Grand Teton National Park: An Adventure for the Whole Family
We planned the Tetons to be the final big stop of our epic family road trip and it was the perfect final hurrah! I’m often surprised that more people haven’t heard of Grand Teton National Park, but I’m sure you’ve seen the iconic pictures of the old barn with striking peaks in the background. No matter what you’ve heard or seen, I can assure you that until you stand at the base of those peaks you cannot comprehend its incredible beauty. Grand Teton is not a large national park by any means, but it is full of serene lakes, amazing hikes, iconic photo stops, and wildlife galore, that make this a can’t miss site anytime of the year.
While planning our two-week national park road trip I was excited to show my family the Tetons. Although I have to admit I was a little worried that thrills of Glacier and Yellowstone in the weeks prior would mean a disappointment for the boys, but I was wrong. They found the Tetons to be just as breathtaking as the adults. Not to mention always being on a constant lookout for bears and moose as we wound our way along park roads.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton is a national park that begs to be explored beyond what the average visitor sees. There are scenic drives, hikes, lakes, rivers and a multitude of wildlife.
By the time we made our way to Grand Teton it was early-July and the larger crowds were beginning to descend into the national parks for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Having kept a quick pace through Montana we decided to slow down and not do too much in the Grand Teton/Jackson Hole area because our long trek home was looming on the horizon.
After arriving the first day from Yellowstone, we got to the campground, dropped off the RVs and headed to Colter Bay to wander around and explore the landscape. Plus, we needed a few little grocery items which were easily found at the Colter Bay market.
The following day we turned on our beloved GyPSy app and headed into the park. We followed Teton Park Road continuing on south. Anytime the app told us to stop for a photo op we did and we were never disappointed. This route brings you right to Jenny Lake which is absolutely magnificent. I would highly recommend this being a perfect lunch picnic stop. We continued on and explored a little bit of Moose just as the park was getting very busy it was time for us to move on.
Tip: I highly suggest purchasing our favorite road trip tour app, the phenomenal GyPSy Guide. We have used GyPSy on two Hawaiian Islands, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. It is without a doubt an amazing tool to go more in depth while visiting incredible areas. The guide brings in knowledge that you could never get on your own and allows you to look around while listening unlike a traditional tour book. What I like about Grand Teton is the deeper historical detail you get along the trip. Every purchase has been phenomenal and I was so glad we got it for this trip.
Must visit places in Jackson, WY
After exploring the southern area of the national park we continued on to Jackson. We knew Jackson was a place we wanted to spend some time in so we decided it would be a perfect afternoon of sightseeing in this quintessential western town. We started with lunch and walked down Broadway and around the old town square. We found Jackson to be warm and welcoming, nearly everyone was delightful to talk with.
Lunch at Pinky G’s Pizzeria
Iconic picture under the antler arches at Jackson Town Square
Souvenir shopping at Lee’s Tees and Teton Toys
Ice cream at Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream
Best Camping Spots Near Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton and Jackson Hole are possibly best known in the RV world as the greatest spots for boondocking. An abundance of picturesque sites dot the landscape and allow you any backdrop you could possibly dream of. Beyond that, there are several good options for private and national park campgrounds. As I mentioned before I really wanted to stay at Colter Bay campground. I have stayed here before and knew it was a great centrally located spot, however, because we booked “late” all the sites had been reserved. So we settled on Headwaters Campground at Flagg Ranch.
Headwaters worked out to be just fine for our short stay near the national park, however, I would recommend it more for those who are trying to visit Grand Teton AND Yellowstone from one location as it is only a 20 minute drive south of the south gate of Yellowstone. If you want to be more into Grand Teton, I don’t really recommend it.
As far as the actual campground, unfortunately I don’t have any pictures because it rained anytime we were at camp and I never thought to do anything outside. On that note, there are a lot of comments on camping review sites about the campground being very dusty because nothing is paved. On the reverse side, because it was raining during our entire stay it was very muddy. So even when the rain did slow, it wasn’t conducive to walking around or taking the dogs for a walk. Overall though, the campground was good, the sites were well-spaced, quiet, and among tall pine trees. But the distance might prevent us from staying there again and the mud didn’t help.
Grand Teton was the final stop in our epic two-week RV trip through three US national parks. We visited Glacier National Park, Bozeman, and Yellowstone National Park. It was absolutely incredible and a vacation we soon won’t forget.