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The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express

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The A-Z of Traveling Up & Down the I-15 Corridor

Travel like a pro with our A-Z guide for trekking west with the Salt Lake Express. As we share our A-Z of traveling list, think of your own and what you might do differently and feel free to let us know!

A: All-Inclusive

Gone are the days without extra legroom and drop-offs right at your door. The Salt Lake Express has countless perks – check out some of the best right here! It’s the perfect way to kick off our A-Z of traveling with us!

B: Beaver Dam, AZ

Beaver Dam, one of our stops in Arizona, may not seem like party central at first. However, if casinos are your thing, Beaver Dam is just 17 minutes away from the Nevada border! It’s also only a 37 minute drive away from St. George, Utah. Check out inexpensive things to do in St. George here.

C: Cedar City, UT

Next on the list, we’re headed to southwest Utah! Cedar City has plenty to offer – not only is it close to Zion National Park (only 34 miles away!), but it also boasts other fabulous outdoor opportunities, such as Cedar Breaks National Monument and Dixie National Forest.

D: Darby Canyon, WY

Darby Canyon sits on the border of Idaho and Wyoming, and is only approximately 1 – 1.5 hours away from our stops in Rexburg, ID and Jackson, WY, respectively. Whether you’re headed out to hike the trailhead or explore the wind caves, stopping at Darby Canyon if you’re staying in either state is a must.

E: Emigration Canyon, UT

If you ever wonder where exactly Brigham Young famously declared, “This is the place,” then Emigration Canyon is the spot for you. If you’re stopping in Salt Lake City, Emigration Canyon houses the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, perfect for hiking or biking, as well as a couple of local places to eat, such as Ruth’s Diner.

F: Falls, as in Great Falls, MT

Great Falls, our northernmost stop here at the Salt Lake Express, has much to offer with multiple heritage museums, hundreds of local restaurants, and over 57 parks. It’s the perfect blend of big city excitement and small town charm.

G: Grand Teton National Park, WY

The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express - GTNP

Hop off at our stop in Jackson, Wyoming, and head over to Grand Teton National Park! Teeming with alpine views, crystal lakes, and adventurous animals, it’s definitely a sight to see.

H: Helena, MT

Next stop on our list is Helena, Montana! Did you know there’s a gorgeous European-style cathedral right in the city? You’ve also GOT to check out the Gates of the Mountains wildlife area. It showcases some of the most beautiful views Montana has to offer.

I: Island Park, ID

You haven’t really been to Idaho until you’ve been to Island Park. If you love the outdoors, Island Park is the Salt Lake Express stop for you, with access to so many mountains, lakes, springs, and more.

J: Jerome, AZ

Say hello to the nation’s largest ghost town, just half a day’s trip from our stop in Page, AZ. Once known as “America’s Wickedest City,” Jerome once boomed as a mining camp in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Once the mines closed in the 1950’s, Jerome’s population became virtually nonexistent – however, it’s now a thriving tourist hub with plenty to see.

K: Kodachrome Basin State Park, UT

Kodachrome Basin State Park, named after one of the first color films developed in the 1930s. And rightfully so – the park is bursting with color! Seeing those red rock formations contrast against a brilliant blue sky will leave you speechless.

L: Las Vegas, NV

The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express - Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of our most popular stops here at the Salt Lake Express. It’s most popular tourist spots seem to span the entire city, with plenty of nightlife, gambling, and faux world attractions covering the entire surrounding areas.

We have also added a direct stop at the Las Vegas LDS Temple to accommodate patrons while the LDS temple in St. George is closed until 2022.

M: Montana

The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express - Montana

We love Montana! From stops in Dillon, Butte, Helena, Great Falls, and more, we have I-15 covered. The state is home to seven state forests and 53 state parks – talk about adventure!

N: National Parks

What’s better than a shuttle service that takes you straight to the great outdoors? Here at Salt Lake Express, we stop at three national parks, of which are Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Zion National Park.

O: Ogden, UT

If we had to pick one word to describe Ogden, it would be eclectic. Ogden’s got rock climbing, a dinosaur park, indoor water sports, axe-throwing, a trampoline park, and so much more. Check out all the entertainment that Ogden has to offer right here.

P: Lake Powell, UT

Did you know that Lake Powell is not technically a lake? It’s a reservoir located in southern Utah! While it’s a little further out from our stops than some of the other locations on this list, we definitely recommend visiting at least once – there’s tons to do, like boating, hiking, fishing, and camping.

