Grand Teton One-Day Itinerary: Amazing Things to Do

Grand Teton is one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States. And while it would be great to spend at least a few days here, I know that’s not possible for every trip. With this Grand Teton one-day itinerary, you can see the best the park has in a short amount of time.

In this article, I’ll cover my recommended itinerary for one day in the park PLUS some important tips for visiting Grand Teton, where to stay, some packing recommendations, and more. If you have more time, check out my full Grand Teton National Park itinerary.

Plan the perfect trip to Grand Teton National Park with this free printable travel planner.

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Grand Teton National Park entrance fees

All those who enter Grand Teton National Park are required to pay an entrance fee, but entrance reservations are not required. You can find up-to-date information on entrance passes on the NPS website.

If you have trips planned to at least a few National Park Service sites that charge entrance fees, consider purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass.

The standard America the Beautiful Pass is $80 per year and gives entrance to Federal recreation sites for the passholder and everyone in your car with you or up to three guests when a per-person fee is charged.

You can buy an America the Beautiful Pass ahead of time online through REI or the USGS online store. Another option is to buy it in person. We got ours at the entrance station for Badlands National Park, but not all NPS sites have passes available for purchase. Check online or call ahead to the park to see if they sell passes and have them in stock.

Recommended itinerary for one day in Grand Teton National Park

Use this itinerary as the basis for planning your perfect day in Grand Teton National Park.

Travelers all have different interests and explore differently. One of the nice things about Grand Teton is that it is fairly compact, so you don’t necessarily need to do extensive planning in the same way you might for a larger park like Yellowstone or one that requires reservations like Glacier. Plan to get an early start and enjoy a wonderful day in Grand Teton National Park. 

TIP: Keep track of all the amazing sites you’re seeing in the park with this printable Grand Teton National Park bucket list.

On a quest to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks? Grab your own copy of the printable national parks tracker to check off your progress as you visit each park.

Visitor Center

There are three Visitor Centers in Grand Teton National Park.

• Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center near the Moose Entrance. This is the “main” park visitor center.
• Jenny Lake Visitor Center
• Colter Bay Visitor Center

I always recommend that you stop at the Visitor Center when exploring a National Park. You can pick up a paper map, which I always love having on hand. In addition, you can talk with ranger staff about any road closures, trail conditions, special programs, and more.

And of course, what’s a National Park trip without getting a cancellation stamp on your parks passport or shopping for souvenirs?

Chapel of the Transfiguration and Menors Ferry Historic District

Chapel of the Transfiguration is a log Episcopal chapel that was built in 1925 so that those who lived in the area wouldn’t have to go all the way into Jackson for church services.

Just turn right on Menors Ferry Road off Teton Park Road. It’s not far from the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center. The small church still holds services during the summer months. All are welcome to worship there.

Once you’ve visited the chapel, you can walk over to Menors Ferry Historic District. There you can visit historic buildings like an old country store and cabins. There’s also a replica of the early 20th-century ferry that used to cross the Snake River there.  

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake is one of the most popular spots in Grand Teton. And for good reason. It’s one of the most purely beautiful places in the entire park.

Plan to get there as early in the day as you can. Midday and weekends will be busy…sometimes even outside the peak summer season. At Jenny Lake, there are several things you can do. You can make it just a quick stop and move on to the next beautifully scenic site or you could even spend an entire day here.

Picnic lunch

While there are places to eat in the park, I recommend that you plan to bring your lunch (and snacks also, of course). Bringing your lunch will help you save a little money on your trip so that you can travel more later.

Also, if you pack your lunch you can stop to eat as soon as you’re ready. You won’t have to take precious time from your one day in Grand Teton to hunt down a place to eat in the park or drive all the way back to Jackson. And picnicking in Grand Teton means enjoying your meal with a view like this.

This picnic area with a view of Jackson Lake is near the Chapel of the Sacred Heart off Teton Park Road north of Jenny Lake.

Once you’re done with your picnic meal make sure you dispose of it in the provided trash cans. Take it with you if the trash cans are full or if there are no trash cans where you’re picnicking.

