Hotels

The three concessionaires that operate lodgings within Grand Teton provide a range of accommodations that can suit any wallet or taste, but not every schedule. I say fairly often in this guide that fall and spring are the best times to have the parks to yourself, but these are not the easiest times to find a room. If you come in early May, you'll find padlocks on the doors everywhere but at Flagg Ranch, which technically isn't in Grand Teton but on the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Likewise, by mid-October, you'll be bunking in Jackson.

You can get information about or make reservations for Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, and Colter Bay Village through the Grand Teton Lodge Company, Box 240, Moran, WY 83013 (tel. 800/628-9988 or 307/543-3100; www.gtlc.com). For Signal Mountain Lodge, contact P.O. Box 50, Moran, WY 83013 (tel. 307/543-2831; www.signalmountainlodge.com). Reservations at Flagg Ranch can be made by contacting P.O. Box 187, Moran, WY 83013 (tel. 800/443-2311; www.flaggranch.com).

Rooms in Grand Teton National Park properties have telephones but no televisions or air-conditioning. You'll find televisions in the lounge areas at the Jackson Lodge, Signal Mountain Resort, and Flagg Ranch.

Flagg Ranch Village Area

2 miles from the south entrance to Yellowstone; 5 miles from the northern boundary of Grand Teton

Like Grant Village in Yellowstone, Flagg Ranch offers travelers the full gamut of services: cabins, tent and RV sites, an above-average restaurant, and a gas station. It has been a popular jumping-off spot for snowmobilers during winter months, but the cabins now close for the snowy season; snow-machine rentals are the only service available December to March (tel. 800/224-1384). Also, because it's situated in a stand of pines in the middle of nowhere, there's not much to do in the immediate vicinity except watch the Snake River roll by.

Colter Bay Village Area

11 miles from the park's northern boundary; 10 miles from the Moran (east) entrance

The village provides an excellent base of operations for visitors who want to hike or enjoy the lake. It encompasses two restaurants, a visitor center, an amphitheater, a museum, a general store, a post office, a sporting-goods shop, and laundry facilities. Scenic cruises, fishing charters, and boat rentals of all kinds can be arranged at the marina. The village operates from mid-May to late September.