Grand Teton National Park Recap (2026)
- amandajeren
- Jul 27
- 7 min read
We finally made it to another National Park! My husband and I travled to Jackson Wyoming in June for a half marathon, and stayed for a few days to hike this goregous park. We discovered the beauty of the Tetons by land and sea and experienced all the fun things Jackson Hole had to offer.
Saturday: Grand Teton Half Marathon, Victor Idaho, massages, golf
I spent 6 weeks training for the Vacation Races Grand Teton Half Marathon, and wow.. it was one of the most enjoyable half marathons yet! I have a complete recap of the race, training and logistics on my blog. This race took up majority of Saturday, but we fit a bunch into the second half of the day that I must share.
We stayed at Teton Valley Resort on Friday and checked out Sunday. The resort was more like a glamping experience; we had a cabin, our own parking spot, and shared a restaurant/pool with others. We absolutely loved this setup... it made us feel like we were submersed in the town rather than staying in a secluded hotel. This resort was a good 35 minutes from Jackson Hole, which wasn't ideal but was 10x cheaper than staying downtown our entire trip. Since I was running and needed things like a fridge, this decision worked out for us and we are so glad we did it. This resort was located in Victor Idaho, on the otherside of the mountain range seperating us from Jackson Hole.
Post half marathon, we came back and picked up deli sandwiches and sides at Victor Valley Market. What a gem of a find!! After eating at our cabin, we headed to Stillwater Salon & Spa for a 60 minute couples massage. This was also such a great find. My husband and I were so pleased with our massages and the spa was lovely. It was a fraction of the price I would've spent on massages at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole, too. Post-massage, we had a few hours before seeking out a dinner spot so we found a great golf course about 20 minutes from the spa, super close to our lodge. I know I know, we fit a lot in! The fun part about race day is the runs are done around 9 am, making the day full of opportunties!
Dinner in Victor was a last minute decision because zero spots required reservations. We loved this. We decided on Knotty Pine Supper club. To be honest, the food was O.K... but we started to realize people don't come to Jackson Hole (and surrounding areas) for the food. But the actual restaurant was perfect. We ate outside which was super cute, stung light lit, and dog-friendly. The inside was a dungy saloon, also up our alley!
Dinner at Knotty Pine Supper Club
Sunday: Hiking Hidden Falls to Inspirtation Point, Million Dollar Cowboy Restaurant + Bar
We packed our bags and said goodbye to Teton Valley Resort. We wanted to stay in Jackson Hole the remainder of the trip because of our itinerary; and driving back and forth through the mountain ranges at night seemed terrifying.
We headed to the Athletic Club at Jackson Hole for a lift. It has been days since I lifted due to tapering for the half marathon, so I was craving a good workout. This club was new, clean and exceptional... however, 40$ per person seems like a rip off to me. This wasn't some huge facility, it was in strip mall. So after that sticker tag shock, we knew we'd try somewhere else for Monday.
Lunch was another spot I truly didn't care for. So honestly, I forget where we went. But it served its purpose being quick and healthy.
HUGE NOTE FOR STARBUCKS LOVERS.... Jackson Hole has a week cold brew game. We finally found one that served us in the Jackson Hole Target.
Our intire afternoon was to be devoted to two, possibly three hikes. But becasue I was unprepared for the time it required... we successfully completed only one!
Here's my hiking notes in a nutshell:
A short, beautiful hike called Hidden Falls is accessible two ways. You can hike about 3 miles around Jenny lake, or take the shuttle boat across the lake. Hidden Falls leads right into a hike called Inspiration Point. It is what it sounds, an uphill hike to a beautiful overlook. Once you reach Inspirtation Point, you can continue on through Cascade Canyon, a 9-13 mile hike through beautiful canyon of the Tetons. This hike was my ultimate dream day, but I decided to see how trafficked the first two hikes were before commiting. The bear season was real while we were there, as many many people were claiming to see bears.
Since we worked out and had a late breakfast, taking the boat across Jenny Lake seemed more appealing to save time. We wanted to get in some hiking and I hadn't seen how many people were hiking around the lake. The boat ride, although was a longer wait (around 30 minutes) was excellent for photos and to get the lay-of-the-land from the captain. The captain, or park ranger, gave us lots of tips when hiking and what to do if we did see wildlife. He made us all feel pretty comfortable with what to do if we saw bear or moose that I actually got excited to potentially see one.
