The Best (and Worst) Times of Year to Visit Grand Teton

If you are a national park enthusiast, Grand Teton National Park is probably on your bucket list. But the type of experience you will have with this park will vary dramatically by when you visit. Wildlife, wildflowers, lodging options, hikes, rafting, and even roads being open are all affected by the weather.

The best time to visit Grand Teton National Park is in the middle of September after Labor Day. The crowds have cleared out, the air has a little chill to it, and the leaves on the Aspen trees are turning gold. Roads and hiking trails are open and many activities are still available. The worst time of year to visit is early spring when it is unpredictable when the roads will be open, there is slushy, muddy snow, and almost no services are available. Summer is wonderful but has the highest crowds. Visiting in the winter is a completely different experience and is not recommended if you want to fully experience the park. Other factors you should consider when visiting are your tolerance for unpleasant weather, tolerance for crowds, which activities you want to do, where else you are traveling to, and cost.

I’m Cheryl. My husband and I are travel writers and we create itineraries to help people have amazing trips to the West. We have written an itinerary to this very park and visit every single year. Read on to learn the pros and cons of each season to help you pick the perfect time to visit Grand Teton National Park.

VISITING GRAND TETON AND NEED A GAME PLAN? CHECK OUT OUR ITINERARY.

5 Factors to Consider When Planning Your Visit

1. Tolerance For Unpleasant Weather

One of the great things about visiting Grand Teton is that the temperature highs top out around 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. It’s wonderful to get away from the sweltering heat of pretty much everywhere else. It’s common for the temperature to swing 40 degrees throughout the day, so you’ll want a jacket for the mornings and evenings.

The high altitude keeps the travel season short. Some years, snow comes as early as October first and is still thawing well into late May. The only time of year when you can count on NO SNOW is Memorial Day through September.

If you are a believer in “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes,” the off-season can be a nice time to visit! Spring brings baby animals. Winter brings recreation galore, like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Both with very small crowds!

2. Tolerance For Crowds

Unfortunately, Grand Teton is one of the most crowded national parks I have visited. On our first trip, we arrived in the middle of the day, drove around the entire park, and could never find a spot to park at Taggart Lake, Jenny Lake, or String Lake. It was so frustrating.

Because Grand Teton is awesome and is sandwiched between Yellowstone National Park and Jackson, Wyoming, it gets over 3 million visitors a year. That’s quite a crowd when you consider that it only takes one hour to drive from end to end of this park and most visitors come June through September.

We still visit Grand Teton in the summer and have found ways to stay ahead of the crowds (check out our guide), but know that this is one of the more crowded national parks.

3. What You Are Wanting To Do

Are you into camping, rafting, photography, or recreation? Your preferences will greatly affect the best time of year for you to visit. There are very few places to stay or eat if you visit from October through April and you are limited to snow activities.

	Year Round	Seasonal
Lodging	*Dornans Cabins *Headwaters Lodge at Flagg Ranch *Triangle X *Teton Village *Hotels & BnBs in Jackson	*National Park Lodges
Camping	*Some private campgrounds outside the park	*National Park campgrounds
Dining	*Dornans Pizza and Pasta *Headwaters Lodge Convenience Store *Restaurants in Jackson	*National Park restaurants
Recreational Activities	*Tram and Gondola at Teton Village operate most of the year but change their hours seasonally	May-September *River rafting *Horseback rides *Bar T5 Chuck Wagon Dinner *Jackson Hole Playhouse *Biking *Water sports Winter *Skiing *Snowshoeing *Sleigh rides at the Elk Refuge *Snowmobiling

4. Where Else You Are Traveling To

It’s rare that a traveler is visiting Grand Teton alone. Grand Teton is usually paired with Yellowstone National Park and sometimes even some other great mountain parks in the West, including the Black Hills, Glacier National Park, or Rocky Mountain National Park.

Visiting additional national parks creates an even more incredible trip but does present a bit of a planning challenge. The Black Hills (home of Mount Rushmore) has a longer travel season spanning from May through October. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are best May-September. Rocky Mountain and Glacier are best July-September because both of these parks have amazing scenic drives (Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Old Fall River Road) that aren’t open until July.

5. Cost

Grand Teton is an expensive place to visit, especially during peak season. It’s common for a standard hotel room to cost between $300-$400, and it only goes up from there. Even a camping spot within Grand Teton is $50 a night. Because Jackson is a ski town in the winter, don’t count on lodging prices to decrease. However, travelers visiting in October, November, March, and April are likely to see rooms at a better rate. Check out our blog posts 9 Best Areas To Stay When Visiting Grand Teton and Where to Camp When Visiting Grand Teton.

Overview By Season

Below, I’ve created a little overview of what you can expect by season. Pay close attention to the months I’ve assigned to the seasons. Fall and Spring are only about one month each, and winter is almost 8 months long!

Summer (June-August)

This really is a glorious time to visit. All the roads, lodges, campgrounds, and restaurants are going. The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway that connects Grand Teton to Yellowstone is also open. The Jenny Lake Boat Company is shuttling people across Jenny Lake, and the Bar T 5 is taking tourists on cowboy cookouts.

