While Yellowstone National Park may be the most well known of Wyoming’s two famous
National Parks, Grand Teton National Park has plenty to offer visitors that can give
it’s more popular cousin a run for its money. With its wild mountains and open skies, Grand
Teton National Park has a great deal of amazing things for tourists to do while visiting.
Join ViewCation as we take a look at the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park.
Check Out Jackson Hole When you’re visiting Grand Teton National
Park, one of the nearest towns is going to be Jackson Hole. Due to the National Park’s
popularity, Jackson Hole can get pretty crowded. If you’re looking for lodging or a place
to eat, many of your options are going to be in the small town. While some may prefer
to visit Grand Teton National Park’s more secluded areas instead of spending all their
time in Jackson Hole, the location is still certainly worth a visit especially for those
that have never been to the mountain town before!
Some of the most popular places to eat in Jackson Hole include Cutty’s Bar & Grill
and Liberty Burger. Cutty’s Bar & Grill offers cheesesteaks and pizza, while Liberty
Burger serves hamburgers. If you’re looking for gifts or something to remember your trip
by, you can check out the Jackson Mercantile and get a taste of the local goods.
Go for a Hike If spending the whole day at Jackson Hole
isn’t your thing, going out for a hike in the open wilderness of the National Park may
be more your speed! Grand Teton National Park features many great trails for hikers of all
skill levels, regardless of how much time you have allotted for hiking during your trip!
It’s best to plan in advance, as hikes can vary a great deal in how long they’ll take
to complete.
When you’re visiting Grand Teton National Park, some of the best hikes in the area can
be found at Delta Lake, Taggart Lake, and Cascade Canyon Trail. The hike at Delta Lake
is one of the more difficult ones in the area, and it has a length of roughly nine miles
out and back. More important than its length, the trail features an elevation of over 2,000
feet, meaning hikers will get quite the workout! If you can handle the trail, the views you’ll
find along the way are phenomenal.
Compared to the trail found at Delta Lake, the one found at Taggart Lake is relatively
easy, with an elevation of barely over 400 feet and a total length of only four miles.
As compared to the out and back trail of Delta Lake, the Taggart Lake trail is a loop. Although
hiking Taggart Lake is easier than hiking Delta Lake, the views are just as rewarding.
Finally, those looking for something a little bit more challenging than the hike at Taggart
Lake, but not quite as daunting at the one at Delta Lake, can try the Cascade Canyon
Trail. The hike is a bit longer at nearly ten miles and features an elevation of just
over 1,000 feet. As with the previous two trails, the views along Cascade Canyon Trail
are thoroughly engaging the whole way. Regardless of your skill level, there are plenty of hikes
to take at Grand Teton National Park, including these options and many more!
Keep an Eye Out for Moose One of the things that Grand Teton National
Park is most well known for is its abundance of moose. A trip to the location isn’t complete
without spotting at least one of the wild animals, with there being an estimated number
of around 500 moose in total occupying the region of Grand Teton National Park at any
given time. When trying to spot a moose for yourself, it’s important to remember that
the animals prefer cool and wet locations, and are most likely to be seen either earlier
in the morning or later in the evening.
The chances of seeing a moose while you’re exploring Grand Teton National Park are high,
but there are some specific locations that may yield higher moose-spotting rates than
others. A few such locations are Moose Pond and Moose-Wilson Road. Moose Pond is named
as such because it’s a pond that’s particularly popular with moose, and it can be found off
the trails near Jenny Lake. Meanwhile, Moose-Wilson Road is a fairly busy, winding road that often
features moose relaxing off to the side.
If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support!
Also, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more
informative ViewCation videos are on their way!
Visit the Historical District of Mormon Row If you’re into interesting historical locations
and you find yourself in the area of Grand Teton National Park, visiting such buildings
as the T. A. Moulton Barn and the Chapel of Transfiguration in the historical district
of Mormon Row is a must! As the name suggests, Mormon Row is a historical district that used
to be a functioning Mormon settlement. Nowadays, its buildings stand firmly preserved as historical
landmarks. Its historical buildings are great locations to snap family photos to remember
your vacation by!
