Grand Teton National Park Holiday & Tourism Guide

There is an airport (JAC) in Jackson, Wyoming, which is serviced by a number of airlines. These flights typically route through other cities such as Cheyenne, Wyoming; Denver, Colorado; or Salt Lake City, Utah. You might also opt to fly into a different city and drive to the park. The drive time from Idaho Falls, Idaho, is about two hours; from Bozeman, Montana, about four hours; from Salt Lake City, Utah, about five hours; and from Denver, Colorado, about eight hours.

Grand Teton National Park was initially set aside by a congressional act in 1929. The original park land only included the Teton Range and six glacial lakes at the bottom of the mountains. In 1943, Jackson Hole National Monument was created at the behest of President Franklin Roosevelt. The monument was made up of national forest land, Jackson Lake and 35,000 acres donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr. In 1950, the two areas were combined.

Outdoor activities abound at Grand Teton National Park. Activities during the summer include horseback riding, kayaking, whitewater rafting, hiking, cycling and mountain biking. Winter activities include skiing (cross-country and downhill at Jackson Hole) and snowshoeing.

Camping is a popular activity in the Tetons. There are six first-come, first-serve campgrounds within the park boundaries. Most campgrounds are open from mid-May through September. The cost for camping is $12 per night. Reservations may be made in advance by mail for groups of 10 or more camping at Gros Ventre or Colter Bay campgrounds.

Grand Teton Lodge Company
http://www.gtlc.com/campgrounds.aspx
(800) 628-9988 or (307) 543-3100

Backpacking is a favored activity in the Tetons. Backpacking requires advanced planning. Before you set off on your backpacking adventure, you will need a wilderness permit. Advanced reservations for the summer season are accepted between Jan. 1 and May 15. If you are not successful at getting an advance reservation, you have one other option. Two-thirds of the backcountry campsites are retained for those who wish to obtain a backcountry permit one day before their trip into the wilderness. These reserved permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Grand Teton National Park Backcountry Reservations
http://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/bcres.htm

If camping isn't your thing, don't worry. There are a number of other accommodation options available. Jackson Lake Lodge and Jenny Lake Lodge are two historic properties that offer luxurious accommodations in a rustic setting. Other options include motel rooms, cabin rentals and dude ranches.

Colter Bay Village
Jenny Lake Lodge
Jackson Lake Lodge
http://www.gtlc.com/index.aspx

Dornan's Spur Ranch Cabins
http://dornans.com/cabins/

Flagg Ranch resort
http://www.flaggranch.com/

Signal Mountain Lodge
http://foreverlodging.com/lodging.cfm?PropertyKey=69

Triangle X Ranch
http://www.trianglex.com/

The majority of park facilities are open during the summer season (May through September). During this time period, visitor centers are open for extended hours, and all park accommodations (including campgrounds, cabins and lodges) are open. The park is much quieter during the off-season, and most facilities are closed or have diminished hours. In addition, certain roads (Antelope Flats Road, Signal Mountain Road, Teton Park Road---from Taggart Lake Trailhead to Signal Mountain---and Moose Wilson Road---from Death Canyon Trailhead to the Granite Canyon) are closed from Nov. 1 to April 30.

Entrance to Grand Teton National Park requires payment of an entrance fee. The fee for vehicles is $25 for seven days of access to both Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. The fee for motorcyclists is $20. Hikers and bicyclists can enter the park for a period of seven days by paying a $12-per-person fee. If you plan to hit a number of national parks throughout year, you might want to invest in an Interagency Access Pass. This $80 pass provides entry into most national parks and federal recreation areas for a period of one year.