36 Hours in Grand Teton National Park: Best Hiking, Camping, & More

By: Samantha Drumb | Posted on: November 1st, 2024

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If it’s not already, Grand Teton National Park needs to be on your bucket list! Whether you incorporate the Grand Tetons on your trip to Yellowstone like we did, or visit the park on its own, it will without a doubt be one of the most amazing places you’ve ever seen – the reflection of the jagged Teton peaks (the Grand Teton being the tallest at 13,775 feet, named from the earliest expedition French-Canadian trappers who originally named the three mountains in the range “Trois Tetons” or “Three Breasts”) in its many lakes is like straight out of a National Geographic magazine! Here I’ll show you how to best spend 36 hours in Grand Teton National Park.

As mentioned in my previous blog post 12 Things to do on a Southern Idaho Road Trip, my fiance and I last minute sent it on an impromptu camping road trip after our camping music festival was canceled due to the wildfires in southern California. And lucky for us due to the change in plans, we were able to add on the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone to our southern Idaho trip! And boy, am I glad it did because Grand Tetons was the HIGHLIGHT of our trip! 

You could easily spend a week or more in Grand Tetons National Park getting out on the water on its numerous lakes, hiking any of the beautiful trails, or even just camping and walking by Jackson Lake to see the Grand Tetons’ perfect reflection. But great news! If you’re on a time crunch, or you’re trying to see as many places as possible like us squeezing in Idaho, Grand Tetons, AND Yellowstone into a five-day trip, here I’ll show you the best two-day itinerary including the perfect campground, best hike, beautiful views, and everything in between, as well as some extra attractions if you’ll be spending longer than two days here!

36-Hour Itinerary in Grand Teton National Park

Even though you could endlessly explore Grand Teton National Park with its many scenic spots, shining lakes, beautiful hikes, we were able to see some pretty amazing highlights in just two days as we made our way to Yellowstone. You actually have to drive through Grand Teton National Park to get to Yellowstone from the south, so this is a must-see! There’s tons of hiking, lakes, camping, not to mention Jackson Hole, and scenic stops that make it a great destination to visit on its own or during your trip to Yellowstone.

 Oxbow Bend

If you’re coming from Idaho like we did and will pass Oxbow Bend on your way to Grand Teton National Park, definitely stop on the pull out (located on highway 89/191) to catch your first glimpse of the Teton Mountain Range iconic reflection in the water! This is a beautiful place to not only take pictures, but catch the sunset – we made it just in time for sunset! I swear the sky is bigger in Wyoming – one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve seen, it looked like the sky was on fire. 

Colter Bay Campground

Whether you’re coming from Mesa Falls in Idaho, or visiting Grand Teton National Park on its own, Colter Bay Campground is THE place to camp! We were lucky and actually able to get a tent campsite days prior (unheard of in California!), but ensure to plan early as this is a popular campground and tends to fill up quickly. It was the perfect location for the best hikes, Yellowstone, and since it’s part of Colter Bay Village, it has tons of amenities, sits right on the shores of the beautiful Jackson Lake, and even has a restaurant to have a nice meal after a long day of hiking and exploring. The campground holds 338 individual campsites, 12 large group sites, 10 hiker-bicycler sites, and 13 electric-only ADA-accessible sites and is open from mid-May to late-September. Ensure you book based on the type of spot you need and if you will need an electric spot or not – daily rates include Group Standard Nonelectric ($16/person, 12 person minimum), Hiker/Biker ($13), Standard Electric ($80), Standard Nonelectric ($59). Certain loops only accommodate a tent, and certain loops do not permit generators – this will be depicted on the booking site (6-month rolling basis) when you go to book a space! Colter Bay Campground offers camping for tents and dry camping for RVs – if you need the full hookup for your RV, check out the Colter Bay RV Park. Additionally, since this campground is inside Grand Teton National Park, you will need to pay an entrance fee of $20 unless you already have an annual pass or the America the Beautiful pass. Once you get settled in while warming up the fire pit to enjoy a relaxing campfire and cook a nice camp dinner, be sure to store all food and anything with an odor in the complimentary bear box as Grand Teton National Park does home both black and grizzly bears!

