About the park
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Grand Teton National Park sits just south of the nations most famous park, Yellowstone. Despite the two parks being connected by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, many of Yellowstone's visitors fail to visit the quieter wilderness surrounding the Teton Mountain range. The famous mountains formed as a result of the Teton fault, forcing land upwards sharply against the valley floor. Around 2 million years ago, glaciers flowed south from Yellowstone, carving the jagged Teton skyline seen today, and contributing to the many lakes that are found at the base of the mountains, where they meet the valley floor.
The alpine mountains and sagebrush flats of the valley floor create a diverse ecosystem which, alongside Yellowstone and the surrounding forests, forms the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest remaining near intact ecosystems of the Northern Hemisphere. This unique environment populated by a wide variety of flora and fauna makes the park popular with wildlife lovers, while the extensive network of hiking trails around the lakes provides a more calming and less demanding experience than what is often found in other parks of the Rocky Mountains region.
Mountaineering, fishing and rafting are popular recreational activities, alongside snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing in winter - evidence that Grand Teton NP can provide something for everyone, whatever your passion.
Can't miss
T. A. Moulton Barn
One of the most iconic views of the park, this historic barn, a part of the Mormon Row Historic District, provides a charming foreground to the towering Tetons behind. Consider stopping off here for sunrise and sunset for the chance to capture the Tetons surrounded by colour.
Explore the Lakes
While the peaks rightfully claim much of the fame, Grand Teton NP has an abundance of lakes following the parks 1950 expansion. String lake in particular offers excellent reflections of the Tetons on calm days, and during summer you can catch a ferry across the much larger Jenny lake.
White Water Rafting
Snake River flows through the entirety of the park. A Class III river, it provides a perfect blend of difficulty and thrill for most. The best rafting is found just south of the park with an 8 mile stretch consisting of 11 named rapids.
Explore the park
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Points of interest
Top experiences
Trails
As ever, we recommend conducting some of your own research on hikes as well as talking to park rangers in order to find less populated trails that may be of interest, helping to prevent overcrowding and erosion of the park's best known routes. But here are a few suggestions to consider to get you started...
Gentle
String Lake
Leigh Lake Trailhead
Length (roundtrip): 3.6 miles
Approximate duration: 0.5-2 hours
Maximum elevation: 7105 ft
Max-Min elevation change: 275 ft
Possibly one of the most beautiful hikes we recommend on our website, on a calm day with no wind or rain, the lake creates beautiful reflections of the Tetons and the trees which frame them.
Parking is relatively limited and it is a very popular lake for swimming in the summer, so consider arriving early to best enjoy the beauty. While we suggest the 3.8 mile loop of the lake, feel completely free to hike as much or as little of it as you like.
Going anti-clockwise, there is a wooden bridge over the water as it flows to Jenny Lake, which gives you a relatively open view of the mountains while listening to the water rush by - bliss!
Moderate
Jenny Lake Loop
Jenny Lake Trailhead
Length (roundtrip): 7.5 miles
Approximate duration: 3-4 hours
Maximum elevation: 6910 ft
Max-Min elevation change: 275 ft
This hike can be started from String Lake, or from the Jenny Lake trailhead towards the south side of the lake. Take the loop in either direction and enjoy the different angles of the Tetons.
Jenny Lake itself is the second largest in the park, and you can really appreciate its size as you look across. The western side of the loop is better known for animal encounters - bears are present in the park so be vigilant and keep talking when in groups to make sure not to surprise them.
There are also sections of burnt woodland, such as that caused by the Alder fire of 1999, which provides a reminder of the delicacy of nature.
Demanding
Cascade Canyon
Jenny Lake Trailhead
Length (roundtrip): 10.0 miles
Approximate duration: 5-7 hours
Maximum elevation: 11,823 ft
Max-Min elevation change: 1100 ft
This hike is significantly harder than our other two suggestions, continuously climbing away from Jenny Lake, but is pretty popular.
Start again at Jenny Lake trailhead, hiking anti-clockwise. 2.4 miles each way can be chipped off by taking the shuttle ferry, but it is not free. Hidden Falls greets you as you head towards Inspiration Point, and the trail becomes more rocky and challenging.
At this point the views of the park are great, and you hike further into the canyon where small ponds can catch reflections. After 5 miles you reach the Forks of Cascade Canyon - more experienced hikers can venture further if they wish!
Where to stay
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When to visit
We recommend:
March & April for wintery scenes, or July & August for longer days, easier hiking & whitewater rafting
Itineraries
