June 18, 2021
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is often overlooked due to the much larger size of its neighbor Yellowstone. Only 31 miles separate the two national parks, but the landscape couldn’t be more different. While Yellowstone has geysers, open landscapes and sometimes feels like you’re on a different planet, Teton contrasts with high, craggy mountains and lakes. Despite its small size, this is one of my favorite parks to visit largely due to the fantastic multi-use pathway that cuts through the park.
We took the most popular section of the Grand Teton Pathway from South Jenny Lake to the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center on the outskirts of the town of Jackson. The trail mainly follows the main park road at the base of the Teton Mountain range and offers an unobstructed view of the peaks that you can’t appreciate in a car. This 40 mile round trip ride is fairly flat with only a couple short hills. Overall rates a 3/10 on the difficulty scale even though the total mileage may seem overwhelming. From the Jenny Lake Visitor Center parking lot, where there is a gift store, bathrooms and a water bottle filler, the trail begins near a grouping of bike racks and a large map marking the starting spot. The trail starts on the right side of the road for the first few miles before crossing over near the Taggart Lake Trailhead and descends down to Moose Junction which houses the entrance gate to the park. The trail is well marked with mileage signs and clear directional arrows.
The path goes right by the main Grand Teton Park sign-an ideal and convenient photo opportunity. Going onward the trail follows the main road into Jackson so there is some car noise. Just before town you’ll see the fence of the National Elk Refuge to your left. However, don’t expect to see any elk there in the summer, they only migrate in the winter/early spring months. A fact I wasn’t aware of until after I spent an embarrassingly large part of the ride searching for animals…This section of the trail is closed November 1 to April 30 for the elk migration.
You then coast to the end of the trail in the Visitor Center parking lot. There is a nice park with picnic tables making it a perfect lunch or rest stop. There’s even a Dairy Queen across the street! If possible the way back is even more breathtaking. Yes, there’s some more uphill sections, but you get to stare directly at the mountains the entire way back. The bike trail does not take you all that way into the town of Jackson. However, town center is only about 0.5 miles away and after following the main highway for a short time, you can turn off onto the side streets. We opted to bike to Snow King Resort for some mini golf before the return trip. It’s only a 10 minute ride, but I wouldn’t recommend if you aren’t comfortable navigating streets and traffic with no designated bike lanes.
We did this bike ride as part of our “sibling trip” which involves both my husband’s and I’s two siblings. We had an array of cycling abilities and fitness levels, but everyone absolutely loved the ride and the park regardless. My favorite part as a directionally challenged person? No navigation needed. I love rides that have a clear starting and ending point and you can just follow the trail without too much thinking. This really gives the chance to fully enjoy the outstanding scenery without focusing on the directional signs.
I highly recommend exploring Jenny Lake upon return and maybe even going for a cool off swim-it feels heavenly! There’s some great hiking trails around the lake and a boat tour available if you have more energy. After our ride we returned to town to reward ourselves with fantastic homemade ice cream from Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream. My personal favorite is the cookies and cream or huckleberry. Jackson is also worth exploring from its famous elk antler arches, to the saddle seats of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and the massive aerial tram at the nearby Jackson Hole Ski Resort which you can take to sightsee in the summer. Jackson and Grand Teton National Park are definitely worth a weekend stop.
Honestly we had no idea Grand Teton Park existed until we stumbled upon it accidentally. We had a fall trip to Yellowstone planned and when doing some research found out about the Teton multi-use pathway. We decided to give it a try just as a day adventure from our camping spot in Yellowstone. It was pouring when we arrived and so foggy we couldn’t see a single mountain peak. Determined to bike, we headed out (under prepared for rain) and only made it about 5 miles before giving up and turning back. I have never been so cold in my life! Although the fall colors were gorgeous, we vowed to come back to fully experience the park in better weather. Since then we have been back nearly every year in both winter and summer. The park and especially the bike path truly are hidden gems!
Fun Facts
Other Jackson Activities
- Pinky G’s Pizzeria: Some of the BEST pizza I’ve ever had. The perfect way to celebrate a big day of biking
- Jackson Hole Mountain Ski Resort: Visit the ski mountain to marvel at the size of the lodge, the fancy mountainside condos, ride the Tram, mountain bike and enjoy the shops. About a 20 minute drive from downtown Jackson and parking can fill up early
- Jackson Square: This is where you’ll find the famous elk arches, great souvenir and western style shopping
- Snow King Mountain: The ski mountain transforms into a giant playground in the summer. They offer the King Coaster, mini golf, mountain biking, high ropes course, a zipline and more to tire out your kids. Conveniently located under a mile from Town Square
- Hike Inspiration Point: one of the most popular hiking trails at Jenny Lake. Just under 6 miles roundtrip around the lake to Hidden Falls and onward to Inspiration Point. The trail is fairly flat, easy and offers great views of the lake and Jackson Valley. Shuttle boats are available to shorten the hike to 2 miles
