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How to Book a Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip

How to · Travel

How to Book a Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip

Plan the ultimate national parks road trip through Wyoming without blowing your entire savings at once.

VoAtlas editorial Updated · 3 min read
Typical cost $2,100 before anything else
Across the 0% window $116.67/mo 18 months, no interest

How we got that: $2,100 spread evenly across the 18-month introductory window on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card. Checked · at the bank Carry a balance past the window and the standard APR applies to what is left.

Driving through Yellowstone and Grand Teton means waking up to steam rising off geysers in the crisp morning air, watching bison block the road, and catching the sun hit the Tetons at dusk. It is wide open space, jagged peaks, and deep valleys that make you feel small in the best way possible. You need to plan this one early, though, because the best spots inside the parks book out fast and the season is short.

When you are looking at a bill around $2100 for campsites, park lodges, and car rentals, splitting up the payments can make the logistics hurt a lot less. You can use the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card to spread that $2100 cost over time. The terms give you 0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers from date of account opening, which gives you room to breathe after you get back home.

That 0% window is a hard deadline, not free money, so make sure you track the end date. If you still have a balance left on the card when the 18 months are up, regular interest kicks in on what is left over.

The steps

  1. 01

    Book your stays six months out

    Park lodges and inside-the-park campsites vanish almost the second they open up half a year in advance. If you miss that window, you will end up driving an extra hour each way from outside the park gates every single day.

  2. 02

    Lock in your flights and rental car

    Fly into Jackson Hole or Bozeman, depending on which way you want to loop the parks. Grab a reliable car with decent clearance because you might hit unpaved roads and wildlife traffic jams.

  3. 03

    Spread out the big costs

    You can put your gear, stays, and flights on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card and take advantage of the 0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers from date of account opening intro window. If you divide that $2100 total evenly, you are looking at about $116.67 per month to clear the balance.

  4. 04

    Map out your daily loops

    Yellowstone is massive and traffic moves slowly behind RVs and wandering bears. Do not try to see the whole park in one day, or you will spend your entire vacation staring at the back of a truck.

  5. 05

    Pack for all four seasons

    Even in July, you can wake up to frost and end the afternoon in a t-shirt. Bring layers, bear spray, and plenty of offline maps because cell service in the parks is basically non-existent.

  6. 06

    Check the card terms before you commit

    Every figure we publish for the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card carries the date a person verified it against Citi and a link to where they checked. Intro windows and APRs change without notice, so confirm the current terms before applying.

    See Citi Simplicity® Credit Card terms →

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton?

June through September offers the most reliable weather and fully open roads. July and August bring the biggest crowds, so June and September give you a better mix of decent weather and fewer people.

How many days do I need for both parks?

Give yourself at least six to seven days to see both parks without rushing. Yellowstone alone takes four days to loop properly, and Grand Teton deserves at least two days for hiking and lake views.

Do I really need to rent an SUV?

You can get by in a standard sedan if you stay on the main paved roads. An SUV or car with higher clearance just gives you a bit more peace of mind on gravel pullouts and unpaved scenic routes.

How does the payment math work out?

If your total trip costs about $2100 and you spread it across the 18-month intro window, you will need to pay about $116.67 per month to pay it off completely before the rate changes.