Don't overlook this Outstanding park on your way to Yellowstone.
Written: Aug 29 '08 (Updated Sep 02 '08)
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Pros: Spectacular and less crowded than Yellowstone.
Cons: It's too far away from me here in Houston.
The Bottom Line: I made the mistake of spending all my time at Yellowstone and almost overlooking this spectacular park. Don't make my mistake.
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| wilson0423's Full Review: Grand Teton National Park |
Overshadowed by its neighbor to the North, Grand Teton National Park is one of the most spectacular places in the world to visit. I guess of all the places I've been it compares best with parts of the Alps, but with more abundant wildlife. I love to hike and there is plenty to do here, including my favorite hike I've ever made. I cannot say enough about the beauty and splendor of this place.
The Park
Tucked away in the Northwest corner of Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park is not located near any major metropolitan areas. The nearest town of any size is Jackson to the South. The North of the Park borders the spectacular Yellowstone National Park.
The park itself covers 484 square miles of land and has over 200 miles of hiking trails. The park is named after the Teton range of mountains the largest of which, the Grand Teton, reaches 13,770 feet into the sky.
Interestingly enough the mountain range was named by French fur traders and the word Teton is actually French for breasts or nipples. Leave it to the French to think of sex when looking at some mountains. My guess is there probably were not a lot of women fur traders in the old American West.
Getting inside the park costs $25 per vehicle for a 7 day pass and includes Yellowstone National Park to the North. There are 6 campgrounds within the park, 2 Lodges and also cabins to stay inside the park.
Wildlife
There is wildlife everywhere within this park. I personally saw bison, elk, antelope, moose, deer, marmots, and an assortment of birds and furry little creatures. I didn't see the bears here that I saw in Yellowstone and Grizzlies that are common in Yellowstone aren't even typically found here, but I did see plenty of other animals.
There are over 300 species of birds in this park. This includes several birds of prey to include the Bald Eagle and the beautiful Trumpeter Swan.
Mammals include all those I mentioned above plus 22 rodent species, coyotes, black bears, bats, and mountain lions. There are plenty of animals to see in this park.
Things to do
I only spent two days in this park and I didn't begin to touch on all the things to do here.
There is boating on several of the beautiful glacial lakes, Jenny and Jackson lakes being the best. There are even places to rent boats within the park if that is what you are looking for.
With water comes fishing and there are several species of trout known to inhabit the lakes and streams in this area. Check with the park for more information on licensing and other requirements.
There are some beautiful mountains here and climbing is popular and does not require a permit. There are several outfitters who offer instruction and guide services to the mountains in nearby Jackson.
Just driving around and taking it all in is a popular past time here. There is plenty to see just by looking out your car window. I recommend getting out of the car, but most people seem to enjoy just stopping occasionally to take photos of scenery or wildlife alongside the road.
Camping is allowed in the park and can be done in one of the established campgrounds or in the back country with a permit. I haven't done it myself, but camping off a trail away from the crowds would be a wonderful experience.
Horse back riding is also popular in the park and there are several stables within and right outside the park that provided guided trail rides through the park. My wife and daughter did this in Yellowstone and really had a great time.
Hiking is my favorite activity in the park and one of the best ways to truly experience the wonders of the park and get away from the crowds. I recently read that 90% of people do not go more than a mile off the road here. I can testify to the validity of this and is one of the best ways to avoid crowds. There are 200 miles of trails here with every level of difficulty and you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't get off the road.
My personal favorite is the Paintbrush Divide trail near Jenny Lake. It's a little long at about 20 miles and it can get quite steep at places, but it was spectacular. I had moose within 50 feet of me, I was all alone in a mountain valley filled with wildflowers, I stood on top of the divide at 11,000 feet and could looked down on the beauty below, I watched spectacular waterfalls, I watched the sun rise over Jenny Lake, and I only saw 5 people all day long. I did this trail in 1 day, which is not recommended, but I just couldn't turn around and go back until I had seen it all.
Jackson, WY
This is the town where most people stay while visiting both parks. It's too long a drive in my opinion to visit Yellowstone, but many people still do. It is quite close to Grand Teton, though and there is a decent sized airport here, as well.
Jackson is a bustling touristy town. It is filled with shops and restaurants and crowds and high prices like any other place. Lodging here in particular is pretty expensive. It is a well maintained little town and although it is somewhat touristy and pricey I still enjoyed my stay here.
We stayed at some cabins in town here called the Cowboy Village Resort, which I highly recommend to those looking for an inexpensive, but comfortable place to stay.
To clarify Jackson is the name of the town and Jackson Hole is the name of the area. There is quite a bit of confusion out there as to the name.
Crowds
There are crowds here and it can get quite crowded in the summertime, although not as crowded as Yellowstone. Like Yellowstone though, it is easy to get away from them. I have two recommendations to avoid all the people here and enjoy the park.
First, get out of bed early. I realize it's your vacation and you want to sleep, but there is so much more to see and less people around to bother you when you get up at "the butt crack of dawn". I saw so much more wildlife early in the morning and the sunrises are spectacular here.
Second, get off the road. So many people just pull over in the little pullouts or alongside the road and never truly experience the park. You don't have to take a long strenuous hike and there are plenty of short easy hikes to take, but do yourself a favor and get off the road.
Summary
This is one of the greatest places on Earth. I recommend this place to anyone who can manage to get there. On my visit I spent so much time at Yellowstone that Grand Teton was almost an afterthought. I regret this, and my next trip will include much more time at this wonderful park.
I've included my opinion on several of the books I've read on the area and my review of Yellowstone below.
Yellowstone Review
Books:
Wyoming Guide Book
Family Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Frommers Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Day Hikes in Yellowstone
Lonely Planet Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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Epinions.com ID:
wilson0423
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Location: Houston, TX
Reviews written: 134
Trusted by: 43 members
About Me:
I'm a family kinda guy.
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