Sprawling 310,000 acres in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park sits just south of Yellowstone National Park. It boasts some of America’s most idyllic scenery featuring imposing mountain peaks, glistening lakes, and picturesque alpine meadows. Plus, there is so much to discover about the park’s rich history – geological as well as cultural history. So, be sure to check out these 12 intriguing facts about Grand Teton National Park before you plan your trip to this beautiful park.
The human history of the Grand Teton region goes back about 11,000 years when the nomadic tribes of Paleo-Indians first arrived in this area.
Archaeologists have found evidence of fishing and hunting tools, tipi rings, and fire pits along the shores of Jackson Lake.
John Colter served as a member of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition between the years 1804 and 1806.
Later, he was hired by Manuel Lisa, a fur trader, to lead a group of fur trappers. On his trapping journeys, he explored the Greater Yellowstone area during the winter of 1807-08.
It is believed that he may have entered the Jackson Hole Valley around the same time. He is considered the first person of European descent to see the Teton Range.
Soaring more than 7,000 feet above Jackson Hole Valley, Grand Teton is the highest peak of the Teton Range at 13,775 feet. It is also the second highest peak in Wyoming after Gannett Peak.
There are eight peaks in the park that exceed 12,000 feet in elevation. Besides Grand Teton, these peaks rise more than 12,000 feet.
The glacial activities in the park have led to the formation of several natural lakes.
Six of them sit at the foot of the Teton Mountain Range: Jackson, Jenny, Leigh, Bradley, Taggart, and Phelps.
There are ten named glaciers in the park and one unnamed glacier near Glacier Peak.
These are the named glaciers: Teton, Middle Teton, Teepee, Schoolroom, Petersen, Falling Ice, Skillet, and East, Middle, and West Trip Glaciers. The Teton Glacier is the park’s largest named glacier.
Climate change is causing glaciers to melt at a rapid rate. According to the National Park Service, some of the glaciers in the park may have lost so much ice volume that they are no longer flowing and active.
The stunning landscape of Grand Teton National Park today was shaped over millions of years by large earthquakes.
The seismic disaster caused the Teton Fault’s west block to rise upward, forming the Teton Range, the youngest range in the Rocky Mountains.
On the other hand, the east block along the fault line dropped more than 7,000 feet to create the Jackson Hole Valley.
Rocks that make the Tetons are nearly 2.5 billion years old, despite it being the youngest range in the Rocky Mountains.
Most of the Teton Range is made up of a metamorphic rock called gneiss.
These rocks were formed when enormous heat and pressure metamorphosed the sediments buried deep into the earth’s interiors.
The original park, established by an act of Congress in 1929, included the Teton Range and the six lakes at the base of the mountains. At that time, the lands in the valley of Jackson Hole were privately owned.
To protect the wilderness of this area, an American philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller Jr., bought land throughout the valley and later donated to the National Park Service.
In 1950, the original park, Jackson Hole National Monument, and the land donated by Rockefeller Jr. were combined to create Grand Teton National Park that we have today.
As a mark of appreciation for Rockefeller’s conservation efforts, the National Park Service established the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway in 1972. This parkway connects Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
Grand Teton National Park is the only national park in the United States with a commercial airport inside it.
Established in the 1930s, Jackson Hole Airport became a part of Jackson Hole National Monument in 1943 and finally merged with Grand Teton National Park in 1950.
Grand Teton National Park is blessed with an amazing variety of wildlife.
There are 61 mammal species, 6 amphibian species, 4 reptile species, and over a dozen fish species.
Some of the commonly seen mammals in the park include elk, moose, bison, pronghorn, black bear, and river otter.
The park also supports more than 300 species of birds.
Over 10,000 different species of insects have also been recorded in this area.
The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere. It can run up to 55 miles per hour.
The park is home to the smallest North American bird, Calliope Hummingbird as well as the largest North American waterfowl, Trumpeter Swan.
The park has a wealth of historic buildings and structures, erected mostly by homesteaders in the 1800s and early 1900s.