Go Out on the Water Already in this video, we’ve mentioned several
beautiful bodies of water. While hiking around the various bodies of water at Grand Teton
National Park can be quite a bit of fun, getting into the water can also be a blast when the
weather is appropriate! There are many awesome lakes that double as great swimming locations,
including the aforementioned Delta Lake and Jenny Lake. If swimming isn’t your thing,
you can also explore these beautiful bodies of water on canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards,
all of which can be rented.
Try Your Hand at Backcountry Camping With its expansive open wilderness, Grand
Teton National Park is a great location to try your hand at backcountry camping. For
those that don’t know, backcountry camping is camping off the beaten path, usually done
while backpacking along a trail. Backcountry camping can allow you to really get a taste
of all that Grand Teton National Park has to offer. All too many times, people visit
the location without really getting a taste for just how open the wilderness is. Backcountry
camping can also give you an ideal view of the area’s nighttime sky, with a surplus
of bright stars.
One thing that visitors will need to keep in mind before backcountry camping at Grand
Teton National Park, however, is that the area has lots of bears! Two important things
to have on you at all times while backcountry camping in the area are bear canisters and
bear spray. Bear canisters help you store your food so that bears can’t smell it,
while the bear spray is essentially incredibly powerful mace. If you’re prepared, backcountry
camping can be a blast!
Ride the Gondola at Teton Village If you’re in the area of Teton Village,
there’s a gondola that’s worth checking out, particularly after 5 o’clock in the
evening. The gondola ride can be a lot of fun and offers some exceptional views of the
region. While riding the gondola can be fairly pricy during the day, it becomes free after
5 o’clock, making a trip to Teton Village a great way to end the day! However, if you
wait too long into the evening, you won’t have time to enjoy the variety of hikes that
can be found when you get to the end of the gondola ride.
Get a Taste of the Local Microbrews There’s plenty of variety when it comes
to local microbrews around Grand Teton National Park, but one of the best locations for microbrews
available to visitors may be the aptly named Grand Teton Brewing, which is located not
too far out of Jackson Hole. If you want to get a beer experience that’s completely
unique to the area, try finding a brew that’s made using huckleberry. Huckleberry is one
of the most common local ingredients that you’ll find being used around the area of
Grand Teton National Park. Besides beer, you’ll also find it in plenty of baked goods!
Stay at a Dude Ranch While staying around Grand Teton National
Park, nothing will give you an authentic Wyoming experience quite like lodging at a dude ranch.
Dude ranches are ranches that offer lodging to visitors so that they can get a taste of
what it’s like to live on a ranch and perform the duties of a rancher. You’ll get to go
horseback riding, and all of your meals will be provided for you! Dude ranches are essentially
bed and breakfasts with a Country Western theme, and they’re a lot of fun!
Go for a Bike Ride Grand Teton National Park treats its bikers
with care, as paved biking paths can be found running parallel to the roads in most of the
area. Biking along these paved pathways can be quite the experience, as you get to take
in the expansive open air much differently than in a car.
Visit Huckleberry Hot Springs Finally, one of the best ways to relax after
a long day of exerting yourself partaking in Grand Teton National Park’s various extraneous
activities is to soak in one of the area’s naturally occurring hot springs. One of the
best locations for doing so is Huckleberry Hot Springs.
With all of the above amazing outdoor activities to choose from while you’re there, it’s
no wonder that Grand Teton National Park continues to be one of the most popular National Parks
in Wyoming! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that there are said to be around
500 moose around Grand Teton National Park at any time and that the area has paved bike
paths along most of its roads? As always, like this video to show your support, subscribe,
and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more ViewCation
videos are on their way!