Visitor Info
The Teton Range, viewed from west of the national park near Mesa Falls in Idaho. (Sarah West)
Stop by any of the visitor information centers in Grand Teton to check conditions, pick up permits, and ask about anything from wildlife viewing to rafting. There are six major outposts in the park: Jenny Lake Ranger Station, Colter Bay Visitor Center & Indian Arts Museum, Flagg Ranch Information Station, Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center, and Laurance S. Rockefeller Center. Craig Thomas near Moose Junction is open year-round; the others are generally open from late spring to early fall. These stations feature a variety of resources, from American Indian exhibits (Colter Bay) to bookstores to mountain-climbing displays (Craig Thomas).
Campgrounds
Stay overnight at one of Grand Teton's six developed campgrounds: Colter Bay, Flagg Ranch, Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, Lizard Creek and Signal Mountain. The campgrounds are open seasonally (most from May to September) and range from the very popular Jenny Lake Campground to the less-visited and rarely-full Lizard Creek Campground, on the northern shores of Jackson Lake. Colter Bay and Flagg Ranch can accommodate full hook-up RVs.
Backpacking
Immerse yourself in the wilder heart of the Tetons on backcountry hikes and camping trips. There is much rough and lonesome country cast about the alpine flanks and the glacier-scoured canyons. Backpackers require a free backcountry permit, available at Colter Bay, Craig Thomas and Jenny Lake. Competition for permits in the summer can be high, and peak-season reservations for one-third of the backcountry camping zone are accepted from January 1 to May 15 (successfully placing a reservation incurs a $25 processing fee); check out nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/bcres.htm. Backpackers spending the night below 10,000 feet must carry a bear-proof storage canister, either one issued free by the park or an Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee-approved model (see Additional Resources).
Mountaineering
The Teton Range---and especially the cluster of high peaks called the Cathedral Group---are world-famous climbing destinations. Mountaineers who are bivouacking overnight need a permit, available at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station; day climbers do not. Jenny Lake is the main clearinghouse for mountaineering information; the Park Service also maintains a blog especially for climbing in the Tetons at tetonclimbing.blogspot.com.
Boating
With the proper permit, boaters can explore the beautiful Teton-area lakes---like Jenny and Jackson---and the Snake River, which meanders along its floodplain below the high peaks. Certain types of crafts are prohibited on some or all of the park's waterways; check at a visitor center or at nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/boat.htm for more information.
Seasonality
Most visitors to Grand Teton come in the summertime, but the park shines the rest of the year, as well. Winters in Jackson Hole are often severe, and conditions can deteriorate rapidly; stop in at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, open year-round, to check accessibility. Highways 89/191 and 26/287 are plowed during the winter, linking Flagg Ranch to Jackson. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers can traverse 15 miles of the Teton Park Road, the majority of which is closed to motorized travel in the winter, from the Taggart Lake parking area north to Signal Mountain.
Nearby Attractions
Heading north or south from Grand Teton brings you into more spectacular wild country. The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway leads from the park northward through stunning scenery to the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Drive south on Highway 89/191 to the National Elk Refuge, which attracts enormous herds of wintering Rocky Mountain elk (and American bison).
