Welcome to the Grand Teton Tour
Discover one of America’s most awe-inspiring national parks at Grand Teton with this self-guided driving tour. These impressive sawtooth mountains conceal all sorts of hidden treasures, from deep glacial lakes to historic homesteads. Drive through beautiful mountain passes, dig into the storied past of this mountain range, and go on hikes you’ll never forget. Plus, get to know the local wildlife on a real-life elk refuge on this Grand Teton tour!
About the tour
Your Grand Teton tour begins at the Jackson Hole Visitor Center, with everything you need to start your journey. From there, you’ll head toward Teton Village while you learn about the unusual history of the Jackson Hole and the formation of the Tetons themselves. Your drive will take you through the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve—and yes, it’s named after those Rockefellers!
One of the first landmarks you’ll see is the Chapel of the Transfiguration, a relic of a bygone era. After that is Taggart Lake Trail, a splendid hike that loops around a pristine glacial lake, then it’s on to the Teton Glacier turnout, where you’ll get a spectacular look at the park’s largest and most impressive glacier.
After that, you’ll see the shores of Jenny Lake, one of the clearest lakes in the whole country. If you’d like, you can take a ferry across the lake to a lovely overlook.
Next, you’ll see Mount Moran, rising a staggering 6,000 feet above the lake at its base. Then you’ll cross over the Jackson Lake Dam, which gives you a great look at how big that mountain is!
If you’re planning on sticking around overnight, you’ll be particularly interested in the next stop: Colter Bay. Home to hundreds of campsites, this is one of the premier spots to camp in Grand Teton National Park. Past that, you’ll find Cattleman’s Bridge, a remnant of the days when ranchers grazed cattle in these mountains. Then you’ll reach Oxbow Bend, one of the best overlooks in the whole park. Don’t forget to snap some photos here!
As you cross the Pacific Creek, you’ll enter the Teton Wilderness, officially the most remote place in the contiguous US. Here you’ll find Snake River Overlook, where one of the most famous photographs of all time was taken.
Looking for more glaciers? You’ll find them up next at Glacier View Turnout. Finally, you’ll arrive at the National Elk Refuge, home to the biggest elk herd on earth. Your tour concludes here.
Starting Address: Jackson Hole Visitor Center
Reverse Tour: Grand Teton National Park Sign, Moran, WY 83013
What You'll See
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Welcome to Grand Teton!
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Teton Village
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Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve
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Chapel of the Transfiguration
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Taggart Lake Trailhead
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Teton Glacier Turnout
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Jenny Lake
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Cascade Canyon
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Mount Moran
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Jackson Lake Dam
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Colter Bay
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Jackson Lake Overlook
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National Park Sign
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Cattleman's Bridge
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Oxbow Bend
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Snake River Overlook
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Teton Point Turnout
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Glacier View Turnout
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Mormon Row
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The Sleeping Indian
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National Elk Refuge
Preview the Tour
Barns Audio Story
Davey Jackson Audio Story
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Audio Story
Cascade Canyon Audio Story
Tour FAQs
To really understand why the Grand Tetons have captured travelers’ imaginations for centuries, you simply need to see them in person. They might look good in pictures, but standing at the foot of these towering peaks is something else altogether!
It’s kind of a funny story, but the mountains get their name from early French-Canadian fur trappers. They jokingly called the mountains “grand tetons,” which means “big breasts” in French… and the name apparently stuck.
The Grand Tetons are only about 10 million years old, making them one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world! This is part of why the peaks are still so tall and jagged today.
Grand Teton National Park is directly south of Yellowstone. It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to drive from the north end of Grand Teton to the south entrance of Yellowstone.
The summer months are the best time of year to visit Grand Teton, as the high elevation can get a bit chilly otherwise. Mid-winter snows can be treacherous, but late spring and early fall are also great times to visit if you don’t mind the cold.
Without a doubt! Grand Teton is compact but mighty, featuring some of the most beautiful wilderness scenery in the entire country.
A car is highly recommended when visiting Grand Teton National Park. The park does have a shuttle service, but bringing your own vehicle or a rental will give you a huge amount of freedom to explore the park.
Grand Teton originates from the French language, but it was brought to the mountains by Canadian trappers.
If you plan on hiking while you’re in Grand Teton, bear spray is definitely recommended. Grizzly encounters are rare, and they can usually be scared off quite easily, but you don’t want to be caught unprepared!
Jackson Hole is named after Davey Jackson, one of the first mountain men to make permanent camp here during the 1800s. At the time, the term “hole” referred to a high mountain valley. So: Jackson Hole!
Additional Information
Lifetime Validity
Changing travel date? No worries! All individual tours come with lifetime validity.
Works Offline
The tour works offline, so you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. However, we suggest you download the tour on WiFi at your home, hotel, visitor center, etc., before heading out for a completely immersive experience.
Not an Entry Ticket
This is not an entry ticket. Please visit https://www.recreation.gov/ for more info on entry/admission tickets.
Not a Car Rental
We do not provide car rental services. You must arrange for a car yourself. Our self-guided driving audio tours will work in any car via an aux cable or Bluetooth.
How many tours should I buy?
Since this is a driving tour, we suggest you buy one tour per car for the best experience.
What do we do?
Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book – all in one app! We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. You can experience our driving and walking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day!
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