Frequently Asked Questions

We hope we can answer any questions you may have about Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole. Please contact us if we have not answered your question below.

Contact Numbers:

What are some useful telephone numbers in Grand Teton National Park?
GTNP: (307) 739-3300
Reservations: (888) 733-1093
Road Info: 1-888-WYO-ROAD or http://map.wyoroad.info/

Travel Tips:

Where is Grand Teton National Park?
Grand Teton National Park is located in western Wyoming, directly south of Yellowstone National Park and north of Jackson, Wyoming. It is easily accessed from Jackson, Wyoming. Although it runs along the Idaho/Wyoming border, it is only accessed by hiking trail from the Idaho side.

Where are the closest airports and distances?
Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), located within Grand Teton National Park, is the closest airport. Alternative airports in the region include Idaho Falls (IDA) at 2.5 hours west; Salt Lake City (SLC) at 5 hours south; Bozeman, Montana at 4 hours north. More information on Transportation to GTNP.

When is Grand Teton National Park open?
GTNP is open year-round although a handful of visitor centers, facilities and services close for the winter. The outer park road (highway 26/89/191) is open year-round. The Teton Park inner-loop road is closed to vehicle access from the beginning of November through the end of April. Information on Hours & Seasons.

How much does it cost to enter Grand Teton National Park?
Entrance fees cost $25 per vehicle, which is good for 7 days for access to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Bikers and hikers can enter for $12 per person. Motorcyclists can enter for $20. You can also purchase an Annual Pass for $80 which allows access to almost all national parks. More info on Rates and Permits.

Can I bring my pet into the park?
Pets must be on leash at all times and are only allowed in certain areas. GTNP Pet Rules.

What lodging and campgrounds are available in the park?
Take a look at our campgrounds and lodging pages. Grand Teton Camping. Grand Teton Lodging.

Where and what is Teton Village?
Teton Village is another community in Jackson Hole. It is the home of the Jackson Hole Ski Resort, which operates one of the largest lift-serviced mountains in North America - a 4,139' vertical rise. In addition to the ski slopes, there are specialty shops, restaurants, motels and condominiums. It is about twelve miles northwest of the town of Jackson.

How far is Yellowstone? How about Old Faithful?
The south entrance to YNP is about 60 north of Jackson, with Old Faithful another 40 miles past the entrance.

Facts & Tidbits:

What is the elevation in Jackson, Wyoming?
The base of the valley sits at 6300 feet while the Grand Teton stands tall at 13,770 feet.

Is it Jackson, or Jackson Hole?
Jackson Hole is the valley - about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide. It encompasses national forest, Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. The valley floor is between 6,200' and 6,800.' The top of Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village is 10,483' and the top of the Grand Teton is at 13,770'. Yellowstone borders Jackson Hole to the north and is elsewhere surrounded by more national forests. The towns of Moose, Kelly and Wilson are also in Jackson Hole.

Activities & Attractions:

What are the most popular winter and summer activities?

Summer Activities

Winter Activities

What wildlife will I see?

Grand Teton National Park has great wildlife viewing opportunities. Keep an eye out for moose, black and grizzly bears, pronghorn, elk, bald eagles, gray wolves, coyotes and bison. Always stay at a safe distance from large animals. More on Viewing Wildlife.

How long is the Snake River?

Called the Mad River by early settlers, the Snake winds 120 miles through the valley and is Wyoming's largest river. More on the Snake River.

Where are the elk? And how come they're (not) on the National Elk Refuge?

You can see them on the National Elk Refuge just north of the town of Jackson in winter months, typically November-March. In the spring, the elk return to the wilderness areas in the north as the snow melts. They can usually been seen in parts of Yellowstone during summer and early fall.

Questions that will make the locals laugh:

Grade-school teachers will tell you there are no stupid questions, but these often overheard inquiries always bring a smile to the face of locals. Wanna look like you did your homework for your ski instructor or river-rafting guide? Read on ...

How many elk did they kill to make the Town Square arches?
None. The famous Jackson Town Square is adorned by four magnificent elkhorn arches - one at each corner. Elk lose their antlers each spring naturally, which are collected and sold as a commodity. Hunters' trophy mounts perpetuate the myth that the animal must be harvested to collect their racks.

When do deer become elk (or elk become moose, etc.)?
Never. Pronghorn antelope do not grow up to become deer, nor do elk evolve into moose as they mature. Each are unique species native to the area.

Where do they keep the animals in Grand Teton/Yellowstone Park at night?
The same place they keep them during the day - everywhere. These National Parks are not zoos. Grizzly bears do not have feeding times (unless of course the bear decides it is and, in that case, you don't want to be around to watch). National Parks are federally owned land and keep the environment in its natural state, hopefully forever. Animals that call these parks home are as wild as they come. They do not take kindly to humans messing with them just like in the wilderness. A number of tourists find out the hard way that bison have horns for a reason. What starts as a photo shoot can quickly evolve into a run for your life. Use extreme caution when you encounter wildlife. One tragic story, which I have been unable to verify, told of a family who lost a child because they thought it would be cute to have the child ride piggyback on a black bear. The normally docile bear didn't take kindly to the idea.

When are they going to finish the Sleeping Indian?
About the same time they start the bust of Harrison Ford... Sheep Mountain, part of the Gros Ventre (pronounced Gro Vont) Range, is at the east side of the valley. It's silhouette resembles a Native American chief in full headdress lying on his back. It is a naturally occurring rock formation, not an attempt to create our own Mount Rushmore.

Where does Gerry Spence (or any other celebrity) live?
Why, heck, they sell maps to the homes of the stars on the Town Square. Wrong. You'll notice things move a little slower in Jackson. After all, amid all this beauty, culture and activity, you had better stop to smell the roses (or Indian Paintbrushes, for that matter) or you're wasting your time. Folks who call this small town "home" do so because it is so close knit. Generally, they're not into wearing ties or signing autographs. President Clinton's visit in July 1995 was extremely more high profile than what people are used to around here. Some even resented the President's entourage when they booked Nora's Fish Creek Inn (a popular locals' spot) in Wilson one Sunday morning, disrupting many Jacksonites' weekend.

View the local providers:

Something not quite right? .