Glacier and get set up. This little town is a gateway to Glacier National Park, and there are a few accommodation options to choose from.
Days 7 & 8 // Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is another one that deserves multiple days of exploration. While you’re based on the east side of the park, visit Two Medicine Lake and the Many Glacier area. If you have time, you can also drive a bit of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (but don’t go too far yet). Stay in East Glacier a second night, then spend day 8 driving the full Going-to-the-Sun Road and stopping as much as you want along the way. This will take you all the way out to the west entrance. Drive on to Whitefish for the night if you can and find accommodation there.
Things to Do:
- Hike to the Hidden Lake Overlook
- Check out the beautiful Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Lake
- Drive the Going to the Sun Road through the park
- Watch the sunrise near Two Medicine Lake
Read Next: 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Glacier National Park
Day 9 // Whitefish, Montana
This day is pretty flexible. You can spend the day in the mountain town of Whitefish, Montana. You can head up to the mountain resort, wander around town, hike or mountain bike, or check out a few other places. You could use this as an extra day to spend in Glacier National Park, or you could explore somewhere else in the area. And if you need to cut some time from your road trip, this is a day you can easily cut out.
Day 10 // Drive from Whitefish to Spokane
The drive from Whitefish, Montana to Spokane, Washington is a bit over 4 hours if you head south and take interstate 90. But I recommend taking highway 2 up to Libby for the best attractions. Here you’ll find Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge. There’s a large pull-out/parking lot on the side of the highway (keeps your eyes open or you might fly past it). A short trail takes you to the beautiful falls on one side (climb, walk, sit, enjoy), and a swinging bridge on the other side. It’s worth spending a couple of hours here before continuing the drive. You’ll then pass through Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, and drive south towards Spokane for the night.
Read Next: Kootenai Falls & the Swinging Bridge
Day 11 // Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington is right near the border of Washington and Idaho. It’s the 2nd largest city in Washington (after Seattle). But you won’t get a city vibe like Seattle, as it is a lot smaller. There’s plenty to see and do here, though. It’s the perfect stopover between all the driving from the day before, and all the driving you’ll be doing tomorrow. So take a break from the road and explore the city.
Things to Do:
- Check out Spokane Falls, and ride the gondola (Sky Ride) right over it
- Stroll through the Manito Park Botanical Gardens (or one of the many gardens in town)
- Wander through Riverfront Park for lots to do and see
Drive // Spokane to Winthrop
Today you’ll be driving from Spokane to Winthrop, a 3 1/2 hour drive (185 miles) for the route we’re taking. It’s not a long drive, but you won’t be stopping much. You’re heading straight through the central region, the heart of the apple growing industry. This region is absolutely stunning, and it feels very remote. Enjoy the views!
Day 12 // Winthrop, Washington
The drive from Spokane isn’t too long, so you should arrive in Winthrop in the afternoon with plenty of time to see the small town. This is a tourist-driven town just outside of North Cascades National Park, but it’s very small, very remote, and it doesn’t get overly crowded. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops to wander through. The scenery is so incredible, just take it all in and relax for the evening.
Read Next: A Cabin at River’s Edge Resort
Day 13 // North Cascades National Park
The drive from Winthrop to Seattle conveniently takes your straight through North Cascades National Park. This park is quite remote, and doesn’t have many “attractions” set up for tourists, so it isn’t nearly as busy as the other national parks on this trip. It’s a gorgeous park heavily focused on nature (as it should be), so take your time to stop off and see it as you drive through. Do a but of hiking if you have time! If you do head south to Chelan, you could take a different route to Seattle instead of driving through the national park. Arrive in Seattle to stay the night.
Things to Do:
- Get a classic photo of Diablo Lake from above
- Hike part of the Pacific Crest Trail
- Further South, take the passenger ferry from Chelan to Stehekin
Day 14 // Seattle
After 2 weeks on the road, you’ve finally made it to Seattle, Washington! This beautiful waterside city is filled with things to do. It’s definitely one of my favorite U.S. cities. It’s surrounded by nature, it’s vibrant, and there’s a lot of good food, coffee, and beer. Spend as much time as you want here to end your trip.
Things to Do:
- Visit one of the many art museums
- Eat your way through Pike Place Market
- Take the ferry to Bainbridge & the Kitsap Peninsula
Read Next: Seattle City Guides
That was an amazing 2 week road trip from Jackson Hole to Seattle! And yes, this is a road trip I actually took. It was packed with beautiful places and cool things to do, and I had the best time. Feel free to shorten or modify your road trip based on this itinerary. You can spend less time in some places, more time in others, and skip over some completely. None of the drives are that long, so you can easily cut a few days out if needed.
If you’re starting in Seattle and want to follow all 3 of my road trip itineraries in this series, you can do a huge loop from Seattle to Denver, Denver to Jackson, and end with the road trip from Jackson Hole to Seattle. You might need a full month to do it, but it would be one awesome road trip!
Read Next:
12 Scenic Places to Visit in the Evergreen State
10 Day Mid-South Road Trip Itinerary
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