Grand Teton National Park is up there as one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. The picturesque backdrop of the Teton range behind the still waters of glacial lakes simply can’t be beat. And with its close proximity to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton offers the perfect stop on an epic Wyoming road trip. In this post, I’ll share the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park, plus how to get there, where to stay, where to eat, and much more!

Looking for things to do in Grand Teton National Park? Pin this post to save it for later!

Grand Teton became a national park in 1929 in order to preserve its natural beauty and stunning alpine scenery. The park covers 309,993 acres, offers over 200 miles of hiking trails, and provides habitat for an abundance of flora and fauna. Grizzly bears, black bears, moose, elk, and bald eagles are just some of the animals that might cross your path in Grand Teton. In addition to hiking, there are plenty of other activities in the park that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

When to Visit Grand Teton National Park

Although summer is the most popular time of year to visit Grand Teton National Park, it really can be enjoyed any time of year. Fall (September to mid-October) means fewer crowds, beautiful fall foliage (the 3rd week of September is historically peak fall foliage), and active wildlife (mating season and bears preparing to hibernate). And while services may be limited, winter provides opportunities for snowmobiling, skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

How to Get to There

The closest airport to Grand Teton National Park is Jackson Hole, WY. It’s a short drive to the south entrance of the park. Since we fly free with Southwest and they don’t fly into Jackson, we flew into Salt Lake City and drove 4.5 hours to Jackson. This is also usually a cheaper option than Jackson, since Jackson is such a small airport.

Where to Stay

In the summer months, there are many lodging options inside the park.

Inside the Park:

Cabins:

American Alpine Club Grand Teton Climber’s Ranch (bunk rooms where guests bring their own bedding and cooking equipment)
Colter Bay Cabins
Dornan’s Spur Ranch Cabins
Triangle X Ranch (a dude ranch)
Headwater’s Lodge and Cabins at Flagg Ranch

Lodges:

Jackson Lake Lodge
Jenny Lake Lodge
Signal Mountain Lodge

Campgrounds:

Colter Bay Campground
Gros Ventre Campground
Headwaters Campground and RV sites at Flagg Ranch
Jenny Lake Campground
Lizard Creek Campground
Signal Mountain Campground

Outside the Park:

Grand Teton is just a short drive to Jackson, which has a whole bunch of lodging options ranging from bunkhouses to luxurious resorts for any time of year. Since we’re Marriott members and had enough points for a free stay, we stayed at Springhill Suites in Jackson. Teton Village also has some lodging options as well, including Teton Mountain Lodge and Spa, Snake River Lodge and Spa, Four Seasons Resort, The Inn at Jackson Hole, etc.

Where to Eat

I’ve never eaten so good in a national park! Unlike many other national parks, you probably don’t need to worry about stocking up on food before you go out and explore. There are a bunch of restaurants and grocery stores inside the park, and being that the park isn’t that big, you likely won’t go hungry here.

We ate at the Blue Heron Lounge at Jackson Lake Lodge and it was arguably the best meal of our entire trip. Sitting outside on the deck enjoying the views with the sun shining really helped make the perfect setting, too. We couldn’t even see the mountains when we were there due to the haze from wildfires, but even without the mountains, the views are still amazing. The lounge is more casual dining, and not a large menu, but the food was really good. We really enjoyed the bison burger, spinach artichoke dip and home made chips.

Leeks Marina & Pizzeria, just north of Colter Bay Village, was also fantastic (and the New Yorker in me doesn’t mess around with pizza)! It definitely lived up to all the hype!

Dornan’s Chuckwagon is a cute little grill in Moose with outdoor seating and great views. We went for brunch after our sunrise scenic river float and had the sourdough pancakes and french toast, which were good.

There’s also a bunch of dining options in Jackson if that’s where you are staying. We ate at Sidewinders, which was featured on the show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and the Snake River Brewery, which was conveniently located right across from our hotel. Driving through Jackson on our way back to Salt Lake City, we stopped and ate lunch at Local. Some other places that were recommended to us but we didn’t get the chance to try were Bubba’s BBQ and Snake River Grill steakhouse. None of the places we ate at in Jackson were bad. I enjoyed my meal at all of them, but I also don’t feel like any of them stood out as something you must try.

Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton is a small enough park, that a day visit is possible and worth it. It’s easy enough to drive through the park and back in one day from Jackson or Teton Village (and of course any of the lodging options inside the park). This means that if you are just visiting Grand Teton, you can stay in one lodging location for the duration of the trip. If combining Grand Teton with Yellowstone, you’ll definitely need to move around. Check out my Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary post for more information on how to plan out your combined trip.

