This fall (2025) we spent 10 days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. We drove from our home in the central mountains of Colorado all the way north.
Stretching Our Comfort Zone: Longer Drives with a Four-Year-Old
In the past, we have maxed out at five hour segments, when going on longer road trips. But on this trip we were feeling bold. We have a four year old now.
Four year olds are more patient, like every so slightly more patient. Four feels like a turning point—not because it’s easy, but because patience, curiosity, and imagination start working with you instead of against you.
Why We Still Don’t Do Screens in the Car
Keep in my mind we still don’t do screens in the car. The road is to see new things! The road is for family time! At least that is our philosophy.
For us, the road isn’t something to endure—it’s part of the adventure. Windows down. Questions encouraged. Snacks shared. The miles matter.
The Nostalgia Road Trip: Making the Journey the Destination
We had two long legs on this trip-a 6.5 hour leg from Colorado to Rock Springs, Wyoming and an 8 hour leg from Yellowstone to Helper, Utah. I called the whole excursion my nostalgia road trip. There would be stops for ice cream and the world’s largest…anything. The journey would be as much a part of the trip of the destinations.
Unexpected Highlights: Small Town Stops That Made the Trip
On the road, we stopped at rock art in northwest Colorado, Melvin Brewing in Alpine, Wyoming, any mercantile we drove by, excellent food trucks, and the best ice cream we could find in every town. As a specific aside, Rock Springs, Wyoming and Helper, Utah make for excellent stopovers if you are heading north/south in the Rockies. Rock Springs for its rugged Wyoming history, train depot, and excellent brewery. And Helper for its artist takeover, full on funkiness, and also a really good brewery. Breweries are universal currency in being family friendly places to stop.
West was a champ the whole way. I think he only asked “are we there yet” once. Not only was he patient. He was into it. He loved Rock Springs and playing on the train caboose. He loved all the ice cream, of course. Yellowstone was a dream destination for a four year old. The ground literally explodes in more ways than you can wrap your head around and there are bears and wolves! This was one of our favorite trips of all time.
Road Trip MVPs: Toys That Truly Earned Their Keep
We had Trail West’s Rocky Mountain Ranger kit with us. We used the smores dough in every restaurant and the buffalo stuffy became the most important friend of the trip. Another trip toy star was Skillmatics Foil Fun. He must have played with this for over 10 hours on the trip. We used it both in the car and at restaurants. It really keeps his focus and is an easy way to do some art.
Audio Adventures: Podcasts as Screen-Free Breaks
In lieu of a screen, we have come to love podcasts. When we all need a break, we hand West headphones and let him listen to our podcast favorites like Molly of Denali, Work it Out Wombats, or the Arthur Podcast.
Plan the Breaks, Not Just the Miles
We found it worked best to chart our course and make a plan together as family. West knew each day how far we would be traveling and at what point we would find some ice cream. We tried to stop pretty often and before everyone was losing their patience.
Eat the Ice Cream (Seriously)
At this point I have mentioned ice cream enough times to realize it and other treats deserve their own category. Fun, out of the ordinary treats are what build whimsy on the road. We stopped for lots of ice cream, but we also picked up lots of nostalgia favorites at our favorite candy store, Mursells, Sweet Shop in Jackson. Pop rocks and ring pops created their own form of entertainment and staying power in the car and on hikes.
This trip reminded us that adventure with kids doesn’t mean minimizing inconvenience… it means reframing it. The long drives, the strange towns, the sticky hands from too much candy…all of it added up to something bigger than the parks themselves. This wasn’t just a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons. It was a reminder that the road is still magic—especially when you slow down enough to let it be.
