Grand Teton
Location: Wyoming
Established: February 26, 1929
Grand Teton National Park was actually established twice, first in 1929 to protect mountain peaks and the lakes surrounding the mountain bases, then in 1950, when the adjacent valley floors as well as the Jackson Hole National Monument, created in 1943, were combined to become the present-day Grand Teton National Park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. played a major role in the park’s history, buying up land in the area anonymously in order to establish and then expand Grand Teton National Park. The park is not as large as its neighbor to the north, Yellowstone National Park, but every square inch of this amazing national park is visually stunning, with the Teton Range — with peaks rising as much as 7,000 feet off the valley floor -- as the centerpiece. The highest, most prominent peak is the Grand Teton, standing at 13,770 feet. The park also includes pristine lakes and rivers, Mormon Row (once home to 22 Mormon pioneer families), Oxbow Bend (a wide meander of the Snake River flowing gently through marshy flats) and abundant, teeming wildlife. With respect to wildlife, the best place for a moose sighting is Moose-Wilson Road at sunset. It’s an 8 mile scenic drive that snakes through hillsides and wetlands, and is one of the most wildlife-rich areas in Grand Teton.
Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are connected by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, which allows you to cover two parks in one trip.
