Grand Teton National Park is a national park in northwestern Wyoming, United States. It covers about 310,000 acres (130,000 hectares; 1,300 square kilometers). The park includes the major mountains of the 40-mile-long (64 kilometers) Teton Range and most of the northern part of Jackson Hole, a valley. Grand Teton National Park is 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Yellowstone National Park. The two parks are connected by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Together with nearby national forests, these areas form the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which is one of the largest intact temperate ecosystems in the world and covers nearly 22 million acres (89,000 square kilometers).
People have lived in the Grand Teton area for at least 11,000 years. In the early 1800s, European settlers first met the Shoshone people who lived in the region. Between 1810 and 1840, fur trading companies competed for control of the profitable beaver pelt trade. In the mid-1800s, U.S. government expeditions explored the area, and the first permanent white settlers arrived in the 1880s.
Efforts to protect the area as a national park began in the late 1800s. In 1929, Grand Teton National Park was created to preserve the major peaks of the Teton Range. In the 1930s, conservationists led by John D. Rockefeller Jr. bought land in Jackson Hole to add to the park. Despite public opposition and repeated attempts by Congress to cancel the plan, most of Jackson Hole was set aside for protection as Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943. The monument was later removed in 1950, and most of its land was added to Grand Teton National Park.
Grand Teton National Park is named after Grand Teton, the tallest mountain in the Teton Range. Grand Teton is 13,775 feet (4,199 meters) tall and rises more than 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) above Jackson Hole. The park has many lakes, including Jackson Lake, which is 15 miles (24 kilometers) long, as well as streams and the upper part of the Snake River. Although some glaciers are shrinking, a few small glaciers still exist near the highest mountains. Some of the rocks in the park are the oldest found in any American national park and are about 2.7 billion years old.
Grand Teton National Park is a nearly untouched ecosystem. Many of the same plant and animal species that lived there long ago still exist today. Over 1,000 types of vascular plants, dozens of mammal species, 300 bird species, more than a dozen fish species, and a few reptile and amphibian species live in the park. Because of changes in the ecosystem, some species, including native fish and the threatened whitebark pine tree, now receive extra protection.
Grand Teton National Park is a popular place for hiking, climbing, fishing, and other outdoor activities. It has more than 1,000 campsites for visitors to drive to and over 200 miles (320 kilometers) of hiking trails that lead to backcountry camping areas. The park is famous for its excellent trout fishing, especially for catching Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout. The park has visitor centers run by the National Park Service and privately owned businesses that operate motels, lodges, gas stations, and marinas.
Human history
People lived in what is now Grand Teton National Park more than 11,000 years ago. These early people were called Paleo-Indians. At that time, the Jackson Hole valley was colder and more like a mountain area than the dry climate it has today. The first humans were hunter-gatherers who moved seasonally, spending summers in Jackson Hole and winters in valleys west of the Teton Range. Fire pits, tools, and items believed to be fishing weights were found along the shores of Jackson Lake. One tool discovered is linked to the Clovis culture, which existed at least 11,500 years ago. Some tools were made of obsidian, a type of rock. Scientists found that this rock came from areas near present-day Teton Pass, south of the park. Even though obsidian was also found north of Jackson Hole, most spear points made of obsidian came from the south, showing that the main path for early people was from that direction. Elk, which now winter near the National Elk Refuge and move to higher ground in spring and summer, follow a similar pattern today. From 11,000 years ago until about 500 years ago, there is little evidence that the migratory patterns of Native American groups changed or that people settled permanently in the area.
When white American settlers first arrived in the region in the early 1800s, they met the Shoshone people, who lived in the mountains of the Yellowstone area. Many Shoshone were known as "Sheep-eaters" or "Tukudika," names they used for themselves because they hunted bighorn sheep. These groups followed the same migratory paths as earlier people and had a spiritual connection to the Teton Range. Some stone enclosures on peaks, like the one on Grand Teton called "The Enclosure," may have been used by Shoshone for vision quests. After 1868, when the Wind River Indian Reservation was created, the Shoshone of the Teton and Yellowstone regions were moved there. The reservation is located 100 miles southeast of Jackson Hole and was chosen by Chief Washakie.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed far north of the Grand Teton area in 1804–1806. During their return trip, John Colter left the expedition to join fur trappers and later led explorations for Manuel Lisa. In 1807–1808, Colter traveled through Jackson Hole and became the first European to see the Teton Range. William Clark, a leader of the expedition, made a map that included Colter’s explorations. Another map showed Colter entered Jackson Hole from the northeast, crossed the Continental Divide at Togwotee or Union Pass, and left through Teton Pass, following Native American trails. In 1931, a stone with the name "John Colter" and the year "1808" was found in Idaho. However, it is not confirmed that Colter created the stone.
