Day 4: Grand Teton National Park
Drive Time: 7.5 hours (including drive back to Salt Lake City)
I grew up with Ansel Adams posters of the majestic Grand Tetons hanging on our walls. So when Eric’s family requested a trip to Yellowstone, my only stipulation was that we include some time at Yellowstone’s southern neighbor. If not stopping to hike, it takes less than 2 hours to drive around Grand Teton National Park, so we saved it for our last day & returned to Salt Lake City that evening.
We entered the park from the north, heading south towards Colter Bay Village. Our original plan was to drive the loop & return for a night at Headwaters Lodge, but plans changed & we decided to return to Salt Lake City that evening. This meant we retraced the route more than once, so instead of telling what we drove, I’m going to focus on where we stopped (in the order that I would suggest someone actually follow).
If you’re just passing through Grand Teton National Park & don’t have time to make the loop, then you’ll want to take Teton Park Road instead of Hwy. 191. Both routes have good stops, but the park road takes you along the lakes & lodges. Also, there is NO FEE entering through the north & they don’t collect when you exit through the south — so you could technically pass through half of the park for FREE. We had to pay the $35 fee when we looped around & went through the Moran entrance.
Scenic Stops on Teton Park Rd:
Jackson Lake Overlook (photo op)
Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail (2.1mi); for a longer hike, try Hermitage Point Trail (10mi)
Willow Flats Overlook (possible Moose spotting)
Jackson Lake Dam (photo op)
Signal Mountain Summit Road (scenic detour + photo op) or hike the Signal Mountain Trail (6.8mi)
Jenny Lake Road: This was my favorite part of the park, because it had everything — great photo ops, picnic lunch spots, boat rides & trails. Our plan was to take the Jenny Lake water shuttle to Hidden Falls trail & Inspiration Point, but this area was closed off due to a recent discovery of large fissures in the rock. We parked further down the road at Jenny Lake Overlook & enjoyed a nice walk along the trail that follows the lake — so it wasn’t a total loss.
If you have more time, I highly recommend the Jenny Lake Trail — every part of this 7.5mi loop looks GORGEOUS!
Taggart Lake Trail (3.3mi out-and-back)
Teton Glacier Turnout (photo op)
Menors Ferry & Chapel of the Transfiguration: historic ferry, general store, cabin & chapel.
Menors Ferry
Menors Ferry General Store
Menors Ferry
Menors Ferry
Cargo Ship at Menors Ferry
Wagon at Menors Ferry
Maud Noble Cabin
Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center (at the south entrance)
Scenic Stops on Hwy 191:
Blacktail Ponds Overlook (nature & wildlife photo ops)
Schwabacher’s Landing (photo op — skip Deadman’s Bar Road, better river pictures here)
Snake River Overlook (photo op)
Two Ocean Lake: Take Pacific Creek Road, just after the Moran entrance & after crossing Pacific Creek. The road winds through fields for a few miles, then you turn left at Two Ocean Lake Road & it gets bumpy before you reach Two Ocean Lake. It’s about 4.6 miles one-way. I snapped a quick pic of the lake but we couldn’t stay long because the bugs were TERRIBLE! If you visit during the non-Summer months, this could be a very pretty hike or picnic stop.
Oxbow Bend (photo ops & wildlife spotting)
Cattleman’s Bridge Road: This unpaved road has no marking, so look for it carefully when you’re between Teton Park Road & Oxbow Bend. It’s a dead end, one-way road but it takes you into the most serene place in the park — well worth the stop!
