If You Have 1 or 2 Days

A 1-day trip around this park is not unreasonable, given its size, and you can do a loop where you see many major attractions without having to retrace your steps. For more complete information on what you'll see along the way, read the next section on touring the park. Although this 1-day itinerary assumes that you are entering Grand Teton from the north, after visiting Yellowstone, you could just as easily begin your itinerary in Jackson, which is 8 miles south of the Moose Entrance Station.

Begin at the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park, driving through the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (U.S. Hwy. 89/191/287) south past Flagg Ranch and to the park. As you drive south, you'll find yourself skirting the northern shore of Jackson Lake, with a view of Mount Moran to the west, and, farther south, the stunning Cathedral Group.

On the northeast shore, Colter Bay Village is one of the park's busiest spots. You can rent boats, take scenic cruises, embark on guided fishing trips, buy fishing licenses and supplies, rent a cabin, or camp. Several popular hiking trails start here. If you turn right at Colter Bay Junction, you'll be at the Colter Bay Visitor Center a half-mile later; stop here to take in the Indian Arts Museum.

The Lakeshore Trail begins at the marina entrance and runs along the harbor for an easy 2-mile round-trip. It's level, paved, shady, and wheelchair accessible; it's the best opportunity for a hike in this area if you don't have much time. Nearby, on the shore of the lake, is an amphitheater where ranger-naturalists conduct evening programs. The Douglas firs and pine trees here are greener and healthier than the lodgepole pines that you see at higher elevations in Yellowstone.

A few minutes' drive south of Colter Bay, you'll pass Jackson Lake Lodge (you might want to look in the lobby and out the big picture window) and then Jackson Lake Junction, where a right turn puts you on Teton Park Road, the beginning of a 43-mile loop tour. You'll be driving parallel to the mountain range, with Grand Teton as the 13,770-foot centerpiece. You'll see lakes created by glaciers thousands of years ago, bordering a sagebrush valley inhabited by pronghorn and elk.

Just 5 miles down the road along Jackson Lake, a left (east) turn will take you up Signal Mountain, where you'll have a 360-degree view of the valley. Then continue down Teton Park Road to South Jenny Lake, where there is a huge parking area (which fills quickly in peak season) for the many people who stop to either hike around the lake or take a boat ride across. If you have time, get to the other side (it's a 2-mile hike) and make the short climb to Hidden Falls [ST]. Another good day hike in this area is the Taggart Lake Trail.

When you leave South Jenny Lake, you'll drive along a flat, sagebrush-dotted stretch to Moose, the southernmost of the park's service centers. A half mile before Moose Junction is the Moose Visitor Center, which features exhibits of the Greater Yellowstone area's rare and endangered species, a video room, and an excellent bookstore. While you're in Moose, you might want to visit the Menor/Noble Historic District and the Chapel of the Transfiguration.

Coming out of Moose, take a left (north) turn on U.S. Hwy. 26/89/191, which crosses the open flats above the Snake River to Moran Junction. The best views along this road are the Glacier View Turnout and the Snake River Overlook, both of which are right off the road and well marked. At Moran Junction, turn left for a final 5-mile drive back to Jackson Lake Junction, past Oxbow Bend, a great spot for wildlife watching.

Worn out? Catch the dramatic sunset behind the Tetons, and then head for your campsite (if you're tenting, stake out a spot early) or room, either in the park or in Jackson, Wyoming.