John Colter is known as the first mountain man, and like others who came to the area later, he trapped furs for profit. Beaver and other animals had valuable pelts that were in high demand. Between 1810 and 1812, the Astorians traveled through Jackson Hole and crossed Teton Pass. After 1810, American and British fur companies competed for control of the trade, and the U.S. did not fully claim the region until the Oregon Treaty in 1846. In 1818 or 1819, a group led by Donald Mackenzie, part of the British North West Company, entered Jackson Hole from the west. The Tetons and Pierre's Hole may have been named by French-speaking trappers in Mackenzie’s group. Earlier groups called the Teton Range’s peaks "Pilot Knobs," but the French term "les trois tétons" (the three breasts) was later shortened to "Tetons."
In the mid-1820s, the Rocky Mountain Fur Company was formed by Jedediah Smith, William Sublette, and David Jackson. Jackson managed trapping in the Teton area from 1826 to 1830. Sublette named the valley east of the Teton Range "Jackson's Hole" after David Jackson. As demand for beaver fur declined and trapping areas became empty, fur companies closed, but individual trappers continued until about 1840. From the 1840s until 1860, Jackson Hole and the Teton Range had few people except Native American tribes already living there. Most overland trails, like the Oregon and Mormon Trails, crossed South Pass, far south of the Tetons, and European influence in the area was limited until the U.S. Government began organized explorations.
The first U.S. Government expedition to Jackson Hole was the 1859–60 Raynolds Expedition, led by Captain William F. Raynolds and guided by Jim Bridger. Naturalist F. V. Hayden, who later led other expeditions, was part of the group. The expedition faced snow and crossed Union Pass before following the Gros Ventre River to the Snake River and leaving through Teton Pass. Exploration paused during the Civil War but resumed in 1871 with the Hayden Geological Survey. In 1872, Hayden explored Yellowstone, while a branch of his team, led by James Stevenson, studied the Teton area. Photographer William Henry Jackson took the first pictures of the Teton Range. The Hayden Survey named many mountains and lakes in the region. Early explorers and trappers did not find valuable minerals, but some prospectors set up mining claims. By 1900, all mining efforts had stopped. Though the Teton Range was never permanently inhabited, settlers began living in Jackson Hole in 1884. These early homesteaders were mostly single men who faced harsh winters, short growing seasons, and rocky soil. The area was best for growing hay and raising cattle. By 1890, Jackson Hole had an estimated population of…
Park management
Grand Teton National Park is one of the ten most visited national parks in the United States. Between 2007 and 2016, the park had an average of 2.75 million visitors each year, with 3.27 million people visiting in 2016. The National Park Service, a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages both Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. The park employs about 100 permanent workers and 180 seasonal workers. It also manages 27 agreements with companies that provide services such as lodging, dining, hiking guides, ranching, fishing, and boat shuttles on Jenny Lake. The National Park Service works with other federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees Jackson Hole Airport. The airport’s airstrip was built in the 1930s. When Jackson Hole National Monument was created, the airport was inside it. After the monument and park were combined, Jackson Hole Airport became the only commercial airport within a U.S. national park. The airport has strict rules to reduce noise, including limits on night flights and overflights, and pilots must use specific flight paths near the airport.
As of 2010, 110 privately owned properties, many owned by the state of Wyoming, were located inside Grand Teton National Park. Efforts to buy or trade these properties for federal land are ongoing. Partnerships aim to raise $10 million by 2016 to purchase private land within the park.
