Grand Teton National Park packs an incredible amount into a relatively small area. You can photograph the Teton Range reflected in mountain lakes, look for moose and bison, drive to iconic viewpoints, hike to waterfalls and alpine lakes, or spend an entire day on the trails high in the mountains.
We have visited Grand Teton three times, from a quick one-day introduction to a week-long hiking trip. In this guide, we cover the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park, including the experiences we think first-time visitors should prioritize, our favorite viewpoints and hikes, and several quieter places worth adding if you have more time.
Our Grand Teton Experiences
Our first visit to Grand Teton was in 2001, making it one of the first national parks we ever visited. We only had one day, which we spent at Jenny Lake, hiking to Inspiration Point, and stopping at viewpoints of the Teton Range before continuing north to Yellowstone.
More recently, Kara and I returned for one full day plus the following morning. On that visit, we followed essentially the same route we now recommend in our one-day Grand Teton itinerary, combining the park’s best viewpoints, scenic drives, and short walks.
Our third visit was completely different. Tim, Kara, and I spent a full week in Grand Teton in late September on a dedicated hiking trip. That gave us time to explore much more of the park on foot, revisit favorite viewpoints at different times of day, and experience Grand Teton at a much slower pace.
The recommendations in this guide are based on those three visits, ranging from what we would prioritize with just one day to the experiences we think are most worthwhile when you have several days in the park. All photos in this post are our own.
The Essentials
BEST TIME TO VISIT | Mid-May through October, when all roads and visitor centers are open
ENTRY FEE | $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days
HOW MUCH TIME TO PLAN | 1 to 2 days for the highlights, longer if you want to hike
NEAREST AIRPORT | Jackson Hole Airport, the only commercial airport located inside a national park
ANNUAL VISITORS | 3.8 million in 2025, the 8th most visited US national park
DON’T MISS | Jenny Lake, Schwabacher Landing, Mormon Row, and Cascade Canyon
Grand Teton Must-Sees: A Quick Overview
If this is your first visit to Grand Teton National Park, these are the experiences we would prioritize. With one day, you can see many of the viewpoints and hike to Inspiration Point; with additional time, add a longer hike into the Teton Range.
| Experience | Best For | Our Take |
| Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point | First-time visitors, hiking | One of the park’s essential experiences. If you have the time, continue a little farther into Cascade Canyon. |
| Schwabacher Landing | Photography, mountain views | One of our favorite viewpoints in Grand Teton. Go early in the morning for the best light and chance of reflections. |
| Mormon Row | Photography, history | The classic view of the historic barns backed by the Teton Range. Best in the morning. |
| Oxbow Bend | Wildlife, photography | A beautiful view of Mount Moran and one of the better places in the park to look for wildlife. |
| 42-Mile Scenic Loop Drive | First-time visitors, scenic views | The best introduction to Grand Teton, linking many of the park’s top viewpoints and attractions. |
| Wildlife Watching | Wildlife | Look for moose, elk, bison, pronghorn, and bears, particularly early or late in the day. |
| Hike into the Teton Range | Hikers | If you enjoy hiking, this is where Grand Teton really shines. With enough time, dedicate an entire day to one of the park’s longer trails. |
If you only have one day: Focus on Jenny Lake and Inspiration Point, Schwabacher Landing, Mormon Row, Oxbow Bend, and the scenic loop drive. Our one-day Grand Teton itinerary puts these stops into an efficient route.
Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
Here are the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park on a map.
How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
1. Drive the 42-Mile Scenic Drive
This 42-mile loop is the backbone of a Grand Teton visit and nearly everything else on this list sits just off of it. Drive down the length of the Teton mountain range, along Jenny and Jackson Lakes, and past a string of scenic overlooks, with the peaks shifting angle and light with almost every mile.
Plan on about 2 hours to drive the full loop without stopping, but don’t do that. This route passes Mormon Row, Schwabacher Landing, the Snake River Overlook, and Oxbow Bend, plus the turnoff for the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive. Budget at least half a day, ideally a full one, if you actually want to stop rather than just drive past.