Q: Quail Creek State Park, UT

Quail Creek State Park, located in southern Utah, is a short 20-minute drive from St. George and boasts some of the state’s warmest waters. Learn more about it here.

R: Rainbow Rocks, Nevada

The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express - Rainbow Rocks

Okay, we had to get a little creative with this one. We’re actually talking about the Seven Magic Mountains, a desert art installation that features rock towers painted in a myriad of beautiful colors! It’s only 10 miles south of Las Vegas, and is scheduled to be available on view through the end of 2021.

S: St. George Express

Did you know we also operate another shuttle service? The St. George Express has fares as low as $19, and travels to Nevada and southern Utah! Currently, we have stops in Beaver, Cedar City, St. George, and Hurricane for Utah. We also have stops in Mesquite and Las Vegas for Nevada.

T: Twin Falls, ID

Twin Falls hosts Shoshone Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the United States! It’s taller than Niagara Falls, which is probably why it’s called the “Niagara of the west.” While you’re at it, check out these awesome attractions and trails in the area!

U: Utah State University

At the heart of our stop in Logan is Utah State University, the “fifth best public university in the nation,” according to their website. Know someone who’s applying for college? Stop in Logan and take a tour of USU!

V: Virgin River, Utah

Much of the Virgin River runs through Zion National Park, so if you’re headed that way, make sure to hike through the Narrows and feel the water splash your feet!

W: Wasatch Mountains

The Wasatch Mountain Range is one of Utah’s defining characteristics. Cities in the Wasatch area are sprawling with beautiful canyons, exclusive ski resorts, world-class golf, and more. Start planning your trip right here, right now.

X: Cross something off your bucket list!

See what we did there? With the Salt Lake Express, you have easy access to hundreds of beautiful destinations across the west. Plan a trip. Make it happen. We’ll take you there!

Y: Yellowstone National Park

Did you know that Yellowstone is the world’s first national park? Amazing! National Geographic has much to praise about it. Yellowstone’s most popular (and most accessible!) months are between April and September. Plan your trip today!

Z: Zion National Park

The A-Z of Traveling with the Salt Lake Express - ZNP

There’s a reason that “Z” on our list of A-Z of traveling is Zion. Get ready for the most spectacular views of your life at Utah’s first national park. Check out our blog post about six things you HAVE to do when visiting Zion.

There you have it, the A-Z of traveling with Salt Lake Express! We hope that many of you will treat this like a bucket list of sorts as you continue to travel with us in the future!

Top 5 Restaurants To Eat At In Jackson Hole Wyoming

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When you think of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you probably think of winter skiing, elk antlers at the Town Square, Grand Teton National Park, and whitewater river rafting. The last thing that probably came to mind are places to dine and eat at. While it is true that Jackson Hole is more famous for these other activities, the town does have some great restaurants to eat at.

Below is a list of five of the best restaurants in Jackson Hole. Some of them are new and not as well known while others are more familiar.  Each one offers a variety of different dishes so be adventurous and enjoy.

Gather

Gather is an American restaurant a block from Town Square and offers a casual, low key dining experience. The diner is family-friendly, has weekly happy hour specials, and a bar. It is also late on the weekends, which is always a plus.

Bin22

Bin22 came to Jackson as a result of owner Sommelier Gavin Fine visiting Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich’s EATALY in New York City. After visiting this restaurant and trying to bring a bit of Europe to Jackson Hole, Sommelier decided to start Bin22. The restaurant offers visitors with a small wine shop and grocer experience besides the restaurant. The restaurant features small European plates, wines, and craft beers. serves European style plates, wines, and draft craft beers.

Read 5 Restaurants in Logan Utah you Should try!

Trio An American Bistro

Trio An American Bistro was voted as one of Jackson Hole’s hottest restaurants in 2008. It is located just off of Town Square and is owned and operated by two local chefs. The restaurant serves both seasonal and nightly specials. You can also order a specialty cocktail and watch the chefs perform in an open kitchen.

Read Top 5 Fun Things To Do In Jackson Hole Wyoming

Liberty Burger

Liberty Burger is a new restaurant just off Town Square as well. The restaurant is all about chuck, brisket, and tenderloin. Their menu offers burgers served with ham and hash browns to tuna and lamb. Liberty Burger also offers amazing milkshakes and beer.

