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Grand Teton National Officials Suggesting Tips For Your Summer Visit

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By Kurt Repanshek - June 1st, 2022

With ongoing crowds, Grand Teton National Park staff has tips for making the best out of your visit this year/NPS

With summer crowds starting to descend on Grand Teton National Park, park staff has a list of recommendations if you're planning to visit this year.

For starters, they suggest you make a "#GrandPlan" and follow their list of the top 10 tips you should know for visiting the park this year (see an abbreviated version below and visit go.nps.gov/TetonTop10 for the full list). The summer season is expected to be busy, so make sure to plan ahead, recreate responsibly, and help ensure this iconic landscape may be enjoyed by future generations.

Grand Teton National Park statistics show that April 2022 was the second-busiest April on record, with an estimated 67,541 recreation visits. Below is a list of April recreation visits over the last several years:

  • April 2022— 67,541
  • April 2021— 87,739
  • April 2020— Park was closed due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • April 2019— 59,105
  • April 2018— 60,541
  • April 2017— 58,403

Last year, Grand Teton hosted 3,885,230 recreation visits, a record for the park. Previously, 2018 had the record for the most recreation visits in a year with 3,491,151. Recreation visits in 2021 exceed the 2018 record by 11 percent and surpassed the 2018 record in September 2021. Of the top ten national parks for recreation visits, Grand Teton National Park was the seventh highest.

Grand Teton park staff continue to study visitor use and experience. This summer a park-wide SocioEconomic study will occur in July. This study will be used to understand visitor and trip characteristics, evaluations of services and facilities, and visitor spending.

Park staff are also analyzing data from studies conducted in summer 2021 to better understand changing visitation trends in the park. Studies include visitor-use and experience studies at Colter Bay, Taggart, and Lupine Meadows trailheads, which surveyed visitors in these areas to gain a better understanding of visitor demographics, visitor expectations, and more. Additionally, a parkwide visitor mobility study was conducted last summer to identify common visitor travel patterns and flow.

Top 10 tips for visiting Grand Teton National Park

Before you arrive…

1. Summer 2022 information you should know
With changing visitation, construction projects, and the Jackson Hole Airport closure, there’s so much to plan for this summer, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you should know for the 2022 summer season:

  • Reservations are NOT required to enter Grand Teton National Park. Reservations ARE required for lodging and all campgrounds in Grand Teton and are mostly booked for the peak season.
  • The southern portion of the Moose-Wilson Road is under construction. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the southern section of the road from Granite Canyon Entrance to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve will be closed, except on weekends (7 pm Friday to 7 am Monday) and federal holidays. Learn more at go.nps.gov/moosewilson.
  • The Jackson Hole Airport is closed April 11—June 27 for a full runway reconstruction.
  • Three major road construction projects will take place in Yellowstone in 2022. Projects will cause major delays. Visit Yellowstone road improvement projects.

2. A ranger in your pocket
Download the National Park Service App before arrival to make the most of your visit.When you’re here…

3. Bear with us: Grizzly and black bears are active in Grand Teton, including developed areas. Always stay 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Learn about recreating in bear country on the park safety in bear country page.

4. Keep the wild in wildlife: Roadside wildlife viewing is popular, but please keep a safe distance and keep the road clear. Use pullouts or pull completely off the roadway to the right of the white line. It is illegal to feed any wildlife.

5. It's ruff for dogs in the park: National parks are not always the best place for your dog. Dogs are not allowed on trails, pathways, beaches, inside visitor centers, or in park waters. For in-fur-mation, visit the park pets page.

6. Crowds are late to rise and early to set: Parking at locations throughout the park can be difficult to find during peak hours. Visit the park before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. to avoid the crowds. For more information, visit the park’s parking page.

7. Sloooowwww dooooowwwwnnn!: Obey posted speed limits and maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles. Wildlife is active near park roads. Slow down and be vigilant. In high visitation areas, be alert for pedestrians and follow adjusted speed limits. Follow the nighttime speed limit of 45 mph on US HWY 89/191/26.

8. Give the smolder the cold shoulder: Campfires are limited to designated and installed fire rings in the park. Fires should always be attended to and must be completely “dead out” before leaving a site. Visit tetonfires.com for fire safety information.

9. It’s okay to ghost us and Leave No Trace: Dispose of trash properly and follow Leave No Trace principles by packing out what you bring in.

10. More to explore: Jackson Hole and Wyoming are full of places to explore. Make a side trip and visit nearby attractions.

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