The Best Grand Teton National Park One Day Itinerary (2024)
Want to know the best Grand Teton National Park one day itinerary? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know!
This Grand Teton National Park one day itinerary takes you to all the highlights.
It’s perfect for first time visitors, families, and those who want to see a lot of the park without having to hike too much.
We visited Grand Teton and the surrounding area as part of our two week Great American Road Trip to national parks in the Western US.
The previous day we explored Yellowstone National Park and the following day we explored Craters of the Moon.
You can see our full day at Grand Teton in this video on our YouTube Channel!
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Grand Teton National Park One Day Itinerary
I recommend arriving at the entrance of Grand Teton National Park at around 8:30 am or earlier.
When we did this itinerary, we actually started our day in Yellowstone watching the sunrise and trying to see if we could see any bears.
We unfortunately didn’t get to see any, so we made our way down to Grand Teton and arrived just at 8:30 am.
✅ Colter Bay
About 18 miles from the entrance, you’ll come across Colter Bay Village.
There’s a visitor center, restrooms, restaurants, and more.
I recommend picking up a park map which is very helpful here because the cell service is pretty spotty and non-existent in some areas.
There is a marina here with great views of Jackson Lake if you want to walk around for a little bit too.
✅ Breakfast At The Ranch House At Colter Bay Village
Breakfast is served at The Ranch House from 6:30 am – 10:30 am daily from May 25th – October 1st.
Dates are subject to change due to weather conditions, so just check their website before you go.
When we visited, they were only doing to-go orders, which isn’t the case anymore, but we were able to get a breakfast croissant sandwich and a breakfast burrito.
Their most popular option is the breakfast buffet!
✅ Jenny Lake Overlook
If you keep driving South after stopping at Colter Bay, after about 20 miles you’ll reach the Jenny Lake Overlook.
It’s one of the most popular spots in the entire park and it has a short scenic trail along the lake perimeter.
The view was really nice and we found the cutest chubby little squirrel.
It’s a good place to stop for about 15-20 minutes before continuing on to Jenny Lake.
✅ Jenny Lake
Another 2 miles down the road is the Jenny Lake Visitor Center.
We didn’t arrive until about 11 am, so the parking lot was pretty full, but the timing was actually great because the people that arrived early like 8 am were already leaving.
If the parking lot is full, cars will just park along the side of the road just like in Yellowstone.
We found a parking spot right up in front because so many people were leaving, so it’s worth trying the parking lot instead of just parking on the side of the road.
Before you head out, be sure to put on sunscreen and bug spray and remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of water.
There are restrooms here and a gift shop, so if you need anything before heading out to Jenny Lake, it’s all right here.
If you’re unsure how to navigate your way to the marina, just follow the crowd.
You’ll eventually see signs as you get closer.
It only takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the marina from the parking lot area.
✅ Jenny Lake Marina
At the marina, there are boats that run back and forth across Jenny Lake continuously, departing about every 15 minutes.
The line is in the shade, so if you have to wait for a couple of boats it’s not too bad of a wait.
Shuttle tickets are purchased at the marina and there is no reservation system since they just run continuously.
$20.00 – Adult Round-trip (12 yrs to 61 yrs)
$12.00 – Adult One-Way
$12.00 – Child Round-trip (2 yrs to 11 yrs)
$10.00 – Child One-Way
$17.00 – Senior Round-trip (62 yrs and over)
No Senior One-Way rate
FREE Under 2 years of age and over 80 yrs.
The benefit of taking the boat each way is that it saves you a 2 mile walk each way when going out to Inspiration Point.
If you’re wanting a longer hike, then you can definitely skip the boat and just start walking.
A fun fact we learned on the boat is that you can’t even see the Grand Teton peak from the most popular park view points.
Though it is taller, it is farther back.
So it is blocked by the peaks that are closer to the main areas of the park.
Once you start driving farther South in the park you can actually see it though.
✅ Hidden Falls Hike & Inspiration Point Hike
The boat ride across Jenny Lake only takes about 15 minutes.
Once you’re docked at the other side of the lake, the first part of the hike is to Hidden Falls.
It’s about a half mile each way, with about a 200 foot elevation increase to Hidden Falls.
But if you continue the trail to Inspiration Point, it is another half mile each way.
You’ll want to plan for about 30 minutes of hiking if you’re going to Hidden Falls and back and you’ll want to plan for an hour if you’re hiking all the way to Inspiration Point and back.
