Best Time to Visit Grand Teton National Park

Pick a month. Best months are in bold.

The best months to visit Grand Teton National Park are April, May and October — computed from official NPS visitation (2021–2025 average), NOAA weather normals and daylight. July is the crowd peak (732,380 monthly visits); December is quietest at 7% of peak.

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Best months for fewer crowds

The quietest months at Grand Teton, leaving out harsh weather and months when main access is typically closed.

Monthly crowd curve

Average monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). Amber bar = current month.

Grand Teton month by month

Crowds: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, mean of 2021–2025 (2020 excluded as a COVID-19 anomaly). Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station MORAN 5WNW, WY US (6 mi from park coordinates). Daylight: computed for the 15th of each month at the park's location. Methodology.

How many people visit Grand Teton each year

Grand Teton National Park had 3,800,648 recreation visits in 2025, 5% more than 2024 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). The busiest year since 2015 was 2021, with 3,885,230. Over 2021–2025 it averaged 3,507,486 visits a year, which makes it the 8th most-visited of the 63 national parks.

Calendar-year recreation visits as published by NPS Visitor Use Statistics. 2020 is shown here but left out of the monthly averages above, because the COVID-19 pandemic makes it unrepresentative. See how every park compares: all 63 parks ranked by visits.

What to pack for Grand Teton in April

Computed from April's weather normals — Grand Teton's best month above. Visiting another month? Each month page has its own weather-computed list.

• Insulated jacket, beanie and gloves — nights average 21°F, below freezing
• Packable rain jacket — 2.2″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Traction devices (microspikes) and gaiters — 12″ normal snowfall (compare other options)
• Insulated, waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 12″ of snow is normal this month
• Bear spray — recommended by the park in grizzly country (check current park regulations before you carry)

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Common questions

Grand Teton month by month: notes from the park service

• January: January is Grand Teton's coldest, snowiest month: at Moose, the park's long-term records show days around 26°F, nights near 1°F and about 43 inches of snowfall. Ranger-led snowshoe hikes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from early January (January 6 to March 12 in 2026), with snowshoes provided for anyone 8 or older; reservations open by phone at 307-739-3399 on December 1.
• February: February at Grand Teton carries the deepest snow on the ground at Moose, about 33 inches on average, by the park's records. The Teton Park Road between the Taggart Lake Trailhead and Signal Mountain Lodge is closed to cars from November 1 to April 30 and open to skiers and snowshoers, with intermittent grooming.
• March: March still brings about 20 inches of snow to Moose on average, with afternoons near 39°F. Colter Bay, Antelope Flats Road and the Taggart Lake area are among the park's suggested places to ski or snowshoe, and the ranger snowshoe hikes usually run until mid-March.
• April: April at Grand Teton is a slow thaw: days around 49°F, nights in the low 20s and roughly 10 inches of snow at Moose, the park's records show. Mild days and cool nights alternate with rain and snow from mid-April, and valley trails usually stay snow-covered until late May.
• May: May is Grand Teton's opening month. The Teton Park Road opens to cars on May 1, and in 2026 the Jenny Lake Visitor Center opened May 15 and Colter Bay's on May 8, after Craig Thomas in Moose (from April 10).
• June: June is when the last of Grand Teton's campgrounds open. On the park's 2026 schedule, Headwaters Campground and RV Park opened June 7 and Lizard Creek on June 12, joining Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake, Signal Mountain and Colter Bay, which had opened in April and May.
• July: July is Grand Teton's warmest month, averaging about 81°F by day at Moose but only around 42°F at night, so pack layers. Afternoon thundershowers are common, and in the mountains storms can arrive without warning, bringing lightning, rain and hail to the peaks.
• August: August is the one stretch when every Grand Teton campground on the park's list is open at once. In 2026 the shortest seasons were Colter Bay Tent Village (May 22 to September 7) and Lizard Creek (June 12 to September 13), and Jenny Lake and Colter Bay campgrounds closed on September 27.
• September: September is when Grand Teton's campgrounds begin to close. On the park's 2026 schedule, Colter Bay Tent Village shut on September 7, Lizard Creek on September 13, and Jenny Lake and Colter Bay campgrounds on September 27; the Colter Bay Visitor Center closed September 30.
• October: October is Grand Teton's last month with the Teton Park Road open to cars: the park service lists its winter closure for October 31. Services thin out through the month.
• November: November in Grand Teton is after the season. On the park's 2026 schedule the Teton Park Road closed to cars for the winter on October 31, the same day the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center closed, and every listed campground had shut by mid-October.
• December: December returns Grand Teton to winter: the park says the first heavy snows fall by November 1 and continue through April, and Moose averages about 40 inches of snow in December. The park recommends four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or all-weather tires, since roads can close in blizzards, and moose and other wildlife often cross the roads in winter.

Each month page carries the full note and the NPS page it comes from.

Dive into a month

Comparing parks for the same trip? See how Grand Teton ranks against all 63 parks in April, May and October.

Last verified 2026-09-24 · all parks