In December 2016, the Antelope Flats Parcel, a 640-acre area (260 hectares) owned by Wyoming as part of state school trust lands, was bought and transferred to the park. The purchase cost $46 million, with $23 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and $23 million from private donors. In 2018, Moulton Ranch Cabins, a one-acre property near Mormon Row, was sold to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation.
In 2020, the National Park Service and the Conservation Fund acquired a 35-acre parcel near the Granite Canyon Entrance Station.
The 640-acre Kelly Parcel (260 hectares), located at the mouth of the Gros Ventre River Valley on a migration route for pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and other animals, was offered by Wyoming to fund schools. The National Park Service could only buy the land at its appraised value, so charitable groups helped cover the higher price set by Wyoming lawmakers. The sale was approved by the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners and completed by the end of 2024.
Geography
Grand Teton National Park is located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Wyoming. To the north, the park is next to the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, which is managed by Grand Teton National Park. A scenic highway with the same name connects the southern edge of Grand Teton National Park to West Thumb in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton National Park covers about 310,000 acres (130,000 hectares), while the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway includes 23,700 acres (9,600 hectares). Most of the Jackson Hole valley and nearly all the major mountain peaks of the Teton Range are within the park. The Jedediah Smith Wilderness of Caribou-Targhee National Forest lies along the western edge and includes the western slopes of the Teton Range. To the northeast and east are the Teton Wilderness and Gros Ventre Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. The National Elk Refuge is to the southeast, where elk herds migrate during winter. Privately owned land borders the park to the south and southwest. Grand Teton National Park, along with Yellowstone National Park, surrounding National Forests, and related protected areas, form the 18-million-acre (73,000-square-kilometer) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This ecosystem spans parts of three states and is one of the largest intact mid-latitude ecosystems on Earth. By road, Grand Teton National Park is 290 miles (470 kilometers) from Salt Lake City, Utah, and 550 miles (890 kilometers) from Denver, Colorado.
The Teton Range, the youngest mountain range in the Rocky Mountains, began forming between 6 and 9 million years ago. It runs roughly north to south and rises from the floor of Jackson Hole without foothills along a 40-mile-long (64 kilometers) by 7 to 9-mile-wide (11 to 14 kilometers) active fault-block mountain front. The range tilts westward, rising sharply above Jackson Hole valley to the east but more gradually into Teton Valley to the west. A series of earthquakes along the Teton Fault slowly moved the western side of the fault upward and the eastern side downward at an average of 1 foot (30 centimeters) every 300–400 years. Most of the fault’s movement occurred in the last 2 million years. While the fault has experienced earthquakes as strong as magnitude 7.5 since it formed, it has been relatively quiet during recent history, with only a few earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater recorded since 1850.
In addition to Grand Teton, which is 13,775 feet (4,199 meters) tall, nine other peaks in the park are over 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) above sea level. Eight of these peaks between Avalanche and Cascade Canyons form the often-photographed Cathedral Group. Mount Moran (12,605 feet (3,842 meters)), the most prominent peak north of Cascade Canyon, rises 5,728 feet (1,746 meters) above Jackson Lake. To the north of Mount Moran, the range connects to the high-altitude Yellowstone Plateau. South of the central Cathedral Group, the Teton Range narrows near Teton Pass and blends into the Snake River Range.
West-to-east trending canyons provide easier access by foot into the heart of the range, as no roads cross the range except at Teton Pass, which is south of the park. Carved by glaciers and streams, the canyons are deepest along the eastern edge of the range at Jackson Hole. Glaciers created more than a dozen U-shaped valleys throughout the range. Cascade Canyon is between Mount Owen and Teewinot Mountain to the south and Symmetry Spire to the north, and it is located west of Jenny Lake. North to south, Webb, Moran, Paintbrush, Cascade, Death, and Granite Canyons cut through the Teton Range.
