2025 Moran Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

#foodandstay Planning a trip to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton? Here’s your go-to guide on the best places to stay — whether you’re into cozy lodges, historic hotels, or tent-with-a-view vibes 👇 🌋 Staying Inside Yellowstone National Park ⛰️ Top In-Park Lodges & Hotels: Old Faithful Inn – Iconic log-and-stone lodge near the geyser; book 6–12 months ahead! Lake Yellowstone Hotel – Historic, elegant, and lakeside views Canyon Lodge & Cabins – Centrally located for easy access to waterfalls and wildlife Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel – Reopened after renovation, great for exploring the north ⛺ Popular Campgrounds: Madison Campground – Close to geysers + central location Grant Village – Good for lake access + southern Yellowstone Canyon Campground – Near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone 💡 Pro Tip: Yellowstone is huge. If you’re staying multiple nights, consider changing lodging locations to reduce driving time between areas! 🏔️ Staying Inside Grand Teton National Park 🏞️ Top Lodges & Cabins: Jackson Lake Lodge – Huge windows with Teton views = wow Jenny Lake Lodge – Luxury + rustic + romantic Signal Mountain Lodge – Cozy cabins right on the lake Colter Bay Cabins – Affordable, family-friendly, close to hikes ⛺ Best Campgrounds: Jenny Lake Campground – Walkable to trails, tents only (book early!) Colter Bay Campground – Larger, wooded, RV-friendly Gros Ventre Campground – Closest to Jackson, often overlooked 💡 Pro Tip: Most Tetons lodging is only open mid-May through Sept — book early, especially for Jenny Lake! 🏘️ Towns to Stay Just Outside the Parks 🛎️ For Yellowstone: West Yellowstone, MT – Closest to the west entrance, lots of hotels, restaurants Gardiner, MT – North entrance access + wildlife nearby Cooke City, MT – Tiny but scenic; perfect for a Lamar Valley-focused stay 🏡 For Grand Teton: Jackson, WY – Stylish, lively, and full of food, shops, & outfitters ✅ Great for winter visits too (near Jackson Hole ski resort!) 💵 More expensive, but tons of options from budget to bougie 🧭 Quick Booking Tips: ✅ Book lodges 6–12 months ahead (especially inside the parks) ✅ Consider a combo stay — 2 nights in each park or 1 night in town and 2 nights inside ✅ Many in-park stays are managed by concessionaires like Xanterra (Yellowstone) and Grand Teton Lodge Company

#transportation Welcome to Grand Teton National Park — where alpine peaks meet mirror lakes and the drives are just as epic as the hikes. Here’s how to get around like a pro and enjoy every scenic mile 👇 📍 Where Is It? Grand Teton is located in northwestern Wyoming, just south of Yellowstone. 🗺️ Nearby hubs: ✈️ Jackson, WY – 10 min from park entrance (and a great base!) 🚗 Yellowstone South Entrance – ~20 min from northern park boundary ✈️ Idaho Falls, ID – 2 hours ✈️ Salt Lake City, UT – 5 hours 🚗 Driving Is a Must There’s no park shuttle system, so you’ll need your own wheels. ✅ Best way to explore: self-drive along Teton Park Road and Highway 191 🛣️ The roads are well-paved and scenic — ideal for road trips and wildlife spotting! 💡 Top Drives Not to Miss: 🏞️ Teton Park Road – between Moose and Jackson Lake Lodge 🏔️ Signal Mountain Summit Road – great panoramic views 🐻 Moose–Wilson Road – narrow and wild (watch for bears + moose!) 🅿️ Parking Tips 🅿️ Popular trailheads and viewpoints (Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, Oxbow Bend) fill early ✅ Arrive before 8 AM in summer ✅ Consider biking or shuttling from Jackson for short trips 🛶 Jenny Lake Shuttle Boat (The One Shuttle You’ll Find!) 🚤 A scenic way to skip part of the Jenny Lake hike ✅ Runs mid-May to late Sept ✅ Saves ~2 miles of hiking round trip 💵 Fee applies (cash or card accepted at dock) 🚲 Biking Around the Tetons 🚴 Multi-use paved path runs from Jackson → Moose → Jenny Lake ✅ Perfect for car-free travel with views! ⚠️ Biking not allowed on trails — just the park roads and paved paths 🚌 Public Transport? Barely. 🚫 No buses or shuttles within the park ✅ Limited START Bus runs between Jackson and park gateway towns 👎 Not practical for exploring park interiors 🚐 RV & Camper Tips ✅ RVs allowed on park roads ⛺ Reserve campgrounds early (esp. Jenny Lake & Colter Bay) ⚠️ Size restrictions on narrow roads like Signal Mountain Summit 🧭 Quick Transport Tips: ✅ Visit in early morning or late afternoon for easier parking & wildlife ✅ Use offline maps or download the NPS app — signal is spotty ✅ Be ready for wildlife on roads (especially early/late) ✅ Combine with Yellowstone for the ultimate double-park road trip

There is a restaurant in Jackson Lake Lodge that sells bison burgers. We had a quick lunch there. Bison didn't smell or taste particularly fishy. It was just like a hamburger. People with more sensitive taste or smell might be able to tell the difference. We sat at a table, which was the first time I'd sat down in the US. We ordered one beer and one burger. The fries were really delicious. Idaho is famous for potatoes, so maybe it's because we're nearby? The hamburger was just okay, but the fries and beer were really delicious. Address Pioneer Grill, 101 Jackson Lake Lodge Rd, Moran, WY 83013 USA Restaurant Name Pioneer Grill #August Travel Support Grant Event #US Photo Spots #US Travel #US Western Travel #Bison Burger

A photo with Grand Teton in the background at Jackson Lake Lodge If you go out to the back of the lodge, you can see a view that will leave you speechless I wonder if this is a photo spot. Mr. Gaden took a lot of photos for me and told me to walk around the next hill If you walk slowly and take photos while looking at the fantastic Teton view, time flies by without you knowing Attraction Jackson Lake Lodge Address 101 Jackson Lake Lodge Rd, Moran, WY 83013 USA #August Travel Support Grant Event #Travel in the Western US #Grand Teton #Travel in the US #Photo Spots in the US

Visited the lodge to take pictures with the Grand Teton background The interior of the building was so beautiful that I took several pictures In particular, the Grand Teton seen from the window of the main hall on the second floor was the best It was nice to just sit there on the sofa and stare blankly for a long time Location Jackson Lake Lodge Address 101 Jackson Lake Lodge Rd, Moran, WY 83013 USA #August Travel Grant Event #Bison Burger #US Travel #US Western Travel #Grand Teton