Grand Teton National Park is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The rugged peaks, stunning alpine lakes, and wildlife make the Grand Tetons a hugely popular area for outdoor enthusiasts and photographers.
There are tons of incredible things to do in Grand Teton National Park. From short day hikes to long backpacking opportunities, scenic drives, and famous photography spots, there is something here for everyone!
My husband and I visited Grand Teton for 3 full days combined with 5 days in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton is definitely one of my favorite National Parks. You just can’t beat the scenery here!
This post has the 15 best things to do in Grand Teton National Park. Also feel free to check out my ultimate Grand Teton itinerary post if you’re looking for a structured itinerary for 1, 2 or 3 days!
The Best Time to Visit Grand Teton National Park
The best time to visit Grand Teton National Park is in the late summer through early fall. You’ll avoid the summer crowds, still have nice weather, and start to see some fall colors.
Summer brings perfect weather, but be prepared for more crowds. Even though it doesn’t get as many visitors as its super-popular neighbor, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park is still an incredibly popular summer destination. You can still have a pleasant experience in the summer, it just takes a bit more planning and starting early to beat the crowds.
You’ll also see snow on the Teton peaks through mid-July (I think the snow makes for better photos!).
Grand Teton National Park is open year-round, but Teton Park Road closes to cars during the winter due to snowfall. You can still visit during the winter, but you won’t be able to get to Jenny Lake and many other places on the 42-Mile Scenic Drive unless you want to cross-country ski it!
How to Get to Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is situated just south of Yellowstone National Park and north of the Jackson Hole Valley. The easiest way to get here is to fly into the Jackson Hole Airport and rent a car.
If you’re combining your Grand Teton National Park itinerary with a trip to Yellowstone as well, you might also consider flying into Bozeman or Billings, exploring Yellowstone, and then driving south to Grand Teton. This is what we did and it worked well!
Salt Lake City can also be a more affordable airport to fly into, but it will take almost 5 hours to drive to Grand Teton National Park. If you can spare the extra vacation time, the cost savings might be worth it to you.
The main road through Grand Teton National Park is US Highway 191/26/89 (three highways share this road but it’s only one road) and follows the Teton Range and Snake River north to south. Teton Park Road spurs off the main highway at the Moose and Jackson Lake junctions and runs parallel to the main highway.
I’ve annotated the map below with some of the major points of interest, but you can also download a high-resolution map here.
Related: The Ultimate 9-Day Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary (+ Maps, Photos, & More!)
How Many Days Do You Need in Grand Teton National Park?
If you don’t like hiking, you really only need 1 day in Grand Teton National Park. If you do enjoy hiking, spending 2-3 days or more will give you time to see the highlights and hike some of the best trails. 2-3 days also allows you to catch a few of the famous Grand Teton sunrises at the most popular viewpoints.
There are some incredible long trails here that will take you a full day to hike, so add one day per long trail you plan to hike. You could easily spend an entire week just hiking here.
Fees & Passes Information
It will cost you $35 per vehicle to enter Grand Teton National Park and the pass is good for 7 days.
If you plan to visit more than 3 National Parks or Monuments on your trip out west (or within one year), getting the America the Beautiful National Park Pass will save you money vs. paying the separate fees at each park. It costs $80 and you must order ahead of time as they will ship you a physical pass.
Grand Teton National Park does not do timed entry or require reservations.
15 Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
1. Watch the Sunrise at Mormon Row
One of the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park is to watch the sunrise at Mormon Row. The Moulton Barns with the Teton Range in the background makes for an incredible photography opportunity.
It’s best to get here 30 minutes before sunrise. Expect to see other people, but there is plenty of room to spread out to take photos.
2. Hike to Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls
Hiking to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls is one of the most popular things to do at Grand Teton National Park. These short, steep trails are located in the Jenny Lake area of the park.
You’ll have to either hike around the lake or take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake to reach the trailhead. From here, it’s a short but steep hike up to Inspiration Point and an easy walk to Hidden Falls.
You can also keep hiking past Inspiration Point into Cascade Canyon. This trail continues for 9 more miles, but even hiking into it for 20-30 minutes will give you some great views of the mountaintops!
There are a few different ways to do the Jenny Lake/Hidden Falls/Inspiration Point hike, so I wrote a whole blog post on it here.
My recommendation is to hike clockwise around the lake, hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, and then take the boat shuttle back. This is what we did, and we loved it!