Jackson Hole is a 55-mile-long (89 kilometers) by 6 to 13-mile-wide (9.7 to 20.9 kilometers) graben valley with an average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,100 meters). Its lowest point is near the southern park boundary at 6,350 feet (1,940 meters). The valley lies east of the Teton Range and is vertically displaced downward 30,000 feet (9,100 meters), making the Teton Fault and its parallel fault on the east side of the valley normal faults. The Jackson Hole block is the hanging wall, and the Teton Mountain block is the footwall. Grand Teton National Park contains most of both blocks. Erosion of the range provided sediment for the valley, creating a topographic relief of 7,700 feet (2,300 meters). Jackson Hole is mostly flat, with only a slight increase in altitude from south to north. A few buttes, such as Blacktail Butte, and hills, like Signal Mountain, are scattered across the valley floor. The Snake River has eroded terraces into Jackson Hole. Southeast of Jackson Lake, glacial depressions called kettles are common. These kettles formed when ice from gravel deposits melted as glaciers retreated.
Most of the lakes in the park were formed by glaciers, and the largest lakes are at the base of the Teton Range. Jackson Lake, the largest lake in the park, is 15 miles (24 kilometers) long, 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide, and 438 feet (134 meters) deep. Though Jackson Lake is natural, the Jackson Lake Dam was built at its outlet before the park was created, raising the lake level nearly 40 feet (12 meters). East of the Jackson Lake Lodge are Emma Matilda and Two Ocean Lakes. South of Jackson Lake, Leigh, Jenny, Bradley, Taggart, and Phelps Lakes are located at the outlets of canyons leading into the Teton Range. Small alpine lakes in cirques are common within the Teton Range, with more than 100 scattered across the high country. Lake Solitude, at 9,035 feet (2,754 meters), is in a cirque at the head of the North Fork of Cascade Canyon. Other high-altitude lakes are found above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), and some, like Icefloe Lake
Geology
Grand Teton National Park contains some of the oldest rocks found in any American national park. The oldest rocks studied so far are 2,680 ± 12 million years old, though scientists believe even older rocks may exist in the park. These metamorphic rocks, which include gneiss, schist, and amphibolites, formed during the Archean Eon (4 to 2.5 billion years ago). Metamorphic rocks are the most common type found in the northern and southern parts of the Teton Range. About 2,545 million years ago, igneous granitic rocks were formed inside the metamorphic rocks and are now visible in the central Tetons, including Grand Teton and nearby peaks. The light-colored granites in the central Teton Range contrast with the darker metamorphic gneiss found on the sides of Mount Moran to the north. About 765 million years ago, magmatic diabase rocks formed dikes that are visible on the east side of Mount Moran and Middle Teton. Granitic and pegmatite rocks also filled cracks in the older gneiss. In Jackson Hole, Precambrian rocks are buried deep beneath younger Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary deposits, as well as Pleistocene glacial deposits.
By the end of the Precambrian, the area was sometimes covered by shallow seas, and sedimentary rocks formed over 500 million years. During the Paleozoic Era (542 to 251 million years ago), sandstone, shale, limestone, and dolomite were deposited. Most of these sedimentary rocks have eroded from the central Teton Range but remain visible on the northern, southern, and western sides of the range. One exception is the sandstone Flathead Formation, which still covers Mount Moran. Sedimentary layers in the Alaska Basin, located on the western edge of Grand Teton National Park, record 120 million years of sedimentary deposits. Fossils in the park’s sedimentary rocks include algae, brachiopods, and trilobites. Sedimentary deposition continued during the Mesozoic Era (250–66 million years ago), and coal seams in the rock layers show the region was heavily forested during that time. Coal seams, 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 meters) thick, are mixed with siltstone, claystone, and other sedimentary rocks. During the late Cretaceous, volcanic activity from a mountain range west of the area deposited fine-grained ash, which later formed bentonite, a valuable mineral.
From the end of the Mesozoic to today, the region experienced repeated uplifts and erosion. Starting 66 million years ago, the Laramide orogeny, a mountain-building and erosion period in western North America, formed the early Rocky Mountains. This cycle of uplift and erosion created one of the most complete non-marine Cenozoic rock sequences in North America. Conglomerate rocks made of quartzite, mixed with mudstone and sandstone, were deposited during erosion from a mountain range that once existed northwest of the current Teton Range. These deposits also contain small amounts of gold and mercury. During the Eocene and Oligocene, volcanic eruptions from the old Absaroka Range covered the area with volcanic deposits. Sedimentary basins formed due to faulting, creating an early Jackson Hole. By the Pliocene (10 million years ago), an early Jackson Lake, called Teewinot Lake, existed. During the Quaternary, landslides, erosion, and glaciers deposited soil and rock debris in the Snake River valley of Jackson Hole, leaving behind terminal moraines that form today’s lakes. The most recent major change to the landscape happened in 1925, east of the park, when the Gros Ventre landslide was caused by spring melt from heavy snow and rain.