Colter Bay Village

Love camping but also love amenities? Then Colter Bay Campground located in Colter Bay Village is the place for you! Not only is it super convenient, the village is also right on the shores of Jackson Lake, making it an absolutely stunning and scenic place to stay, with easy access to many surrounding trails around Jackson Lake. Amenities include laundry (for an extra fee), showers (additional fee, as there are no showers in the actual campground), restaurants, grocery store, marina, gift shop, visitor center/David T. Vernon Indian artifacts collection (where you can buy bear spray!), and horse corrals. Since it’s so conveniently located near Jackson Lake, it’s the perfect spot to go kayaking, canoeing, swimming, lake cruises, fishing, and boating, as well as horseback riding, hiking and trails along the ridge of the lake. You can also access Wifi at the Visitor Center, restaurants, and stores if your carrier is spotty at the campground, as well as fishing licenses, ice, firewood, and other necessities.

Jackson Lake Dam

Another great place to pull over and really capture the whole Teton Mountain Range and its reflection in the water, we stopped at the Jackson Lake Dam Overlook on our way from Colter Bay to hike to Delta Lake. There’s a small parking lot on the side of the road, and has large stadium-style steps leading down to the lake. Out of all the stops we made, this was where we could see the mountains and reflection the best! 

Hike to Delta Lake

Delta Lake is one of the most stunning and beautiful sights I’ve ever seen, and hands down one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever done (and we’ve done a lot!). We only had time to do one hike since we had limited time, so we wanted to ensure we chose wisely – and BOY did Delta Lake DELIVER! We took the Lupine Meadows Access to Delta Lake (named Delta Lake via Lupine Meadows Access on AllTrails). This hike is not for the faint of heart – please only attempt if you are an experienced hiker as the last mile of the hike (in and out) is not a maintained trail, and is all bouldering. There’s tons of alternate hikes that I’ll go over in a later section if you’d prefer something a little bit easier with stunning views! 

This hike’s route is out and back, difficulty level is hard, approximately 7.4 miles total, and has an elevation gain of 2,296 ft. Definitely give yourself more time than you think you need on this trail because trust me, you’ll want to spend some time at the beautiful lake at the top! It took us about six and a half hours total including our time spent at Delta Lake. There’s a parking lot and additional overflow parking at Lupine Meadows Trailhead where you’ll start out on Valley Trail. Ensure to watch for signs as there’s several hikes that branch off in this area. Once you get to a sign for Garnet Canyon Trail, you’ll take that until you go through some switchbacks – ensure to pay attention here, because when the last switchback ends about a mile before Delta Lake, there’s a trail that’s easy to miss since it’s the start of the unmaintained part of this trek. This is the Delta Lake Trail (there will be a warning sign when you first get on the trail) and you’ll take this the rest of the way up to the lake. Up until this point, the hike was not too difficult with a steady incline – however, once you’re on Delta Lake Trail, the hike becomes very challenging. This is because it’s not maintained and you basically have to hike over boulders until you get to the lake. Ensure to look for the stacks of rocks (cairns) along your way as these trail markers were extremely helpful in navigating this part of the trail, and I highly recommend using AllTrails to assist in navigating this area. Make sure to bring a CamelBak of water, snacks (or even a lunch to have by the lake), a camera, layers as it’s a bit chilly at the top, sunscreen, and BEAR SPRAY – we saw four bears once we were on the unmaintained part of the trail and while I’m so thankful we did not have to use it, it definitely is better to have and not need than vice versa. 

Once you finally get over all of the boulders and you’ve been asking yourself, panting “why did I do this to myself” – as soon as you catch the first glimpse of Delta Lake, your question will be answered. The view is STUNNING and literally straight out of a magazine or movie. The lake is crystal clear, turquoise in color, and sits at the base of the Grand Teton peak. On a clear day, you can see the peak’s reflection perfectly in the water. Across the lake, there’s a small beach if you want to try to scale the rocks surrounding the lake to get there and enjoy a nice lunch (or victory beer!), however, if you don’t want to chance getting splashed by the glacier water, there’s tons of large rocks surrounding the lake that are the perfect place to sit and enjoy the beauty for a bit and enjoy lunch or take some pictures. 