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Jenny Lake Area in Grand Teton National Park
Jenny Lake is the most popular area to explore in Grand Teton National Park. The parking lot at the Visitor’s Center gets insanely full midday and the lines for the boat shuttle can reach an hour or more long. I recommend getting here no later than 9 am, especially in the summer!
3. Go Wildlife Spotting
Grand Teton National Park is home to some incredible wildlife. Moose, bison, bears, elk, river otters, and more inhabit the area.
It’s best to go wildlife spotting early in the morning or in the evening when the animals are most active. Popular areas are Oxbow Bend, Moose-Wilson Road, and Antelope Flats Road. Bring binoculars and your patience!
We saw a mama Grizzly bear and 2 cubs right off Teton Park Road near Jenny Lake and tons of elk throughout the park, so keep your eyes peeled everywhere!
4. Go Kayaking on Jenny Lake
Jenny Lake Boating has canoes and kayaks that you can rent to go kayaking or canoeing on Jenny Lake. This can be a great thing to do to get a break from hiking!
Rentals are first come, first serve and generally available from mid-June to mid-September, depending on weather and water conditions. Generally, the morning is best for kayaking since the water will be calmer.
Check out the Jenny Lake Boating website for the latest information and rates.
5. Do the 42-Mile Scenic Drive
The 42-mile scenic drive is made up of Teton Park Road (the inner road) and US Highway 26/89/191 (the outer road). There are junctions to enter the loop at Moose, Moran, and Jackson Lake. This is a great way to experience the incredible scenery at Grand Teton National Park.
If you only plan to drive and stop at a few scenic spots, the scenic drive will only take you 1-2 hours.
Here are my favorite scenic spots along the drive:
- Jenny Lake Overlook
- Oxbow Bend
- Snake River Overlook
- Teton Point Turnout
- Schwabacher Landing
- Moulton Barns on Mormon Row
Related: 9 Can’t-Miss Grand Teton Viewpoints
6. Hike the Taggart and Bradley Lake Loop
The Taggart and Bradley Lake Loop trail is a 6-mile moderate hike to 2 gorgeous lakes in the Teton Range. You’ll enjoy incredible views of Grand Teton, the park’s tallest peak!
You can hike to both of these lakes separately, but the trails connect and are close enough together that it makes sense to hike them as a loop. The Taggart Lake trail is easier and has slightly better views in my opinion if you’re looking for a shorter trail.
Bradley Lake will be quieter and less trafficked than Taggart. Hike to Bradley first to get most of the elevation gain out of the way at the beginning of your hike.
We had a few clouds covering the mountain peaks when we did this hike (as you can see in the photos below), so we didn’t get to see the actual mountain peaks while on the trail. It still made for a beautiful view though!
7. Summit Signal Mountain
Signal Mountain is a narrow, winding road up to an overlook of the Teton Mountains, Jackson Lake, and the Jackson Hole Valley. You’ll climb up 800 feet to two different overlooks that provide panoramic views over the valley.
This road is not suited for RV’s or trailers and closes in the winter.
8. Walk the Lakeshore Trail
Hike alongside Jackson Lake for views over the lake and of the Teton Range. Jackson Lake is the largest lake in Grand Teton National Park and views here are vast!
The Lakeshore Trail is an easy 2.2-mile loop trail with 100 feet of elevation gain.
The trailhead is located near Colter Bay Village. Since this hike is located on the north end of the park, it can be a great thing to do on the way in if you’re coming south from Yellowstone.
9. Do the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive
The Jenny Lake Scenic Drive is a short, paved driving loop that follows the east side of Jenny Lake. It gives you access to the best overlook over Jenny Lake that cannot be missed!
This road is only 5 miles long and it is one-way. You’ll see the turn off for it on Teton Park Road.
10. Check Out the Snake River Overlook
Check out this iconic viewpoint in Grand Teton National Park for sweeping views over the Snake River, sagebrush, and the Teton Range. Ansel Adams first photographed this location in 1942 and it has been famous ever since.
The Snake River Overlook is accessed from the main park road between the Moose and Moran Junctions.
11. Hike into Cascade Canyon
Cascade Canyon is located behind Inspiration Point at the base of the Tetons. You’ll want to take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake, hike to Inspiration Point, and then continue back into Cascade Canyon.
The entire out-and-back hike into Cascade Canyon is 9.1 miles with 1100 feet of elevation gain. A good chunk of the elevation gain is done once you get to Inspiration Point though, so this portion of the hike isn’t as strenuous.
You also don’t have to hike the full 9 miles to see amazing views! Spend 20-30 minutes hiking past Inspiration Point for the biggest bang for your hiking effort buck.
