Grand Teton National Park: Epic Outdoor Adventures Part II
Hey girl!
Our second favorite spot on our road trip across Wyoming and South Dakota was the magical location of Grand Teton National Park. This must-see outdoors heaven is where desktop wallpapers truly come to life with crystal clear lakes, towering peaks, and lush green trees.
Read my blog, “Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Epic Outdoor Adventures Part I.”
Hiking through Grand Teton National Park was possibly one of my absolute favorite hikes of all time. Not only is it one of the most beautiful, but it’s quite easy to navigate! We only explored for a couple hours here during the day before continuing on our road trip, but if you’re staying for a few days there is truly so much to see and do.
Getting to Grand Teton National Park
On our road trip, we traveled an hour north from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pretty early in the morning to get to this national park. Again, this was only a short morning stop for a few hours before continuing east.
Similar to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the closest airport to Grand Teton National Park is Jackson Hole Airport, which is about a 40 minute drive.
Explore & Stay in Grand Teton National Park
Again, we didn’t opt to stay overnight here and made it into a day trip, however there’s plenty of camping options if you want to stay out in the park. For those more in favor of a cabin, here are some other lodging options.
Things to Do in the Park
Hiking is definitely the most obvious thing to do in this park! Since we only had a few hours to spare, we chose the easiest hike around Taggart Lake. This one took about two hours since we stopped quite a bit to see the lake. It’s about 3 miles roundtrip with 360 feet of elevation. There are some rock paths and a few steps, but nothing too steep!
For other hiking trail recommendations and hiking tips, see this full guide.
Read my blog, “Best Hikes in Washington foor Mountain Views, Beaches & Waterfalls.”
Safety Tips While Exploring Grand TEton National Park
Hikers Beware: Grand Teton National Park is home to black and grizzly bears! I personally did not know this at the time or I probably would have not let my fiance convince me to go LOL. However, on the trail we were on, we didn’t see any wildlife (probably because it’s the easiest and most popular).
While popular, our trail definitely wasn’t crowded though and there are a few time where you won’t see other people for a while. If this freaks you out just remember some basic bear tips:
- Make noise and talk wihle hiking so that any nearby wildlife isn’t taken by surprise
- If possible, hike in groups of 3 or more people
- Carry bear spray and practice using it
- Never wear headphones so you can be aware of your surroundings
Other Fun Activities
While we only had time to hike, we did see a few people on horses riding on our trail, which looked like so much fun! Here are a few other recommended fun activities to do while exploring Grand Teton National Park:
Be sure to also check out this page of local businesses who offer these activities in case you don’t have your own gear!
Next stop: The Mammoth Site in South Dakota
After leaving Grand Teton National Park, we kept heading east, stopping in the small towns of Dubois and Casper, Wyoming before landing in our next major spot of Hot Springs, South Dakota. This city is home to The Mammoth Site, a history museum and paleontological site with actual mammoth bones that were found in 1974!
Sincerely,