How to Do it
Two roads form this loop: Highway 26/89/191 and Teton Park Road.
- Teton Park Road follows the base of the Teton range between Moose and Jackson Lake. This road is closed from November 1 to April 30.
- Highway 26/89/191 is open year-round.
You can do this drive clockwise or counterclockwise. I recommend doing this drive counterclockwise. Start at Moose, visit Mormon Row at sunrise, and then drive north along Highway 26/89/191 to visit Schwabacher Landing and the Snake River Overlook in the morning hours, the best time for photography. Continue on to Oxbow Bend and from here, visit the sites along Jackson Lake or take Teton Road South to Signal Mountain and Jenny Lake.
2. Take in Panoramic Views from Signal Mountain
A road trip through Grand Teton National Park would not be complete without a drive up Signal Mountain. From the summit, you get panoramic views over the park, the Teton range, and Jackson Lake.
Don’t miss Jackson Point Overlook. This scenic viewpoint is located near Signal Mountain Summit and it’s just a 2-minute walk to a viewpoint over Jackson Lake.
Jackson Point Overlook
The view from Signal Mountain
How To Do It: Signal Mountain Road is 4.4 miles long and it takes 15 minutes to drive it one way. It’s just wide enough for two cars and there are many bends and switchbacks. At the summit and at Jackson Point Overlook, there is a parking lot. This road is closed from November 1 to mid-May.
3. Cruise Along Jenny Lake Scenic Drive
Jenny Lake Scenic Drive is a short, one-way road that follows the eastern shore of Jenny Lake, and it’s one of the prettiest stretches of pavement in the park. Stop at the Jenny Lake Overlook for one of the best views of the lake, with the Tetons rising almost straight up from the far shore.
The road starts near String Lake and the Jenny Lake Lodge and ends near the southern end of Jenny Lake, close to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. The drive itself only takes about 15 minutes without stopping, but there are several small pullouts worth using along the way.
How to Do It: Because it’s one-way, you’ll enter from the north end near String Lake and exit near the visitor center. It connects easily to the main 42-mile loop at both ends, so it’s simple to fold in rather than treating it as a separate trip.
Kara at Jenny Lake
4. Hike to Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Cascade Canyon
Hidden Falls is a waterfall tucked into the Teton range next to Jenny Lake. Inspiration Point is a viewpoint just above it, looking back out over the lake. Since both sit on the same trail, it’s easy and worth it to combine them into one hike.
There are two ways to reach the trailhead: by boat or on foot. The trail to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point starts on the western side of Jenny Lake, which you can’t drive to. Take the shuttle boat from the Jenny Lake parking area, or hike 2.4 miles around the southern end of the lake to the same trailhead.
From the boat dock, it’s a 0.5-mile uphill walk to Hidden Falls, and another 0.5 mile, steeper this time, to Inspiration Point. With the shuttle boat, the round trip to both is about 2 miles.
Hidden Falls
Inspiration Point
Keep going a little farther into Cascade Canyon. Most people turn around at Inspiration Point, but continuing doesn’t take much more effort, and it’s one of our favorite parts of this hike. The canyon opens up, the crowds thin out fast, and it’s a good stretch for spotting moose. If you want to go much farther, through the full canyon or on to Lake Solitude, see the longer day hikes later in this post, or our full guide to the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop.
We took this photo of Cascade Canyon in late September
For current hours and pricing, check with Jenny Lake Boating directly. Shuttle tickets are sold first-come, first-served with no advance reservations.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Expect big crowds and long lines between 10 am and 4 pm in summer. For a quieter experience and better light, catch a shuttle boat late in the day instead. On our recent summer visit, when the shuttle operates until 7 pm, we caught the 5:45 pm and shared it with just a few other people.
Jenny Lake boat dock and shuttle
5. Go Canoeing or Kayaking on Jenny Lake
Solitude, mountain views, peace and quiet…this was one of our favorite experiences at Grand Teton National Park.