Bubba’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant

Bubba’s Bar-B0Que has been a Jackson Hole favorite for decades. It has hearty country style breakfasts, and satisfying lunches. Dinner is also amazing and offers BBQ platters, steaks, burgers, large salad bar, and delectable desserts. Plus they’re always adding new items to their menu, and offering daily specials.

jackson hole restaurants

Top 5 Fun Things To Do In Jackson Hole Wyoming

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Jackson Hole is a town in the valley of Wyoming with an estimated population of 10,500. The town gained a significant amount of fame in 2016 when a livestream of Town Square went viral on YouTube. This lead to much fascination with the town’s elk antler arches, ski resorts, and nearby national parks.

Jackson Hole is also known as a part-time home to famous actor Harrison Ford. He lives on an 800-acre ranch in Jackson with approximately half of which he has donated as a nature reserve.

Read 10 Hikes to Go On While At Yellowstone National Park

So with all of this recent hype, is Jackson really as great as people say it it is? And what is there to do in this small valley town? The answer to this question is yes! Every year hundreds of thousands of people visit Jackson, Wyoming to see the elk refuge, raft the snake river, visit Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and so much more.

As a former local to the Jackson Hole area, here is a guide to the top five things you’ll want to do while in Jackson (the elk refuge would have been in the top five if it weren’t summertime):

Town Square – Antler Arches of Jackson

Town Square is the centerpiece of Jackson. It is framed by four elk antler arches (made from hundred of elk antlers) and is surrounded by great dining, bars, gift shops, and art photo galleries. It is located across from the famous Million Dollar Cowboy bar which was featured in a number of western Hollywood movies. Town Square is also close to the recreation center that features a gymnasium, lap pool, water slide, and kid pool.

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is located in northwestern Wyoming, about five miles from Jackson Hole. From the south side of the park, the park is only 10 miles from Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton National Park encompasses about 310,000 acres and includes a 40 mile long stretch of the Teton mountains.

The mountains are definitely the main feature of the park, but there are plenty of other great things to do as well. Activities range from fly fishing to wildlife tours to boat excursions on Jenny Lake.

River Rafting & Tubing

Jackson Hole is also in the perfect location to offer amazing whitewater rafting and float trips. There are many different rafting companies near Jackson that have professionally trained guides to make your experience unforgettable. The river offers calm waters for relaxation as well as large rapids to give you a wild thrilling ride.

Read Five Creative Ways To Save Money For Traveling This Year

Snow King Mountain Resort

Snow King Mountain Resort is a ski hill located in the southeast corner of Jackson Hole. It was originally founded in 1939 and was the first ski area in Wyoming. Besides being used as a winter ski hill, it is also used for summertime activities. Summertime activities include the newly installed cowboy coaster, mini golf, zip lines, climbing walls, and a scenic chair lift ride. There’s also great biking and hiking trails that go all over the mountain.

Jackson Hole Museums

Just like any town or city, there is a museum. Jackson is unique in the fact that it has four traditional museums and 10 additional galleries or goldsmiths museums. All of the museums are great to see, but if you have limited time you’ll definitely want to visit the Jackson Hole Museum and National Museum of Wildlife.

Jackson Hole has so much more to offer, but this is a great start to some of the main things to do.

10 Hikes to Go On While At Yellowstone National Park

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yellowstone hikes

Are you going to Yellowstone National Park this summer and looking for a guide on great hikes to go on while you’re there? Then you’re reading the right article. Yellowstone possesses over 40 different hikes and more than 900 miles of trails that will accommodate everyone’s hiking needs. Some hikes are longer and more challenging, while others are less than a mile long and easy enough for a family to tackle.

With so many hikes available it’s hard to say what hikes are the best, but here is a list of 10 hikes to go on regardless:

1. Fairy Falls

First on the list is Fairy Falls. This hike is pretty easy and leads you to a spectacular waterfall. Once you get to the trailhead from the parking lot, you’ll walk through a lodgepole pine forest. Once you reach the falls, you can walk an extra half mile to see some geysers. Round trip is about six miles long.

2. Clear Lake/Ribbon Lake Loop

Next is Clear Lake/Ribbon Lake Loop and it’s also a pretty easy hike. It winds through meadows and forest, and passes by three backcountry lakes. You can hike to Clear Lake (3.0 miles), Lily Pad Lake (4.0 miles), or do the full loop (6.0 miles). Clear Lake is a hydrothermal area so be sure to stay on the trail.

