Grand Teton Trail & Visitor Guide
Grand Teton · United States · About 310,000 acres (roughly 485 square miles) in northwest Wyoming.
Why Visit Grand Teton
The Teton Range rises without foothills from the flat valley of Jackson Hole, creating one of the most dramatic mountain vistas in North America. The Grand Teton summit reaches 13,775 feet. Glacial lakes — Jenny, Leigh, and Taggart — sit at the base of the peaks, reflecting the mountains in still morning water. The park shares an ecosystem with neighboring Yellowstone.
Free Grand Teton Audio Guide with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free, self-guided Grand Teton audio guide. It narrates trails, viewpoints, geology, and wildlife as you explore — Jenny Lake, Cascade Canyon Trail, Taggart Lake Trail, plus quieter spots like Delta Lake and Schwabacher Landing. No guide, no schedule, works offline.
explore by interest
Signature Trails
- Cascade Canyon Trail (via Jenny Lake boat shuttle)About 9.1 miles round trip from the boat dock up the canyon; ~2 miles round trip to Inspiration Point only · Moderate
Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point overlook of Jenny Lake, and views up a glacier-carved canyon toward Grand Teton; moose and pika sightings
- Jenny Lake Loop7.1 miles round trip · Easy to moderate, mostly flat
Circles Jenny Lake at the base of the Cathedral Group; connects to the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point spur
- Taggart Lake Trail3.0-3.8 miles round trip depending on loop option · Easy
A glacial lake with direct views of Grand Teton; a good first-day hike to acclimate
- Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon Loop (via Holly Lake and Paintbrush Divide)About 19-20 miles · Strenuous
Holly Lake, Lake Solitude, and the 10,700 ft Paintbrush Divide; an ice axe is often needed on the divide snowfield into early summer
- Death Canyon to Static Peak DivideAbout 16 miles round trip · Strenuous
Phelps Lake overlook, Death Canyon, and the highest maintained trail point in the park, roughly 10,800 ft at Static Peak Divide
Must-See in Grand Teton
- •Jenny Lake — a glacial lake at the base of the Tetons with boat shuttles to trailheads
- •Cascade Canyon Trail — a 9-mile round trip into a glacier-carved canyon beneath the highest peaks
- •Taggart Lake Trail — a 3-mile round trip to a glacial lake with Teton reflections
- •Mormon Row — a historic homestead district with iconic barns framing the Teton skyline
Best Viewpoints
- •Snake River Overlook (the Ansel Adams photo vantage on US-89/191)
- •Schwabacher Landing (reflections of the Teton Range in the Snake River at sunrise)
- •Oxbow Bend (river bend below Mount Moran, good for sunrise and wildlife)
- •Mormon Row / T.A. Moulton Barn (historic barns framed by the range)
- •Signal Mountain Summit Road (panorama of Jackson Hole and the range)
Quieter Corners of Grand Teton
- •Delta Lake — an unmarked scramble trail to a vivid turquoise glacial lake at 9,035 feet
- •Schwabacher Landing — a riverside viewpoint with beaver ponds reflecting the Tetons at sunrise
Wildlife You May See
Entrance Fee
$35 per private vehicle, valid for 7 days; $30 motorcycle; $20 per person on foot or bicycle. The Grand Teton annual pass is $70 (covers Grand Teton only). The $80 America the Beautiful interagency annual pass is also accepted and covers Yellowstone as well.
Getting There
Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is inside the park boundary, about 10 minutes from the Moose entrance. Most visitors drive in via US-26/89/191 from the town of Jackson (about 12 miles south of the Moose entrance) or via the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway from Yellowstone to the north. The park is roughly 1 hour from Yellowstone's South Entrance.
Where to Stay
In-park lodging includes Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, Signal Mountain Lodge, and Colter Bay Village (cabins and tent cabins); all are open seasonally (roughly May to early October) and book months ahead. NPS campgrounds include Gros Ventre (largest), Colter Bay, Signal Mountain, Jenny Lake (tents only, fills earliest), and Lizard Creek; reserve via Recreation.gov. The town of Jackson, about 12 miles south, has year-round hotels and motels.
Best Time
Late June through September has the most reliable trail and road access; high-elevation passes may hold snow into July. September brings the elk rut and fall color with thinner crowds. Many in-park lodges, the Jenny Lake boat shuttle, and Teton Park Road sections close from roughly November to early May.
Safety
Bears are the top hazard. Both grizzlies and black bears live here; carry EPA-approved bear spray, keep at least 100 yards from bears, store all food in bear-resistant lockers, and make noise on trails. Moose are also dangerous and unpredictable, especially cows with calves. High-elevation snowfields on passes such as Paintbrush Divide can require an ice axe into July, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, so descend exposed ridges by early afternoon.
Scenic Drives
- •Teton Park Road (Moose to Jackson Lake Junction, the closest road to the range; closed to cars in winter)
- •Signal Mountain Summit Road (5-mile spur to a Jackson Hole panorama)
- •John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (the link north toward Yellowstone)
- •Antelope Flats Road / Mormon Row loop (wildlife and historic barns)
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