For over an hour, Kara and I paddled around Jenny Lake in a canoe. It was a Wednesday morning in August and we felt like we had the lake to ourselves. Yes, there was the occasional shuttle boat, but other than that, it was just the two of us on the lake.
If you are looking for a great way to avoid the crowds, consider putting this on your list. We rented a canoe from Jenny Lake Boating for an hour and a half (from 7:45 am to 9:15 am) and during this time, we were their only rental customers.
You can also rent a canoe or kayak and paddle to the west dock of Jenny Lake to start your hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. You pay for the canoe and kayak by the hour. Click here for pricing.
6. Watch for Wildlife
Grand Teton is one of the best places in the country to see wildlife. Elk, moose, bison, and pronghorn are common sights, and black bears and grizzlies are regularly spotted from a safe distance.
Antelope Flats and Mormon Row are good bets for bison and pronghorn, especially early and late in the day. Oxbow Bend and the Willow Flats near Jackson Lake are prime moose territory.
Moose-Wilson Road is one of our most reliable spots. We’ve seen moose here on multiple visits. We’ve also spotted them in Cascade Canyon on the hike past Inspiration Point. Our best sighting by far was on the hike to Death Canyon: five moose in one outing, a bull, a female, and a baby together, plus two more females spotted separately elsewhere on the trail.
We took this photo of a bull moose while hiking in Death Canyon.
For a better chance of seeing wildlife, consider taking a guided wildlife tour with a naturalist.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you see a line of cars pulled over on the side of the road, that’s usually a sign wildlife has been spotted nearby. Pull all the way off the road before stopping, and keep your distance.
7. Photograph the Historic Barns of Mormon Row
Location: Antelope Flats Road, 1.6 miles from Highway 89.
In 1890, Mormon settlers from Salt Lake City established this farming community, eventually building 27 homesteads along the base of the Tetons. Mormon Row was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, and today it’s one of the most photographed spots in the park.
This is one of the best sunrise spots in Grand Teton. The iconic shot of a weathered barn with the jagged Teton peaks rising behind it draws photographers from all over the world, and it’s easy to see why the moment you’re standing there.
I took this photo of Mormon Row at sunrise in August
We’ve visited this spot twice at sunrise. The lighting is best this time of day, with the early morning sunlight illuminating the barns and the Teton Range off in the distance. Even in summer, it was chilly first thing in the morning, so pack some extra layers.
There are two barns worth seeking out. The T.A. Moulton Barn is the one you’ve probably seen in photos (it’s often called the most photographed barn in America), with its distinctive gambrel roof. A short walk away is the John Moulton Barn, part of a homestead that includes a small pink house, less famous but still a great photo.
We took this photo of T. A. Moulton Barn on a different trip, sunrise in late September, on a cloudy morning.
Watch your step! There are many prairie dogs here that make large holes (burrows) along the dirt road.
8. Catch the Morning Light on the Tetons from Schwabacher Landing
Getting Here: This viewpoint is located off Highway 26/89/191. Turn onto the gravel access road; it’s a one-mile drive to the parking lot and viewpoint.
For one of the most scenic views in the park, don’t miss Schwabacher Landing. This is one of the best places to capture the reflection of the Teton range in the still water of the Snake River, and it’s one of our favorite viewpoints in Grand Teton.
Schwabacher Landing in early August
We’ve visited Schwabacher multiple times, in different seasons, and morning is by far our favorite time to be here. The water is calmest early in the day, before any wind picks up, which makes for the clearest reflections.
A series of short, flat trails link the parking lot to several viewpoints along the water, so you can walk as little or as much as you want. Plan on 30 to 60 minutes here, depending on how long you linger for photos.
9. Frame the Tetons Like Ansel Adams at Snake River Overlook
Location: On Highway 26/89/191, 4.5 miles north of Schwabacher Landing.
