Two Days in Grand Teton National Park

Let me start off my saying that two days is not enough time at the Grand Teton National Park! However, we have so many places we want to road trip to that we headed to our next location after just a couple of days. We still got in a ton of cool stuff and will for sure visit again!

Camping around Grand Teton National Park

Finding free camping near Grand Teton National park was definitely the hardest part for us. We got there on a Tuesday evening and majority of spots were filled already! We totally lucked out and happened to find a great spot but seriously it was pure luck. Do not do what we did lol. My suggestion is to get there between 7am -9am. We noticed that was when majority of campers left so that would be the best time to find a new spot.

There is of course also paid camping but we are on a budget people!! We ended up moving closer to Yellowstone and paying for camping but I’ll get more into that when I write a post about our Yellowstone part of the trek. It definitely is useful when trying to be close to a certain location but if you are okay with a bit of a drive I suggest free camping.

Also, a nice lady at the forrest ranger station told us that in Moran there are spots where you can essentially just pull off the side of the road and camp there! That was going to be our next stop if we hadn’t found that site that we did. If everything is full I highly suggest just heading into Moran and then driving into the Teton Park each morning.

What to see

In only 2 days at Grand Teton National Park we did not get to see everything we wanted but we did see a lot! There are some super awesome lookout points both inside and outside the park. Basically they are the same views but inside the park is closer to the mountains.

The main 3 we enjoyed were Snake River Overlook, Teton Point Turnout, and Glacier View Turnout. If you are planning on going into the park anyways do the lookouts in the park! It is so much better. If you aren’t paying to go inside the park or do not have the annual pass then the ones outside of the park are still amazing.

Another amazing way to see the park is taking the Scenic Drive loop! This is a great way to see the best views of the Tetons from the comfort of your car. We drove the loop and stopped at most of the view points and it was so worth it! At many of the stops you could follow a short trail to a beautiful waterfall or lake right off the road! This was a great way to see the area and would be perfect to do with kids.

We had a few hikes we wanted to do but we ended up only having time for one! That being said, the hike we did was AMAZING! I can’t wait to go back and get a few more hikes under out belts in the Tetons. The hike that we did took us to two amazing locations, Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point!

To be honest, this is either categorized as a very easy hike or a difficult walking trail. There are a few spots with rocks and inclines but most of it is just a nice walking trail in the forrest. At one point the trail splits and you can choose to take the upper path or lower path. We took the upper path on the way there and the lower path on the way back. Bot offer beautiful views and no matter which way you decide to go I suggest doing them both!

Hidden Falls was by far one of the prettiest waterfalls I have ever seen. The water so so clear and it just cascades beautifully down the mountain. This view alone made the trek worth while! Then about a quarter of a mile up is Inspiration point which offers an amazing view of Jenny Lake! Now the only thing I have to say is that the last leg up to Inspiration point is a little steep and rocky and possibly not the best for kids!

Round trip this trek took a little over 2 hours including stops. We tried to do the hike in the morning but the parking lot was PACKED! I highly suggest waiting and doing this hike in the evening. We started around 6 when it was cooling down and were done before dark. It was much less crowded and we weren’t burning up in the sun.

There is a platform just below inspiration point where horseback riders and coral their horses. Honestly if you have little ones that can’t make the steep rocky climb or if you yourself aren’t comfortable with it then just stop at this spot! It is essential the same view from just a couple hundred feet down. It is still beautiful and offers awesome picture opportunities.

Essentials

One thing we were unsure of when we started this road trip was what services would be available. Luckily majority of parks have gas and grocery open! Many visitor centers and forrest ranger offices are by appointment only or you must call to get information. This is due to the current COVID regulations and should return to normal hours by 2021!

In Teton there is an awesome little shop area called Dornan’s! There are restaurants, grocery stores, gas pumps, and a bank! If you have forgotten anything or need some fuel, this is your stop. If you do stop make sure you have your mask! Most of the outdoor areas do not require masks but all of the shops do require them to enter.

A few things you will FOR SURE need to camp in the Tetons are: TONS of bug spray, rain jackets, a grill, and a shovel. Some of these are obvious but like we all forget things and these just cannot be forgotten.

The bugs there are numerous so gallons of bug spray is required. We got rained on multiple times while here but always in short bursts but huge rain drops! A rain jacket and a rain fly for your tent are for sure a must! We have heard that sometimes fires are restricted so you must have a girl to cook on just in case. Also, it is a requirement to bury human waste so do not forget your shovel! The free campsites do not have any amenities so it is all up to you.

Final Thoughts

We absolutely loved our time in the Grand Teton National Park! We will 100% go back to visit again and check out all the things we did not get to see this time around! The views are beautiful, the history is amazing, and it is centrally located between Jackson & Yellowstone!

If you are into hiking, scenery, and mountains you must visit the Tetons! Camping here does fill up but the overflow lots off the side of the road are still good enough for us! Just remember to get there early if you want an actual camp site.