So funny and true! That’s what I said to people when we got home and they asked about the weather. I said we had ALL the weather on our trip! 
We have a couple long driving days interspersed with somewhat shorter ones, which isn’t ideal but it is what it is. Both of our workplaces are making grumpy noises about the absence (moreso DH than mine) but we have to be back mid June.
I spent the morning re-evaluating the latter half of the itinerary. There’s no particular reason to go to Spokane-Seattle on the way out, as opposed to Boise-Seattle, and it might save me the anxiety of checking the weather and the roadways every second. The Sleepy J cabins look perfect for what we need, so thanks for that link.
And if you were wondering, we don’t plan to do anything in Seattle, despite the many awesome things. We are staying with cousins for 3 days, and the plan is to sleep, do laundry, cook and visit. They said if we feel up to it, we might drive out to the ocean so I can say I saw it, but otherwise, we will be recharging and visiting.
Be sure to bring LOTS of layers so you will be able to be comfortable and warm/cool enough.
Spokane to Seattle that time of year is a piece of cake, and a much shorter route from YNP. Your only likely potential for poor driving conditions that time of year would be the Beartooth which meanders up above 10,000 ft. Snow at elevation tends to fall in quick-melting wet chunks that late in the year.
We now have reservations at both the Sleepy J and Colter Bay ; thanks to you all for the information and feedback. I will have to come back in the spring and tell you how we fared
@Hanna I think @greenbutton has found the sweet spot of Grand Teton traveling.
@greenbutton Have the BEST time. So happy for your dad to have the western trip of a lifetime.
I am back with a related question – we’ve made reservations at key points like GTNP and Yellowstone. Some of the other places we are stopping may be a little more fluid as it depends on weather, fatigue, etc. i’ve certainly booked my share of hotels, but not over such a stretch of time/space. Dad is worried we’lll be dragging our butts just to get to an arbitrary point; others are concerned we won’t find a good place and/or will pay an arm and a leg. I I am a planner by nature, but can see Dad’s point. Suggestions?
@greenbutton You could Expedia Mystery hotel you next hotel which is a few days out. You could also look at cancelation policies and book a place and decide whether to cancel or not a few days before, based on fatigue, weather. Your itinerary could be sketched out but alterable based on each hotels policies.
Driggs Idaho is at the base of Grand Targhee, which has all levels of mountain biking. There are many Air BNB options in Driggs. And if you are passing through/near, they have an outpost of the great Jackson restaurant, Teton Thai, and the best breakfast (voted by locals) in the Teton Valley at Big Hole Bagel. Driggs also has The Spud Drive In movie theater - looks like it opens in May – very genuine old-style drive-in…
@mclmom We almost went to Driggs but after talking to the lady working there we found out we (DH + 3 boys) were not pro enough. Ended up at Jackson Hole to MB. The Teton Thai is amazing albeit pricey. Good recommendation.
OP here, newly returned from the trip! I wanted to thank whomever recommended the Sleepy J Cabins in Swan Valley Idaho – I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive about a family run small operation, but wow! they were great! Perfect in just about every way , right down to offering recommendations for places to take photos and giving my hubby a hard time about his choice of football teams. We also stayed at Absaroka Lodge, which was a great choice. I think if I went to YNP again, I’d just stay there, not in the park (oh, the poor impression Snow Lodge made for that kind of money)
We did also stay at Colter Bay cabins, which was fun even waking up with the cabin 44 degrees (we do Maine a lot, so that was no biggie). It does have heat, we just hadn’t bothered to turn it on, and when it was cold, neither one of us was getting out of bed to turn it on. The spring national park crowds are much smaller, which was nice, especially for Dad.
Badlands were a highlight, as was the Cody Dam. And staying in so many places emphasized that the brand and amenities are worth nothing if you don’t have well-trained, supported, and equipped staff. We also came across a state park with a Register Rock (where Oregon Trail migrants carved their names) and went to the Oregon Trail center in Baker City Oregon. And ate divine food, tailored for our food issues, in Gardiner Montana. Local eating was always better, even though it was waaaay harder to find.
If you can’t see a buffalo in Yellowstone, you aren’t even trying. Ditto elk. Ditto stupid people standing on things they shouldn’t to take pictures (another tourist actually yelled “you need to get down from there, you are scaring everyone”) The weather ranged from the 30’s to the 90’s, so the advice to pack every kind of clothes was really spot on. As was the advice to stay flexible – I had really wanted to see the Laurence Rockefellar preserve, but it was closed when we were there, rats.
Thanks again!