Channel your inner Ansel Adams at the Snake River Overlook, made famous when Adams photographed the Tetons from this exact spot in 1942 while working for the U.S. government. It’s one of the most iconic images in landscape photography, and the view today is still worth the stop.
Snake River Overlook
Worth knowing: the trees along the riverbank have grown in considerably since 1942, so you won’t get the exact same unobstructed curve of the river that Adams captured. It’s still a beautiful overlook, just a bit more filtered by the tree line than the famous photo suggests.
This is a quick, roadside stop. No hike is required, just a short walk from the parking area to the viewpoint. It’s worth visiting at both sunrise and sunset, when the light hits the peaks differently.
10. Capture Mount Moran’s Reflection at Oxbow Bend
Location: On Highway 26/89/191, near the Jackson Lake Junction.
This is the place to get the iconic view of Mount Moran’s reflection in the still water of the Snake River. Oxbow Bend is one of the most photographed spots in the park, and for good reason: on a calm morning, the reflection is almost perfectly mirrored.
Oxbow Bend
We’ve visited twice, both times early in the morning, and it’s one of the most beautiful spots in the park. Sunrise is the most popular time to visit, not only for the light on the Tetons but because Oxbow Bend is known as one of the best wildlife-watching spots in the park. Moose, otters, and even the occasional bear have been spotted along the water’s edge.
We haven’t been lucky enough to see wildlife here ourselves despite two visits, so don’t count on a sighting, but it’s worth watching for while you’re taking in the view either way.
11. Take a Scenic Float or Whitewater Trip on the Snake River
The Snake River winds along the base of the Teton range, and getting out on the water is one of the best ways to see the park from a completely different angle.
Scenic floats are calm, guided trips through the park itself. They are a relaxing way to take in views of the Tetons, spot moose and bald eagles along the banks, and let someone else do the work. These are a great option for families or anyone who wants wildlife viewing without a hike.
Whitewater rafting trips run on a separate stretch of the Snake River south of the park, near the town of Hoback, and are a better fit if you want some adrenaline mixed in with your scenery.
Both types of trips run out of Jackson and Moose with local outfitters, and no experience is necessary for either one.
Scenic Float & Rafting Tours
12. Explore Colter Bay and Jackson Lake
Location: Colter Bay Village, on the east shore of Jackson Lake, about a 25-minute drive north of Jenny Lake.
Most visitors spend their time around Jenny Lake, but the Colter Bay area on the north end of Jackson Lake is worth the drive, especially if you’re looking for a quieter home base.
Colter Bay has a marina, a sandy swimming beach, and a visitor center with an Indian Arts Museum featuring a well-regarded collection of Native American artifacts.
We hiked the Lakeshore Trail here and loved it. It’s flat, very easy, and gives you great views of the Teton range from across the lake, a nice option if you want scenery without the effort of a real climb.
I took this photo of Kara while hiking the Lakeshore Trail
13. Hike to Taggart Lake
This relatively short, easy trail is one of the most popular hikes in Grand Teton National Park. Once you reach Taggart Lake, you’re rewarded with wide-open views of the Teton range across the water.
Taggart Lake
This hike is 3 miles round trip. The trail climbs gradually through a forest of aspen, spruce, and lodgepole pine. Much of it regrew after a 1985 fire, which is why the aspens here are so dense. Be alert for bear. From Taggart Lake, you can continue on to Bradley Lake, which adds another 2.5 miles to the total distance.
Kara and I hiked this on a summer evening, with the sun setting during our visit. It was gorgeous, and we had the lake entirely to ourselves, but it also meant the walk back to the car as it got dark was a little unnerving, wondering the whole way if we’d cross paths with a bear. (We didn’t.) If you hike this later in the day like we did, bear spray and a headlamp are worth having on hand.
Getting Here: The trailhead is located on Teton Park Road south of Jenny Lake. There’s a fairly large parking lot, but it fills completely by midday. Consider doing this hike early or, like us, in the evening to avoid the crowds.
