Visit Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton is most definitely grand. The mountains are stunning and the town of Jackson has plenty to do even if you get unlucky on a rainy day. Two full days are just enough to see the highlights and take a longer hike though to truly appreciate its beauty, you should plan on three days to visit Grand Teton.
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Grand Teton Entry Fees
You must pay an entrance fee of $35 per car to access Grand Teton National Park. If you’re entering by food, it’s $20 per person. The entrance fee is valid for 7 days and you can purchase it online in advance.
On certain days of the year, the park is free. Check their website for the qualifying days of the year, which may include: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, First Day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.
How to get to Grand Teton National Park
Take a flight to Jackson Hole Airport and rent a car. Or, you can fly into a different regional/international airport and drive to Jackson if that’s cheaper for you.
Visit Grand Teton National Park in May
My siblings and I visited Grand Teton in May. The weather is cool and there are fewer tourists than in June-August. Temperatures range between the 60°s F during the day and 30°s F in the evening/early morning. There was still snow on some of the trails when I visited in late May!
You can survive with sneakers (if it doesn’t rain or snow) but you may want to bring your hiking boots to get on the intense trails. Some of the trails around Jenny Lake are muddy and slippery because of the rain.
Sites and Hikes in Grand Teton
Some of the spots to visit in Grand Teton are like getting out of the car, taking pics, and getting back into the car. But the scenery is beautiful and if you’re visiting anytime between November to May, it’s probably too cold to walk around a bunch. (Especially if you’re a wimp in cold temperatures like me.)
Sightseeing Grand Teton
Schwabacher Landing— Here there are great views of the Tetons. The sun sets directly behind these mountains. Your best sunset picture will be here when there is cloud cover blocking the sun. There is a small trail around the lake. This is a popular photo spot—I saw two brides taking pictures here.
Glacier View Turnout— Spot the remains of this ancient glacier.
Blacktail Ponds Overlook—see the birds feeding on insects at sunset around the ponds. You can take a short, looped trail around the ponds. It can get really muddy if it’s been raining.
Mormon Row Historic District—see the homesteads of the 1890s Mormon community.
Hike Jenny Lake
Jenny Lake is a beautiful, glacial mountain lake. Several trails start from the lake. Get here early as even in May parking at the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center fills up. You can do a loop around the lake or do some out-and-back hikes up to Hidden Falls (a must-see!) and Inspiration Point.
Hiking from the Visitor’s Center to Inspiration Point (past Hidden Falls), and then a little more, took us around 4 hours for an 8-mile hike. There are patches of snow and mud on the hike in May.
Check out Grand Teton National Park’s list of hikes at Jenny Lake.
Go on a Tour
If you don’t want to explore on your own, then there are several tours you can take to make the most of your stay. You can take this tour to visit all the top sights, or if the weather cooperates, check out this open-air tour. For a safari experience, check out this sunrise or sunset tour.
Bears in Grand Teton
You should bring bear spray with you if you plan to go on hikes in unpopulated areas when visiting Grand Teton. It is even recommended to bring bear spray on heavily packed trails because you never know if you’ll end up on the trail alone. That said, we didn’t bring any bear spray with us…
What to do in Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson is a proper town. Though the downtown, historic area may make you think it’s all tourists, real people live here.
Where to Eat
There are SO many food options in Jackson, Wyoming. I was surprised when I arrived. There are several Asian-style restaurants, a handful of Mexican places, and new American fare restaurants at every corner.
The Healthy Being Juicery is great for breakfast and lunch. There are several salads, wraps, sandwiches, and hot/cold drinks to keep you full.
The Bird is a fun spot to grab a burger out of town. The veggie bean burger was really good and there are several beers on tap. It is right next to Farmstead Cider.
Other places with fun menus that I would have liked to go to are Gather (American), Teton Tiger (Asian), and Figs (Lebanese).
Right out of the downtown area, get groceries at Whole Foods, Albertsons, or Smith’s Food and Drug.
Vino and Cider
The Farmstead Cider is a 12-minute drive out of town and a perfect way to spend an afternoon (especially if it’s raining). First, get the half-glass cider tastings. If you like sour beers and drinks without too much sweetness, these ciders are for you. Most of the apples used to create the cider are sourced locally. Sometimes literally from resident’s backyards. Head to The Bird (if you stay too long drinking cider) for dinner.
Call to reserve a tasting at Jackson Hole Winery, just 10 minutes out of town. It’s $30 per person for a tasting of 5 wines. You can bring your own food to munch on while you’re here.
What to do in Jackson
In Jackson, parking is free (for up to 3 hours) on most streets. There are a bunch of art galleries, jewelry shops, western clothing stores, and classic touristy t-shirt shops. You can also visit the Jackson Hole Historic Museum and the Grand Teton Visitors Center.
See Jackson Town Square with iconic elk antler archways. Each spring about 7,500 elk pass through Jackson’s National Elk Refuge to shed their antlers. The antlers are picked up by local Boy Scouts and sold at public auction. The archways in the square were built in the 1960s.
Visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art for its art collection.
Take a hike from Jackson up to Jackson Peak. The trail starts in town.
Go on an Adventure
You can go horseback riding in Bridger-Teton National Forest for a unique experience of Grand Teton and get valley views along the river. Or, go whitewater rafting!
Where to Stay to Visit Grand Teton
My siblings and I stayed at Flat Creek Inn. It was around $240 a night but no other inn or Airbnb option looked as good or cost-effective to me. There is free tea, coffee, and hot chocolate available to guests and the rooms are simple but cozy. The double queen room can fit 4 comfortably and has a microwave, fridge, TV, and toiletries.
3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Grand Teton
Have breakfast in town. Visit the major scenic stops and overlooks in Grand Teton and take each of their small walks/hikes. Take some granola bars, fruit, and other nibs in the car to spend all day in the park. Look out for rainbows and wildlife! Get a drink at Farmstead cider before dinner and then go to The Bird, right next door, if you’ve had too much cider…
Day 2: Grand Teton
Wake up early and head to Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center. Get there before 10am as the parking can fill up quickly and the trail becomes crowded. Hike up Cascade Canyon to catch a look at the waterfall. Continue (or turn back) for a 6 (ish) mile hike but you can make it as long as you want. Or go super early to do one of the longer hikes. Several longer hikes start from the Visitor’s Center so plan to be out all day and bring your food and water with you. Head to Jackson Hole Winery before dinner in town.
Day 3: Rain Day or Yellowstone
Option 1: Rain Day in Jackson
On a rainy day, you may end up skipping Grand Teton. Instead, head into Jackson for a late brunch and wander the art shops. Check out the visitors center, the museum, and the National Wildlife Museum. You can also spend a few hours at Farmstead Cider if you didn’t do that before.
Option 2: Yellowstone
If you have the time to combo Yellowstone National Park, you should take the opportunity to visit it too. If you don’t have time to dedicate another three days, then take this tour to visit all the highlights of Yellowstone.
