Grand Teton: sheer peaks above the lakes and the plain

The Tetons don’t look like other mountains. They have no foothills: the valley of Jackson Hole is flat, and the range rises all at once, more than 2,000 metres above it. At its foot lies a string of glacial lakes. The park is small, just south of Yellowstone, and many people drive through without stopping. That’s a mistake.

History and origins

The name comes from French-speaking trappers of the early 19th century. They called the three main summits “les trois tétons” (the three breasts), and the name stuck. The valley, for its part, is named after another trapper, David Jackson.

The Tetons are the youngest range in the Rockies. The fault that is lifting them only began to move about ten million years ago, and it’s still active. The rock itself is very old: up to 2.7 billion years.

The park was created in 1929, but at that point it protected only the summits. The valley owes a great deal to John D. Rockefeller Jr. In the 1930s he quietly bought up more than 14,000 hectares of ranches, through a front company, in order to give them to the nation. After years of political battle, the valley joined the park in 1950.

What to do there

• Jenny Lake: the heart of the park, a glacial lake at the very foot of the summits. A boat shuttle crosses the lake to Hidden Falls, a waterfall in the forest, and Inspiration Point, a viewpoint above the lake. You can also walk there along the shore.
• Teton Park Road: the road that runs along the foot of the mountains, from Moose to Jackson Lake, with stops at every bend.
• Mormon Row: wooden barns from the late 19th century, set in the meadow with the range as a backdrop. It’s the best-known photo in the park, to be taken at sunrise.
• Snake River Overlook: the viewpoint of a famous photograph by Ansel Adams, taken in 1942. The trees have grown since and hide part of the river.
• Schwabacher Landing: a calm arm of the river where the summits are reflected, at the end of a short track.
• Oxbow Bend: a loop of the Snake River in front of Mount Moran. Moose, pelicans and beavers are often seen here, especially at dawn.
• Taggart Lake and String Lake: two easy walks to lakes at the foot of the summits. String Lake is shallow, and people swim in it in summer.
• Signal Mountain: a small road climbs to an isolated summit, with a view over the whole valley and Jackson Lake.
• Jackson Lake and Colter Bay: the big lake in the north of the park, with a marina, pebble beaches and waterside trails.
• The Snake River: gentle, family-friendly raft trips, with the range as a backdrop.
• Jackson: the small town south of the park, with its elk-antler arches on the central square. It’s the most convenient base, and the most expensive.

Stories and good to know

• Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport in the United States located inside a national park. You land facing the mountains.
• Grand Teton rises to 4,199 metres. It’s a real mountaineering ascent, not a hike.
• The Grand Teton ticket doesn’t give access to Yellowstone, and vice versa. Each park charges its own entrance fee.
• The park received 3.8 million visits in 2025.

Practical information for your road trip

• Pass: with the surcharge for non-residents, and two parks to pay for, the America the Beautiful pass soon pays for itself. Everything is explained in our guide to the national parks pass.
• Getting there: Jackson is at the south entrance to the park. Yellowstone’s south entrance is about an hour’s drive from Jenny Lake.
• Jenny Lake shuttle: it runs from mid-May to the end of September, with no booking. Allow about $20 return per adult. In high summer the queue is long in the middle of the day: come early.
• Parking: the Jenny Lake car park is full by mid-morning in July and August.
• Weather: the valley is at 2,000 metres. It can snow in May and September, and the high trails stay snow-covered until June or July.
• Where to stay: in the park, a few lodges and campgrounds, at Jenny Lake, Signal Mountain, Jackson Lake and Colter Bay. Jackson has the most choice, at high prices.
• Combine it with: Yellowstone, just to the north. The two parks are almost always visited together.

Our experience in Grand Teton

We went there on our road trip 3, and we’ll be telling you all about it soon. Until then, if you’d like more details, feel free to write to us by message or on Instagram.

⏳ The day-by-day account will be available soon.