14. Walk the Easy Trail to Leigh Lake
Location: The trailhead, named Leigh Lake Trailhead, is just north of Jenny Lake. Take String Lake Road to the large parking lot, where you’ll see the trailhead sign.
This pretty, flat hike follows String Lake up to Leigh Lake, and it’s great for all ages and ability levels. If you hike just to Leigh Lake, it’s 1.8 miles round trip. Go farther along the eastern shore of Leigh Lake, and it becomes 3.7 miles round trip.
We loved this hike. The views across String Lake, especially with the mountains reflected in the water, are stunning, and it never felt as busy as some of the more popular trails nearby.
String Lake is also one of the best swimming spots in the park. It’s shallow and warms up faster than the deeper alpine lakes, which makes it a favorite for families cooling off on a hot afternoon.
15. Earn the Views on the Hike to Delta Lake
Delta Lake is a turquoise, glacier-fed lake tucked directly beneath the Grand Teton and the Teton Glacier and it’s become one of the most popular (and most photographed) hikes in the park.
Tim and Kara at Delta Lake
We hiked to Delta Lake on our most recent trip to Grand Teton. This is a tough one: there’s no maintained trail for the final stretch, which means a steep, unmarked scramble over a boulder field to reach the lake. The hike is 8.5 miles round trip with 2,400 feet of elevation gain. We added on Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes, which are worth the extra effort.
Because the route isn’t marked, this isn’t a great choice for a first-time visitor or anyone uncomfortable with route-finding. For the full trail directions, junction-by-junction, see our complete guide: One Hike, Three Lakes: Surprise, Amphitheater & Delta Lake ↓
One Hike, Three Lakes: Surprise, Amphitheater & Delta Lake Hiking Guide
Step-by-step trail guide for hiking to Delta, Surprise, and Amphitheater Lakes.16. Visit the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Visitor Center
The Rockefeller family played a huge role in preserving the land of Grand Teton National Park. This reserve is an 1,100 acre refuge located within Grand Teton National Park and was donated by the Rockefeller family in 2001.
In 2008, the visitor center was built on this parcel of land. The visitor center is beautiful and it was the first property in Wyoming to be certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the highest accolade for environmentally friendly building practices.
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
Hiking to Phelps Lake is a very popular hike to do from the preserve. The loop around Phelps Lake is 7 miles long and moderately difficult. It starts and ends at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Visitor Center and takes approximately 3 to 4 hours.
We took this photo of Phelps Lake while hiking the Death Canyon Trail
With a parking lot that can only accommodate a small number of cars, this preserve is meant to be quiet, serene, and meditative. It’s estimated that only 300 people per day visit the reserve, which is just a tiny fraction of the number of people that visit Grand Teton National Park per day.
Parking at the reserve can be a challenge. The 50-car lot is often full by 9 am in July and August, sometimes earlier. Plan to arrive by 8 am, or visit in the late afternoon instead — after 9, expect to wait in a one-car-in, one-car-out queue, and during peak season that wait can run to several hours.
Getting Here: The Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is located on Moose Wilson Road.
17. Drive Moose Wilson Road
Moose Wilson Road is an 8-mile road connecting Jackson with Grand Teton National Park, running along the western edge of the park past String Lake, Phelps Lake, and Death Canyon.
Along the way you have a decent chance of spotting wildlife. At the northern end of the road, near where it meets Teton Park Road, we spotted a mother moose with two calves.
This road is closed from November 1 to mid-May, and is also subject to closure from grizzly bear activity and weather conditions.
Moose-Wilson Road Construction: What’s Happened and What’s Next
Moose-Wilson Road has been under construction, in phases, since 2022, as part of a long-planned rehabilitation of a corridor that had never been fully paved.
Phase 1 (2022–2023) paved the rough 1.4-mile gravel section between the Granite Canyon Entrance and the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, and rebuilt the Granite Canyon Entrance Station and trailhead. During construction, the southern portion of the road was closed except on weekends for two summers. This phase wrapped up by the end of 2023.