Speaking of pictures, be careful with your phone/camera up here! Tripods and selfie sticks are great for this, just ensure not to drop your phone in the water like my fiance (David) did! 😂 Luckily his phone was okay, but he was a bit cold after jumping into the water to grab it! And fun fact – this was actually where he was thinking about proposing first! Don’t worry, we had the perfect proposal a week later at the beautiful botanical gardens in San Diego 😍 But if you’re looking for a beautiful place to propose, Delta Lake is a great choice! Just be very careful with the ring 😊 

Lastly, if the bouldering is not for you, the great thing about this hike is there’s tons of other lakes nearby on easier, more maintained trails! Before you get to the boulder part of this trail, you can actually see both Bradley Lake and Taggart Lake, both of which have different trails on AllTrails you can choose instead! Or instead of continuing to Delta Lake, you can stay on Garnet Canyon Trail to either Surprise Lake or Amphitheatre Lake. You really can’t go wrong with your choice of hike in this area! 

Lakeshore Trail (Colter Bay Village)

Another great thing about Colter Bay – there’s tons of trails accessible from Colter Bay Village to explore Jackson Lake while you camp! Jackson Lake is a must-see because it’s the largest lake in the park, with those amazing scenic views of the Teton Mountain Range and its reflection in the lake. When we got back from our Delta Lake hike, we had a bit of sunset left so we chose to explore a bit on the Lakeshore Trail. This is a great choice if your legs need a break as it’s pretty flat (only 88 ft elevation), shorter at 2.6 miles, and is the perfect little loop around a sort of peninsula that juts off the shore of Colter Bay.  We didn’t have quite enough sunlight to do the whole thing, so we just went as far as we could to see the lake and then turned back – it’s actually almost two loops connected in the middle by a thin strip of land, so you can do either one or both loops depending on how much time you have! There’s also a few other trails in this area, including Swan Lake Trail and Hermitage Point Trail if you’re looking for something a bit longer!

Dinner at Ranch House (Colter Bay Village)

After a long day of hiking you probably aren’t feeling like cooking on the camp stove – well great news, there’s restaurants conveniently located in Colter Bay Village! We ate at Ranch House and it was awesome – so nice to relax inside after being outside all day, especially since it got pretty cold at night. With a Western and cozy feel, Ranch House offers delicious comfort food as well as local brews. We enjoyed burgers after burning so many calories hiking and local ciders. The restaurant is open seasonally and closes at 9pm.

Head to Yellowstone

The great thing about Grand Teton National Park if you can swing it as part of your trip to Yellowstone? You actually have to drive through Grand Teton National Park if coming from the south entrance to get to Yellowstone! So it only makes sense to incorporate Grand Tetons into your trip (and trust me, it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth!) I’ll cover all of the wonderous gems of Yellowstone in my next blog post, but I wanted to give a few tips when heading here from the Grand Tetons. Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park do charge separate entrance fees, so it’s great if you have the America the Beautiful Pass, otherwise, the fee is usually $20-$35. The best part? Old Faithful geyser and many other highlights of Yellowstone in that area are only about an hour and a half from Colter Bay Campground! So you could even go to Yellowstone while staying at Colter Bay, or hit the highlights on your way out of the park like we did enroute to San Diego (with an overnight sleep stop in Salt Lake City). 

More Things To Do In Grand Teton National Park

The great thing about Grand Teton National Park if you can swing it as part of your trip to Yellowstone? You actually have to drive through Grand Teton National Park if coming from the south entrance to get to Yellowstone! So it only makes sense to incorporate Grand Tetons into your trip (and trust me, it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth!) I’ll cover all of the wonderous gems of Yellowstone in my next blog post, but I wanted to give a few tips when heading here from the Grand Tetons. Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park do charge separate entrance fees, so it’s great if you have the America the Beautiful Pass, otherwise, the fee is usually $20-$35. The best part? Old Faithful geyser and many other highlights of Yellowstone in that area are only about an hour and a half from Colter Bay Campground! So you could even go to Yellowstone while staying at Colter Bay, or hit the highlights on your way out of the park like we did enroute to San Diego (with an overnight sleep stop in Salt Lake City). 

