Follow in our steps: From Yellowstone National Park, head south along the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway and head on into the park!
Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
Rent a canoe or kayak at Jenny Lake. Rentals are $20 per hour or $75 for all day. You have to have the boat back by 6:30. Late fees are $100 so make sure you’re on time!
Hike up to Inpiration point from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and take the shuttle boat back!
Ride your bike (or walk, run or rollerblade) along one of the multi-use paths in the park.
You can pick one up near the Granite Canyon Entrance and/or Teton Pass (it’ll take you through the town of Wilson)
Park at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center and ride to Moose Junction or continue to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center
Picnic with a view! There are tons of places to eat a meal with an incredible view. We love the spot just south of the Jackson Lake Overlook as well as the one at the Leigh Lake Trailhead near String Lake.
Float the snake river. Check out Barker Ewing Float Trips and Solitude Float trips.
Fishing is a big deal in Grand Teton National park. You can either go with a guide or get a Wyoming fishing license. They can be purchased at Signal Mountain Lodge, Colter Bay Marina, Headwaters Lodge and Snake River Anglers at Dornans.
Check out Mormon Row Historic District. You’ll see some old historic barns that are a photographers dream since the backdrop is none other than the Grand Tetons.
Peep the view at Oxbow Bend!
Visit Cunningham Cabin which is the oldest standing cabin in the valley.
Attend a park ranger program! There are numerous programs scheduled throughout the year, some of which are even held at night and feature stargazing.
Drive the higher road in the park, Signal Mountain Summit Road. You’ll be at 7,727 feet!
Grand Teton Things to Know
Temps in the summer can get up into the high 80’s while lows can drop down into the 40’s. Come prepared with lots of layers.
Wintertime means certain roads will be closed.
They are:
Tent Park Road from Taggart Lake Trailhead to Signal Mountain Lodge
Moose Wilson Road from Granite Canyon Trailhead to Death Canyon Road
US89/191/287 north of Flagg Ranch
Antelope Flats Road
Mormon Row
Mormon Row is a gravel road. The park service recommends 4 wheel drive. We drove it in our VAN on a day when it was very dry and didn’t have a problem. Go slow though, less then 10mph so as not to kick up dust on hikers and bikers.
Bring sunscreen.
This is bear territory so make sure you stow your food away properly using bear lockers and dispose of it as you should in bear safe trash cans. To learn more about bears and bear safety be sure to check out our story HERE.
Park website: http://www.nps.gov/grandteton
Telephone numbers:
307-739-3300
307-739-3600
307-739-3400 TTY
Grand Teton Visitor Centers
Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center
307-739-3399
Open in the summer from 8am to 7pm
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center
307-739-3654
Open daily during the summer from 9am to 5pm
Jenny Lake Visitor Center
307-739-3392
Open daily during the summer form 8am to 7pm
Jenny Lake Ranger Station
307-739-3343
This is where you can get climbing information as well as permits. Open daily during the summer from 8am to 5pm
Colter Bay Visitor Center
307-739-3594
Open daily during the summer from 8am to 7pm
Flagg Ranch Info Station
307-543-2372
Open daily during the summer from 10am to 3pm
Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center
307-733-3316
Open daily in the summer from 8am to 7pm
Rules to Know in Grand Teton National Park
Like Yellowstone National park, this is bear country. There are both black bears and grizzlies within the park. Be smart with your food and toiletries, keep a clean camp and dispose of waste in bear safe trashcans. To learn more about bear safety please go HERE.
If you want to spend any time on the water be sure to get the proper permits and registrations taken care of so that you avoid a fine and don’t accidentally introduce non-native spices to the park. Boat inspections are required.
You must stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 75 feet from other animals.
Dogs must be on a leash and are not allowed on trails, in the backcountry, in the buildings nor in visitor centers. Dogs are also not allowed on rivers and boats, the exception being Jackson Lake.
Drone are illegal!
Fishing licences are required as well.
Where to Stay in Grand Teton
Camping in Grand Teton
There are over 1,000 campsites in Grand Teton National Park and 8 campgrounds to pick from.
Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch and Colter Bay RV Park are the only campgrounds that take reservations. All others are first-come, first-serve. We visited on a Saturday in mid-August and were delighted to find that Lizard Creek had a spot left (at around 2pm).
Lizard Creek Campground Review
There are two campground loops, one of which is generator free and one that’s not. We had to deal with the sound of a generator until quiet hours at 8pm since we ended up in the loop that allowed generators. Our site was fairly flat and had picnic table. There weren’t any showers at Lizard Creek but there were flushing toilets and running, potable water available to us. The best part is that it was really close to the Jackson Lake Overlook which we wanted to shoot sunrise at. The drive was about 7 minutes from our campground. Our site at Lizard Creek was $30.
Backcountry camping is permitted but only in designated areas. Permits are required and can be obtained from a ranger station.
Tips for Visiting Grand Teton National Park
Some roads may be closed due to wildlife sightings to protect both the animals as well as the humans. When we were there the Moose-Wilson road was closed because a couple bears and cubs were spotted a few days earlier. Check the bulletin board in the Visitor Centers or ask a ranger to see if there are any road closures to know about.
If you’re looking for a shower, head to Signal Mountain Campground and Colter Bay Campground which have pay showers nearby. Headwaters Campground and Headwaters RV Park have showers that are included with your camping fee.
Grand Teton National Park Recap
If this national park isn’t on your list, consider putting its there! The mountains are rugged and the lakes clean and beautiful making this one of the most beautiful places in the country to visit. Want to retrace our steps? Be sure to check out our other posts on Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park!