Ecology
Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding area are home to over 1,000 types of vascular plants. The park’s elevation ranges from below sea level to over 7,000 feet (2,100 meters), creating many different habitats. These include alpine tundra, a subalpine zone with spruce-fir forests, and valley floors with mixed conifer and deciduous forests. Sagebrush plains cover areas with less fertile soil. Wetlands near lakes and rivers, such as those along the Snake River near Oxbow Bend and Willow Flats, are also common. Factors like elevation, soil quality, wildfires, avalanches, and human activity influence which plants grow in each area. Where different habitats meet is called an ecotone.
The park’s elevation affects the types of plants found at different heights. Above the tree line, which is around 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), the alpine tundra has no trees. Instead, it has grasses, wildflowers, moss, and lichen. Between the tree line and the mountain bases, subalpine forests grow, with whitebark pine, limber pine, subalpine fir, and Engelmann spruce as the main trees. On valley floors, lodgepole pine is common, while Douglas-fir and blue spruce grow in drier areas. Aspen, cottonwood, alder, and willow are found near water. Sagebrush plains cover large areas, especially on tablelands above the Snake River. These plains have 100 species of grasses and wildflowers. In some areas, like Timbered Island, forested areas appear within sagebrush plains, offering shelter for animals and food for them at night.
While the park’s plant life is generally healthy, whitebark pine and lodgepole pine are at risk. Whitebark pine is weakened by a fungus called white pine blister rust, which makes it easier for mountain pine beetles to destroy the trees. Whitebark pine grows above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) and provides fat-rich seeds for animals like grizzly bears, red squirrels, and Clark’s nutcrackers. It is a keystone and foundation species, meaning it plays a major role in the ecosystem. Whitebark pine has had fewer cases of blister rust in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem compared to other regions. However, the fungus still weakens trees, allowing beetles to kill them. Although national parks usually let nature take its course, efforts are being made to protect whitebark pine due to its importance.
Sixty-one species of mammals live in the park. Gray wolves, which disappeared from the area by the early 1900s, returned after being reintroduced to Yellowstone. This helped restore all native mammal species in the park. Other mammals include grizzly bears, black bears, coyotes, river otters, martens, badgers, cougars, lynx, wolverines, and many rodents like marmots, chipmunks, beavers, and pikas.
The most common large mammals are elk, which migrate between the National Elk Refuge and Yellowstone through the park. They are most visible in spring and fall. Other large animals include moose, bison, and pronghorn, the fastest land mammal in the western hemisphere. Moose live near water, and about 100 to 125 bighorn sheep live in alpine and rocky areas.
Over 300 bird species have been seen in the park, including the tiny calliope hummingbird and the large trumpeter swan. Other waterfowl include blue-winged teal and harlequin ducks. Birds of prey like bald eagles, golden eagles, and red-tailed hawks are common. Sagebrush plains attract sage grouse, Brewer’s sparrows, and sage thrashers, while wetlands are home to herons, pelicans, and cranes.
The Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout is the only native trout in the park. It lives in the Snake River and its tributaries below Jackson Lake Dam. Researchers have not found genetic differences between this trout and the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, but they look different and live in separate areas. Wyoming recognizes the Snake River subspecies as unique, but Idaho and Montana do not. Other trout, like rainbow trout and lake trout, were introduced or moved from Yellowstone. Five trout species now live in the park’s waters, along with native fish like mountain whitefish and non-native species like Utah chub.
Climate
Grand Teton National Park has a humid continental climate, which is labeled Dfb in the Köppen climate classification system.
