# 1-Day Yellowstone + Grand Teton Checklist
**Base camp:** Island Park, Idaho · **Total drive:** ~280 mi · **Wake-up:** 5:00 AM

> Park hours, road status, and shuttle schedules change seasonally — verify on nps.gov within 48 hours of travel.

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## Before You Leave the Cabin
- [ ] Park pass pre-purchased (yourpassnow.com) — saves 15+ min at the gate
- [ ] Full tank of gas (last cheap fuel is in Island Park)
- [ ] Coffee + breakfast bars packed
- [ ] Lunch + snacks for 2 (no reliable midday food between Old Faithful and Jenny Lake)
- [ ] 2 L water per person
- [ ] Phones charged + portable battery
- [ ] Offline maps downloaded (cell service is spotty inside both parks)

## Pack for the Day
- [ ] Layers: fleece + rain shell (mornings are 40°F even in July)
- [ ] Sturdy hiking shoes (Hidden Falls trail is rocky)
- [ ] Sun hat + sunglasses + SPF 30+
- [ ] Bear spray (rent in West Yellowstone if needed — TSA-restricted)
- [ ] Binoculars (Snake River Overlook, Lamar wildlife)
- [ ] Camera with charged battery + spare SD card
- [ ] Cash for Jenny Lake shuttle boat (~$20/adult round trip)

## Timeline
- **5:30 AM** Depart Island Park → West Yellowstone (30 min)
- **7:00 AM** Old Faithful + Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk
- **10:00 AM** Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic + Fairy Falls Overlook)
- **11:30 AM** Drive south → Rockefeller Pkwy → Grand Teton (~2 hr)
- **2:00 PM** Jenny Lake shuttle → Hidden Falls / Inspiration Point (1.8 mi RT)
- **4:30 PM** Mormon Row (Moulton Barn) + Snake River Overlook
- **7:00 PM** Dinner in Jackson
- **9:30 PM** Return to Island Park (~2.5 hr — watch for wildlife)

## Safety Reminders
- Stay 100 yds from bears + wolves, 25 yds from bison, elk, moose
- Never step off thermal-feature boardwalks — ground is unstable and 200°F+
- Pull fully off the road for wildlife photos — "bear jams" cause most accidents
- Storms build fast over the Tetons after 1 PM — be off exposed alpine terrain
- Cell coverage drops near Lewis Lake, Lamar, and Antelope Flats — tell someone your route

## Money Math (2025)
- Combined 7-day pass: $70/vehicle (both parks) — vs $35 each separately
- Jenny Lake shuttle: ~$20 round trip per adult
- Lunch in-park: $18–25 per person
- Dinner in Jackson: $30–50 per person
- Fuel: ~$50 round trip from Island Park

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*Generated for Lodgepole Pines Retreat guests — yellowstonelogcabin.com*