Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary to Grand Teton National Park

So you’ve decided to take the family out to Grand Teton National Park and are getting ready to see what you can do.

This national park is one of the main draws in Wyoming, and I can certainly see why. The magnificent views of the Teton Range are impressive on its own. The surrounding landscapes and wildlife around will blow you away.

This itinerary is perfect for those looking to visit over a few days or a weekend.

Use this as a guide to plan out your visit. This includes things to do, places to stay, and general tips & tricks about visiting Grand Teton National Park.

Of course, you can always stay longer if you have the time. As a bonus, we’ll also include some extra activities you can do if you choose to do so.

Let’s get started!

Day 1 - Exploring Jenny Lake

On your first day, we recommend you take it a little easy and visit Jenny Lake, one of the most popular destinations at Grand Teton National Park.

If you’re coming on a weekend, I would recommend doing this as early as you can on Friday, as it is highly-trafficked.

Two options for you to explore Jenny Lake:

Option 1: If you’re up for a longer hike, you can hike the entire loop from the Jenny Lake Trailhead, located near the Visitor Centre with a total distance of approximately 7.1 miles (11.4 km).

Option 2: The second option involves taking the scenic Jenny Lake ferry shuttle to shorten your route.

Going across the lake provides you with a different view of the Tetons. This option includes an optional hike to Hidden Falls on your way to the Inspiration Point vista, approximately 2 miles (3.2km) long.

As well, you can take a longer hike over to Cascade Canyon, Lake Solitude and the Paint Brush Divide for an extra 3.5 miles (5.6km).

Jenny Lake Shuttle

Tickets can be purchased prior to boarding for $10 for one way, or $18 round trip for an adult. As an alternate option, you can also hike part of the Jenny Lake trail and take the ferry shuttle back, or vice versa if you’d like to experience a little bit of both.

For those who want to take their time out on the water, the shuttle dock also offers kayak and canoe rentals at hourly and daily rates.

We opted for the second option as we arrived later in the day and were short on time, but thoroughly enjoyed the ferry ride and would definitely recommend.

Personally though, we thought the view from Inspiration Point vista was a little underwhelming.

We enjoyed the views on the way up more than the actual lookout, so if you see a great view, don’t be afraid to just stop and snap a photo before continuing to the viewpoint!

Accommodations

After exploring Jenny Lake, enjoy a nice dinner at Jenny Lake Lodge to conclude your first day.

Jenny Lake Lodge is a boutique cabin hotel located centrally within Grand Teton National Park. Dining reservations are highly recommended for breakfast and lunch, and are required for dinner. See here for more info.

Cabin accommodations are available and also require reservations. For a more modest option, you can also disperse camp for free around this area.

Day 2 - Hiking through the Valley Trail

If you took the “easy” route around Jenny Lake yesterday, this is the day to really go for it.

What better way to do this other than hiking out to Amphitheater/Surprise Lake.

The hike to Amphitheater Lake is just a little over 5 miles (8 km) one-way in length. It starts at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead via the Valley Trail. The Valley Trail takes you to a fork, where you’ll ultimately follow the trails to Surprise Lake and Amphitheater Lake.

Similar to the Jenny Lake hike, we would recommend starting as early as possible, as the heat of the sun can become grueling. Especially during those peak summer days.

This hike has a steady incline almost the entire way, and multiple switchbacks closer to the top. Make sure you bring lots of water and snacks!

This will lead you to astonishing views of both Surprise Lake and Amphitheater Lake, located right at the base of the Tetons. More specifically, the lake is just below the Middle Teton, with Disappointment Peak at 11,624 ft (3,543 m) in elevation.

Trust me, this entire hike was anything but a disappointment to us!

You’ll also see remarkable vistas of Jackson Hole below, as well as Bradley Lake and Taggart Lake throughout your hike. These lakes are where the Valley Trail would have taken you on the other side of the fork.

Delta Lake

When venturing out to hike Surprise/Amphitheater Lake, many also often hear about the infamous Delta Lake. This is an unmarked trail and destination, however has become popular over the years due to its natural turquoise waters.

While we did not make it to here ourselves, we discovered the “trailhead” where you would start this hike.

