If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably watched The Good Dinosaur enough times to realize that it’s absolutely one of the most BEAUTIFULLY set Pixar movies ever. So, when my friend suggested we head to Wyoming this summer, I was stoked. If Wyoming was anything like what I’d seen in this movie, I might never want to leave.  Spoiler – it was. Today I’m going to go over my top The Good Dinosaur inspired locations and activities if you want to spend a week adventuring through Wyoming, just like Arlo.

DAY 1:  Arrive in Jackson Hole

Explore Downtown Jackson Hole

The airport in Jackson, Wyoming is the perfect place to fly into to kick off this 7-day adventure.  You’ll definitely need to rent a car (preferably an SUV) in order to get around the national parks but it will also give you a ton of flexibility.  Once you’ve landed (depending on what time you arrive), I suggest heading to downtown Jackson Hole for a few hours to shop, grab a meal, and pick up some road trip essentials.  Jackson Hole has a western vibe to it that some say influenced Walt Disney as he was dreaming up Frontierland.

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Drive the 42-Mile Scenic Loop

After you’ve explored Jackson Hole for a bit, it’s time to head out toward Grand Teton National Park and The Good Dinosaur location #1.  The Grand Tetons are the inspiration for The Good Dinosaur’s Clawtooth Mountain and they look JUST like it.  As you head up North/South Hwy 89, there are several pull-offs where you can take pictures of this stunning mountain range.  If you have time, I would suggest doing the complete 42-mile scenic loop as a way to get a feel for the national park and where everything is located. (Don’t forget to check out Mormon Row. These old farm houses will give you all The Good Dinosaur feels.)

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Spend the Night at a Dude Ranch

When early evening hits, it’s time to check into your accommodations. For the next 3 nights, I recommend staying at the Heart 6 Ranch.  This dude ranch is located on the northern side of Grand Teton National Park and is an amazing affordable experience. When researching Wyoming for The Good Dinosaur, Pixar animators actually spent quite a bit of time at a dude ranch themselves!

DAY 2: Horseback Riding

Go Horseback Riding!

For this second day in the Tetons, I recommend sticking around the dude ranch and enjoying all it offers. Make a reservation for a 2-hour horseback ride for some of the most stunning views of the region that will definitely make you feel like Arlo (or at least Spot) for the day. Come back and spend even more time with the horses as evening approaches. They love to be brushed and pet by visitors!

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Hike to a Lake

If you schedule an early morning ride and need something to do in the afternoon, there are a couple of really fantastic easy lake hikes within Grand Teton National Park.  (I recommend Taggart Lake Trail and Phelps Lake Creek Trail (the trailhead begins at Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve), both 3 miles roundtrip).

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Enjoy a Campfire at the Dude Ranch

Later that evening, enjoy a classic dude ranch meal at the on-site café and then sit around one of the many campfires on property as you recap the day’s adventures. (Depending on what time of year and the weather conditions, this may or may not be available. Wildfires tend to spread dramatically during the late summer months and campfires may be prohibited.)

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DAY 3:  Jenny Lake Hike

Hike to Inspiration Point

There’s nothing that will make you feel closer to Arlo than really pushing yourself on a hike through the Grand Tetons.  The ultimate hike here is the hike to Inspiration Point on Jenny Lake.  To get to the trailhead you must either hike 5 miles around the lake or you can take a ferry across the lake for $18 (roundtrip).  Once you arrive to the dock, the hike up to Inspiration point is only 1 mile, but it is a strenuous 1-mile.   If you’re looking for an added challenge, keep going past Inspiration Point and on to Cascade Canyon.  This will add another 4 miles (one way) to your hike but is well worth it. We even saw a Moose grazing in the grass!

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Lounge Around Jenny Lake

Once you finish your hike, lounge around Jenny Lake for a few hours, taking in the gorgeous water and the impressive Grand Teton mountain range behind it.

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Look for Bison

Around 3/4pm, head back towards North/South Hwy 89 and drive it North, looking for Bison. If you happen to spot a field of Bison you will immediately feel like Arlo.

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Pro Tip: You may see lots of tourists standing outside of their vehicles to get photos. I do not recommend following in their footsteps.  Bison can be unpredictable and if they charge you, you will not have time to jump back into your car and speed away. It’s always best to remain a safe distance away and to take photos from inside your vehicle.

Day 4: Whitewater Raft the Snake River

Go on a Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Before you head out of the Grand Teton area, I recommend taking advantage of one more activity. One of the area’s biggest ties back to The Good Dinosaur is the Snake River.  Not only did it inspire the river Arlo walks along to find his way back home, but it’s also a sheer force of nature. To full experience what I mean by this, I recommend taking a tour down it! There are a number of whitewater rafting tour options to really get a feel for this impressive body of water.  In fact, Pixar animators took a whitewater rafting trip down the Snake River themselves as they were preparing for the film!

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By now you may be reluctant to leave the magnificent Grand Tetons but it’s time to start making your way up to Yellowstone. Yellowstone is only about 2 hours from the Tetons making it very easy to see a few more things before settling in for the night.

Stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin

Upon arrival in Yellowstone, the first thing I recommend doing is stopping at West Thumb Geyser Basin (since you’ll have to drive right by this spot no matter which direction you go).  This site will likely take you about an hour to complete (unless you’re really fast).  It will also be your first look at the hot springs and geysers that Yellowstone is famous for.  (Look out for the hidden Mickey hot spring). Hot springs and geysers are all over the backdrop of The Good Dinosaur and it’s easy to envision Arlo and Spot running around Yellowstone as you continue to visit various basins during your visit.

