Embrace the journey

But as we touch down north in Bozeman, Montana, it’s a breezy 75 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect weather for relaxing on the lawn before settling in for the night at the retro landmark Sapphire Motel.

Those kinds of weather extremes are common and one of the factors that pilots and trail trekkers alike must factor into any visit to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. It’s safe to say that most of the 4.5 million Yellowstone National Park visitors in 2023 arrived by car or commercial air. But private pilots have a multitude of accessible airports to use as their gateway to exploring the parks.

Planning your trip

You might think that flight planning a mountain getaway to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area would be the most challenging part of the trip. But, given their sheer mass—Yellowstone spans 2.2 million acres; add another 310,000 acres in the adjoining GTNP—the on-the-ground route planning can be nearly as daunting.

To decide where to stay requires understanding the lay of the land. Yellowstone’s main roads are designed in a figure-eight style, with an upper and a lower loop and five park entrances. The south entrance connects to Grand Teton’s main loop, lodges, and trails.

Study the National Park Service websites for maps and details about the many geological sights and decide what you most want to see given the amount of time you have. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the desire to “see it all,” but with so much beauty surrounding you, remember that this trip is all about embracing the journey.

Accommodations within the parks typically open for reservations one year out; many lodges and campgrounds fill up quickly. You may pay a premium for staying inside the parks, but the reward is convenience and less driving. Hotels and VRBOs in gateway cities can be a more affordable option, with only slightly more driving.

Gardiner, Montana

For our group of four, we split our visit into stays near the Gardiner north entrance, and the West Yellowstone entrance, and then make our way south to Grand Teton. You can leave your aircraft at Bozeman Yellowstone International (BZN) and drive the 70 miles to Gardiner or for closer access, land at Gardiner Airport (29S), about two miles northwest of town.

We spent our first nights at the Electric Peak Lookout, a log cabin in Gardiner stocked with the essentials—coffee, bear spray, and visits from the neighborhood elk family. It also was less than five minutes from the Roosevelt Arch north park entrance and close to Gardiner’s main street where we enjoyed bison burgers and huckleberry margaritas at the Iron Horse Grill’s riverfront deck. (Be sure to secure your national park pass in advance.)

If you aren’t an early riser, you might want to become one for this trip. The best chances for wildlife viewing, and the least crowds, are in the early hours. Within 15 minutes of entering the park our first morning, we came across elk, bison, and antelope along the road from Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris Basin, a good omen for the rest of our stay. The Guide Along app, available for both parks, is an invaluable GPS-enabled tour guide. Save time and money by packing a cooler. We made numerous stops along the upper loop before picnicking at Pumice Point with a breathtaking view of
Lake Yellowstone.

West Yellowstone, Montana

West Yellowstone is the busiest entrance, but gives visitors central park access. Our Whiskey Springs cabin was close to park gates, restaurants, and the airport.

Travelers arriving by airplane at Yellowstone Airport (WYS) just north of town can enjoy private camping. Park your airplane, and grab a golf cart ride from Choice Aviation FBO to one of the airport’s eight on-site campsites just for pilots. With the airport’s high fencing, there is no need to worry about big furry visitors in your tent, either. The airport is open May through October.

If you are ready for a non-park day, consider exploring Gallatin National Forest on a four-wheeler. Before getting our UTVs from Highmark Rentals (rent one and Highmark will pick you up from the airport), we fueled up at Running Bear Pancake House. Next to us, a group of Idaho pilots was enjoying a hearty fly-in breakfast.

Grand Teton

We explored sites along the lower Yellowstone loop like Grand Prismatic Spring and Gibbon Falls, before heading south to Grand Teton National Park. Take a break from the 2.5-hour drive at Leek’s Marina, where you can enjoy pizza at one of the picnic tables along Jackson Lake. The route from there to our cabins at Signal Mountain Lodge rewarded with more stunning lake and mountain views, as did the cabins themselves.

At sunrise, trek the three miles to Moose Pond where patience could pay off in moose sightings. Save another morning for the boat shuttle across Jenny Lake to hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Fuel the muscles with elk chili and Teton Lemonade at Dornan’s before circling north through the park. Watch for wildlife; along this stretch, a herd of 100 bison made for the best roadside diversion of our trip.

Jackson, Wyoming

Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is the only commercial airport located entirely within a national park. Aviators must adhere to noise abatement and noise curfews to minimize impact to wildlife and local communities. Its location just seven miles from downtown Jackson also puts the Main Square, hotels, and popular Jackson spots nearby. But the 6,451-foot runway elevation and surrounding peaks can make for some challenging flying.

Driggs, Idaho

An alternative to JAC is Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (DIJ) in Driggs, Idaho, 53 miles from GTNP. Even in the light morning haze that drifted westward from wildfires, it was hard to miss the 160,000 square feet of hangars and 7,300-foot-long runway. Transient pilots and locals enjoy Teton Aviation Center’s Forage Bistro and Lounge. While here, tour the impressive Warbird Airplane
Museum Collection.

Sue Durio is a freelance writer and aviation enthusiast who flies with her husband in their Cessna 310.