How to Visit the Grand Tetons in One Day

Grand Teton National Park, located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, is a wonderful national park to visit. Featuring the Grand Tetons mountain range, this park also boasts abundant wildlife, excellent hiking, and the nearby bustling community of Jackson. Often combined with a Yellowstone National Park vacation, people find that they only have one day to visit the Grand Tetons. If you will only have one day to visit this amazing park, then read on to learn which spots you shouldn't miss while you're there.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Visit the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center

   VISITOR CENTER: Officially opened at the end of the summer of 2007, the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is a wonderful new facility you should visit in Grand Teton National Park. Located in the small village of Moose at the south end of the park, this large visitor center features excellent interactive exhibits, ranger programs, a gift shop, and a theater with a wonderful movie about the Grand Tetons. You can also get information from Park Ranger Naturalists who can help you choose hikes, find wildlife, or learn more about the park in general.

2. 
    
   The Grand Tetons - Jenny Lake Overlook

   OVERLOOKS: As you drive along the main park roads (there are 2 of them spanning approximately north to south), you will notice that there are a lot of overlooks scattered as official turnouts along the highway. Here you can park your car, read an informative kiosk about what you are seeing, and enjoy the truly awesome views you will behold. Every overlook offers a different view of the Grand Tetons.

3. 
    
   Take a short hike in Grand Teton National Park

   HIKING: One of the premiere features of Grand Teton National Park is the excellent hiking opportunities. Hikes range in level of difficulty from easy to strenuous and every visitor to the Grand Tetons can find a hike suitable for them. When you stop at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, pick up a copy of a hiking guide from a Park Ranger, or buy a hiking guidebook from the gift shop. A great short hike if you only have one day in the Grand Tetons is the Jenny Lake Hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. You first take a shuttle boat (fee-charged) across Jenny Lake to the trailhead for Hidden Falls. Hidden Falls is a half mile away and Inspiration Point is a half mile past that. If you go all the way to Inspiration Point and back (taking the shuttle boat), your total hiking trip will be 2 miles, with a 417 ft. elevation change. Two excellent hiking guides for the Grand Tetons are listed below in the Resources section.

Resources

• How to Take Pictures of the Grand Tetons

[Pamelateda]

on 1/29/2009 Looks heavenly!