The fastest way to get to Big Sky from Jackson Hole is to take Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass, take Idaho 33 to Tetonia before turning onto Idaho 32 toward Ashton. From Ashton, take Idaho 20 to West Yellowstone, where you'll get back on U.S. Highway 191. At Big Sky Canyon Village, take Montana 64 to Big Sky.

For a popular route variant with big Teton views and a chance to see the spectacular Mesa Falls, turn right on Idaho 47 near Ashton and follow the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway until it connects with Idaho 20 near Harriman State Park.

In the summer, many choose to travel through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone to get to Big Sky. This route offers the most grandiose views of the Tetons and offers you the chance to stop at Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring and more. To take this route, take U.S. Highway 191/89 north out of Jackson and follow it through Grand Teton and Yellowstone. At Madison, hang a left to stay on 191 and follow it to West Yellowstone, where you'll hang a right to stay on 191 until you hit the Montana 64 cutoff to Big Sky.

Technically, Jackson Hole is the valley that contains the Grand Tetons. The mountains form the western border of the valley.

However, many consider the town of Jackson and Jackson Hole to be synonymous. From Jackson's downtown, Grand Teton National Park's southern border is only about five miles, at which point you'll have sweeping views of the mountains.

The closest entrance to Grand Teton National Park is in Moose, about an 8-mile drive from Jackson.

If you take the direct route between Jackson Hole and Mt. Rushmore, it's a 495-mile drive that's open year-round. It takes about 8 hours.

However, in the summer months, many prefer to take the northern Wyoming route that goes through Yellowstone and over the scenic Big Horn Mountains. That route - depending on whether you cross the Big Horns into Buffalo or into Sheridan, can range from 544 to 559 miles and takes a little over 10 hours without traffic delays common to Yellowstone in the summer.

The town of Jackson is about 98 miles from Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. The drive takes a little over two hours.

In peak summer season, congestion from wildlife sightings and drivers enchanted by the scenery can make this drive take significantly longer. Moreover, you'll probably find stops along the way you want to take yourself.

At the start of November, Yellowstone closes all roads to cars, meaning Old Faithful is only accessible by bike or other non-motorized means until it snows. When the road is groomed after significant snowfall, authorized snowcoaches and snowmobiles may also make the trek, but the speed limit drops to 25-35 mph.

It's about 127 miles to West Yellowstone from Jackson Hole, but there are several routes to take. The quick route takes you over Teton Pass through Teton Valley, Ashton and Island Park to get you to West Yellowstone in 2.5 hours.

The shortest route at 126 miles takes you through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, making it the most popular drive to reach West Yellowstone from Jackson Hole. But because of reduced speed limits, congestion (often due to people viewing wildlife), and other factors, plan at least 3 hours 10 minutes for the drive.

A third route spurs off the Ashton route to take the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway for a rewarding stop at a 10-story waterfall spilling across a wide shelf. This route takes slightly longer than the Ashton route, but is faster than the Yellowstone route.

Jackson Hole is about 57 miles from Yellowstone National Park's South Entrance. The route simply follows U.S. highway 89/191 through Grand Teton National Park, offering drivers scenic mountain views all along the way.

The drive from Jackson Hole to Idaho Falls is about 88 miles. It takes less than two hours of driving on scenic mountain passes and through lush valleys huddled along the Snake River.

The quickest route takes you over Teton Pass on Wyoming 22/Idaho 33 to Victor, Idaho. From there, you'll turn onto Idaho 31 to climb over Pine Creek Pass into Swan Valley, Idaho. Idaho Falls is a straight shot on Idaho 26 from Swan Valley.

The 8-hour drive from Jackson Denver to Jackson Hole starts in mountain country and ends in mountain country with a whole lot of high-plains desert in between.

Many drivers enjoy the drive in summer months as it passes through diverse terrain that mix Rocky Mountain views with a vast touch of Wyoming's Red Desert.

However, most drivers prefer to approach Jackson Hole from a different airport in winter due to treacherous roads whipped by wind and known for freezing rain and snowdrifts along the I-80.

The 280-mile drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes. The route takes you over two mountain passes - Parleys Canyon to Park City, Utah and Salt Creek Pass between Cokeville and Afton, Wyoming.

The route is largely scenic and the passes rarely become unpassable in winter, making it a pretty, easy way to access Jackson Hole most of the time.

Alternate routes can help if weather is a concern, but otherwise most people enjoy the drive. Some choose to extend the drive by 20 minutes to see Bear Lake, known as the Caribbean of the Rockies. That route adds two mountain passes to the drive, making it less advisable in winter.

The amount of time you spend in Jackson Hole should be greatly influenced by what kinds of activities you want to do. If you want nothing more than a few scenic drives and maybe a stop or two for a quick hike, a weekend will suffice.

But if you want to fully experience the Tetons, Jackson Hole and its surroundings, you'll find a lifetime isn't enough. With activities as varied as whitewater rafting, hiking and backpacking, mountain biking, paragliding, horseback riding, skiing, sled dogging, and more, lifelong locals are fond of saying they'll never have time to explore all Jackson Hole has to offer.

Winter is a great time for a weekend to weeklong retreat with ski passes to Jackson Hole's three ski hills: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee, and Snow King Mountain.

Yellowstone is most accessible from Jackson Hole through the South Entrance just north of Jackson Lake. From the town of Jackson, the south entrance is about 57 miles, which takes about one hour 15 minutes in normal summer conditions.

Jackson Hole attracts more visitors because of its unique mountain-town location outside Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, wide access to outdoor activities, and interesting shopping at the base of a ski area. Of course, the same can also be said of Big Sky, though it is located far closer to Yellowstone than the Grand Tetons. Both towns have their own unique charm and location, making both great year-round getaways.