How to Spend 2 Days in Grand Teton National Park
Soaring mountain peaks, vibrant alpine lakes, and lots to explore, Grand Teton National Park is a stunning place. Located in Wyoming, this park is full of wildlife, scenery, and outdoor adventure. Ready to visit? We’re here to tell you how to spend 2 days in Grand Teton National Park and help you see and do as much as possible.
When to Visit
The best time to visit is from mid-May to September, as all of the park is open during this time. We visited over Labor Day weekend and apart from waiting for our rental car for over 3 hours, we didn’t experience heavy crowds within the park.
How to Get There
If you don’t live in a nearby state, we would recommend flying into Jackson Hole Airport which is located in the park.
Where to Stay
We found a cabin stay in Victor, Idaho at Teton Valley Resort. It was about 45 minutes from the park entrance, however it was more affordable (and cuter) than many of the other options we saw in Jackson or closer to the park. We stayed in the Teton Queen Cabin and loved having a kitchenette, refrigerator, Keurig, and fireplace to use and enjoy. We usually got back from the park late each night, and the cabin was lit with string lights when we arrived. The resort also had an on site restaurant, a pool, and a hot tub.
Some other options closer to the park entrance include:
What to Do
Now for the real reason you clicked on this post…how to spend 2 days in Grand Teton National Park.
Day 1
We recommend heading out early in the morning for your day of adventures! After taking a picture with the park sign ( a must at any national park), you will reach the park entrance. The entrance fee is $35, and your pass is good for a week. We love the America the Beautiful Pass, because it saves us tons of money each year as we visit several national parks. It also gets you through the entrance line faster, because many national parks have a separate line for passholders.
Jenny Lake
From the entrance, head to Jenny Lake. There is so much to see and do around Jenny Lake! Take in the views, picnic on the beach, kayak or canoe, or take the Jenny Lake Shuttle across the lake for a scenic tour. The Jenny Lake Shuttle runs from mid-May to the end of September and departs from South Jenny Lake every 15 minutes. Check out Jenny Lake Boating for the latest prices.
Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
The easiest and quickest way to get to Hidden Falls is by taking the Jenny Lake Shuttle to the West Shore Boat Dock. The South Cascade Creek Trail is about a one mile out and back trail to Hidden Falls. Hike another mile from the falls along the Inspiration Point Trail for epic views.
Grand Teton Scenic Loop Drive
This 42 mile road is the main road that goes through Grand Teton National Park. Give yourself enough time to drive along this road and stop to admire the scenery. We stopped quite a few times to see horses and a herd of bison in the distance.
Oxbow Bend
This turnout along the main road has a stunning view of the Snake River and Teton Mountains in the background. It is one of the most photographed locations in the park.
Mormon Row
Featuring the Moulton Barn, this historic site is worth the stop. The barn with the Teton range behind it is one of the most popular photo spots in the park.
Day 2
Delta Lake
This “hidden” alpine lake on an unofficial trail is so worth the hike. However, you might ask yourself several times if it’s worth it as you hike. This 7.4 mile roundtrip hike is very steep, with the last half mile or so including a hike through boulder fields. It is definitely a trail for experienced hikers. Parking is at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead; we arrived around 6:30 am, and the lot was mostly full.
Be prepared with lots of water and snacks (we brought lunch to eat at the lake). We also found it helpful to download the trail on AllTrails just to make sure we were headed in the right direction. The view at the end is breathtaking. Unfortunately when we visited, there were some fires in the area making the view a little smoky.
Schwabacher Landing
The last thing on the itinerary is Schwabacher Landing. The mountain reflection on the river and the peaceful atmosphere of this spot is a great way to end your trip. We enjoyed watching the sunset here on our last night.
Visiting U.S. national parks is one of our favorite things to do. Grand Teton National Park has so much to explore, and it’s a park we’d love to visit again. We hope this guide on how to spend 2 days in Grand Teton National Park was helpful!
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[…] earlier post), but we would choose an Airbnb over a hotel almost every time. Finding a stay near Grand Teton National Park that was affordable and aesthetically pleasing was a bit of a challenge. We knew most of our time […]