For us, there was a bit of a line to take the boat back, so we had to wait for a couple boats again.
This wait wasn’t as tolerable because the dock is in the sun and you’ll be tired from the hike.
This part is why it’s important to have plenty of water and to have sun protection.
✅ Mormon Row
After getting off the boat at the Jenny Lake Marina, it’ll take about 30-45 minutes to get to Mormon Row.
It’s only 11 miles away and is about a 20 minute drive, but it takes time to get back to your car and to stop at the restroom or gift shop on your way back.
At this point in the day, it’s probably only early afternoon for you, so there are a couple different options.
If you’re staying in the park at the lodge or any of the campgrounds, then I recommend heading over there and checking in, get settled in, and eat lunch at the nearest restaurant.
👉🏼 Click Here To Book Your Stay At Jenny Lake Lodge Today!
The Dining Room at Jenny Lake Lodge is phenomenal, especially for dinner with their 5 course prix fixe menu.
It’s only open from about June through October and they recommend reservations for lunch, but require reservations for dinner.
Some other activities you can do in Grand Teton National Park for the rest of the day are to check out one of the marinas and rent a boat or kayak and see the park by water for a couple more hours.
But, if you’re venturing a little outside of Grand Teton, here’s what we recommend doing after visiting Mormon Row Historic District.
Where To Stay: Snake River Cabins & RV Village
About 27 miles south of Mormon Row is Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The drive is about 45 minutes.
Here there is a phenomenal campground called Snake River Cabins & RV Village.
Until recently it was a KOA campground, but for tent campers it’s still the same as it was before.
Our campsite was right on the corner where a creek flows into the Snake River and we were able to hear the water all night.
It was so secluded and scenic.
I highly recommend this place whether you’re looking for tent camping, an RV site, or a cabin.
👉🏼 Click Here To Book A Cabin At Snake River Cabins & RV Village Today!
Where To Eat Dinner: Bar T5 Chuckwagon Dinner
This experience is $65 for adults ages 13+, $50 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 years old and under.
They only operate from about mid May through September every day except for Sundays.
From May until late August, they do 2 dinners a night, 4:45 pm and 6:00 pm.
Then from late August through the end of September, dinner times are slightly earlier at 4:15 pm and 5:30 pm.
You’ll check in 15 minutes before this time and the experience will start shortly after.
The experience lasts for about 3 hours from check in time to the time the wagon returns to check in.
To start the Bar T5 Chuckwagon Dinner, they shared the back story of the Jackson Hole area and the people who started and maintained the Bar T5 Chuckwagon Dinner.
It was an awesome story and exactly the kind of experience we were looking for with this dinner.
It was nice and scenic and our guide that was with us was very informative about the area and the horses.
Once we made it up to our dinner spot, we were all seated at our own picnic tables.
Dinner is served buffet style.
There was salad with ranch dressing, secret recipe baked beans, slow roasted bbq chicken, roast beef smothered in homemade gravy, corn on the rob, a dinner roll, and for dessert a blondie.
For drinks you can choose from lemonade, water, coffee, and hot chocolate.
Once everyone was settled with their meals, the show started.
After dinner we rode the chuckwagons back to the parking lot.
We got back just after 9 pm.
It was completely dark by the time we were done, but we were able to enjoy the sunset on our ride back.
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Grand Teton National Park
These are the most frequently asked questions we get about visiting Grand Teton National Park.
✔️ Is One Day Enough For Grand Teton National Park?
Absolutely!
If you want to see the highlights like Jenny Lake and Mormon Row, these can easily be done in one day.
✔️ How Can I See Grand Teton National Park In One Day?
The above itinerary has everything you need to see Grand Teton National Park in one day.
However, there is another option.
There’s a highly rated tour that will take you through Grand Teton National Park.
It’s a full 8 hour day with breakfast and lunch included, round trip transportation included, and park entrance fees included.
👉🏼 Click Here To Book Your Grand Teton National Park Full Day Guided Tour From Jackson Hole Today!
✔️ How Much Time Do You Need At Grand Teton National Park?
We hit all the highlights in this post in only 5 hours.
I would plan for anywhere from 6-8 hours depending on how much time you’re going to spend on dining because a table service meal will take up some time pretty quickly.
Conclusion: Grand Teton National Park One Day Itinerary
This Grand Teton National Park one day itinerary takes you to all the park’s biggest highlights.
You’ll see Jenny Lake, Mormon Row, and some scenic overlooks in just a half day experience.
