The over 310,000 acres of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming are home to the jagged mountains of the Teton Range, almost 200 miles of hiking trails and a variety of animals such as pronghorn antelope, moose and elk. Visitors intimidated by the vastness of park are encouraged to take part in one of the many guided tours.
Strap on your snowshoes and join a Grand Teton National Park ranger for a free guided hike through the snow. The snowshoe hikes start December 19th and run until March, provided that there is enough snow. The roundtrip hikes depart from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center and head to either Snake River or the Murie Ranch Historic Landmark. Each hike lasts two hours and is free of charge. Participants may rent snowshoes for a $5 donation. The Snake River hike is held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and the Murie Ranch hike is on Sundays and Wednesdays. Each tour begins at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
Discover the park's Murie Center, a one-time dude ranch in Moose, Wyoming, and later the headquarters for The Wilderness Society. The society was founded by Olaus Murie who was a pioneer in land conservation and one of the many people behind the Wilderness Act, which protects federal forests. The ranch, near the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, is a National Historic Landmark and center for conservation activism. Take a docent-led tour of the ranch from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June to mid-September.
Allow Brushbuck's Guide Services to show you the sights of Grand Teton National Park via one of its small buses. Watch the sun set slowly over the park as you see animals such as coyotes or moose. You could also tour the park in winter or tour both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks via this company. Brushback offers tours year-round, however, some tours are only held at certain times of the year. Guests are picked up at their hotels. Reservations are required (see References for a link).
Explore the park and Jackson Hole with a Grand Teton Eco Discovery Tours guide at either dawn or dusk to see majestic animals as moose and pronghorn antelope and learn about the park and the animals that call it home. The tours are four hours long, with a full-day guided tour option that includes a picnic lunch and short hikes off the main paths. All tours are year-round and, primarily, are conducted on a four-wheel drive vehicle. Reservations are required (see References for a link).
Board the Grayline bus for a one-day guided tour of Grand Teton. Learn how the area's original settlers lived at Menor's Ferry and stop for photos at Jenny Lake. You will also visit Jackson Lake and view wildlife at the Snake River's Oxbow Bend. This tour is held Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from June 3 to Oct. 3. The bus will pick up guests in Aspens, Teton Village and at the downtown parking lot in Jackson. Reservations are required (see References for a link).
