Recreational Options
Backpacking and hiking is a huge attraction in the Grand Tetons, especially within the park section of the range. Permits are required for anyone planning on packing in and camping and no pets or bikes are allowed into the interior regions. The high elevation and the fact that there are bears in this part of the country can be a safety factor. There is biking on designated paths in the Grand Tetons. Fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, boating in the many lakes in the area and rock climbing are popular activities.
Mammals
The Grand Tetons are quite similar to Yellowstone National Park when it comes to the different animal species found in the region, mostly due to its close proximity to Yellowstone. Moose, bison, elk, white-tailed deer and mule deer are common, and there are numerous herds of pronghorn antelope in this part of Wyoming. Aquatic mammals like beavers, muskrats, and otters are found in the streams, rivers, and multiple lakes and ponds that dot the land. Marmots, ground squirrels, skunks, mink, martens, and fishers are also present. The large predators of this mountain grouping include the black bear and the grizzly bear, which are both dangerous when stumbled upon in the wild. Bobcats and the larger cougar are also here, but these cats are rarely spotted.
Fish
The trout fishing in the Grand Tetons is among the best in the world. The cutthroat trout is a native species and rainbow, brook, lake and brown trout are some of the non-native fish species that have been successfully introduced to these waters. Sculpin, dace, mountain and bullhead suckers, whitefish, shiners and chub are plentiful in the Grand Tetons too.
Reptiles
Snakes are not abundant in the grand Tetons, with just three species being found in these peaks. Two are a type of garter snake--the wandering garter snake and the valley garter snake. The rubber boa is the largest of these three snakes, but this species is not found in large numbers. Just a single lizard species occupies the Grand Tetons. The northern sagebrush lizard is the lone representative of the lizards, and its presence there was not known until as late as 1992.