Phase 2, currently underway, is repairing Death Canyon Road and the Death Canyon Trailhead, realigning the road’s north end near Moose, and building a new roundabout at the Moose Entrance so Moose-Wilson traffic can flow onto Teton Park Road without passing through a second entrance station.
As of August 2026: Death Canyon Road and Trailhead are fully closed for the entire season, with reopening expected in 2027. If you want to hike Death Canyon this year, start from the Rockefeller Preserve or Teton Village instead. The northern section between the Preserve and Moose reopened to through traffic in June after being closed since May 1, but expect delays up to 45 minutes through Labor Day, and the road will close again in September to finish the year’s work. The stretch between the Preserve and the Death Canyon Road junction is still unpaved gravel.
When it’s finished (targeted for 2027), Moose-Wilson Road will be paved along its full length at a consistent width, replacing the rutted, unpredictable gravel section that’s plagued the road for years. Death Canyon will have a rebuilt trailhead and parking area, and the new roundabout near Moose should smooth out one of the park’s more congested pinch points. The project is designed to keep the road’s slow, scenic, wildlife-watching character intact rather than turn it into a faster thoroughfare, so don’t expect this to become a shortcut once it’s done.
Check the park’s live road status before you go, since construction schedules shift from year to year.
18. Take Your Pick from Longer Day Hikes
Journey into the Tetons on one of these longer, more challenging day hikes.
Cascade Canyon: This hike starts at the west dock on Jenny Lake. Hike up to Inspiration Point and continue to follow the trail into the Teton mountain range. This hike is 10 miles long with roughly 1000 feet of elevation gain.
Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop: This is a beast of a day hike (20 miles long with 4500 feet of elevation gain) but it is our favorite hike in the park. On this hike, you cover a lot of ground, but you also get to see many of Grand Teton’s highlights in one day: Jenny Lake, Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, Cascade Canyon, Lake Solitude, and Paintbrush Canyon.
Lake Solitude: This hike starts at Jenny Lake, goes through Cascade Canyon, and continues on to Lake Solitude. It’s 15 miles in length and physically demanding.
Static Peak Divide: With gorgeous alpine scenery, this tough, 16-mile trail is a big day hike. But if you want epic views of the Tetons without going on a multi-day backpacking trip, this is a great one to consider.
15 Epic Hikes in Grand Teton National Park (+ Printable Trail Guide)
Here are 15 day hikes to do in Grand Teton, plus a printable eBook.Bonus! Don’t Miss Teton Village at Jackson Hole
This is not located inside of Grand Teton National Park, but it’s just a short drive away. If you want stunning alpine views, a chance to ride a gondola or cable car, and to take your pick from numerous hiking trails, Jackson Hole is worth the visit.
Kara and I rode the Aerial Tram up to Corbet’s Cabin on Rendezvous Peak. At an altitude of 10,450 feet, it’s one of the highest views in the area. From here, you can ride the tram back down to Jackson Hole or hike to one of the other chairlifts or gondolas on the mountains. We hiked the Cirque Trail, a 1.8 mile mostly downhill trail to Bridger Gondola and then rode this back into town.
If you want to take a break from hiking, you can also visit the Adventure Park, go shopping, dine at one of the restaurants, or go horseback riding. Learn more here.
Things We Wish We Knew Before Our First Visit to Grand Teton
Continue into Cascade Canyon from Inspiration Point. If you hike to Inspiration Point, don’t automatically turn around there. Continue a little farther into Cascade Canyon. The trail becomes easier, the mountain scenery gets even better, and this is also a good area for spotting wildlife. We saw moose not far into Cascade Canyon from Inspiration Point. You don’t have to hike the entire canyon; even adding a short out-and-back beyond Inspiration Point is worthwhile.
Don’t miss Schwabacher Landing. Schwabacher Landing has become one of our favorite viewpoints in Grand Teton. We’ve visited it multiple times over different seasons and it’s especially beautiful in the morning, when the Tetons are illuminated by the rising sun and calm conditions can create gorgeous reflections in the water. On our first visit, we didn’t know to prioritize it.