Once we got off the boat, we started with Hidden Falls. WOW! What a beautiful hike!!!! There were TONS of people, including kids, on this hike. I'd rate it easy because of the distance but you are trekking uphill most of the way, so it's good to note that you need hiking shoes. Unfrotunately, we only did about half of Inspiration Point (yep... didn't make it to the top) before deciding to turn around. We had dinner reservations in Jackson Hole and the whole process of getting back was going to take awhile. So we hiked for a total of 1.5 miles and called it a day!
This was the most dissapointed I felt on the entire trip, simply because I had imagined this being the hardest hiking day. But, we made the best of it by coming to terms with the fact more adventures await and today was excactly how it was meant to be.
From left to right: Hidden Falls Hike, boat ride across Jenny Lake, the only animal I saw (a squirel selfie), hiking half of Inspiration Point and my husband hiking back
We quickly returned to Jackson Hole, checked into our hotel and got ready for dinner at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar & Steakhouse. My husband has been waiting for this moment for months... and it lived up to the hype!
Our dinner was great. Think steak, salmon, all the steakhouse sides... the only thing we didn't care for was the shrimp cocktail. It was grilled, then re-chilled making the shrimp rather chewy.
The bar upstairs was SO fun. We spent too much time there... sitting at the saddle barstools then making our way to the dance floor. They played a mix of country music and pop; but every person was wearing their cowboy hats and boots. It was THAT much fun.
Monday: Jackson Hole Fitness Center, Floating Snake River, String Lake Hike
Staying in Jackson Hole Sunday night allowed for Monday to start early, with ease. We had a very long day ahead of us with hiking, participating in 10 mile river float and ending with our 4.5 hr drive to Salt Lake City. I was worried we'd be exhuasted this day and the drive would be tough; and it was. But, we did it and lived to tell about it!
If I could do it differently, I would've had us at least fly home from Jackson Hole. Again, this airport is teeny tiny and costs an arm and a leg. We saved over two grand by driving a few hours and flying home. But sometimes convenience is worth the cost and in this case I would've chosen convenience.
We started the day with a workout at Jackson Hole Fitness Center. This gym was a little older but still great. Plus, it was half the cost of the athletic club! I was feeling better this day to do a heavier strength workout post half marathon, so we spent about an hour here before grabbing Cowboy Coffee and heading to our first hike.
String Lake hike was rated an easy 4 miles, which was perfect for today. I wanted something that got us outside, gave us all the views, but didn't wear us out. String Lake was absolutely perfect for that! It was extremely easy, circling string lake and providing the best photo ops. We were hopeful that we'd see bear here too, due to us being in the forest, but we did not.
String Lake hike (4 miles)
Post hike, we headed to the market located next to Dornan's Pizza. This stop is located right inside the park and makes it convieant to grab quick food and drink in between adventures. We made deli sandwiches and headed to our float trip.
The scenic float trip, coordinated by Barker-Erwig Scenic Float Trips, was incredible. It wasn't a hardcore rafting experience; but a very relaxing, float inside the Tetons. This is the only company allowed to operate inside the national park too! For this experience, we were guided down Snake River for 10 miles, looking at wildlife, taking in the beautiful Teton valley, and learning about the history of the area. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for an easy adventure that brings you views, socializing, and relaxation.
Scenic float trip INSIDE Teton National Park
Around 5pm, we ended our float and headed to Utah! We were to fly out in the AM from Salt Lake City.
This trip was incredible. I can't describe enough how Jackson Hole & the Tetons are for everyone... you get your nature outdoor fix, and have a town to look forward to in the evening that includes shopping and dining. There are not many national parks I want to return to (because I have a long bucket list), but we WILL be returning to the Tetons. For one, I think my boys would love it. The adventures are endless, the hiking and wildlife are incredible and like I said, the town just adds extra things to do for your evenings. This national park is for families, couples, outdoor adventure seekers and animal lovers. I cannot wait to return!
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