When the valley was opened to homesteading under the Homestead Act of 1862, many people came to live in this remote and wild country.
Some of the park’s famous structures are found in Mormon Row Historic District.
The John Moulton Barn and the TA Moulton Barn are two iconic barns in the park, a must-visit during your Grand Teton trip.
The barns are set against the soothing backdrop of the Teton Range and make for excellent photo opportunities.
The natural beauty of the Grand Taton region has not only attracted tourists and photographers but also filmmakers.
Jackson Hole and the Tetons have featured in a number of classic movies.
The list includes – The Big Trail (1930), The Big Sky (1952), Shane (1953), Rocky IV (1985), and Brokeback Mountain (2005).
Must see sights in the park start at Mormon Row which is one of the best sunrise photography locations in Grand Teton National Park. There the historic barn on Mormon Row and the T. A. Moulton Barn are world famous sites.
Schwabacher Landing. From Schwabacher Landing you get one of the most iconic views of Grand Teton National Park. If it is not windy, you will be able to capture the reflection of the Teton mountain range in the Snake River.
Snake River Overlook. This photography location was made famous when Ansel Adams snapped a photograph here in 1942, while working for the United States government.
Oxbow Bend. This is the place to get the iconic view of Mt. Moran’s reflection in the Snake River. It’s also a great place to see moose or elk.
The view from the top of Signal Mountain and the view from the Jackson Lake Overlook are musts.
Signal Mountain Road is 4.4 miles long and it takes 15 minutes to drive it one way. It’s just wide enough for two cars and there are many bends and switchbacks. At the summit and at Jackson Lake Overlook, there is a parking lot.
Jenny Lake Scenic Drive is a one-way road that follows along the eastern edge of Jenny Lake. There are several overlooks and trailheads located along this drive.
The first viewpoint is the Cathedral Group Turnout, after which there is the Leigh Lake trail, a 1.8 miles round trip. The views across String Lake, especially with the reflections of the mountains, is beautiful.
Jenny Lake Overlook has one of the best views of the lake.
Crossing Jenny Lake by shuttle and hiking up to Inspiration Point is one of the most popular things to do in Grand Teton National Park.
Once across the lake, it is a 2 mile round-trip hike to visit Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.
Continue the hike into Cascade Canyon. This trail heads way back into the Teton Range. Moose are frequently spotted here and you might not have to go far to see them.
Great hikes in the park include to the Phelps Lake Overlook & Death Canyon. For one of the best lake views in all of Grand Teton National Park, put the short, sweet hike to the Phelps Lake Overlook on your to-do list. At just 2 miles in length with a minimal amount of elevation gain, this is a great hike for all ages and ability levels.
From the Phelps Lake Overlook, you can continue into Death Canyon. This is a great place to spot moose and bear.
We stop off in the hipster town of Jackson for lunch. Known by skiers worldwide as “The Big One” due to the dramatically vertical rise of the mountains on its doorstep, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has the longest continuous vert of any ski area in the U.S. It rises 4,139 feet from the valley floor to the top of Rendezvous Mountain.
Downtown, everyone takes their picture under the elk antler arches on each corner of the Town Square. Happily, no elk were killed for the arches to be made as they annually shed their antlers.
More than 2.6 million people visit Jackson Hole each year, but Jackson still evokes a quaint charm and small-town ambiance. Maybe because of this happy coincidence of energy and laid-back vibe, celebrities choose to live and vacation here. Travis Rice, one of the world’s top snowboarders, was born and raised in the area and Jimmy Chin, a North Face Athlete, adventurer, photographer, climber, skier, and filmmaker has made Jackson his home. His photographs have been featured in National Geographic and his movie Meru won the Audience Favorite Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Movie stars, including Sandra Bullock and Harrison Ford, own homes in the valley, whilst Quentin Tarantino filmed part of the movie Django Unchained here.
However, Jackson Hole is not just about skiing. There’s something for everyone—shopping, destination spas, award-winning dining, museums, concerts, dance performances, and a vibrant nightlife.