Get to popular trailheads early. In summer, parking at popular trailheads can fill surprisingly early. If we’re doing one of Grand Teton’s major hikes, we now plan to arrive before 7 am. Besides making parking easier, an early start gives you cooler temperatures and more time to finish before afternoon weather moves in.
If you love hiking, add a full day just for the trails. On our first visit, we spent one day seeing Jenny Lake, Inspiration Point, and several viewpoints and then continued to Yellowstone. It was a great introduction, but after returning for a week-long hiking trip, we realized how much of Grand Teton you miss if you only see it from the roads and short trails. If hiking is one of your priorities, give yourself at least one additional day.
Expect afternoon thunderstorms in summer. Summer mornings can start out beautifully clear, only for thunderstorms to develop later in the day. This is another reason to begin hikes early, particularly if your route takes you above treeline or onto exposed ridges and passes.
Don’t make a high-elevation hike your first activity after arriving from sea level. If you’re planning a strenuous hike high into the Tetons, such as Static Peak Divide or Paintbrush Canyon, give yourself some time to acclimate first. Coming directly from sea level and tackling a long, high-elevation hike on your first day can make an already difficult hike much harder. For high routes where you’re exposed to weather and far from the trailhead, fatigue and altitude can also become a safety issue.
Plan Your Visit
Entry Fee for Grand Teton National Park: $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days; non-US residents 16 years or older pay an additional $100 fee
Hours: Grand Teton National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. For opening hours of the visitor centers and current conditions, and to get updates about road closures and trail closures, click here.
Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
Planning Your Time
How much time should you spend in Grand Teton? It depends on how much hiking you want to do and whether you’re pairing it with Yellowstone.
For full day-by-day plans, from a single day up to a week, plus where to stay, see our Grand Teton Itinerary guide. If you only have one day, our One Perfect Day in Grand Teton itinerary walks you through hitting the highlights in the right order.
Road Trip Itinerary: With 7 to 8 days, you can visit Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. With more time, add on Glacier National Park. Visiting Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks on one road trip takes 10 days. It is best to do this in the summer months, when all of the park roads are open.
Best Time to Visit Grand Teton
The best time to visit Grand Teton National Park is from mid-May through October, when all of the roads and visitor centers are open.
June, July and August are the busiest months in the park. Expect big crowds on the hiking trails, difficulty finding a parking space midday, and sold out lodges inside of the park.
The best time for wildlife sightings are at dawn and dusk.
If you want to see the park ablaze in fall colors, the end of September into very early October is best time to visit. On our late September visit, the aspens were a brilliant yellow, we could hear elk bugling in the distance, and crowds were lower than our summer visits. It was cooler, and we hiked through snow flurries in the higher mountains the day we did Delta Lake, but I would love to return again this time of year.
From November through mid-May, Teton Park Road is closed, along with several other scenic roads, such as Moose Wilson Road and the road to the summit of Signal Mountain.
We took this photo from Schwabacher Landing in late September
Grand Teton National Park appears in our Best US National Parks in June, August, and September articles. For more information about the best times to visit the national parks, check out our Best National Parks Month-by-Month Guide.
Plan Your Trip to Grand Teton
- Deciding how many days to spend in the park, and where to stay → Our Grand Teton Itinerary guide covers day-by-day plans for 1 to 7+ days, plus where to base yourself.
- Want the full list of day hikes in the park → Our 15 Epic Hikes in Grand Teton guide covers every trail worth doing, with a printable map.
- Ready to tackle Paintbrush Canyon, Delta Lake, or Death Canyon → Our step-by-step guides cover the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop, Surprise, Amphitheater & Delta Lake, and Death Canyon to Static Peak Divide.
- Combining Grand Teton with Yellowstone → Our Yellowstone & Grand Teton Itinerary guide covers the best way to see both parks together.