Recreation
Grand Teton National Park is a popular place for mountain and rock climbers because the mountains are easy to reach by road. The trails are clearly marked, and many paths to the tops of mountains have been used for a long time. Most peaks can be climbed in one day by people who are experienced and physically fit. The highest trails begin in Jackson Hole and rise more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to mountain passes, which are sometimes called saddles or divides. From these passes, climbing routes vary in difficulty. Climbers do not need a permit, but they are encouraged to share their climbing plans with the National Park Service and tell others where they are going. If a climb requires staying overnight in the backcountry, a permit is needed. Climbers are responsible for choosing routes that match their skill level and avoiding unnecessary risks. Organizations like Exum Mountain Guides and Jackson Hole Mountain Guides provide training and support for less experienced climbers or those unfamiliar with specific routes.
Each year, about 4,000 climbers try to reach the top of Grand Teton. Most use Garnet Canyon to reach the Lower Saddle, a mountain pass between Grand Teton and Middle Teton. From there, climbers often take the Owen-Spalding or Exum Ridge routes to the summit. There are 38 different routes to the top of Grand Teton. The north face route is famous for its difficulty, with 12 sections and a rating of grade 5.8 for the 3,000-foot (910 m) climb. Mount Owen, located near Grand Teton, is lower but harder to climb. Middle Teton is another popular peak, best reached from a saddle between it and South Teton. Mount Moran, farther from trailheads, is more difficult to access. Its Direct South Buttress route was once the hardest climb in the U.S. when completed in 1953. Other popular climbing spots include Buck Mountain, Symmetry Spire, Mount Saint John, Mount Wister, Teewinot Mountain, and Nez Perce Peak, each with at least six established routes to their summits.
Grand Teton National Park has five campgrounds accessible by car. The largest are Colter Bay and Gros Ventre, each with 350 campsites that can fit large recreational vehicles. Lizard Creek has 60 campsites, Signal Mountain has 86, and Jenny Lake has 49 sites for tents only. Colter Bay Village and Flagg Ranch have 112 and 100 campsites, respectively, with full facilities for RVs. These campgrounds are open from late spring to late fall. Primitive winter camping is allowed near the visitor center at Colter Bay.
Campsites that can only be reached by foot or horseback are backcountry sites and require a permit. These areas are open year-round, but overnight stays are limited to protect the environment. Fires are not allowed in the backcountry, and food must be stored in approved bear-resistant containers. As of 2012, only four container brands are approved for use in the park. Hikers may also carry approved bear spray to deter aggressive bears.
The park has 200 miles (320 km) of hiking trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. Easy trails are found in the valley, where elevation changes are small. The Hermitage Point Trail near Colter Bay Village is 9.4 miles (15.1 km) long and considered easy. Other easy trails connect Hermitage Point to Emma Matilda Lake and Two Ocean Lake near Jackson Lake Lodge. The Valley Trail runs from Trapper Lake to Teton Village, and the Jenny Lake Trail circles the lake. Trails leading into canyons are more difficult due to steep elevation changes. Paintbrush Canyon, Alaska Basin, and Garnet Canyon trails often climb over 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Horses and pack animals are allowed on most trails, but only five designated backcountry campsites are available for them. Bicycles are limited to roads, and a paved pathway opened in 2009 allows non-motorized biking from Jackson to South Jenny Lake.
Boating is allowed on all lakes in Jackson Hole, but motorized boats are only permitted on Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake. Jackson Lake has no horsepower limit, though noise is restricted. Jenny Lake allows only 10 horsepower. Non-motorized boats are required on Bearpaw, Bradley, Emma Matilda, Leigh, Phelps, String, Taggart, and Two Ocean Lakes. There are four boat launches on Jackson Lake and one on Jenny Lake. Sailboats, windsurfers, and water skiing are only allowed on Jackson Lake. Jet skis are not permitted on any park waterways. All boats must follow safety rules, including having life jackets for every passenger. Non-motorized watercraft are allowed on the Snake River, while all other waterways are closed to boating.
Since 2010, all boats must display an Aquatic Invasive Species decal from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department or a Yellowstone National Park permit. To prevent invasive species like Zebra mussels, boaters must show a self-certification of compliance on the dashboard of any empty boat trailer.
Fishing in the park is managed by the Wyoming Fish and Game Department, and a state fishing license is required. The daily limit for trout is six, with no more than three cutthroat trout and none longer than 12 inches (30 cm). Other trout species may not exceed 20 inches (51 cm), except those from Jackson Lake, where the maximum is 24 inches (61 cm). Seasonal restrictions and rules about bait and equipment also apply.
