Driving in Grand Teton: 10 Things You Need to Know

Grand Teton is a spectacular national park! Jagged mountain peaks, wildlife, amazing photo opportunities, and enough recreation to entertain outdoor enthusiasts for days.

But Grand Teton is high altitude with snowfall and mountain roads. One of the most common questions we get asked is, what is it like to drive in Grand Teton?

Grand Teton National Park has two main roads that go through the park. Teton Park Road (often called the Inner Road because it runs closer to the Tetons), and Highway 89 (often called the Outer Road). It’s a compact park, only requiring an hour’s drive to get from the town of Jackson, in the south, to Jackson Lake, in the north. You must have a car to see Grand Teton; there are not any shuttles. Most roads are paved and drivable in a typical car. There are gas stations within the park, so running out of gas is extremely rare.

I’m Cheryl, and my husband and I make YouTube videos and have written 16 guides for how to visit the West, including Grand Teton. We’ve received many questions from viewers and readers about this topic, so keep on reading because I’m going to cover the main things you need to know!

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

1. How Many Entrances Are There?

Many people are curious about where to enter Grand Teton National Park. There are three main entrances with an “unofficial” fourth.

1. Moose Entrance is, by far, the most common (and busiest!) entrance into the park. Those coming from the town of Jackson or Teton Village use this entrance. It connects to Teton Park Road, the main scenic route through the park, and provides access to Jenny Lake and Signal Mountain.
2. Granite Canyon Entrance offers a slower-paced scenic drive into the park , which takes you close to Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake.
3. Moran Entrance is the eastern gateway to the park and is close to Oxbow Bend, Willow Flats, and Jackson Lake. It tends to be quieter when compared to the Moose and Granite Canyon Entrances near Jackson.
4. Flagg Ranch. This unofficial entrance is accessed when driving through the South Entrance of Yellowstone, on the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, and entering the north end of Grand Teton National Park. There is no formal entrance station.

Learn more by reading our blog post What is the Best Entrance For Grand Teton? Grand Teton’s 4 Entrances

2. How Long Does It Take to Drive Through the Park?

Grand Teton is long and narrow, like a banana. In just one hour, you can drive from the Moose Entrance (near Jackson) to Jackson Lake at the north end of the park.

This offers a nice option of easily returning to your hotel or campground in the middle of the day for a picnic lunch or even an afternoon nap!

However, because this is a smaller park with many tourists, the road leading back to Jackson, US Highway 191/89/2 (Outer Road), can often get congested, especially around 9 a.m.- 11 a.m. and around 5 p.m., when traffic enters and leaves the park. This traffic can easily add 30 minutes to your drive if you travel during these times.

CHECK OUT: How Many Days Should I Visit Grand Teton? (+1 to 3 Day Itinerary)

3. What Is the Speed Limit and Traffic Like?

The speed limit is typically 45 mph on both the Inner and Outer roads but can drop to 35 mph or lower in certain sections, especially near developed areas or wildlife crossings.

Mormon Row, the historic district and home to the famous Moulton Barn, is a gravel/dirt road with a speed limit of 25 mph, but it’s often necessary to go slower if the road is muddy or if animals are in the area. Discover more about Mormon Row in our blog post, 3 Things to Do at Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park.

To be honest, Grand Teton often feels crowded. If you enter the park after 9 am, you will likely have to wait in line at the entrance gate for 10-20 minutes. After entering the park, we have never found it difficult to drive through. However, the parking lots to popular places like Jenny Lake, String Lake, Taggart Lake, and Phelps Lake are often completely full by late morning.

PRO TIP: Get to the Gate By 8! If you can stay ahead of the crowds, you will have a much more enjoyable experience. If waking up early isn’t your thing, you can hit some of the viewpoints and scenic drives in the morning and then go to the more popular sites after 3 pm when the park begins to clear.

4. Are There Gas Stations and Service Stations in the Park?

Yes! One of the marvelous things about Grand Teton is that you are right in the middle of beautiful nature AND never far away from essential services. Both Signal Mountain Lodge and Coulter Bay Village have gas stations.

Dornans, a business that was located within Grand Teton before it became a national park, also sells gas. While it is not officially part of Grand Teton National Park and is on private property within the park, it is the most convenient place to get gas, in my humble opinion.

Of course, Jackson, WY, is full of gas stations and service stations, including Big O Tires.

5. What Should I Do If I Have an Auto Emergency?

Both Signal Mountain Lodge and Colter Bay Village have a gas station that may be able to help with minor repairs or additional fluids. For bigger problems, there are plenty of service stations in the town of Jackson, WY.

• Non-life-threatening emergency: 307-739-3301
• Life-threatening emergency: 911

One other option is to call a mobile mechanic. This is when a mechanic comes to you and is a Godsend when you can’t drive your car to a repair shop or if you have problems on a Saturday or Sunday when shops aren’t open. We once had to do this when we were driving to Yellowstone. We were thrilled when we were back on the road within four hours!

Grand Teton has a mobile mechanic, though we have never personally used him.

Ron’s Towing and Courtesy Towing are options if your car needs towing. They also offer 24/7 service.

6. What Is the Cell Coverage Like?

Thanks to a recently installed cell tower, you should have connection nearly everywhere in the valley but you may start to lose service the closer you get to Yellowstone. Your GPS should also work well.

