Explore Grand Teton National Park: Maps, Virtual Tours & More

Published:
January 27, 2022

Sarah Shelton

Contributor:
Sarah Shelton

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Have you been waiting to take a family vacation? Many of our plans have been cancelled and everyone is having a hard time with it. We are still trying to get out in nature and explore the best that we can locally. Thankfully, there are some amazing online resources to explore from the comforts of your home. Your family will enjoy these free resources for discovering Grand Teton National Park.

Mountains, a sign, and text free recourses for discovering Grand Teton National Park

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Where is Grand Teton National Park Located?

Grand Teton National Park is located in Northwest Wyoming only 10 miles from the famous Yellowstone National Park. It is one of the most scenic national parks in North America, with the Grand Teton mountain range being the center point of the park.

Grand Teton is smaller than its sister park Yellowstone, but full of breathtaking views and hiking trails. It is full of rivers and valleys, glacial lakes, forests, and wildflowers. There are also 12 small glaciers inside the park.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Entrance Sign
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming – photo by jovannig

The Teton Mountains

The Teton mountains are the youngest mountains in the Rocky Mountain range. Grand Teton Mountain is the highest point of the Teton Range at 13,775 feet. The mountains are made up of Gneiss rock which is the oldest rocks at the park. It is a metamorphic rock meaning it formed from other rocks.

Nature lovers and families will love the trails and outdoor activities that are great for all ages.

History of Grand Teton National Park

The first people to live in the Grand Teton region were the Native Americans and their tribes that settled the land. They came to hunt and fish on the fertile land and the surrounding snake river.

Grand Teton National Park was actually established twice. Originally in 1929 by President Calvin Coolidge to protect the mountain ranges and surrounding lakes. It covered 96,000 acres of land.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was a big conservationist and was working with his Snake River Land Company to buy up thousands of acres to donate so the area surrounding the park would not get built up. 

The park was established again in 1950 when the valley floors as well as the Jackson Hole National Monument were incorporated into the park. 

Grand Teton Mountain Reflection
Grand Teton Mountain Reflection – photo by rmarmion

What can you do in Grand Teton National Park?

Are you considering visiting Grand Teton National Park? Here are some great things you can do in Grand Teton National Park.

  • Take some easy trails and hikes for beginners. Many of the hikes are only 1/2 mile to 2 miles long.
  • There are miles of trails for active outdoor adventures that like to hike and climb higher up into the mountain tops.
  • Bring your camera and practice taking some amazing picture perfect shots of the mountains in the reflections of the pristine lakes. 
  • Hike and search for the wildflowers and have a picnic in the wildflower fields during the summer season.
  • During the winter season you can go on snowshoe trails or go on a cross-country ski day trip.
  • Winter months are good for snowmobile tours, winter wildlife viewing and even sleigh rides.
  • Take the 42 mile scenic drive through the center of the park to the different viewing areas.
  • Visit the national elk refuge located on federal land close to the park.
  • Boating and fishing are popular lake recreational activities.
  • Go birding and search for endangered birds and unique birds native to the park.
  • View large mammals and unique wildlife that you would normally not see anywhere else. 

Things to Do at Grand Teton National Park

The 12 Best Things to do in Grand Teton National Park – Learn about the best hikes, and places to see in the park. This is a great list that breaks down some of the best things to do and see such as the famous Snake River Overlook, the valley of Jackson Hole, and end your visit at the Jackson Lake Lodge.

3 Days at Grand Teton National Park – This blog post covers some great information on where to eat, places to stay and what to do with this sample 3 day itinerary.

Recommended Resource: National Parks Notebook – A Notebook Companion™ for National Parks of the U.S.A.

Explore the national parks of the U.S.A with our publisher-approved Notebook Companion™. Using the notebook alongside the popular book book National Parks of the U.S.A. will help you squeeze all the amazing content out of it and use it for your homeschool.

National Parks Notebook spiral bound and National Parks of the U.S.A. book

Grand Teton National Park Educational Resources

Educator Resources – There are lots of free printables, fact sheets, printable book lists, coloring sheets, games and worksheets for students. There are also lesson plans, and printables for teachers from the national park service.

