Hotels

Before picking up the phone to make a reservation, take some time to study maps of the parks. While the parks are small enough that you can drive practically anywhere in a day, you'll want to be acquainted with the locations of the park attractions that you most want to see and their proximity to accommodations. For instance, if you want to see Old Faithful at all different hours of the day and night, or if you want to hike the Lonestar Geyser Trail, try to get a room at the Old Faithful Inn or the Snow Lodge. If you find big bodies of water soothing, check in at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel or Colter Bay.

Also keep in mind that the characteristics of the lodgings vary considerably, and request specific information about the type of rooms available before making a reservation. If you are bedding down in one of the historic hotels or cabins in the parks, be aware that they offer fewer modern conveniences than your typical commercial motel.

One final bit of advice: Try to spend at least 2 nights within park boundaries, whether you prefer campgrounds or hotels. When the sun dips below the horizon, you'll see a summer sky that sparkles more brightly than in the gateway cities (weather permitting), and you might hear coyotes and other wildlife. And you will discover that the hours just after daybreak are an ideal time for exploring: The trails are empty, animals go about their early-morning routines oblivious to visitors, and the silence is deafening.

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, P.O. Box 250, Moran, WY 83013 (tel. 800/628-9988 or 307/543-2811; 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 rental is 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.

Signal Mountain Area

15 miles from the north entrance; 9 miles from the Moran (east) entrance

Jenny Lake Area

28 miles from the northern boundary; 17 miles from the Moran (east) entrance; 16 miles from the south entrance

Moose Area

36 miles south of the northern boundary; 18 miles from the Moran (east) entrance; 8 miles south of Jenny Lake.