Yellowstone gets the crowds, but its neighbour just 10 miles south packs arguably more photogenic scenery into its 310,000 acres. Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has around 235 miles of trails, glacier-carved lakes up to 256 feet deep, and a highway that doubles as one of America's great scenic drives. Best of all, many of its headline views require almost no hiking at all.
Start with Mormon Row in the park's southeast corner, a 20-minute drive from the town of Jackson. Mormon homesteaders settled here in the 1890s under the Homestead Act, and their weathered barns and corrals still stand on the open plain with the snow-capped Tetons rising behind. The T.A. Moulton Barn here is said to be among the most photographed barns anywhere — arrive at sunrise, when the peaks glow orange and pink.
A short drive north, Schwabacher Landing is a beaver-dammed channel of the Snake River that goes glass-still on calm mornings, mirroring the entire range. Moose, otters and bald eagles pass through, and the flat trail is easy for any fitness level. Photographers crowd in at dawn, then it empties out.
Jenny Lake is the park's busiest spot, and for good reason. A shuttle boat in summer crosses to the western shore, cutting the walk to Hidden Falls — a 100-foot cascade of snowmelt in Cascade Canyon — down to about a mile with 300 feet of climbing. Hike a further third of a mile to Inspiration Point, a rocky perch 420 feet above the lake with views over the whole of Jackson Hole. The switchbacks get steep and exposed, and crowds build by 8:30 a.m. in peak season, so start early.
Further north, Oxbow Bend is a crescent of slack water off the highway near Moran Junction where Mount Moran doubles itself in the reflection at sunrise or sunset. Pelicans, herons and river otters show up regularly, and grizzlies have been seen along the banks — including the famous Bear 399, killed by a vehicle in 2024, a sobering note to drive slowly. Twenty minutes south on Highway 191, the Snake River Overlook is where Ansel Adams shot his 1942 black-and-white classic "The Tetons and the Snake River." Trees have since grown over the famous S-bend, but the mountain view still lands. Add Taggart Lake for a wildflower trail with the full range in view the whole way.
Who is this for? Anyone who wants postcard-scale American mountain scenery without committing to a backpacking trip. Grand Teton rewards casual sightseers as much as serious hikers: pullouts, shuttle boats and short flat trails get you to most of these spots, with bison, elk, moose and wolves as a bonus. It slots neatly into a broader Wyoming trip — pair it with Yellowstone next door, and base yourself in Jackson for easy access to the southern trailheads.
