and for as long as we wanted. All we had to do was share our story.
For this collaboration, we created a series of Instagram stories, full travel blog and portfolio of images that roadsurfer could use in its marketing. It was a partnership built on storytelling, one that allowed us to document the trip in real time while also giving the company lasting content to share with travelers around the world.
The answer, of course, was yes. After years of road trips and hikes, this was finally our chance to try van life. We mapped out a route through three unforgettable regions of Wyoming: Wind River Country, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, starting and ending in Salt Lake City.
The van gave us freedom. We could pull over when wildlife appeared, make coffee before a hike or cook dinner while the sun set. Just as importantly, after a grueling hike we could collapse into bed for a quick nap or take a shower after a sweaty day on the trail. The comforts of van life became part of the adventure, and sometimes the best part of the day was simply sliding the side door open and letting the mountains become our living room.
Our roadsurfer van in Grand Teton National Park.
Wind River Country
Our first nights were spent in Wind River Country. At Fremont Lake, the state’ s second-largest natural lake, we camped by the water and tested out our small van kitchen. We promised ourselves we would cook most of our meals in the van because it was healthier, more cost-effective and felt like an important part of the experience. Cooking quickly became one of our favorite rituals, with tacos becoming a staple we kept coming back to.
The next day took us to the Green River Lakes Loop, a 7.7-mile hike with Square Top Mountain dominating the skyline. The turquoise lakes reflected the peaks perfectly; it felt like walking inside of a painting. After the first mile, the trail grew quiet, and for most of the day it was just us, the sound of the river and the kind of mountain silence you rarely find anymore.
Green River Lakes Loop.
Yellowstone National Park
From there, we entered Yellowstone. With more than 2 million acres stretching across three states, it felt like stepping into another world.
The geothermal features were unlike anything we had seen. Morning Glory Pool glowed in rainbow hues. The terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs looked like steps carved into a dream. Grand Prismatic Spring, seen from the overlook trail, spread out in colors so vivid it hardly seemed real. At West Thumb Geyser Basin, steaming pools bubbled beside the edge of Yellowstone Lake, blending fire and water in one place. Of course, Old Faithful lived up to its name, but it is the quiet pools and steaming vents along the boardwalks that linger in my memory.
Wildlife encounters became part of the rhythm of each day. We pulled to the side of the road to watch bison graze or slowly make their way across the valley. In Lamar Valley, we spotted wolves in the distance, moving quickly through the grasslands. Elk wandered the edges of the forest. Eagles circled above the rivers. Yellowstone reminded us at every turn that we were guests in a landscape ruled by wildlife.
Our days were long, starting at sunrise and ending well after dark. We would pull off the road in the early mornings to make coffee as the light came up, and in the evenings we arrived at camp just in time for a quick shower in the van before sitting outside to watch the stars. Those quiet hours, with the Milky Way stretching across the Wyoming sky, became some of the most memorable parts of the trip.
Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park.
Late one evening at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, we stood at Artist Point as the crowds disappeared. The river cut through golden cliffs, with Lower Falls roaring in the distance. The view was timeless, and in that quiet moment, the entire trip seemed to pause with us.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park was the final stretch of our trip, and in many ways, the one we were most looking forward to. The Tetons rise straight from the valley floor, their jagged peaks creating one of the most dramatic skylines in North America.
We camped at Gros Ventre and Colter Bay and set out on trails that tested and inspired us. Delta Lake was one of the toughest hikes, a 7.4-mile round trip with over 2,200 feet of elevation gain. The trail is not officially maintained, so it requires navigating steep switchbacks, boulder scrambles and confusing routes. Every step was worth it. The reward was unforgettable: a turquoise alpine lake tucked beneath the granite walls of the Tetons, a place that felt hidden away from the rest of the world.
Cascade Canyon showed us another side of the park. The trail wound
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