Visitors can snowshoe or cross-country ski anywhere in the park, not just on trails. The Teton Park Road between Taggart Lake and Signal Mountain Campground is closed to cars in winter and is groomed for skiing and snowshoeing. The park service offers guided snowshoe tours daily from Moose, Wyoming. Overnight camping is allowed in the winter.
Tourism
The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, located next to the park headquarters at Moose, Wyoming, is open all year. It opened in 2007 to replace an old visitor center that was not large enough. The center is named after the late U.S. Senator Craig Thomas and was designed by the well-known architect Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. It was funded by federal grants and private donations. A nearby 154-seat auditorium opened to the public in April 2011. At Colter Bay Village on Jackson Lake, the Colter Bay Visitor Center & Indian Arts Museum is open from early May to early October. This center has housed the David T. Vernon Indian Arts Exhibit since 1972. The Colter Bay Visitor Center was built in 1956 but was found in 2005 to be not up to standard for properly caring for and displaying the Indian art collection. A $150,000 renovation project was completed during the winter of 2011–2012. After the renovation, part of the arts collection was available for viewing when the center opened in May 2012.
South of Moose on the Moose–Wilson Road, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center is located on land once owned by Laurance S. Rockefeller. The land is on Phelps Lake and was donated to Grand Teton National Park. It opened to the public in 2008 and was once part of the JY Ranch, the first dude ranch in Jackson Hole. At Jenny Lake, the Jenny Lake Visitor Center is open from mid-May to mid-September. This center is part of the Jenny Lake Ranger Station Historic District and is the same building that photographer Harrison Crandall constructed as an art studio in the 1920s.
Through the National Park Service, several companies manage lodging inside the park. The largest is Jackson Lake Lodge, operated by the Grand Teton Lodge Company. Located near Jackson Lake Dam, the lodge has 385 rooms, meeting spaces, a retail shop, and a restaurant. The Grand Teton Lodge Company also manages Jenny Lake Lodge, which includes cabins and a restaurant, and Colter Bay Village, which has cabins, a restaurant, a grocery store, a laundry, and a marina. South of Jackson Lake Dam, Signal Mountain Lodge is managed by Forever Resorts and offers cabins, a marina, a gas station, and a restaurant. The American Alpine Club operates the Grand Teton Climber's Ranch, which has hostel-style accommodations mainly for mountain climbers. Near Moose, Wyoming, Dornan's is a private property with year-round cabin accommodations and related facilities. Lodging is also available at the Triangle X Ranch, a private inholding and the last remaining dude ranch within the park.
Hazards and incidents
Encountering bears is a concern in the Teton Range. In 2011, there were six bear attacks in the park, but none were fatal. In 2001, a hunter from Minnesota was attacked by a female grizzly bear and suffered serious injuries to his head and scalp. In 2007, a 54-year-old man was hurt when he encountered a grizzly bear and her cubs feeding on an elk carcass. He received injuries to his head and face before a ranger helped rescue him.
Other dangers include insects, wildfires, harsh snow conditions, and cold nighttime temperatures. Avalanches happen often during winter and spring. In 2025, a skier was killed after the group he was with triggered an avalanche while skiing in the park's backcountry.
Accidental falls that cause death or injury are common in the park. Steep cliffs can be dangerous because a small mistake might lead to serious harm. Falls from rocks also happen. Lightning has caused deaths for climbers in the park. In 2020, Brayden DuRee fell while climbing the park's Owen-Spalding trail. In 2022, skier Radcliff Spencer fell from a narrow trail while skiing and was fatally injured. In 2023, Joy Cho fell from the west side of Teewinot Mountain after losing her balance on a hiking trail.
Grand Teton National Park has been the site of several homicides. In 1986, a skull with a bullet hole was found on Signal Mountain. It was later discovered to belong to a man who had gone missing in 1983. In 2002, a former park employee was killed while riding his bicycle by a motorist. The motorist was later convicted of vehicular homicide. In 2021, the body of Gabby Petito, a victim of domestic violence, was found within the park after a long search.