We ended our Yellowstone adventure by packing up and leaving the campsite early—early for us, at least. The night before, we had loaded the car to make for a smoother departure. We’ll miss Under Canvas—the campfires, the cozy tent, and stoking the wood-burning stove each night to stay warm.
Although we had hit most of Yellowstone’s iconic spots, there was one last destination I didn’t want to miss: Grand Prismatic Spring. It did not disappoint. While this side of the park was noticeably more crowded than the quieter East side where we had been staying, the wait for parking was absolutely worth it. Excelsior Geyser and Grand Prismatic Spring were stunning sights to behold. And despite the crowds, the flow of visitors was steady, and we made our way through fairly efficiently.
As we left the parking lot and headed south toward the Tetons, we were quickly stopped by a traffic jam. Over the past few days, we’d encountered a few slowdowns—usually due to wildlife or brief congestion—but this was something else. After nearly an hour at a standstill, we spoke to others who had walked ahead to scout the cause. They assumed this was a multi-hour backup to get into Old Faithful. Thankfully, we had already visited earlier in the week!
So, we pivoted. Instead of waiting it out, we turned around and took the Southern Loop in the opposite direction. While technically longer in miles, it allowed us to keep moving—and turned out to be one of the most memorable decisions of the entire trip.
Along the way, we found a quiet picnic table overlooking the river near Gibbon Falls. The kids finished their Junior Ranger books while we ate lunch. Afterward, as we cleaned up and visited the nearby porta-potties, I noticed a faint trail leading into the woods. Faith, Lainey, and I had already done some impromptu exploring on the around the area and were eager for more. So we rounded up Annie and Marley and followed the path.
This is becoming a typical hike for our family: the kids will groan at a half-mile walk on a perfectly maintained trail to a famous landmark—but they’re always game to charge into the woods on a narrow deer path to who-knows-where. In this case, it led to the base of Gibbon Falls! Hundreds of feet above us, tourists stood at the overlook snapping photos—while down below, we had the entire base of the falls to ourselves. “I love this so much,” Annie said, and we all felt agreed. It became one of our favorite Yellowstone moments.
After our mini-adventure, we stopped at the Canyon Visitor Center so the kids could turn in their completed books and receive their Junior Ranger badges. They proudly shared with the ranger the animals they had seen, the places they’d visited, and the things they had learned. As parents, it made us pause and reflect on the unique kind of “education” they experienced—one few kids get during summer break.
From there, we continued along the Southern Loop toward the park’s southern exit. We hit one more delay, but this time it was caused by a herd of bison strolling down the road. It was brief and, honestly, kind of cool.
We arrived at Grand Teton National Park a little late but made it to Jackson Lake Lodge in time for a very late dinner—and a gorgeous sunset view from the iconic lobby. That lobby is more than beautiful—it played a pivotal role in the formation of the park and the history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
And the view didn’t stop there. Annie had booked the room, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Honestly, I was just excited for heat and air conditioning that didn’t require me to constantly feed a fire. When I was about 12, my family stayed in a cabin at the far end of the lodge, and I hoped we’d be in a similar spot. But to my surprise, we were placed in the lodge itself—on the top floor—with an incredible view of Willow Flats and the Teton Range. It may have been the best hotel room view I’ve ever had.
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