STEP FOUR: Book Your Lodging
>> Where should I stay? <<
Alright, you’re more than halfway there. Step Four is a fun one!
Let’s make your lodging reservations. I’m going to help you decide where you want to stay while visiting Grand Teton. After this task is complete, it’s official….you’re making your dream trip a reality!
So go ahead and get out the list you made in Step Three….the one that has the points of interest you want to visit divided up by region. Which region has the most activities? You’ll want to book your lodging near that area of the park.
If you can snag a reservation within the park {I recommend not going further north than Colter Bay if you want to cut down on driving}, you’ll be close to most activities. If you are unable to stay in the park, the town of Jackson is a great option as well.
Click here to see the lodging options within the park. In-park lodging becomes available 11 months in advance, on the first day of the month, so if there’s no availability, you’ll need to consider options outside of the park near the entrances. Here’s what you can expect at each entrance:
Moose Entrance (Jackson)
The Moose Entrance is a busy entrance, and due to it’s proximity to Jackson, it’s likely the one you’ll use to access the park. From here, you’re just a few minutes from Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, and Signal Mountain.
You’ll love the nearby western town of Jackson! It has plenty of amenities, hotels, activities, and restaurants while still maintaining a small-town feel.
It can be quite expensive to stay in Jackson, so often people book lodging in the towns of Alpine or Victor/Driggs. Staying in these towns will dramatically add to your drive time to get into the park, and I typically don’t recommend it.
Granite Canyon Entrance (Teton Village)
If you can’t get a reservation in the park but are still hoping to be nearby, staying near the Granite Canyon Entrance may be a good option for you!
This entrance is located along the park’s Moose-Wilson Road, which curves through the forest and provides access to some fantastic trailheads, wildlife viewing areas, and the Laurence Rockefeller Preserve. A section of this road is dirt {usually just fine for sedans} but there is a vehicle length limit of 23 feet. This road is narrow and windy, but you aren’t high up in the mountains, so there are no scary drop-offs.
The road ends in Moose, where you will turn left to go through the Moose Entrance to get to Taggart Lake or Jenny Lake.
Teton Village sits right at the base of the famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and is full of luxury condos and hotels. If this is a little too high-end for your budget, try searching on AirBnB {get $40 off with this link} for condos in Wilson. That area is a little more affordable while still being close to the park entrance.
Moran Entrance (Dubois)
The Moran Entrance provides easy access to the northern section of the park and is close to the Jackson Lake Lodge, Signal Mountain, and Colter Bay. You’ll use this entrance if you drive the outer park road {Highway 191} and then want to cut in toward the points of interest listed above, as well as Yellowstone.
Moran doesn’t have any nearby towns with amenities, except for Dubois which is about an hour away. There are a few good independent lodging options closer to the park than Dubois, such as Triangle X Ranch, Heart Six Ranch, Hatchet Resort, and Togwotee Mountain Lodge.
Yellowstone South Entrance (Flagg Ranch)
Because Grand Teton and Yellowstone are only separated by the 8-mile John D. Rockefeller Parkway, people often ask me where to stay if they want to see both parks.
I always encourage people to book lodging separately in each park, rather than trying to stay in one place to see both parks. The reason? It’s just too much driving.
If you want to have the best experience while visiting both parks, you’re better off staying near one of the other three entrances listed above for the Tetons and staying in/near one of the entrances listed here for Yellowstone.
The map makes it look like the Flagg Ranch area would be perfect for seeing both parks. But what it doesn’t tell you is that, although you are close to both park entrances, you have to drive a while until you reach any significant points of interest. For example, it could easily take you 2 hours one-way to drive up to Canyon Village in Yellowstone from Flagg Ranch.
Trust me on this one. You’ll spend WAY too much time in your car if you try to stay in one place to see both parks! Book your lodging separately for each park.
In a large and popular park like Grand Teton, finding lodging can be a complex process. Determine what area of the park/entrance you’d like to stay in first, then start digging for the lodging that will best suit your needs. Rooms sure can get snatched up fast so let’s book your lodging!
If you’re interested in my recommendations for places to stay, I’ve included a helpful lodging guide with these Grand Teton itineraries.
Alright, it’s time to tie up our loose ends so that you’ll have an awesome Grand Teton vacation plan under your belt.
Click NEXT to see Step Five — let’s put it all together!
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