Read 5 Best Things to do in Yellowstone

3. Mystic Falls

Mystic falls is cool because it starts just north of Old Faithful. The trail basically climbs pretty steeply to an overlook of the falls. If you want to make a loop hike, you can go a quarter of a mile farther and continue on the trail until it meets Little Firehole Meadows Trail. The trail is about 2.0 miles long.

4. Storm Point

After Mystic Falls is Storm Point. This hike starts at Indian Pond and then crosses a meadow and forest before reaching the tip of Storm Point. Once you reach Storm Point you’ll find great views of Yellowstone Lake and the surrounding mountains. The hike is about 2.3 miles round trip and a pretty easy hike.

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5. Lone Star Geyser

Lone Star Geyser also starts near Old Faithful and features a geyser. The trailhead starts at Kepler Casacades pullout and follows the Firehole River until you reach the geyser. Lone Star Geyser erupts every three hours at a height of 30-45 feet.  The hike is about 4.8 miles round trip.

6. Elephant Back Mountain

Elephant Back Mountain is also a great hiking trail. It’s moderately difficult and total distance is about 3.5 miles. This trail climbs for a mile or so and takes you through a lodgepole pine forest before reaching a junction. If you continue another half mile you’ll be able to see Yellowstone Lake.

Read What You Need to Know About the 2017 Solar Eclipse

7. Riddle Lake

Riddle Lake is another easy hike and the total distance is about 5 miles round trip. It crosses the continental divide and runs through the forest and marshy meadows to a little lake. This trail is usually open until July so check with park rangers before trying to hike it.

8. Shoshone Lake

Shoeshone Lake hiking trail is about 5.8 miles round trip. The trail runs along the edge of the forest and through open meads to the lake. You might see a moose while you’re there so keep an eye out.

9. Mount Washburn

For you hikers who like a more strenuous hike, this is a great one for you. The climb for this trail is about 1,400 feet as you ascend up the mountain. The crowning feature of this hike is reaching the top of the mountain and seeing a panoramic view of about 20-50 miles in all directions. Additionally, you’ll see wildflowers and possibly some bighorn sheep. You can expect the hike to be about 6 miles long round trip.

10. Pelican Creek

Pelican Creek is also a great trail. You’ll start at Pelican Creek bridge near the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center, and make your way through the forest and follow the creek. This trail is about half a mile long.

5 Best Things to do in Yellowstone

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1. Uncle Tom’s Trail
Uncle Tom’s Trail is not much of a trail but rather a bunch of paved inclines followed by just over 300 steps. Uncle Tom descends more than 500 feet to a platform, allowing you to take in a view of the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon. Although many people may attempt the descent, only the truly dedicated should actually do it. Whether you’re an expert or amateur, you’re sure to be out of breath on this slow ascent to the trailhead.

2. Queen’s Laundry

One of the most obscure places to visit in the entire park is this aging log cabin that was proposed by a superintendent in 1881 to serve as a bath house for guests. Unfortunately the plan didn’t take and the building was neglected. One of the hardest places to find in the entire park, the Laundry is only for devoted explorers.

3. Lamar Valley

Almost every morning you can find a crowd gathered on the side of the road in Lamar Valley looking for a sighting of the local wolves. Vacationers love to wake up earlier to catch the sun rise amongst the rivers, streams, and bison. By the time the wolf watchers arrive, you’ll already have acclimated yourself to the weather and have some amazing photos to go with it.

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4. Lonestar Geyser
With over 2/3 of the world’s geysers located inside the park, it can be a daunting task deciding which ones to watch. Huge crowds gather around Old Faithful – the park’s most famous geyser – at all hours of the day. But if you feel like stepping off the well-worn boardwalks and taking a short hike for a private showing that won’t disappoint, be sure to check out Lonestar.

5. Grand Prismatic Spring
The largest hot spring in the US, Grand Prismatic is among the most popular sights in Yellowstone. There are only two ways to view this colorful creature: on the boardwalk or off the grid. Ignore the endless stream of tour buses heading for the Midway Geyser Basin and drive south towards a parking lot for Fairy Falls. From there look for a faint path and head to the top of the hilltop. You’ll be heavy breathing, but you won’t regret it once you work your way through the tree filled path and take in the beauty.