Yellowstone's South Entrance
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

Grand Tetons1

With convenient access to Jackson Hole and the mighty Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park, accommodations near the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park offer plenty of exciting attractions and outdoor activities. The Tetons tower some 6,000 ft (1,828 m), and at least 12 of the pinnacles reach over 12,000 ft (3,658 m). With a bounty of wildlife and over 100 alpine lakes dotting the backcountry, the Grand Tetons are a beautiful backdrop to outdoor pursuits, which include fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, rafting and more. Inside Yellowstone, Grant Village and Yellowstone Lake are popular recreational sites that can be easily accessed from the South Entrance. West Thumb Geyser Basin, located on the shores of Yellowstone Lake, is one of the most scenic geothermal areas inside the park.

	Yellowstone To... Distance Est. Time* Evanston 243 m (392 km) 5 hr 40 min Cheyenne 430 m (693 km) 8 hr 30 min Idaho Falls, ID 138 m (223 km) 3 hr 15min Jackson 53 m (86 km) 1 hr 20 min Jenny Lake 33 m (53 km) 50 min Moose 40 m (65 km) 1 hr Montpelier, ID 170 m (274 km) 4 hr Rock Springs 230 m (370 km) 5 hr 15 min Teton Village 48 m (77 km) 1 hr 15 min
	Yellowstone Distance Table (*Estimated driving time)

ACCESS

By airplane, Jackson Hole Airport in Jackson is served by a handful of airlines and located roughly 60 mi (97 km) south of Yellowstone in Grand Teton National Park. By car, the South Entrance can be accessed via U.S. Route 191 from Jackson and Rock Springs.

ATTRACTIONS

Grand Teton National Forest
Encompassing eight major lakes and numerous smaller ones, the majority of the Teton Mountains and expansive forests of pine, fur and spruce trees, Grand Teton National Forest spans 485 sq mi (1256 sq km) and hosts virtually unlimited year-round recreation. The Grand Teton National Forest is just south of Yellowstone, a convenient stop for visitors staying in and around the Yellowstone area. The park features over 200 mi (322 km) of trails affording everything from a short walk to multi-day backcountry expeditions. For a fee, visitors can obtain a one-day, five-day or season permit to fish the lakes and rivers of the park, home to brown, cutthroat, brook, rainbow trout, mackinaw and whitefish. From mid-June to mid-September, mountain climbing is a popular pursuit. Because of the difficulty of tackling most Teton Peaks, mountain climbers are encouraged to make use of the forest's authorized guide services. For visitors wishing to explore the park on horseback, the corrals at Colter Bay Village and Jackson Lake Lodge provide horses trained for mountain trails.

Grant Village Visitor Center2

Grant Village
Grant Village Visitor Center, constructed in the 1970s, features an exhibit that illuminate's the role of fire in the environment by studying the fires of 1988, the most significant natural event to occur in the Yellowstone area since the immense volcanic eruption roughly 640,000 years ago. In the summer months, the visitor center shows the film Ten Years After Fire on a regular basis. Summer visitors also have the chance to take the Circle of Fire Tour motorcoach excursion, which departs from several starting points inside Yellowstone—including Grant Village—and visits numerous points of interest such as the Upper and Lower geyser basins, Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Norris Geyser Basin. Other popular activities in the Grant Village area include horseback riding, fishing and boating.

	Pots Hot Springs: West Thumb Area3

West Thumb Geyser Basin
This geyser basin was formed by a large volcanic explosion that occurred roughly 150,000 years ago, leaving behind a trove of interesting geothermal features. Although West Thumb is not nearly as big as some of Yellowstone's larger geysers, its position on Lake Yellowstone makes it one of the most scenic, and with hot springs, pools, mud pots, fumaroles and lakeshore geysers, West Thumb has it all. A few of the area's interesting features include Abyss Pool, noted for its depth and vibrant color; and Fishing Cone, a symettrical cone on the lakeshore with a hole of hot water in the center that was once used by fisherman to parboil their catch.

ACCOMMODATIONS

In-Park Accommodations
Grant Village, the closest in-park accommodation to Yellowstone's South Entrance, is comprised of six two-story buildings, each with 50 guest rooms, all of which are equipped with private bathrooms. This accommodation is located on the southwestern shore of Yellowstone Lake, roughly 20 mi (32 km) from Old Faithful Inn, an ideal location close to Grand Teton National Park. Resting 22 mi (35 km) north of Yellowstone's South Entrance, Grant Campground offers wooded camping facilities situated at the southwestern edge of Yellowstone Lake. Many amenities are within a half mile, including coin laundry, pay showers, restaurants, stores and a dump station, but no utility hook-ups.

Jackson Lake Lodge4

Out-of-Park Accommodations
Inside Grand Teton National Park, just south of Yellowstone, there are number of rustic accommodations including log cabins, tent cabins and RV sites at Colter Bay Village on the shores of Jackson Lake. Another Grand Teton accommodation is Jackson Lake Lodge, boasting nearly 350 guest cottage rooms as well as 37 guest rooms in the main lodge building. Guests of the lodge are positioned to take advantage of a number of recreational opportunities, including swimming, horseback riding, cruises on Jackson Lake and bus tours of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. Also located in the Teton Range is Togwotee Mountain Lodge, situated between Dubois and Moran, Wyoming, 44 mi (71 km) from the south entrance to Yellowstone. Touted as a premier snowmobiling resort, the lodge is a winter vacation hotspot. Flagg Ranch Resort is ideally situated 2 mi (3 km) south of Yellowstone and 5 mi (8 km) north of Grand Teton National Park, offering log cabin rooms equipped with a private bathroom, telephone and coffee maker, as well as a wooded campground near the Snake River. Heart Six Guest Ranch, 35 mi (56 km) north of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and 35 mi (56 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, invites singles, couples and families to experience a range of ranch activities, including swimming, games, arts and crafts, fishing and campfire singing. Teton Village at the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park features hotels, cabins, lodges, a hostel and plenty of vacation home rentals. Jackson, the closest major center to the South Entrance, is just under an hour-and-a-half drive to Yellowstone and supplies a wealth of accommodation options, from hotels and resorts to bed and breakfasts and cabins.

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PHOTO COURTESY

1. National Park Service; Grand Tetons; WY, USA
2. National Park Service; Grant Village Visitor Center; WY, USA
3. National Park Service; Pots Hot Springs: West Thumb Area; WY, USA
4. Grand Teton National Park; Jackson Lake Lodge; WY, USA