12. Visit String and Leigh Lakes
The String and Leigh Lakes are two small lakes situated just north of Jenny Lake. There are a few short, easy trails here that follow the lake and it can be a nice way to spend an hour or two in Grand Teton National Park.
The String Lake out-and-back trail is only 0.9 miles or you can hike up to 7.2 miles along the shore of Leigh Lake with negligible elevation gain.
This is also a popular picnic spot and you can bring your own kayak, canoe, or paddleboard to explore the lake (there are no rentals here unfortunately).
The String and Leigh Lake trails also provide the starting point for numerous backcountry hikes in the park.
13. Take in the View at Schwabacher Landing
Schwabacher Landing is a great place to see the reflection of the Teton mountains in the water. There is an easy 0.5-mile hike along the river as well.
This viewpoint might be my favorite one in the entire park. We were here right before a storm and I got some great photos of the clouds rolling in!
14. Do a Long Day Hike
There is no shortage of incredible hikes in Grand Teton National Park. Here are a few suggestions if you’re looking for another trail to explore:
- String Lake Loop: 3.7 miles, 252 feet of elevation gain. Easy lakeside hike with views of the Tetons.
- Jenny Lake Loop: 7.2 miles, 456 feet of elevation gain. This is an extremely popular hike around the entire Jenny Lake.
- Phelps Lake Loop: 7 miles, 725 feet of elevation gain. This hike is in a quieter area of the park so it’s a great place to escape the crowds!
- Cascade Canyon: 9.1 miles, 1102 feet of elevation gain. This hike continues past Inspiration Point and provides scenic mountain views on a relatively flat trail.
- Death Canyon Trail: 9 miles, 2093 feet of elevation gain. This hike is similar to Cascade Canyon with mountain views, but is more strenuous and a quieter trail.
- Paintbrush Canyon & Cascade Canyon Loop: 19 miles, 4124 feet of elevation gain. Extremely strenuous day hike or done as a backpacking trip, you hike through Paintbrush Canyon and loop around through Cascade Canyon.
Related: Best Day Hikes in Grand Teton National Park
15. Explore Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole is a great little town with a lot of restaurants, shops, and museums to explore. Get your photo in front of the famous antler arches in the town square, visit the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, or check out the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Some of our favorite restaurants in town were Liberty Burger, Silver Dollar Bar and Grill, and Hand Fire Pizza, but there are truly tons of options for anything you’re hungry for.
We were also here on the 4th of July and got to see the town fireworks from our hotel room!
Best Things to Do in Grand Teton With Limited Time
The northeast corner of Wyoming has so much to see and do that it can be difficult to truly give the Grand Tetons the time that they deserves with just a weeks’ worth of PTO.
Even if you only have one day or less to visit and it has to be a day trip from Yellowstone, it will still be worth your time to visit Grand Teton National Park.
Here are my recommendations for the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park with limited time:
HALF DAY IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK:
- Do the 42-Mile Scenic Drive and stop at the viewpoints and overlooks
- Lunch in Jackson Hole
FULL DAY IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK:
- Take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake and hike to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls in the morning
- Spend the afternoon doing the 42-Mile Scenic Drive and stopping at the viewpoints
- If you still have time and energy, hike to Taggart Lake in the late afternoon
- Dinner in Jackson Hole
And don’t forget to check out my Grand Teton itinerary post if you want to learn how to spend 1-3 days in the park!
This post was all about the 15 best things to do in Grand Teton National Park. I hope you enjoy this incredible place as much as I do!
-Megan
More Information on Wyoming
MORE ON GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK: Check out my 1-3 day Grand Teton itinerary, 9-day Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary, posts on how to hike the Jenny Lake area of the park, the top day hikes in the Grand Tetons, and the 9 best viewpoints in Grand Teton National Park.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: Explore the world’s first National Park with my 1-5 day Yellowstone itinerary, list of best things to do in Yellowstone, guide to visiting Old Faithful, 7 different ways to see Yellowstone in a day guide, tips for visiting Yellowstone in the summer and more!
CRATERS OF THE MOON NATIONAL MONUMENT: This incredible National Monument is located 3.5 hours west of Grand Teton National Park in Idaho. Explore volcanic fields, lava caves, and otherworldly scenery. Craters of the Moon can be a nice detour on your way back to the Salt Lake, Bozeman, or Billings airport after your trip. You only need one day to explore, and this Craters of the Moon guide has everything you need to know.