National Park Packing List Printable – This free packing list will help you know what you need to bring during the summer and the winter months when you visit.

Grand Teton Coloring Page – Color a picture of this park with a big bison in front of the Grand Teton Mountain Range.

Reading Comprehension Worksheet – Read about Grand Teton and answer some questions with this reading comprehension worksheet for kids. 

Free U.S. Natural Landmarks Notebooking Journal – Explore 30 different natural landmarks in America, including Grand Teton with this free download. Your kids will have learning about these famous natural landmarks and keeping track of them in their very own notebook.

Maps of Grand Teton National Park

Official Grand Teton National Park Map – This map shows the park entrance, the route through John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway to Yellowstone, and the visitor centers. You will also see the waters of Jackson Lake Dam, Jenny Lake and the Snake River.

Printable and Interactive Maps – Plan your trip ahead of time with these printable maps and interactive online maps to help you see where you would like to go.

Wildlife of Grand Teton National Park

This park is home to some extraordinary wildlife. There are unique opportunities for amazing wildlife viewing throughout the park. Make sure to bring binoculars, and a spotting scope to watch from a distance.

There is a wide variety of large mammals such as grizzly bears, black bears, gray wolves, coyotes, river otters, cougars, elk, bison and moose.

If you love birds you will want to do some birding here as well. There are over 300 bird species, from the tiny calliope hummingbird to the large sandhill crane. You can also see many bald eagles that have made it off of the endangered species list.

Wildlife You’ll See at Grand Teton National Park

Mammals of the Park – Learn about the different mammals you may see at the park and safety tips for bears and moose. There are also printable mammal find guides to bring with you.

Wolves Countdown – Wolves were introduced back into Yellowstone and the Grand Teton area in the 90s. Find out how they are tracked and what they are doing to help the ecosystem.

Species at Risk – Find out which animals are on the species of concern list and keep your eye out for these when you visit the park. 

Non-Venomous Snakes –  If you are not a fan of snakes there is some good news! Unlike some of the desert national parks, there are no venomous snakes found in the park anywhere. Find out about the different snake species that live here and where they can be found within the park. 

Complete Grand Teton Wildlife Viewing Guide – This guide will help you to plan which animals you would like to see, where to see them and the best times to go for a successful wildlife viewing experience. 

The Wildflowers of Grand Teton

This park is home to beautiful wildflowers and pollinator plants such as lupine, larkspur, Indian paintbrush, wild orchids and more. These flowers bloom between May and September, but June and July are some of the best times to see them in full bloom. 

Best Wildflower Trails – If you love flowers you won’t want to miss this list of the best hiking trails that will take you through some amazing wildflower fields and locations.

Wildflowers and Plant Finding Guide – Learn about the different flowers that can be found in the park and download a plant finding guide to prepare for your visit. 

 Grand Teton National Park Webcams

Virtual tours are perfect for when you can’t get out to explore. They provide a nice escape from the mundane. Virtual tours of Grand Teton National Park give your children the opportunity to explore an amazing place that they may never get a chance to visit due to cost or location.

You are going to love the variety in these different tours that I found that really showcase the best parts of this national park.

Grand Teton National Park Virtual Tour – With these virtual tours you can take a virtual climb to the top of the Tetons to see beautiful vistas. Take a hike around String Lake or a scenic drive through the Moose-Wilson Corridor to learn more about wildlife. There are even printable worksheets for different grade levels to learn about the ecology of the area to use with your virtual tours.

3D Photo Tour of Grand Teton National Park – These images are beautiful and they are created in 3D to make them pop out. If you have some cheap 3D glasses laying around, then this would be fun to look at with your kids at home on the computer. There are detailed descriptions of each photograph, so that you know exactly what you are looking at. 

Explore Grand Teton National Park with these 360 VR Virtual Tour Videos – There are over a dozen videos that will make you feel like you are right there in the park exploring the glaciers, hidden falls, hot springs, wildflower fields, hiking, fishing and more. You will visit Taggart Lake, Alpine Lakes, the valley floor, the Jackson Hole area, and take a scenic drive on Teton Park Road.

Exploring More National Parks

We’ve shared about ten national parks in the U.S.A. in our series Learning About the National Parks Resources