7. Is the Park Always Open? What About the Roads?

Grand Teton receives a lot of snow. It can begin as early as October and won’t melt until May. Even though the park remains open year-round, parts are closed because the roads are not plowed. This includes:

• Teton Park Road: Closed to vehicles from November 1 to April 30 between Taggart Lake Trailhead and Signal Mountain Lodge. During this period, the road is groomed for skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking.
• Moose-Wilson Road: Closed to vehicles from November 1 until mid-May, from Death Canyon Road to Granite Canyon Trailhead. It remains open for skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking during the closure.
• Grassy Lake Road: Closes based on conditions and is unplowed in the winter from Flagg Ranch to the west. Once adequate snow cover exists, the road opens to oversnow use by snowmobiles, skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking.
• Secondary Roads: Other roads, such as Antelope Flats, Deadmans Bar, Pilgrim Creek, Schwabacher, and Two Ocean, are closed seasonally based on conditions.

Roads can also close due to construction.

ALWAYS CHECK THE STATUS OF ROADS BEFORE VISITING GRAND TETON. You can find the up-to-date status of road closures on the NPS website.

8. Can I Drive My RV On All the Roads in Grand Teton?

Grand Teton’s roads are generally RV-friendly, but a few side roads don’t allow RVs, including Moose-Wilson Road and Signal Valley Summit Road. Like other national parks, campgrounds typically don’t accommodate large RVs – there are some sites over 30 feet. For more information about camping, see our blog post, Camping in Grand Teton & Jackson Hole: The Best Campgrounds Plus What You Need to Know.

Teton Pass (outside the park) is a popular road that connects the towns of Victor and Driggs, ID to Grand Teton. Large RVs are not recommended on this road because of the steep grade.

9. Are There EV Charging Stations?

The people of Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, WY are very into preserving their natural resources. It’s no surprise they make it very easy for someone driving an EV to get a charge. Here is my most current list, but always check your favorite EV charging website before visiting.

• Signal Mountain Lodge. Located 10 miles south of Colter Bay Village, this lodge has a J-1772 charger and two NEMA 14-50 chargers.
• Colter Bay Campground. This campground has a NEMA 14-50 outlet, but it’s only available at accessible campsites.
• Grand Teton National Park Headquarters. Located at 103 Headquarters Rd, Moose, WY, 83012, this location has a Level 2 charger. 
• Jackson Hole Airport. Located 57 miles southwest of Grand Teton National Park, this airport has charging stations. 
• Jackson, Wyoming. More than 60 charging stations. 
• Teton Village, Wyoming. This city has public charging stations, including Level 2 and Level 3 ports. 

10. How Do I Drive to Yellowstone From Grand Teton?

From Grand Teton, drive north on U.S. Highway 89/191/287, which turns into the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. This drive will take about 30 minutes and lead you directly to the South Entrance of Yellowstone. From there, drive 40 more minutes to reach the bottom of the Grand Loop Road (the main road people use to get around Yellowstone). The first main stop you will get to is Grant Village. From there, continue heading north on the Grand Loop Road. Most people choose to stay in West Yellowstone or Gardiner when visiting.

GOOD TO KNOW: Yellowstone National Park is HUGE! It takes 4-7 hours just to drive the Grand Loop Road, without stopping. For this reason, we do not recommend day trips between Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Instead, switch lodging locations so you don’t spend your whole trip driving. Check out Yellowstone + Grand Teton 3–7 Day Itinerary: Quick Trip Planner for First-Time Visitors for more information.

IMPORTANT: If it is winter when you are planning your summer trip and are using Google Maps to chart out your driving route, it won’t show you the most efficient way through Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Because many of the roads within the parks are closed in the winter, it will re-route you to drive roads outside the parks. To get accurate drive times, adjust your departure time in Google Maps to a summer date. It is way faster to drive through the parks than around them.

DON’T MISS: The Best (and Worst) Times of Year to Visit Grand Teton

Other Common Questions

Can I Just Drive Through Grand Teton Without Paying for a Park Pass?

Yes and No. Route 26 (the Outer Road) runs from Dubois, ID directly through the park and then combines with HWY 191 and heads straight to the south entrance of Yellowstone, bypassing an entrance station in Grand Teton.

You cannot drive on Teton Park Road (where all the best sites are) without paying an entrance fee.

Is it Scary to Drive in Grand Teton?

Not at all. Both the Inner and Outer Park Roads are paved and drive through the valley, not up the mountains. There are no steep drop-offs.

The Signal Mountain Summit Road takes you up a mountain and has a few drop-offs, but even that road isn’t too bad.

The scariest thing about driving in Grand Teton is watching for wildlife crossing the road. I once drove all night to get to Grand Teton and arrived at the park at 4 am. I’ve never been so afraid of hitting a deer. A coyote also ran in front of my car.

According to the NPS, approximately 75 to 100 large animals a year are struck by vehicles within the park. In 2024, the beloved and famous, Bear 399 was struck by a vehicle and killed.

Be cautious as you drive through the park and drive slower than you think you need to.

If you’re looking for wildlife to view, read our article Where Can You Find Wildlife in Grand Teton?

Does Grand Teton Require Reservations or Timed-Entry Permits?

No, Grand Teton does not require a park reservation or a timed ticket to enter the park. All that is required is a park pass.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Grand Teton is wonderful, crowded, and full of dozens of amazing (and expensive) activities. It’s confusing to know when to arrive to avoid the crowds and which activities are worth your time and money. 

Need a game plan so you don’t miss out on the best things to do in Grand Teton? 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!

But that’s not all! Our itinerary includes a free audio guide to listen to while driving with over 2-hours of stories about the park!

Are you visiting Yellowstone, too? Check out our Yellowstone+Grand Teton Bundle