Of course, with more time, you can explore more of the park and try a few different trails. We spent 2 days in the park and tried to go at a more leisurely pace than we usually do. We stopped at all the scenic overlooks, drove to each of the different areas in the park, went horseback riding, did the scenic river float and still had some time for a few of the shorter hikes. Next time I visit, I really want to try some of the longer day hikes. Here’s a list of all the worthy experiences, overlooks, and hikes to help you plan out your time in Grand Teton.

Scenic Drives. Teton Park Road and 191 are the two main roads that go through the park. If you do nothing else, just driving through and around this park is well worth your time and you probably only would need a half day or so. Off of Teton Park Road, you can also access Jenny Lake Scenic Drive, and Signal Mountain Summit Road, which are both definitely worth the short detours off the main road.

These are some of the best overlooks off 191:

Schwabachers Landing
Oxbow Bend
Willow Flats
Mormon Row (Moulton Barn)
Snake River Overlook

Hang out on a lake. There are many possible water activities that can be enjoyed on the lakes in Grand Teton. Motorboats, sailboats, water skiing, windsurfing, scenic cruises, and kayaking are just a few options. Check out the NPS website for a list of permitted boating activities on each lake, permit fees, rental companies, tours, and much more.

Go horseback riding. Horseback riding offers a different way to experience the Grand Teton trails. We took a trail around Christian pound and Emma Matilda Lake. There was a great overlook of the Oxbow Bend area. Our views of the mountains were obstructed but it didn’t matter. The entire trail was so scenic and doing it on horseback just added to the experience. I’d recommend sticking to the 1- or 2-hour trips if you’re new to horseback riding, like we are.

Do a Scenic River Float. This was a trip highlight for me and if you’re visiting in the summer, a scenic river float is a must! We chose to do the sunrise float for a few reasons: it took up less of our day and didn’t get in the way of any other plans (we are early risers anyway), you have a better chance of spotting wildlife, and because we’re suckers for an epic sunrise! The downside was it was really cold on the water, but if you’re more prepared than we are, this won’t be a problem! The scenic river float allows you to see parts of the park you wouldn’t be able to see on foot. And not to mention, this was really the only time on we spotted wildlife in Grand Teton (though that’s probably not typical – I think we were a little unlucky).

Spend some time in Jackson. I’m adding this because I wished that we had allowed more time to spend in Jackson. It’s such a cute town with plenty of bars, shopping and entertainment. We really only ate dinner in Jackson at the end of long days and were usually too tired after to do any walking around.

Go on a hike. Hiking is definitely the best way to experience Grand Teton National Park. Here is a list of some of the most popular hikes in the park.

Cascade Canyon.

Location: Jenny Lake
Distance: 10 Miles
Difficulty: Strenuous

This is the most popular trail in the park. You can access the trailhead by taking the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake (with a fee), or hiking around Jenny Lake to the trailhead, which adds an additional 2.4 miles each way. I wish we had more time to do this hike in its entirety. We hiked the first mile up the mouth of the canyon and Cascade Creek and I wish we could have kept going but it was getting late and the weather was looking bad. The first mile was mostly uphill through the forest but once you reach the mouth of the canyon, it leveled out a bit and the views from within the canyon were so impressive.

Taggart Lake.

Location: Teton park Road, just a few miles north of the Moose entrance.
Distance: 3-6 depending on which route you take.
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate.

There are a few different options for routes here. You can hike to Taggart Lake and back for an easy 3 mile hike. You can also continue passed Taggart Lake to Bradley Lake and loop back around. This is a moderate 6 mile hike. We did the 4 mile Taggart lake – Beaver Creek Loop. The trail is scenic the entire way but the views of the Teton range behind the lake are just incredible, especially when you can see the mountains reflecting in the water. This was my favorite hike of our entire trip. I would say this is a must do if visiting GTNP, especially since it’s pretty short and not too difficult. You can do this hike in 2 hours or so.

Hidden Falls.

Location: Jenny Lake
Distance: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy

This is a short hike, along Cascade Creek, to a waterfall. It starts at the same area as Cascade Canyon, across Jenny Lake. We took the shuttle boat which was quick, convenient and scenic. It’s rated as easy, but it is a bit uphill. If you hike a little passed the falls, you will get to Inspiration Point, but this was closed while we were there.

Inspiration Point.

Location: Jenny Lake
Distance: 2.2 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy

This was closed when we were there, so I can’t speak to it from personal experience. However, along with Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point is apparently one of the most popular short hikes in the park offering views of Teewinot Mountain and Jenny Lake.

Lake Shore Trail.

Location: Colter Bay
Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy

This is a short hike that takes you out to what feels like the middle of the bay. It was nice and scenic and worth the stroll if you have the time, but I wouldn’t say it’s a must.