In Jackson, you can catch a play at the Jackson Hole Playhouse, watch a shoot-out in the street, or take a ride on the Cowboy Mountain Coaster.

We love to ride our bikes on the Grand Teton Multi-Use Trail that connects Jackson to Grand Teton. We also love to get out on the water! Both scenic and white water floats are available and amazing! And…you can also paddle on String Lake or get out on the water at Colter Bay.

Hiking is also wonderful this time of year. The trails are dry, and wildflowers are at their peak from late June through early July. Plus, most hikes are shaded and the temperature rarely gets above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Read about our favorite hikes in our article 10 Can’t Miss Hikes in Grand Teton National Park.

We see plenty of wildlife as we drive through the park. Especially elk, deer, antelope, and moose. Sometimes, we even luck out and see a bear!

Unfortunately, this is also when crowds are at their peak. The summer is still my 2nd favorite time of year to visit; just make sure you have a plan, plan more time than you think you need to do the things you want to do and pack your patience. Grand Teton is still worth it even if there are crowds.

CHECK OUT: River Rafting in Grand Teton: Our Experience & Helpful Tips

Fall (September)

This is, hands down, my favorite time of year to visit! Wait until the crowds clear out after Labor Day and then enjoy a magical September in Grand Teton. All the roads, lodges, campgrounds, and restaurants are still open.

Most of the activities listed in the summer are still going too, but some are beginning to close near the end of the month. How long river floats are available greatly depends on the water levels that year, but it is possible you can still raft in September.

Elk and moose are in the rut starting the 2nd half of September and you can hear them bugling! It’s fun to watch them complete for the ladies too- just keep your distance- they are more aggressive than usual this time of year.

The weather is heavenly, with the low 60s during the day. But the best part is that leaves are beginning to change. Grand Teton has many aspen trees and the golden yellow leaves combined with the glacial lakes and mountain peaks is one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen.

Winter (October-Early April)

To be fully transparent, I have never been to Grand Teton in the winter, but my husband has. And… I have been to Yellowstone in the winter, so I’ll use these experiences to share with you what winter is like in Grand Teton National Park.

The first thing to know is that Grand Teton looks completely different in the winter. The town of Jackson gets 16-20 feet of snow and the valley floor of Grand Teton 16-25 feet! It’s pretty magical to see everything covered in so much snow. But…it is also C-O-L-D cold with temperatures often at 0 degrees!

All the national park restaurants, lodges, and campgrounds are closed, as well as almost all the recreational activities.

The Inner Road (Teton Park Road) which has access to Jenny Lake, Leigh Lake, and Signal Mountain Lodge, is closed to regular vehicles. The Outer Road, the convergence of US Highways 191/89/26, is plowed throughout the winter so that regular vehicles can drive on it. I still wouldn’t drive in Grand Teton in the winter without a vehicle with 4-wheel drive that does well in the snow.

Skiiers love to ski in Jackson, so the town stays busy all winter. In Grand Teton, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are really popular. People also love to ice skate on the frozen lakes (be careful!) Going on a sleigh ride at the National Elk Refuge is something that Matt really enjoyed.

There are hardly any crowds! When Matt and I visited Yellowstone in February a few years ago, we walked around the Mammoth Terraces and never saw another person.

You can still see plenty of wildlife in the park. In fact, I think they are easier to see because there isn’t as much camouflage in the winter.

DISCOVER: Where Can You Find Wildlife in Grand Teton?

Spring (Mid April- May)

This is the worst time to visit. All national park lodges, campgrounds, and restaurants are still closed, and the recreational activities that are fun in the summer aren’t going either.

The snow is starting to melt, which makes snowshoeing and cross-country skiing hard, and if the snow has actually melted, the trails are a muddy mess!

The Inner Road (Teton Park Road) opens at the beginning of May, so tourists will again have access to Jenny Lake, Leigh Lake, and the Signal Mountain Lodge.

A couple of good things are that crowds are super low, and it’s when baby animals are being born.

Temperatures can get as high as 60 degrees and as low as 30 degrees.

My least favorite thing about this time of year is the unpredictability of it.

The Gamble (May & October)

Both of these months create a high risk/high reward situation. Guests will experience minimal crowds and cheaper lodging prices. They also have a high probability of seeing some amazing wildlife, with baby animals in the spring and the bugling elk in the fall.

The big risk here is the weather! It can drastically vary by year and there is no way to tell if it will be 0 degrees and covered in snow or a pleasant 50 degrees with no snow at all.

For this reason, I would NEVER RECOMMEND planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip during these months.

I live in Utah, only 4 hours away, and visit every year; I still avoid these times because I don’t want to risk it.