Jenny Lake

While we did get a glimpse of Grand Teton National Park’s second largest lake, Jenny Lake, on our hike up to Delta, we did not have enough time to see it up close. So if you have more than 36 hours, highly recommend it as it’s known for its stunning views of the Teton Mountain Range, Inspiration Point, and Hidden Falls. There’s a bunch of trails in this area as well – we had Jenny Lake Trail and Hidden Falls via Jenny Lake Trail saved in our AllTrails app as possible hike options before deciding on Delta Lake! Jenny Lake Trail is considered moderate, 7.1 miles, 449 ft elevation gain, and is a loop around the lake. If you’re looking for something a bit shorter, Hidden Falls via Jenny Lake Trail is the perfect choice – while you don’t go around the entire lake, you’ll still see a good portion of the lake AND get to see the beautiful Hidden Falls! This trail is also a loop, 606 ft elevation gain, and 4.9 miles total.

Jackson Hole

Another stop I wish we had time for (so definitely stop if you have more time!) is Jackson Hole, the 42-mile long valley between the Teton and Gros Ventre mountains. Known for its abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery, (and famous elk antler archway) it’s also home to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, a must-see for skiers and snowboarders! There’s also tons of hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, whitewater rafting, hot springs, etc. so it’s perfect for your next outdoor adventure!

T.A Moulton Barn and Mormon Row

T.A. Moulton Barn is another beautiful place to take photos and to really take in the Teton Range behind the barn, especially during sunrise. An iconic landmark in Jackson hole, the barn was named after and built by Thomas Alva Moulton and his brother from Mormon Row in 1908. The barn is located in Mormon Row off Highway 89 in Moose, Wyoming. 

Mormon Row was named after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints followers that settled on the land in the 1800s, where six homesteads (including TA Moulton Barn) stand today that were built by the followers.  

While you can visit these landmarks year-round, during winter Antelope Flats Road (where the barn is located off of Highway 89) is only plowed for a short distance so snowshoes or cross-country skies will be required if you’re visiting during winter. The best time to visit would be summer!

Scenic Loop Drive

Another great way to see the beautiful landscape and wildlife in Grand Teton National Park is by taking the 43-mile Scenic Loop Drive. This will take you by Jackson Lake Lodge where  you can enjoy a huckleberry milkshake while gazing upon the Teton range through complete wall windows. The lodge also offers raft trips, bus tours, and horseback riding. Along this loop you’ll also be able to visit Jenny Lake and Jackson where you can walk under the famous elk antler archway, tour the National Museum of Wildlife Art, get rowdy at the Jackson Hole Rodeo, shop, and dine. This loop will also take you to Yellowstone so it’s a perfect way to see both parks. 

Visiting Grand Teton National Park: FAQs

What should I pack?

• Camping gear – tent, air mattress, tarp, lanterns, camp stove/jet boil, mallet, chairs, blankets
• Layers – We went in September and it was warm during the day but gets pretty cold at night! 
• Bear spray, bug spray (you can buy at the visitor center gift shop)
• CamelBak / lots of water 
• Sunscreen
• Hat 
• Hiking poles 
• Snacks 
• Cooler 
• Ponchos
• Trash bags 
• Bathing suit 
• Towel 
• Stay tuned for my complete ultimate packing list!

Where’s the best photos you’ve taken at Grand Teton National Park?

Delta Lake, Oxbow Bend Overlook, and Jackson Lake Dam Overlook! These were our personal favorites, but there’s so much beauty in the park, you can’t go wrong!

Grand Tetons or Yellowstone?

This is so tough! I highly recommend both if you can fit them both into the same trip – as we spent about two days total over Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, you definitely can if you have a car and still see many of the park’s highlights. Hiking Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park was the HIGHLIGHT of our trip for me – it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. However, Yellowstone’s geysers and pools make it one of the most unique places I’ve ever seen and can be more accessible if you’re not able to do strenuous hikes or if hiking just isn’t your thing! So it really depends on what type of trip you’re looking for 😊 And stay tuned – I’ll be covering our short but amazing Yellowstone adventure in my next blog post! 

