SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is home to so many iconic national parks that it can be easy to forget two more world-renowned stops are only a short drive away.

From Salt Lake City, it takes less than five hours to get to both Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Since the two stunning parks are right next to each other, it is worth stopping by both in one road trip.

Below is a sample itinerary that will let you experience both parks in three days. It’s impossible to see everything during that short period — it would probably take years to explore all of Yellowstone’s grand expanse alone — but it can be a helpful starting point. Share your tips in the comment section!

Day 1: Yellowstone National Park

To save money on a campsite or hotel, you can start your trip around 7 or 8 a.m. and comfortably arrive in West Yellowstone, Montana, in time for lunch. The small town is right next to Yellowstone’s west entrance, providing easy access to the park.

For the first day, tackle the north end of the massive national park. From the West Yellowstone entrance, take the first left to head towards Norris after following the main road along the Madison River, where bison and other wildlife are often visible. Head towards the Norris Geyser Basin, but take your time and stop to enjoy anything that catches your eye on the way — like the beautiful view of Gibbon Falls and the Artist Paintpots.

At the Norris Geyser Basin, you’ll be greeted by the sight of your first huge geothermal area. The Norris area includes the Porcelain Basin, Back Basin and One Hundred Springs Plain. Both the Porcelain Basin and Back Basin areas have boardwalk trails to let visitors see rare acidic geysers and the tallest active geyser in the world — Steamboat geyser — up close. Be sure to always stay on the established paths. Signs along the way provide fun facts about the unique geology of the area, and there is even a small Norris Geyser Basin Museum.

Continue heading north to see the mesmerizing Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. Walking by the travertine terraces, which the park describes as limestone formations that “resemble a cave turned inside out,” will make you feel like you are exploring another planet. The formations are colorful and can change rapidly, according to Yellowstone’s website. Boardwalks wind through this large area as well, so it is easy to explore.

Day 2: Yellowstone National Park

Start out the second day right by seeing the gorgeous Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. After driving through a dense forest, the canyon — which is 800 to 1,200 feet deep and 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide — seems to appear out of nowhere. There is both an upper and lower falls in the brightly colored canyon, with multiple trails in the area. A fairly short switchback path will take you right down to the rim of the lower falls so you can watch as the waters of the Yellowstone River rush into free-fall.

Keep driving alongside the Yellowstone River to reach Lake Village, which offers dazzling views of the enormous Yellowstone Lake and access to its shores. If you’re feeling hungry and want to spend more time gazing at the beautiful lake, grab lunch at the historic Lake Hotel, which opened in 1891. The dining room will make you feel fancy and the tasty food is reasonably priced.

No trip to Yellowstone is complete without visiting Old Faithful, so head to the Upper Geyser Basin next. Be sure to enjoy more views of Yellowstone Lake along the way. If you want to strategize when you arrive at Old Faithful to see it go off, you can download Yellowstone’s geyser app from iTunes or Google Play before your trip (cell service for downloads is extremely spotty in the park), or stop by the visitor education center.

Once you’ve seen Faithful be faithful, travel north up the main road just a bit further to stop at Biscuit Basin for some more colorful geysers and deep springs. You really can’t see too many geothermal features in the park. If you have time left for a hike, the Mystic Falls trail located just past the geysers in the same area comes highly recommended (although it was closed for bear activity as of May 22). A little bit further up the main road, the Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin is also a must-see attraction.

Day 3: Grand Teton National Park

The entire Grand Teton National Park offers magnificent views of the Teton Range, so you really can’t go astray. The park is also full of beautiful lakes. If you’d like to play in the water, head to Colter Bay Village. There you will find an area for swimming in the cool waters, in addition to canoe, kayak and motorboat rentals at the marina.

For an elevated view of the Teton Range and its neighboring lakes, drive to the Signal Mountain summit. A paved street that breaks off of the main Teton Park Road lets you drive right up to the top, so even if you are short on time you can still make a stop. The whole drive is scenic and once you park, you can walk on a short path for even better views of the whole park.

Another refreshing stop with gorgeous views is the Jenny Lake overlook. If you’re pressed for time, enjoy the Jenny Lake scenic route and hop out of the car to walk on a path that overlooks the lake. If you want to linger in the area longer, there are multiple trailheads for hikes of various experience levels nearby.

Once your heart is full of the fresh air and mountains, start heading home sometime in the late afternoon or early evening to get a good night’s rest in your own bed.

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