The Best of Grand Teton National Park in a Day
To say this was the most scenic place we have ever been is an understatement. If I could go back to any one National Park right now, at this moment, it would be Grand Teton National Park. It is breathtakingly beautiful at every turn. There isn’t one part of this park that is untouched by amazing scenery. Grand Teton National Park is in Wyoming and it consist of the Teton mountain range, the Grand Teton peak, and the valley known as Jackson Hole. It’s a popular destination for mountaineering, hiking, back-country camping and fishing. The park is linked to Yellowstone National Park.
We drove from Bozeman, MT (which is quite far) through Yellowstone into Grand Teton. We had all of our Road Trip Essentials so the trip really wasn’t that bad. You can go through Jackson, WY if you happen to be staying in that area. Grand Teton is not as large or vast as Yellowstone, but in my personal opinion, it is much more breathtaking, raw beauty at its best. The air is so crisp and cool, just a wonderful place to be. Our first stop was Jackson Lake. Jackson Lake is the largest lake in the park.While we were the first week of June, there was still snow and ice around the edges of the lake. This made for some amazing pictures and scenery.
Next we headed over to Jenny Lake. The Jenny Lake Scenic Drive goes around the east shore of Jenny Lake and provides spectacular views of the peaks. As you plan your trip, keep in mind that parking at South Jenny Lake is highly congested and often full from 10 am to 4 pm. I would go as early as you can if you want to explore this area on foot. Jenny Lake also has canoe and kayak rentals available.
Like Yellowstone, there are so many pull offs and scenic overviews, you wont be disappointed in any of them. Below I have listed our top overlooks. You will see signs along the drive for each of these and maps are available for free at any of the visitor centers. I downloaded our maps before we left on our journey.
- Mormon Row Historic District
- Snake River Overlook
- Oxbow Bend Turnout
- Jackson Lake Dam
- North Jenny Lake Scenic Drive
After we explored the park, we headed into Jackson Hole. This is a touristy place. There are tons of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. On this particular trip, we were more about the scenery and outdoors than anything else. We simply drove through and headed over to Teton Village. During the Winter months, this is where you would want to be as it is home to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the largest and most popular ski resort. Since we were here in the summer, I really just wanted to look around. It was very nice and had a great little general store where we loaded up on some souvenirs and sweets.
Two things that I wish I had known before we went to Grand Teton: One, bring a bicycle or rent one if you can. There are so many bike trails. Not mountain biking, which I am sure they have, but bike paths. Flat, easy to ride paths. I love to ride a bicycle and this would have been a wonderful way to see the Tetons. Second, book a scenic float trip down the Snake River. No rapids, just floating and taking the most amazing pictures of the Tetons and wildlife. I had no idea you could do this and I will be doing both when we go back.
If you plan on visiting multiple parks like we did, don’t forget to purchase your America the Beautiful Annual Pass! It saved us so much time & money!
If you have any questions about the Grand Tetons, please feel free to comment below or email us directly.
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