MAIN Travel USA Wyoming Grand Teton National Park

Named after the Grand Teton, the largest mountain in the Teton range, Grand Teton National Park lures some 3 million visitors from the US and around the world each year to its picture-postcard vistas of mountains, lakes, and abundant wildlife.

Located in northwestern Wyoming just south of Yellowstone National Park (the same visitor pass to Grand Teton also allows entry to Yellowstone) the park encompasses 484 square miles of land including almost 200 miles of trails for hikers, backpackers and other outdoor adventurers.

Getting to Grand Teton National Park

The closest airport to the park is the Jackson Hole Airport in Jackson, Wyoming, located within the park boundaries. Jackson Hole is considered the gateway to Grand Teton and the location of many hotels, shops and restaurants catering to park visitors.

From Jackson, take US 26/89/191 north past the National Elk Refuge to the entrance station and Moose Visitor Center. From Yellowstone's south entrance, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway leads directly into the park.

The park has five major visitor centers where you can obtain maps or camping permits, sign up for scheduled ranger-guided walks, view exhibits and movie presentations, or find phones and rest rooms.

• Laurance S. Rockefeller Center - located 4 miles south of Moose on the Moose-Wilson Road. It is usually open from May through September.

• Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center - located 12 miles north of Jackson and is open year round.

• Jenny Lake Visitor Center - located 8 miles north of Moose at South Jenny Lake. Open from May through September. Jenny Lake Ranger Station also offers expert tips and advice for those planning a mountain climbing or backpacking trek within the park.

• Colter Bay Visitor Center and Indian Artifacts Museum - located 25 miles north of Moose adjacent to Jackson Lake. Open from May - September.

• Flagg Ranch Information Station - located 40 miles north of Moose and a couple of miles south of Yellowstone's south entrance. Open May - August.

Grand Teton hotels, lodging and campsites

Besides a wide range of hotel accommodations in nearby Jackson and Jackson Hole, hotel and lodging can also be found within the park boundaries. Also available are trailer villages with full hook-ups at Colter Bay and Flagg Ranch each offering about 100 sites (book early).

Colter Bay Village located on US 89/287, offers tent cabins as well as cabins with private bath. Jackson Lake Lodge, also located on U.S. 89/287, features more upscale accommodations with stunning mountains views, an on-site restaurant, and outdoor pool.

Jenny Lake Lodge, located at North Jenny Lake Junction off Teton Park Road, features luxury cabins and hotel suites with an on-site restaurant.

What to see and do inside the park

A visitor could spend months within the park and not see it all, but for shorter stays Jenny Lake affords spectacular views of the Tetons and, time permitting, a short hike to discover the very scenic Hidden Falls.

Farther north lies Signal Mountain and Jackson Lake, but for real outdoor adventure don't miss a thrilling raft ride down the Snake River.

For camera buffs, Grand Teton National Park also offers a variety of turnouts and lookouts for choice "photo ops" .

These include (but are certainly not limited to) Cathedral Group turnout, featuring a view of the three highest peaks in the Teton Range and, farther afield, the Snake River overlook along US 26/89/191, where photographer Ansel Adams to his famous and dramatic shot of the Teton range.

Throughout the park, also be on the lookout for a mind-blowing variety of wildlife on view in Grand Teton including moose, river otters, beavers, muskrats, coyotes, bison, mule deer, black bears and grizzlies. Bird watchers in Grand Teton National Park may also want to pack binoculars for up-close views of bald eagles, ospreys, falcons, owls, and 27 species of hawks along with trumpeter swans, white pelicans and blue herons.

More about Grand Teton National Park around the web:

Grand Teton National Park - The official National Park Service site featuring a complete travel guide with information on entry fees, lodging, events, exhibits, and ranger-led activities, photos, maps, driving directions.

Grand Teton National Park - Wikitravel - Complete overview including information on must-see attractions, hotels and campgrounds, historical background, photos, maps, and related resources.

Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming Travel & Tourism - Excellent guide to the whole of the park with information on visitor centers, lodging and campgrounds, bike tours and more with photo slide show, webcams, maps.

TetonCam - Live images updated every 15 minutes, with related photo gallery and weather information.