Yellowstone & Grand Teton Travel Guide

The Yellowstone & Grand Teton Travel Guide is a resource for those planning to tour Yellowstone National Park and/or Grand Teton National Park. The adjacent national parks are typically visited at the same time and offer very different experiences. Yellowstone offers the world's largest concentration of thermal features such as geysers and hot pools. Grand Teton features one of the world's most spectacular mountain ranges. Both parks offer outstanding opportunities to view wildlife.

Using the Interactive Map

Place your mouse pointer on any KEY item (purple or black boxes) on the map. A brief description will appear. Click on the box for a link to detailed information. For easiest use, scroll map to top. Detailed Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park Map in separate window.

Grand Teton National Park Trails and Hiking:
The park offers a network of trails which penetrate the Teton Range and also work around the pretty lakes at the base of the mountains. The most scenic and popular areas are around and above Jenny Lake. The combination of lake and mountain vistas with beautiful forests is hard to beat. The most outstanding experience at Grand Teton is the hike up Cascade Canyon via the Jenny Lake boat shuttle (described below).

  Day Hikes. The best way to enjoy the park is to get out of the car and enjoy the areas away from the road. The trails around Jenny Lake, String Lake, and Leigh Lake are fairly wide and level, easy to access, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. Loop hikes of Jenny and String lakes are easy and pleasant. Download the Lakeshore Hiking Brochure. The more physically fit should definitely visit Cascade Canyon, at least as far as Inspiration Point. (See sample day hikes below.)

  Backpacking. Backcountry camping is a very popular activity at Grand Teton. Designated camping areas have been established on a number of the most popular trails, with limits on the number of campers. Permits are required to camp in the backcountry. There is a reservation system available. (Reservations may be made up to May 15 for a given summer.) The most popular (and busiest) backpack trip is the Cascade Canyon - Paintbrush Canyon loop. For assistance on backpacking, visit or call the Jenny Lake Ranger Station (307-739-3343).

  Climbing and Mountaineering. The jagged high peaks of the Teton Range, such as Grand Teton peak, are accessible only by technical climbing. Permits are not needed to climb (but still needed to camp in the backcountry). Commercial guides are recommended for less experienced mountaineers. For assistance on climbing or mountaineering, visit or call the Jenny Lake Ranger Station (307-739-3343).

  Bicycling and Mountain Biking are not permitted on any park trails but allowed on park roads. This brochure describes several back roads where you can bike away from the traffic of the main roads.

  Horseback Riding is permitted on most park trails and generally not permitted off-trail. There are five designated stock campsites in the backcountry. This brochure provides specific rules on trails and camping. See the List of Horseback Riding Concessionaires.

 Aerial Tramway. The aerial tram from Teton Village ski area has long provided easy summer access to the Grand Teton high country. It is being reconstructed and will not re-open until December, 2008.

Below is a sampling of trails we have day-hiked in recent years:

 Polecat Creek. An easy, level hike in a marshy area where there are hot springs. North of the Flagg Ranch Resort on far side of Grassy Lake Road. A good hike to do after dinner with possibilities of seeing waterfowl and wildlife. We observed buffalo along Polecat Creek. There is a hot spring which is suitable and apparently popular for recreational use. Inquire locally with Flagg employees.

 Paintbrush Canyon. A challenging hike with a nice payoff. We hiked from Jenny Lake beyond Lower Paintbrush Canyon to the group campsite, then returned going around north end of String Lake, about ten miles in total. Going up-canyon entailed steady uphill climbing but extremely strenuous. The lower canyon was generally in woods, following a pretty, cascading stream. The trail broke out of the trees perhaps a mile before the campsite with beautiful views of the mountains above the canyon. The campsite was on an elevated bench which afforded tremendous views of Jackson Hole down-canyon.

 Cascade Canyon. The finest hike in the park. It's best to take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake to the Cascade Canyon trailhead. This saves four miles of hiking. The shuttle runs frequently and requires a per person fee. The views from the boat while crossing the lake are spectacular. From the boat dock, the trail starts steeply uphill, along a pretty cascading stream. Hidden Falls is about 1/2 mile up the trail (150 feet elevation gain). The 250 foot tall waterfall is one of the park's finest sights. Another 1/2 mile up the trail (more strenuous, another 250 feet of elevation gain) is Inspiration Point, possibly the best vista point in the park, with views of Jackson Hole and the mountains beyond. After Inspiration Point, the trail becomes relatively level for several miles. The canyon narrows with steep mountains rising thousands of feet on either side. To reach the Forks of Cascade Canyon would require a nine mile round trip from the dock wih a total elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. See our article, Cascade Canyon - Beyond Magnificent.

Grand Teton National Park Guide Index

• Introduction & Index to Grand Teton National Park
• Visitor & Information Centers
• Description of Campgrounds
• Park Lodging & Travel Services
• Park Trails
• Points of Interest (w/Scenic Drives)
• Popular Vista Points
• Where to View Wildlife
  
  
• Introduction to Yellowstone National Park
• Yellowstone & Grand Teton Guide Home Page
• Northern Rockies Travel Guide