So you’re like me and have decided it’s time to see some of the United States’ most beautiful national parks? I don’t blame you one bit. You may have just booked your hotel or Airbnb, or you may have your itinerary complete but need to know what you should pack. This is where I’m here to help. Below is my Grand Teton and Yellowstone packing list, which contains everything we had, and what we wished we had, on our road trip through the parks.
I’m going to break this Yellowstone and Grand Teton packing list into the following groups:
And also as a heads up, I may receive commission if you make a purchase from some of the links in this list. However I promise I would never recommend something to you that I didn’t personally love. So these items are all vetted through yours truly and were included in my own Yellowstone and Grand Teton packing list when I road tripped out to Wyoming.
Footwear
- A good pair of hiking boots
- A Grand Teton and Yellowstone packing list is not complete without a good pair of hiking boots. I was able to break these bad boys in and they did me very well whether it was hiking through streams or simply walking around near Old Faithful.
- I also cannot tell yow how many pairs of hiking boots I researched. I happen to think almost all hiking boots are hideous and I had a hell of a time trying to find a pair I didn’t hate. The Timberlands linked above not only aren’t hideous, but are also what badass Instagram hiker/photographer @eyeofshe wears. If she can hike through South America with them, you know they’re good.
- Hiking sandals
- I bought this pair of Chacos off of Amazon and while I didn’t wear them a lot, it was a nice backup to have for when you hiked to one of the gorgeous lakes in the Tetons and wanted to give your feet a nice, cool rest.
- Good socks
- I’m the person that, no matter what, the back of my heels will always get a blister with shoes. Doesn’t matter the boots, the sandals, the whatevers… it’s just my feet apparently hate me. However, I avoided blisters this time, and even hiked for ~25 miles while I was there, by buying trekking Smartwool socks. I’m not a religious person, but I’d pray to these I think. And if my religious text is this Grand Teton and Yellowstone packing list… so be it.
Clothes
- Soft T-shirts
- I got myself a couple packs of these t-shirts from Amazon and they were great. They were very soft, fit well, and were flattering.
- Additionally, Unbound Merino shirts are a little bit pricier but I wore my long sleeve for 4 days straight backpacking in Havasupai and it did not smell AT ALL, so these are an absolute favorite of mine these days.
- Comfortable Pants
- I spent my trip in these pocketed leggings, which worked well for me. Wear whatever pants are comfortable and cover your legs completely. If you do wear leggings, highly recommend only bringing ones with pockets. I found myself preferring those ones every day.
- I brought 2 dresses and a pair of nicer sandals for if we wanted to explore town(s) at night so I didn’t have to continue wearing stinky hiking clothes.
- Light outer layer
- Make sure it has pockets! I wore a zip up I’ve had for years from Under Armour, but really anything that is a light layer and has pockets will be just fine. This one from Amazon is also great.
- Rain coat
- I’ve had this coat for years. It has come with me to Ireland, Australia, Belize, Florida, and now a few national parks. It is the perfect length, weight, and keeps me dry. I love it.
Storage Things
- A good hiking or photography backpack
- I bought this backpack from Peak Design for the trip so that I could easily swap lenses, and it was amazing. I loved it. I also saw another guy with the exact same backpack and he’d had it for years.
- If you want more of a traditional, lightweight daypack, check out this gorgeous Osprey Mira 32 Hydration Pack. Great back support and extra water? Yes Please!
- Cooler(s)
- We had both a small cooler for food and snack storage and a smaller one we could carry with us a that had space for a couple of beers to enjoy while sitting next to the river or wherever we were for a little bit. This is the little one that came in quite handy for river beers.
- Grocery bags
- You’ll use them for lots of stuff throughout your trip, but at very least you’ll use them for car trash. Don’t you dare leave these anywhere other than trash cans though; I refuse to allow my Yellowstone and Grand Teton packing list to cause any harm. Always leave no trace.
- Water containers
- Be it water bottles or a Camelback pack, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of water, particularly if you’re hiking. This HydroFlask water bottle I use every day and have taken on many trips with me but this UV filter LARQ water bottle is my new obsession. And water is heavy, so make sure to account for that in your pack. This applies to both a Yellowstone or Grand Teton packing list.
Safety and Nature Things
- Bug spray
- Bear spray
- Binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Noisemakers
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Random Things You Might Not Think Of
- Car and portable charger(s)
- You’ll definitely want these to make sure your phone and cameras stay charged
- Dryer sheets
- Because your hiking boots will end up smelling I promise
- Febreeze
- Maybe we’re just smelly but to keep everything fresh
- Downloaded entertainment
- Save playlists or podcasts to your device so you can access them in offline mode since you’ll likely be driving a bit in the park and also likely won’t have service
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Things We Wish We Had
- Sink washing packs
- We didn’t have a washing machine until the back half of our trip and I wish we had had these little detergent packs specifically for sinks.
- Wrinkle release spray
- Living in a suitcase, you’re just bound to get wrinkly. We bought a wrinkle release spray halfway through the trip and it was great.
- Floaties for ultimate lake enjoyment
- Bring a portable air pump and get yourself on the water quickly.
- Bring a portable air pump and get yourself on the water quickly.
Now that you have your Yellowstone packing list in order, check out our top 14 tips for your time at Yellowstone. Also as a reminder, this list also works as a Grand Teton packing list. And if you need anything else, have questions or concerns, feel free to reach out via the contact form. Or if you’re looking for all of the things I recommend for a hiking trip, check out my Amazon storefront. Happy packing!
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