- Want the full overview of the park → Our Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide covers everything for planning your visit.
If you have any questions about the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park, let us know in the comment section below!
Continue Exploring Grand Teton & the National Parks
We have more information about things to do in Wyoming in our Wyoming Travel Guide. If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, you can read all of our articles about the United States in our United States Travel Guide.
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Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks are three of the most spectacular parks in the United States, and with 10 days, you can visit all three on one unforgettable road trip. Start in Grand Teton, where the lakes and the jagged mountain range create a hiker’s and photographer’s paradise. Journey north to Yellowstone, a […]
Yellowstone, Devils Tower, and Mount Rushmore: 10 Day Road Trip Itinerary
With 10 days, you can road trip from Grand Teton and Yellowstone all the way to Mount Rushmore, adding on Devils Tower, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, and Custer State Park along the way. That’s four national parks, two national monuments, one incredible state park, and some of the best scenic drives in […]
US National Park Itineraries & Road Trip Ideas
National Park Itineraries The national parks are best experienced as a road trip and with 56 parks visited between us, we’ve done a lot of them. Whether you’re dreaming of a two-week American Southwest loop, a classic Yellowstone and Grand Teton combo, or a deep dive into Utah’s Mighty 5, we’ve put together detailed itineraries […]
23 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a wonderland of geothermal activity, dramatic landscapes, and abundant wildlife. Steam hisses from the ground beside wooden boardwalks, bison bring traffic to a standstill on the park roads, and technicolor hot springs amaze even the most seasoned travelers. In this guide, we cover the best things to do in Yellowstone National […]
Yellowstone Itinerary: How to Spend 1 to 5 Days in Yellowstone
Planning a Yellowstone itinerary can be challenging. The park is enormous, drive times are long, and wildlife sightings and traffic jams can throw even the best-planned day off schedule. In this guide, we provide Yellowstone itineraries for 1 to 5 days, with the sights grouped into logical driving routes to help you make the most […]
How to Visit Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook (+ Fairy Falls)
The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook is one of our favorite photography spots in Yellowstone National Park. From above, you get the full kaleidoscope of colors in the spring, plus a great sense of scale, watching tiny people make their way along the boardwalks at Midway Geyser Basin. We’ve visited the overlook several times now, twice […]
Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone: 3 Scenic Driving Routes Compared
Yellowstone National Park is roughly 480 to 520 miles from Mount Rushmore, depending on the route you take and which Yellowstone entrance you use. Plan on at least 8 to 9 hours of driving without stops, but with Devils Tower, the Bighorn Mountains, Beartooth Highway, and several other worthwhile places along the way, this drive […]
US National Parks List: All 63 Parks, Map & Free Printable Checklist
There are 63 national parks in the United States, and we’ve visited 56 of them, from the remote wilderness of Denali to the coral reefs of the Virgin Islands. We’re a family of avid hikers who have spent over a decade exploring these parks, from multi-day backcountry trips to scenic drives with kids in tow. […]
Best USA Road Trips: 18 Ideas for Your Next Big Adventure
One of the best ways to explore the USA is on a good old-fashioned road trip. Cruise along Route 66, road trip through the Florida Keys, explore the American Southwest, or even drive from coast to coast. In this guide, we share 18 of the best USA road trips…18 great ideas for your next big […]
Best US National Parks to Visit Month-By-Month
Best National Parks to Visit Month-By-Month Most national park planning advice tells you the “best” month to visit a park without showing you the full picture. This guide does both. We’ve visited 56 of the 63 US national parks, many of them multiple times and in different seasons, and timing is consistently one of the […]
The Ultimate Guide to the 63 US National Parks
Stretching from the South Pacific, across the United States to the Caribbean, are 63 national parks. These national treasures preserve iconic landscapes, majestic mountains, primordial forests, arid deserts, misty coastlines, immense canyons, wildlife, and historic landmarks. We have visited 56 of the 63 US national parks, from the towering granite walls of Yosemite and the […]
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