Top 10 things to do in The Grand Tetons & Jackson

By The Backseat View

The Grand Tetons have stunning mountain scenery and inspiring lake views. It’s hard to be impressed after visiting Yellowstone, but The Grand Tetons take your breath away at every turn. Having a charming, famous town, Jackson, just 13 miles outside the Grand Tetons, is icing on the cake. Jackson has a charming western vibe that blends into sophistication that made the town famous. While the hiking options are endless, I’ve included my Top 10 activities in The Grand Tetons & Jackson.

• The Grand Tetons are ten miles south of Yellowstone, with over 200 miles of hiking trails.
• The 485 square miles of The Grand Tetons is the 8^th most visited U.S. National Park.
• Two days on any trip itinerary should be reserved for the Tetons.
• Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake Lodges, four-star hotel quality, and several camping options are in the park.

• I loved Jackson, so The Rockwell Inn is my choice for lodging.
• Jackson Hole refers to the extra land around Jackson, but people call the town Jackson and Jackson Hole.
• Jackson was the perfect ending to our vacation. After Yellowstone, the boys were done with nature and enjoyed Jackson’s unique atmosphere, rodeo, and chuckwagon dinners.
  

DAY 1

On our first day, we entered from the North of the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone area, so our first stop was Jackson Lake Lodge in early June.

1. Jackson Lake Lodge

Jackson Lake Lodge has the best views of the Grand Tetons, so stop and have a huckleberry milkshake with a view.

2. Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake was my top priority. I highly recommend paying to ride the boat across to save 2 miles of uphill hiking. It’s about $12 a person each way, with boats leaving every 20 minutes. After the Hidden Falls, hike to the top to view the lake at Inspiration Point. Hiking downhill back to the parking lot wasn’t bad. It took about 2-3 hours. Jackson and Jenny Lake allow boats for fishing with a Wyoming State fishing license.

3. String Lake

String Lake is stunning and should not be missed. We didn’t have the energy to hike 4.4 miles around the lake but enjoyed sitting beside it.

4. Wildlife Art

The National Museum of Wildlife Art’s wildlife sculptures and paintings are the best in the country. The beautiful museum overlooks the National Elk Refuge and cost $18. The restaurant, Palate, has great reviews. The National Elk Refuge is land north of Jackson that provides winter habitat for Elk. During summer, it’s empty fields.

5. Rodeo

A fun ending to vacation is The Jackson Hole Rodeo, over a 100-year rodeo tradition in the Wild West. This is the WILD west you came to visit. You can plan to buy your tickets in advance for every Wednesday and summer weekend event.

Day 2

On day two, we canceled half the day’s itinerary to visit urgent care.

6. Mormon Row

Photographers line up at sunrise and sunset for the iconic Mormon Row to see the famous Moulton Barn. The kids were completely bored with the barns in the fields.

7. Taggart Lake

Taggart Lake Loop is 3.8 miles and an easy route. Doing the hike counterclockwise will put the Tetons right in front of you.

8. Rockefeller Preserve

Laurance Rockefeller Preserve has hiking trails (Phelps Lake is 3 miles) and over a thousand acres inside the Grand Teton National Park.

9. Chuckwagon Dinner

We ended our vacation with the Bar T 5 Wagon Dinner for the kids, but I LOVED the horses! We had so much fun that I recommend this night of singing and entertainment to everyone.

10. Jackson

I explored the classy and iconic town of Jackson at every break. The town is where the upscale western scene meets the great outdoors and blends with a trendy flair. The town square has the iconic antler arches for photos. We stayed at the Rockwell Inn and had breakfast at The Bunnery Bakery every morning. There are so many delicious steakhouses on the square, we just picked one.

I have a few other ideas for filling your days.

• Antelope Flats are 12 miles outside Jackson and great for watching the sunset at The Snake River Overlook (North).
• Oxbow Bend is another popular photo spot overlooking the Snake River and Mount Moran.
• Schwabacher Landing was on my list for a sunrise option of the Tetons.
• Granite Hot Springs, bring swimsuits and a towel.

Last Thoughts

Arriving and departing Jackson requires a car and probably a flight. We couldn’t afford Jackson Hole’s airport, so we flew out of Salt Lake City.

Thank you for reading my Top 10 Things to do in Grand Teton & Jackson Travel Guide.

Don’t miss The Wonders of Yellowstone Travel Guide and the Top 10 Activities in Cody to help plan the best Yellowstone vacation. I’ve included a few other road trips below.