The Grand Teton National Park encompasses the Jackson Hole valley at the foot of the Teton Mountains, and the majority of the Teton Mountains. Carved from glaciers, the mountains cradle pristine alpine lakes and dense forests of birch and aspen. The park’s wildlife includes moose and black bears, and, each winter, the largest migration of elk at the Elk Refuge, north of Jackson. The Snake River, which slinks around the park’s valley floor, offers numerous outdoor activities in the summer including whitewater rafting and kayaking.

French trappers who trampled the summits nearly 200 years ago called the Grand Tetons’ sheer granite peaks Les Trois Tetons (which translates as “the three breasts.”) Today, they are known as South, Middle, and the Grand Teton—which punctures the sky at about 13,770 feet. Nearby are the less imposing Mt Moran and the serene Jackson and Jenny Lakes to the north.

First created as a national park in 1929 by benefactor, John D. Rockefeller Jr, the Grand Teton National Park’s present-day boundaries include the ski resort at Teton Village and the hamlet of Wilson.

Unlike Yellowstone, the park is open year-round except for winter road closures at some entrances. A multiple-entry pass, for a modest fee, is available for a seven-day period; it covers both parks plus numerous campsites and lodges.

There are many excellent vantage points within the park. Less than 1 mile from Moose’s Visitor Center on Hwy 191 is the Chapel of Transfiguration, log-built with an ethereal altar window that frames a view of the Teton Mountains. In summer, Signal Mountain Road offers a superb view of the valley and is a great hiking trail. Photographers William Jackson and Ansel Adams took many of their wilderness shots from this spot. At Mormon Row, a cluster of weathered barns lies against a backdrop of the Grand Tetons and grazing bison. It is this singular scene that characterizes the region’s rustic beauty.