Scenic driving

Okay so really when you think about it, any driving you do in Grand Teton National Park is scenic driving. No matter where you turn, there are beautiful things to see.

One of the best things to do in Grand Teton is the 42-mile scenic loop. You could easily spend a very full day making all the stops on just this drive and not much else like hiking or boating. But if you’ve been following my itinerary so far, you haven’t yet reached some of the most iconic sites and photography spots in Grand Teton.

Oxbow Bend

This spot on the Snake River is popular with wildlife like moose, river otters, pelicans, and trumpeter swans. On a calm morning you might be able to get a photo with Mount Moran’s reflection mirrored in the Snake River.

Snake River Overlook

This is one of the most iconic scenic views at Grand Teton National Park and one of the best Grand Teton photography spots. It’s an absolute “must stop” in my book, made famous by photographer Ansel Adams.

Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing is another fabled photo spot in Grand Teton National Park. It’s also a good place to try your luck with wildlife viewing. You’ll find this area down a short road off 26/89/191 (the outer road of the scenic loop) and it’s well worth the stop.

And don’t limit your exploration to the area closest to the parking area. Wander a bit to find the best photo spots.

Mormon Row Historic District

You’ll find the Mormon Row Historic District down Antelope Flats Road off the outer Grand Teton Loop road. This is the location of the two famous Moulton barns. Each of the Moulton barns is a popular photo spot.

Do these stops in reverse order as early in the day as you can manage if you’re an avid photographer.

For all the details about the loop drive, see my article about scenic driving through Grand Teton National Park.

Dinner in Jackson

At the end of your day in Grand Teton National Park, head into Jackson to explore the town and grab a great dinner.

We loved our dinner at Snake River Brewing. They don’t take reservations, so if you can get there early-ish, go for it. We appreciated the casual atmosphere and that they have good vegetarian and gluten-friendly options.

Alternate one-day Grand Teton itinerary ideas

What to pack for a trip to Grand Teton

GuideAlong: With GuideAlong, it’s like having an expert tour guide right in your car with you, helping you make your turns, telling you interesting stories along the way and providing great information about what you’re seeing as you drive through Grand Teton National Park.

Comfortable hiking shoes: I love my Keen Terradora II waterproof hiking shoes. They go with me on every trip and trail. I can’t imagine traveling to a National Park without them. Check them out on Amazon here.

Backpack: I love hiking with my Osprey Daylite Plus. It holds everything you need for a short or day hike and is versatile enough for general travel and comes in some fun colors. There’s a separate internal pocket area that can hold a small laptop or hydration bladder. There are also two external water bottle holder pockets. Check the price on REI here.

Hiking pants: You don’t have to buy expensive gear, but I love my Kuhl Freeflex Roll-up pants. They are so so so comfortable to me. I love that they have a regular waste band but also an internal drawstring so you can adjust the fit. They also feature quick-drying, water-resistant, sun-protection fabric. Again, super comfortable.

Water bottle or hydration bladder: Whether driving or hiking, it’s so important to have enough water with you, especially at elevation. Plan to carry at least 1 liter of water per 2 hours of moderate hiking.

Where to stay when visiting Grand Teton National Park

There are a number of options to choose from when visiting Grand Teton National Park. You can certainly stay inside the park. There is also the nearby town of Jackson, Wyoming.

Staying inside Grand Teton National Park

Staying in Jackson, Wyoming

Jackson has plenty of hotels and inns to choose from with a wide variety of amenities and fitting a range of travel budgets.

Motels between Jackson and Grand Teton National Park

You can get a lot of hotel room for the money staying outside of Jackson in the area between the town and the park entrance. We chose to stay at Flat Creek Inn. Just across the street is the huge and beautiful National Elk Refuge. 

This allowed us the ability to make ourselves a full breakfast before exploring the park for the day. Plus we had a full-size refrigerator/freezer to keep our picnic supplies for lunches.

Another motel in this area that’s popular with guests is the Elk Refuge Inn.

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