Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is south of Yellowstone National Park, 30 minutes to Jackson, WY, 1.5 hours from Dubois, Wyoming and 3 hours from Cody, Wyoming. This park spans 310,000 acres so a fraction smaller than is adjoining neighbor Yellowstone.

Grand Tetons National Park was created in 1929 by President Calvin Coolidge with the Teton Range and lakes. It wasn’t until 1950, when the park was expanded with private funds aiding in accumulating private lands completing the park to its present-day boundaries.

Even though it is smaller, the views are drop dead gorgeous and one of the most beautiful mountain wilderness areas in the world. Teton Mountain Range highest peak is Grand Teton rising up to more than 13,770 feet. There are more than 200 miles of hiking trails and breathtaking vistas, glistening lakes, meadows of wildflowers and winding Snake River. At the base of Teton Range, there are six glacier lakes: Jackson, Taggart, String, Leigh and Jenny Lakes. Jackson Lake is the largest. 

There are three entrances into Grand Teton National Park: Granite Canyon entrance coming from Utah or Idaho, Moose Entrance from Jackson on highways 191-26-89 just north of the National Elk Refuge and airport and the Moran coming from Dubois, Wyoming via highways 26-289.

Whether you take WY highway 191 thru the National Elk Refuge or take the scenic loop via the town of Moose, both are beautiful drives. Grand Teton Loop is a scenic loop 42 mile drive accessed by the town of Moose 13 miles north of Jackson off highway 191 to Teton Park Road- the loop brings you back to the town of Moose. While it is 42 miles, you will need longer to see all the jaw dropping views at Oxbow Bend, Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, Schwabacher Landing, Snake River Overlook, Craig Discovery and Visitor Center. The 2 mile round-trip Jenny Lake trailhead rewards you with a waterfalls and panoramic views overlooking of Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point. Cascade Canyon, Blacktail Pond and Oxford Bend are all common hangouts for moose, elk and bison. Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, once owned as a private retreat for the Rockefeller family, is accessed by a winding unpaved road offering hiking trails beneath aspen groves and forests.

Snake River Outlook, Schwabacher’s Landing and Oxbow Bend all offer fantastic views of the Snake River with the Tetons in the background.

Antelope Flats is located between Moose and Kelly where you can see Mormon Row Historic homes, bison and pronghorn antelope. Mormon Row was founded in 1890 by Mormon settlers and was a small community 27 homes which included the famously photographed bar of T.A. Moulton’s with the Tetons in the background (do a link). There is also the Cunningham Cabin Historical site on highway 191 just after the National Elk Refuge which has a self-guided walk thru the oldest historic building remaining in the park. 

Lunch at Dornans in Moose, Wyoming is fantastic sitting on the back deck looking at the mountain views.