During our journey of discovering this, we had an interesting conversation with a park ranger. He actually discouraged us going to Delta Lake due to human traffic causing unhealthy erosion. As there is no formal trail, it requires essentially a “boulder scramble” which ultimately can negatively impact the environment.

For that reason, we caution against recommending this to others. Delta Lake should really only be enjoyed after a marked trail can be constructed by park rangers.

Getting to Delta Lake

However, if you’d really like to see Delta Lake, I want to share the information we’ve learned.

Enjoying national parks should always be done with the environment top of mind, and we encourage all those that choose to proceed with this hike, to do so responsibly.

The start of your trek to Delta Lake begins with some dirt “stairs.” These stairs are located off of one of the corners of the switchbacks on Surprise/Amphitheater Trail (approximately after 6 switchbacks or so). Off to the right of this corner, you will see some pretty steep stairs leading down to a dirt path.

Although it’s quite obvious when you find it, it can also be easy to miss if you’re not looking out for it. We completely missed it on our way up!

If you start hitting the smaller/shorter switchbacks and see the sign for Surprise Lake, you’ve gone too far. These stairs will lead to a boulder field that you will have to scramble up until you reach the Delta Lake lookout.

For all of the hikes in Grand Teton National Park, but especially these ones, make sure you’re well-equipped with bear spray and know the basics of bear safety. Don’t be ignorant – You’re hiking in their territory!

Finishing off the day in Jackson Hole

After an early morning hiking, finish early and enjoy a nice stroll around Jackson Hole before stopping for dinner.

Jackson Hole is known to have renowned dining options. It has brought in visitors from all over the world, including Guy Fieri himself (host of the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). Some notable options include Bin22, Virginian Restaurant, and Pinky G’s Pizzeria.

Day 3 - Enjoying Jackson Lake’s Activities

For your last day at Grand Teton National Park, you’re likely sore and tired from yesterday’s big hike. We recommend hanging out at Jackson Lake. Spend some time on the water to relax, and take in the magnificent views of the Tetons from a different angle.

Boat/Kayak Rentals

You can visit Signal Mountain Lodge to rent anything from kayaks to pontoons and fishing boats. If you have your own, you can also choose to bring this.

For a different experience, check out their “scenic float trips” that includes a 10-mile scenic boat ride along Snake River. This includes a guide to help point out possible wildlife sightings and interesting facts along the ride.

Kayak reservations at Grand Teton National Park are not accepted, so get there early to secure your spot. If rentals aren’t available, put your name on the waitlist to set yourself to go later in the day.

We chose to rent a tandem kayak out for a few hours from the Colter Bay Marina. However, last we heard, boat rentals may have closed down so you may want to check out the other marinas.

We absolutely loved doing this, and the views of the Tetons from Jackson Lake were breathtaking. I know I’ve said that a lot throughout this post, but the Tetons are truly amazing, any way you look at them!

I chose to jump out of the kayak to do a little swimming in the lake, and it was sooooo refreshing!

Note that rental prices are definitely a little steep. Keep this in mind, but it is what you’d expect at a tourist destination. Overall, we thought it was still well worth it.

Lake Cruise

If you’re not up for much activity on your last day, there is also an option to do a lake cruise from Colter Bay Marina.

There is a lunch and evening option, both including a meal/snacks. A guide will also be on the boat sharing information about the park, mountains and surrounding area. Tickets are sold the day-of so similar to any other rentals, I recommend purchasing these first thing in the morning.

The lunch cruise is often a little less crowded, but an evening ride during sunset can also be a great end to the day.

Bonus Activity

If you have a little more time to explore Grand Teton National Park, you’ll have to stop by Mormon Row. Here, you’ll visit the iconic barn, which is actually the most photographed barn in all of America.

This barn is located off of Antelope Flats Road, and requires you to drive approximately a mile on dirt roads. The best views are taken during sunrise, but you’ll also see the most visitors during that time.

However you spend your time here, Grand Teton National Park is definitely one to add to the bucket list, if not already.

The views are unmatched, and there are plenty of activities around for all nature lovers out there.

To read more about the different places you can camp for free near Grand Teton National Park, check out our guide here. And for more guides to other National Parks check out our guide to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Wyoming’s neighbor (and Matt’s home state), Colorado.