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Spend the Night at Old Faithful

After you’ve finished with West Thumb Geyser Basin, continue onward towards the west side of the park near Old Faithful. In fact, I recommend that you book a stay at either the Old Faithful Inn or the Old Faithful Snow Lodge for the next 3 nights.  Staying inside Yellowstone is a special experience and you’ll want to be inside the park, given how large it is.

Fun Fact: the Old Faithful Inn is said to have inspired both the Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World and the Sequoia Lodge in Disneyland Paris. You tell me!

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By now you may have run out of daylight hours (or at the very least), may be extremely exhausted. Stick around the area and eat at one of the several dining options on site or head over to catch a glimpse of Old Faithful before turning in for the night.

DAY 5: Explore Yellowstone

Hike to Mystic Falls

For your first full day in Yellowstone, I recommend visiting the most popular destinations first thing in the morning. You have two options for this. If you’re really into hiking, then I recommend first doing the hike to Mystic Falls. If there is one hike that is the absolute epitome of a Good Dinosaur experience, it’s this one. This 2-mile hike goes along a river on its way to a stunning waterfall.  As you traverse the wilderness you can’t help but feel awe at the high mountains on either side of you.  This hike is near Old Faithful and I recommend doing this first before it gets too hot outside.  We did this hike around 8am and there was only 1 other person on the trail with us.  I would consider this hike to be moderate.

(and/or) Hike to Fairy Falls & Grand Prismatic Overlook

If you would prefer to do an easier hike, then I recommend beginning the day with a hike to Fairy Falls instead. While out and back is a little under 5 miles (roundtrip), it’s very easy (and flat). It’s well worth it for the beautiful waterfall you’ll see at the end of the trail. You’ll notice as you begin the hike, that there is a turnoff for the Grand Prismatic Springs Overlook. Make a note of this, as you’ll want to go up to the overlook once you’re done with the hike. I do not recommend doing the overlook first, as you want a bit of sunlight to really see the brilliance of the basin’s colors. It’s these colors that harken back to The Good Dinosaur. Clearly Arlo spend some time in Yellowstone.

If you can’t choose between these two options, see if you can get both in before Noon!

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Check out Midway Geyser Basin or another nearby Basin

Once you’ve finished your hike, you have a number of options for the afternoon: 1) You could head to the Midway Geyser Basin to see the Grand Prismatic up close. This is the most popular of all the basins and is generally difficult to find parking. If you head here and can’t find a spot, consider coming back for sunset. We had no problem finding parking around that time.  2) You could visit some of the smaller basins in the area such as the Fountain Paint Pot or Biscuit Basin. Both offer a diverse selection of natural wonders. 3) Or lastly, you could head back to Old Faithful, and do the basins around that area (don’t forget to walk all the way to Morning Glory!). You’ll definitely want to do this before heading out of the area at some point. Whichever you choose, you’re sure to see rich vibrant colors just like the ones seen in The Good Dinosaur.)

Day 6: Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs

Drive to Norris Geyser Basin

Now that you’ve seen just about everything in and around Old Faithful, it’s time to venture out to the eastern side of the park. Begin by heading north toward Norris Geyser Basin, home to one of the world’s biggest geysers. Many tourists camp out at the Steamboat Geyser due it’s incredibly unpredictable nature of eruption. If you do happen to be there when it goes off, you will get wet, so bring a raincoat.  Norris is on this list because of its hot springs.  The hot springs at Norris Geyser Basin are very reminiscent of the hot springs in the movie.  Their orange and light blue colors feel like they were a direct inspiration.

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Visit Mammoth Hot Springs

Next up is Mammoth Hot Springs. This area of the park is unique and directly inspired The Good Dinosaur during the scene where Arlo meets Thunderclap and “friends” for the first time. By this point you may be getting “geysered out”, and that’s totally ok. If you are, zip through this one quickly.

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Find Bison out in Lamar Valley

If you haven’t gotten your fill of Bison yet, you might want to drive out to the Lamar Valley. This area is famous for spotting wildlife. Although the best times to view Bison are early morning and sunset, you can often find them in the afternoons at well.

Drive to the Upper & Lower Falls

Last but not least, you’ll want to head over to the Canyon Village area of the park. This is where you’ll catch a glimpse of the most stunning waterfalls in the park, the Upper and Lower Falls (located in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone). Take your time and go down to the lower observation deck at the Lower Falls, you won’t be disappointed.

Pro Tip: If you get the Lower Falls observation deck around 3/4pm you’ll have a good chance of seeing a rainbow over the falls, assuming that it’s sunny out.

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By this point you’ll likely be close to the end of the day. Head back to Old Faithful and catch that famous geyser one more time before you head to bed.

Day 7: Travel Day

Depending on what time your flight leaves and where you’re departing from, you may or may not have some time in the morning to explore. If you do have some time, I recommend taking the morning to go to Yellowstone Lake. And if it’s warm out, consider renting a boat for an hour or two! What better way to end your trip?!

Departure Options

That said, when it comes to your actual departure, you have a few options to choose from.  You can either drive back to Jackson Hole and fly out of the same airport you arrived in (this will likely be your cheapest option, for both airfare and rental car).  Or you can drive up to Bozeman, Montana and fly out of that airport.  You may also want to tack on a few extra days and drive all the way up to Glacier National Park.  (While it did not directly inspire The Good Dinosaur, this is a national park that cannot be missed).   

I hope you found this itinerary helpful.  As always, see below for a custom map of locations mentioned in this post. If you end up following this guideline, please let me know! Would love to hear how it went for you.

For more on the making of The Good Dinosaur, check out my post on the Real-Life Places that Inspired The Good Dinosaur. For more on Wyoming accommodations, check out my post on the Top 5 Places to Stay in Wyoming.

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