Moab, Grand Teton and Yellowstone by Van with a Dog: A Fall Road Trip

In the fall of 2024 we drove the van out of Colorado and kept going west and north: red rock in Moab, fall color in the Wasatch, and three weeks around Grand Teton and Yellowstone as the aspens turned and the crowds disappeared. Jack came the whole way. Fair warning that national parks and dogs don’t always mix, so here’s how we did it.

Route: Crested Butte → Moab → Salt Lake City and Park City → Grand Teton → Yellowstone → Big Sky → West Yellowstone → back through the Tetons
How long: About 3 weeks (part of a 5-week fall trip that started in Colorado)
Who came: Colin, me and Jack, our German Shepherd
Where we slept: The van, mostly at campgrounds and pullouts near the parks
Best for: Fall color, wildlife and big mountain views

Moab

We drove over from Crested Butte and spent a day hiking red rock around Moab with Jack: red cliffs, a hoodoo tower, and a sandy beach on the river where he waded in to cool off.

Jack, our German Shepherd, panting happily next to Angela on a red rock trail — Hiking buddies in Moab

A hiker with Jack, our German Shepherd, on a sandy trail beneath towering red cliffs

A tall balanced-rock hoodoo with a hiker standing nearby under a blue sky

Colin and Jack, our German Shepherd, on a sandy riverbank below red cliffs

Moab with a dog: pets aren’t allowed on the trails in Arches or Canyonlands, so look for hikes on the BLM land around Moab, where dogs are generally allowed. Start early, because the rock gets hot fast.

Salt Lake City and Park City

Next came a few days around Salt Lake and Park City, right as the Wasatch turned red and gold. The canyon drives and trails were the best fall color of the trip.

Red and orange maples and golden aspens below rugged peaks in a Wasatch canyon — Fall in the Wasatch

A trail through red maples and golden aspens with mountain peaks behind

A clear creek pool among rocks, surrounded by red and yellow fall foliage

Colin and Angela posing in front of a mounted bison head and an American flag in Park City

Grand Teton

Grand Teton in early October was my favorite part. We saw horses grazing in meadows right under the peaks, fall aspens, and fiery sunsets from inside the van. We spent days just driving between pullouts and taking it all in.

A blazing orange sunset seen from inside the van past a red blanket

Golden fall aspens in front of the snow-dusted Teton peaks

Angela taking a selfie with Jack, our German Shepherd, on a hillside with mountains behind

A person walking Jack, our German Shepherd, through a grassy meadow at sunset

Mount Moran mirrored in the still, blue water of Jackson Lake — Mount Moran in Jackson Lake.

Yellowstone and West Yellowstone

From the Tetons we drove north into Yellowstone. We watched a sunset over the mountains, saw a waterfall in the canyon, and found a little cabin on the prairie on the way. Then we spent a few days around West Yellowstone, where Colin and Jack walked through golden grass at sunset.

Colin standing with Jack, our German Shepherd, in tall golden grass at sunset — Colin and Jack at golden hour

A golden sunset breaking through clouds over forested Yellowstone hills

A small cabin with a green roof on a golden prairie beneath hazy mountains

Colin and Angela in beanies taking a selfie in front of a lake and snowy peaks

Grand Teton and Yellowstone with a dog: the rules

Both parks are strict about pets:

Dogs have to stay within 100 feet of roads, parking areas and campgrounds, on a leash.
Dogs aren’t allowed on trails, boardwalks or in the backcountry. That includes Yellowstone’s geyser boardwalks.
Plenty of national forest land outside the parks allows dogs on trails.

We planned big views from pullouts and short leashed walks with Jack, and kept the longer hikes for the national forest. Check the National Park Service’s pet pages for both parks before you go.

Big Sky

In the middle of the Yellowstone stretch we spent two days in Big Sky, Montana. We parked the van in the grassy Gallatin valley, hiked to a waterfall, and had pizza and beer in town.

Their white camper van parked in a grassy mountain valley with the sun low over the ridge

Angela and Colin smiling in a selfie in front of a cascading waterfall

A pizza topped with pepperoni next to a glass of beer on a restaurant table

What worked on this trip with a dog

Go in the fall. Early October meant fewer people, fall color and active wildlife.
Plan around park pet rules. Use national forest land for dog hikes.
Cold nights. It dropped below freezing at night in October, so bring a good sleeping setup for the dog too.
Wildlife distance. Keep dogs leashed and close. Bison, elk and moose are everywhere.
Get the parks pass.

More from the West

This trip started in Colorado. Read our Colorado mountain towns by van with a dog guide.