Bears (and what to do if encountered) & Other Wildlife 

Grand Teton National Park is home to many different species of wildlife including elk, bison (we saw two in Yellowstone!), moose, and many more including both black and grizzly bears. It’s very likely that you’ll see some of these animals either while hiking, camping, driving, etc. Ensure to drive carefully and keep your eyes peeled for any deer that may run onto the road and especially for bears. We actually saw four bears on our hike to Delta Lake, and the first two, a mama and her cub, were a little too close for comfort! 

We had not even thought about bear spray until we went to the visitor center to ask them about the hike we chose, and they recommended bringing bear spray if we had it. Luckily they sold it in the visitor center gift shop so we could have it for peace of mind. Better to have and not need than the other way around! It costs about $50-$60, however, you can rent it in some locations to save money and return it if not used! The ranger at the visitor center will also go over what you should do in the event of a bear encounter and show you how to use the bear spray – highly recommend stopping by the visitor center to receive this brief, yet vital training! I honestly would have not known what to do if we hadn’t. One of the steps is to make noise if a bear is coming towards you (which seems counter-intuitive) but when the mama and her cub were heading towards us, we started banging our hiking poles against the rocks we were on which deterred them from our path! 

Remember the following tips if you encounter a bear and remember to always lock all food and things with odors in the bear box at camp, or inside of your car (not bed of a truck) if parked while hiking so to not attract bears.

Quick Tips for Bear Encounters:

• Do not run or climb trees; back away slowly and keep eyes on bear
• Make noise to deter bear if bear notices you
• Only use bear spray if it becomes aggressive/attacks 

For a full list/more information, please see the Grand Teton National Park Service page on bear encounters.

Offline Maps

Although cell service wasn’t quite as spotty as Idaho, I recommend downloading offline maps if you normally depend on your cell phone maps. Unless you have a GPS system that does not rely on cell service, such as a Garmin, this will be helpful in the event you lose cell service. 

Apple

• Tap profile picture or initials next to search field
• Tap Offline Maps
• Tap Download New Map
• Enter location
• Adjust map area size
• Tap Download

Google

• Tap profile picture or initials
• Tap Offline Maps
• Tap Select your own map
• Adjust map area size
• Tap Download

Weather

We visited Grand Teton National Park in September and the weather was beautiful for the most part, but did sprinkle off and on as well! Definitely bring layers – while it was warm and sunny during the day hitting temperatures in the 70s, it got down to low 30s at night – luckily we ended up buying an extra blanket from Target while in Idaho! It also sprinkle a few times, so ensure to bring a poncho. But otherwise, the best time to visit depends on the activities you would like to do! For us (and for Grand Teton National Park), September (late summer/early fall) was perfect for hiking, camping, and exploring Jackson Lake. If you’d rather ski or snowboard, definitely visit Jackson Hole during ski season. While May through September is the most popular time to visit, the general consensus is that spring and fall are the best for wildlife sightings, cheaper lodging, and for seasonal things being open (such as the road to TA Moulton Barn). Many attractions and hikes may be closed during the winter months due to snow fall, and October is beautiful for the sunshine, but this is about the time of year when seasonal things begin to close, and open back up in the spring. Grand Teton National Park has tons of hiking, lake activities, and other outdoor activities that make it the perfect destination in the warmer seasons. 

Where To Stay In Grand Teton National Park (if not camping in Colter Bay Village)

Jackson Lake Lodge or Jenny Lake Lodge! Both are lovely choices to enjoy your time at Grand Teton National Park and be in close proximity to it’s beautiful lakes and mountains.

Conclusion: Best Ways to Spend 36 Hours in Grand Teton National Park

The verdict? Grand Teton National Park is definitely worth visiting whether you have 36 hours or a week! You could easily spend a week exploring different parts of the park and different lakes within the park. Or if you have a limited amount of time on the way to Yellowstone or just on the road, you can explore your preferred highlights like we did! With its iconic beauty and serene environment, you’ll be so happy that you visited. This was exactly the trip I needed to disconnect and really be in the present doing something I love without all of the noise of reality and everyday life. And while I would love to go back and visit for a longer time, you can totally see some great highlights spending 36 hours in Grand Teton National Park!