Old Faithful Tour from Jackson Hole 2026: Is It Worth It?

Booking choice: The Jackson wildlife day tour, from $329 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Jackson, Wyoming, is a popular base for Yellowstone, but it sits far from Old Faithful. The route runs north through Grand Teton National Park and enters Yellowstone at the South Entrance.

It is roughly 100 miles by road. The National Park Service directions page gives the drive inside the park, and the three Jackson tours below each solve the distance differently.

The quick answer

A Jackson day is 12 to 13 hours, mostly driving. The Jackson lower loop tour at $325 and the Jackson wildlife day tour at $329 reach Old Faithful in one day. The wildlife tour is non-refundable. The two-day tour at $650 adds the Upper Loop.

Jagged mountain peaks rising above a flat valley floor under heavy cloud — Jagged peaks above the valley floor on the drive north.

How far is Old Faithful from Jackson Hole?

Roughly 100 miles by road, through Grand Teton and the South Entrance.

Once you are through the South Entrance, the National Park Service directions page lists 50 minutes to Grant Village and 40 minutes from Grant Village to Old Faithful, about an hour and a half inside the park before you add the miles from Jackson. West Yellowstone is roughly a third of that distance.

The National Park Service park roads page projects the South Entrance road over Craig Pass to open on May 14 and close on October 31 in 2027, a shorter season than the West Entrance route.

A brown park sign reading Continental Divide, Elevation 8262, set among rocks and pine trees — A sign marking the Continental Divide at 8,262 feet.

How long is a Jackson Hole day tour to Old Faithful?

12 to 13 hours, and a large share of that is in the vehicle.

All three options pick up in Jackson and differ in length, refund rules and what they add to Old Faithful.

Option	Price	Length	Starts from	Refund
The Jackson lower loop tour	$325	12 hours	250 N Cache St, Jackson, 7:30 am	Full, up to 24 hours before
The Jackson wildlife day tour	$329	13 hours	Jackson, Teton Village and Wilson hotels	None, non-refundable
The two-day tour	$650	2 days	Jackson hotels	Full, up to 24 hours before

Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic with lunch and a 7:30 am start from central Jackson.

Check dates for the Jackson lower loop tour

What does the Jackson wildlife day tour include?

A naturalist guide, Old Faithful, the Lower Falls, a picnic lunch and a morning of looking for bears and wolves.

The Jackson wildlife day tour runs about 13 hours in an enclosed vehicle with hotel pickup in Jackson, Teton Village and Wilson. It is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so it suits fixed dates only. The park fee, about $40, is paid at the gate, and gratuities are extra.

It holds 5.0 from 1,717 reviews. Guests report grizzly sightings, and one wrote that they "wondered if an all-day tour was going to be too long, but we enjoyed every minute of our time".

A tall waterfall dropping into a deep canyon with yellow rock walls and forest on the rim — A waterfall falling into a deep yellow-walled canyon.

How does the Jackson lower loop tour compare?

The lower loop tour adds Grand Prismatic and the lake, with lunch, and it refunds in full.

It runs 12 hours from 250 N Cache St in Jackson at 7:30 am, with lunch, water, snacks, binoculars and a spotting scope. Guests rate it 4.9 from 826 reviews. One said, "If your time at Yellowstone is limited", it "gives a great overview" and is "so convenient not to look for parking". Another called it "a full day but very good".

A pale stone cone rising from clear shallow lake water with a mountain horizon under a blue sky — A stone-rimmed thermal cone in clear, shallow lake water.

Is a two-day tour better than a Jackson day trip?

Yes, for most people. Old Faithful is on the Lower Loop, and the Upper Loop with Lamar Valley and Mammoth is a separate day.

The two-day tour covers both loops with a guide, hotel pickup in Jackson, a spotting scope and lunch on both days. Lodging, breakfast and dinner are not included. Guests rate it 4.9 from 245 reviews, and one wrote that the guide "made sure we got to see Old Faithful and took us around the back so we avoided much of the crowds".

Both loops over two days, so the geyser does not squeeze out Lamar Valley wildlife.

Check dates for the two-day tour

Is the Jackson tour worth it for Old Faithful?

Worth it if you are staying in Jackson and want a guide. Not if the geyser is the whole point.

Most of a Jackson day is the road, through Grand Teton, past the lake and back. That suits people who also want the Tetons and wildlife, and it frustrates people who hoped for hours at the geyser. Time at Old Faithful is a stop within the day, shared with Grand Prismatic or the canyon.

How much does the park fee add on a Jackson tour?

Plan for about $40 on the wildlife tour. The other two list the fee as an extra.

The National Park Service fees page notes that the South Entrance route also crosses Grand Teton National Park, which has its own fee, so ask the operator how the fee is handled on your date. Visitors who live outside the U.S. pay $100 more per person aged 16 and over unless they hold an annual pass. The tickets and entry fees guide runs the numbers.

Who should choose West Yellowstone instead?

Anyone who wants the most time at the geyser for the least time in a vehicle.

The 8-hour van tour from West Yellowstone, the lower loop van tour, reaches Old Faithful after about 32 miles. The West Yellowstone guide lays out the options, and the best time guide covers the season.