Bucket List: The Grand Tetons
Grand Teton National Park. The grandest of all parks, at least in my opinion. I remember driving through Jackson, how crowded it was, on our way to the Tetons. It would be my husband and my first time seeing them. and I could not wait. I have seen photos of them online, but to be in person is the best of all. After leaving the crowds of Jackson, we drove around a mountain as we could not see the Tetons from Jackson, at least not from downtown Jackson. But, look! There they were, finally, around the mountain, and WOW, they were the most spectacular mountain range I have ever seen!
Grand Teton National Park is a sight to see and should be on your bucket list. They are a mountain range located on the western side of Wyoming, a place to learn, play and explore. A word of advice: this park can get EXTREMELY busy! So if you can plan your vacation time during a week day, it will definitely be a help.
There are a few different ways of entering Grand Teton National Park, but for time sake, I will be mostly talking about the entrance from Jackson, Wyoming and Yellowstone. Jackson is also a busy town, and with lots of tourist options, such as eateries, shops, and your typical places you may find at home like grocery stores, gas stations and more. Jackson is EXPENSIVE to stay in, but if you have the money, go for it! There are plenty of hotels and dorms (yes, dorms you can share a restroom with others, but have your own private room for a cheap rate). I will share later where we stayed for a reasonable price.
Where to go in the Tetons?
There are visitor centers to help you out, plus they have interesting things to look at and find out the history of the Tetons. I do recommend spending more than a day in the Tetons, but if you only have a day, it can be doable with picking and choosing what you truly want to see.
After going to the visitor center and acquiring map, it is time to explore! Here are some places I do recommend:
The famous and most photographed barn. It can get busy, but there is plenty of parking. Walk around the barn, explore what is around as there is fencing around, and some large trees.
Just slightly down the lane from the famous barn is an old settlement. Mormons settled this area in the early 1900s. This settlement is protected by a fence, but you can still see plenty of it.
Going the other way on the same lane is another Mormon settlement and still part of Mormon row. As of 2022, they were fixing the roof of one of the houses and the area was shut down to the public. You can also see an old outhouse and some other buildings nearby.
Do you like lakes? Check out Jenny Lake. Very popular place as you can go hiking, go on a boat or take a walk around the area.
Jackson Lake also offers boat rides with extremely scenic views of the Tetons.
Did you know there is a sidewalk that goes the perimeter of the Tetons? You can bring your bicycle, walking or running shoes and a camera for photos of the Tetons up close and personal! It is mainly a flat sidewalk that goes for miles, so if this is your cup of tea, go for it!
Do you like to hike? There are plenty of hiking trails in the Grand Teton National Park. But be forewarned: this is BEAR country. It is important to be informed and know what to do if encountering a bear. Here is a LINK for more information. The hiking trails range from easy to difficult, and even there is back packing offered. You will need a permit for back packing, click this LINK for more information. I do recommend the Taggart Lake hike as you will have spectacular scenery, especially when you get to the lake.
There are scenic drives throughout the park and of course there are! The whole park is a scenic area! Plenty of places for you pull over to take photos of the magnificent scenery, plus you can read at each pull off and learn about the area.
If you are coming in from Yellowstone, you will encounter the small town of Moran, slightly north of the Tetons. We stayed in Colter Bay, by Jackson Lake, as there are cabins reasonably priced, near Moran. You will share a wall with another cabin, but you will have both a private room and bathroom. There was a couple eateries, a visitor center, a general store and a gas station (be prepared to pay more than usual). If you decide to stay in Colter Bay, make sure you go to the beach with a camera at sunset and immerse yourself in the gorgeous sunsets!
There are plenty of things to do in Grand Teton National Park. I do have a gift for you down below: a FREE GUIDE to the Tetons to help you plan your most excellent adventure into this park! It has more details than what I have listed above.
The Grand Tetons National Park does not fully open until June 30th, but parts of it will open starting on May 26th.
Viewing the Tetons is truly a sight to behold. Personally, I have never seen mountains as gorgeous nor as “pointy” as the Tetons. It will mesmerize you and entice you for more and more.
Are you ready to go to the Grand Tetons? Check out this guide for more information about this spectacular park!