The Tetons over Jackson Lake

"Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the Earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God" -Psalms 90:2

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Scenery		Snow-capped jagged peaks, lakes and forested hillsides
Uniqueness		What makes this section of Rockies unique is the sheer wall due to a lack of foothills
Wildlife		Moose, deer and other large mammals are frequents
Diversity		Meadows, lakes, rivers, mountains, trails to all
All ratings are on a "4-star" scale - for more on how these were assessed, view the how parks are rated page

The Park Grand Teton National Park, established in 1929, is home to the spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery of the Teton range in Northwestern Wyoming.  The Tetons boasts craggy peaks, beautiful lakes, forests and plenty of wildlife.

In a Word "Stately"

Park Map
Click on red circles to see photos

Map for reference only - not intended for navigation

Our Visit We visited Grand Teton in July 1999 as part of a family trip to Yellowstone.  To save some money, we stayed for five days in a house in Victor, Idaho and "commuted" to Jackson Hole, Yellowstone and the Tetons all week.   We visited over 4th of July week, so we were very concerned about crowds, but even on the busiest day, it really wasn't bad.

Our Weather The weather was absolutely gorgeous with temperatures in the 80s and mostly clear skies.

Overall Impression Grand Teton is a refreshing and beautiful place to hike and just enjoy the outdoors.  The Tetons are striking, and their snow-capped peaks add a dramatic flair to the forests, lakes and wildflower-covered meadows.  Hiking here is sublime, and there is plenty of wildlife to keep you looking around every corner.

Favorite Spot Looking across Jackson Lake at the Teton Range.

Minimum Time Required About 2 hours.  This is just enough time to drive through the park, take some pictures and hike for a few minutes.  You can take in the majesty of the Tetons this way, but you'll miss a lot of the experience.

2. A moose after a cool drink from the Snake River at Oxbow Bend, July 1999

A Longer Visit  With 1/2 to a full day, take a hike!  The hiking here is awesome and trails range from easy to extreme, so there's something for everyone.   Most trails will take at least 2-3 hours, so you'll need one or two full days to hike even a fraction.  We chose the trail to Taggart Lake and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  After the vigorous hiking, we wound down by wildlife-watching near Oxbow Bend and saw moose and lots of folks on float trips down the River.  If you have a second day, consider a float trip down the Snake River to enjoy the scenery without having to work to get there.

Other Nearby Attractions Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, WY, ski areas and whitewater rafting on the Snake River

Suggestions Hiking can be exhausting--bring plenty of water and sunscreen!  Even if you don't have much time, at least get out of the car and take a shorter hike through the meadows.  You can't drive all the way to the Tetons and not go to Yellowstone, so plan for at least 2-3 days in the area.

Official NPS Website Grand Teton NP

Photos Click on thumbnails to view larger image

3. There are several pullouts for photographic vistas on the road to the Tetons. Take some time to stop at a few of them, July 1999	4. Even from a distance, the Tetons are striking, July 1999
5. One of the reasons the Tetons are so impressive is the jagged 13,000 foot peaks   rise directly from the plains with no foothills to block the view, July 1999	6. Looking across Jackson Lake.  If the wind would have been just a little calmer, this could have been a spectacular shot, July 1999
7. My wife, Angie, hauling all the photo equipment on our hike up to Taggart Lake, July 1999	8. My brother, sister, mother, aunt and me at Taggart Lake, the destination for our hike, July 1999
9. A beautiful field of wildflowers framed by the northern peaks of the Tetons including Mt Moran (just left of center), July 1999

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