Best Times of Year To Visit Grand Teton

Go in September if…	Go in June, July, or August if…	Go November-early April if …	Go late April, May, and October if...
*You enjoy cooler temperatures and fall colors	*You want access to all hotels, restaurants, and stores being open	*You want to avoid crowds	*You want to avoid crowds
*You are interested in hiking, biking, or horseback riding. River rafting may not be available.	*You are interested in hiking, biking, river rafting, or horseback riding	*Enjoy skiing, cross country skiing, and snow-shoeing	*Are ok with limited roads, lodging, restaurant, and shopping options
*You want access to all hotels, restaurants, and stores	*You are interested in Jackson activities like the Bar T 5, Jackson Hole Playhouse, and many others	*Are ok with limited roads, lodging, restaurant, and shopping options	*Want to save $ on lodging
*You enjoy fewer crowds	*You are interested in camping		*Want to see baby animals or elk and moose in the rut
*You are interested in Jackson activities like the Bar T 5, Jackson Hole Playhouse, and many others	*Can afford more expensive lodging		*Are ok with unpredictable weather
*Can afford more expensive lodging	*Can handle high crowds
*Are also visiting Yellowstone	*Are also visiting Yellowstone

Best Times of Year to Visit Grand Teton

• September (2nd and 3rd weeks). Labor Day crowds are gone, highs are in the 60s, and almost everything is open and running, including hotels, national park lodges, and restaurants. Pretty much all the activities are available too, including boat cruises on Jenny Lake, water sports, and bike rentals, and all the touristy activities in Jackson. Rafting may or may not be available but the fall colors, lack of crowds, and cheaper hotel prices make it worth it for me.
• June, July, and August (avoid traveling near the 4th and 24th of July). The temperature is perfect this time of year (highs in the 80s), wildflowers are in bloom, and everything is up and running. You will be dealing with crowds and higher prices, but it’s worth it to be able to raft the Snake River and to do other recreational activities.

GOOD TO KNOW: Not every month in summer is created equal. As kids start to head back to school, the last two weeks of August tend to be less crowded.

PRO TIP: These are also good times to visit Yellowstone if you are doing both parks.

Worst Times of Year to Visit Grand Teton

• Memorial Day Weekend. This is the official kick-off for the travel season. Because it is a holiday weekend, it will be more crowded than most times. Plus, there will be many new employees/seasonal workers who will still be getting acquainted with their new jobs. Operations are not running as smoothly as usual.
• Spring Break (1st and 2nd weeks of April). As tempting as it is to schedule a trip these couple of weeks in April, go somewhere warmer! Grand Teton is a muddy mess this time of year; the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway that connects Grand Teton to Yellowstone is closed, as well as Teton Park Road. None of the national park lodges or restaurants are open, and there are pretty much no recreational activities because the snow is too slushy for the winter ones like snowshoeing and skiing, and it’s too muddy to hike.
• Fall Break (2nd or 3rd week of October). You may luck out and get extended summer weather, but Grand Teton typically gets its first snowfall early in October. There is enough snow to close roads and hiking trails down, but not enough to ski or snowshoe. Plus, all the national park lodges and hotels are closed, as well as several private businesses.
• Winter in General. Even though crowds are at a minimum, and Grand Teton is beautiful when it’s covered in snow, I would still rather go when it’s warmer and deal with the crowds. Hiking and white water rafting are my favorite activities in Grand Teton, and I’d hate to miss those. Plus, just because Grand Teton National Park will be empty doesn’t mean that Jackson will be! It’s a ski town, so you will still deal with crowds and high prices in the winter. My last thought on this is that Grand Teton is a completely different park in the winter. Visit in warmer weather when you can see more of it.

Helpful Tips For Visiting

• Book Early. If staying in a national park lodge is important to you, reservations open up 13 months in advance.
• To Save $, stay in Victor or Driggs, ID and commute. You can also choose to camp. Sometimes, if we are visiting several parks on a road trip, we’ll stay in hotels but bring a tent for Grand Teton.
• Don’t Bring Your Dog. We love our dog too, but we leave him with a doggy-sitter when we visit Grand Teton. Dogs aren’t allowed on trails, in buildings, or even on the shoreline.
• Cell Service Works Great in the Park.
• DO NOT Stay in One Place to Visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Resist the temptation to do day trips and instead just switch locations for each park. You’ll be doing too much driving.

If I Had to Choose a Perfect Time of Year To Visit

I would visit in September! Last we visited that time of year, Matt and I couldn’t believe how beautiful all the drives were. We loved the jacket weather, and we especially loved being able to find a parking spot at popular trailheads. We enjoyed dinner at the Bar T 5 Chuck Wagon and caught a play at the Jackson Hole Playhouse.

Our lodging was affordable (sort of) and it was also easy to walk around the town of Jackson. It was a perfect trip and we will try to schedule future trips around the same time of year.

Anything Else I Should Know?

Grand Teton is incredible! Need a game plan so you don’t miss out on the best things to do? Check out our itinerary.

Most travelers want to visit the most popular sites and still avoid the crowds. We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times!

Not only that, but we’ll tell you about the park while you drive with our audio guide!  Stop planning and start having the vacation of your dreams now!