13 Top Campgrounds at Grand Teton National Park, WY

Written by Brad Lane
Updated Dec 23, 2023

Author Brad Lane enjoyed a lengthy trip in Grand Teton National Park, including a five-day traverse of the Teton Crest Trail.

Camping at Grand Teton National Park is the best way to experience the high-mountain majesty of this rugged national park. The Teton Range, at the heart of the park, sits high on the horizon in the adventure-rich state of Wyoming and attracts visitors from around the world.

Scenic campgrounds span different vantage points of this iconic alpine landscape. Concessionaire campgrounds within park boundaries, US Forest Service campgrounds in the surrounding national forests, and backcountry camping zones for backpacking comprise the many ways to spend the night.

All campgrounds near Grand Teton National Park are in bear country, and campers need to take proper precautions, including proper food storage and abiding by campground rules. Reservations are now required for all campgrounds within the park, and many of the national forests also accept advance booking.

Pick the best place to stay with our list of the top campgrounds in Grand Teton National Park.

On This Page:

Jenny Lake Campground
Gros Ventre Campground
Colter Bay Campground
Signal Mountain Campground
Lizard Creek Campground
Curtis Canyon Campground
Death Canyon Shelf Camping Zone
Teton Canyon Campground
Atherton Creek Campground
Paintbrush Canyon Camping Zones
Granite Creek Campground
Mike Harris Campground
Cascade Canyon Camping Zones
Map of Campgrounds at Grand Teton National Park, WY

Jenny Lake Campground

Jenny Lake with a mountain backdrop | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane

Jenny Lake Campground is at the heart of Grand Teton National Park and ranks high as one of the best campgrounds in Wyoming. It features some of the most popular campsites within the park. It's not just the accessible location of Teton Park Drive that draws a crowd, but the supreme scenery of the adjacent Jenny Lake and Teton Range makes it a bucket-list spot to spend the night.

The campground is operated by the Grand Teton Lodge Company, although reservations are still made through Recreation.gov. Recent changes converted the campsite from first-come, first-serve to reservation only. Sites become available on a six-month rolling basis and often fill up fast. Reservations can be made for 14 consecutive days.

Jenny Lake Campground has 48 sites and an additional 10 hiker/biker-only campsites. The campground only facilitates tent camping with no RVS allowed. Each site share access to nearby flushing toilets and potable water. The nearby Jenny Lake Store offers goods like firewood, snacks, and ice.

The campground operates between early May and early October. The rest of the park is easily accessible from the Jenny Lake Campground, including the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, only eight miles away.

Address: Teton Park Road, Jenny Lake Campground, Moose, Wyoming

Gros Ventre Campground

The Gros Ventre Campground is the park's largest campground, with more than 300 campsites nestled into the cottonwood trees alongside the Gros Ventre River. The real appeal of this campground is its scenic surroundings and immediate access to the rest of the park.

The campground is in the southeast corner of the park, near the Moose Entrance. The campground now operates on a reservation basis, with sites available on a six-month rolling basis. All 300 sites accommodate RVs, although one loop is dedicated to tent campers only, and only 36 sites have electrical hookups.

Campsite reservations fill up quickly for the summer season at Gros Ventre, with reservations available six months in advance. Every campsite at the Gros Ventre Campground includes a picnic table, fire pit, and parking spot, as well as close-by flushing toilets and potable water.

Address: 100 Gros Ventre Campground Road, Kelly, Wyoming

Colter Bay Campground

Colter Bay Campground is on the shores of Jackson Lake in the northern region of Grand Teton National Park. This campground offers more than 300 campsites operated by the Grand Teton Lodge Company concessionaire.

Campsites at Colter Bay are split between tent sites and RV-designated parking spots, most of which are non-electric, and all provide access to potable water and modern bathroom facilities.

With proximity to the Colter Bay Village and Colter Bay Marina, campers at Colter Bay Campground are only a short walk from showers, laundry service, and a general store. The village also provides numerous outlets for adventure, including boat rentals, chuck wagon rides, and guided fishing tours.

Address: 100 Colter Bay Campground Road, Colter Bay Campground, Moran, Wyoming

Signal Mountain Campground

Signal Mountain Campground is located near the south shore of Jackson Lake and Signal Mountain Lodge. The campground features 81 sites that can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet in length. Most sites at Signal Mountain are non-electric and also support tent camping.

Reservations are now required to camp at Signal Mountain Campground, offered on a six-month rolling basis. The campground has flushing toilets and cold running water, and each campsite includes a picnic table, fire ring, and a place to park your car.

Thanks to the nearby Signal Mountain Lodge, overnight users and visitors have access to a general store, public showers, and a laundromat. The lodge also features several dining options, including the Trapper Grill Breakfast and Leek's Pizzeria.

Address: Grand Teton National Park, 1 Inner Park Road, Moran, Wyoming

Lizard Creek Campground

Lizard Creek Campground offers quiet surroundings alongside stunning scenery on the north end of Jackson Lake and Grand Teton National Park. Its 60 non-electric sites are nestled into an aromatic swath of spruce and fir.

One of the biggest draws of the Lizard Creek Campground is the adjacent Jackson Lake, which provides opportunities to swim, fish, and admire the Teton Range backdrop on full display. Campsites at Lizard Creek can accommodate vehicles up to 30 feet in length.

Lizard Creek Campground is also close to some of the top attractions of Yellowstone National Park, making it perfect for those looking to transition from one park to the other. Reservations are required and available on a six-month rolling basis.

Address: Lizard Creek Road, Moran, Wyoming

Curtis Canyon Campground

The Curtis Canyon Campground sits high above the adjoining National Elk Refuge, less than 10 miles outside the adventure-rich town of Jackson Hole, and delivers big views of the standout scenery below.

Curtis Canyon is Within Bridger-Teton National Forest and is operated by the US Forest Service on a first-come, first-served basis. It's a non-electric campground, and all 12 sites share access to vault toilets and drinking water. Each campsite comes with a fire ring, picnic table, and a food-storage box.

The Curtis Canyon Overlook is easily accessible within a short walking distance of each campsite. The campground requires a little more of a drive to access and isn't as popular as those within park boundaries, but the spaces do fill up. Curtis Canyon Campground is also a little more affordable thanks to its location outside the park

Address: Bridger Teton National Forest, Forest Rd 30443, Jackson, Wyoming

Death Canyon Shelf Camping Zone

Grand Teton National Park provides an extensive backcountry trail system, including eleven different permitted camping zones in the park's southwest region. Together, these different zones create the rest stops along the iconic Teton Crest Trail, which exposes some of the best alpine scenery in the American West. All camping zones are only accessible via backpacking and require a sought-after permit.

All permit holders need to pack in every bit of gear they need for these backcountry, zero-amenity camping zones. Hikers also need to be sure to pack everything back out after spending the night. Permits can be obtained online beginning January 8^th of the same season.

While all camping zones provide a memorable overnight experience, the Death Canyon Shelf stands above the rest. Situated high on the skyline above Death Canyon, the Death Canyon Shelf Camping Zone allows for 16 groups to disperse camp in the area.

Gain the permit to do so, and camping on the Death Canyon Shelf provides unreal elevated views of scenic Death Canyon, as well as unforgettable sunsets on the not-so-distant peak of Grand Teton.

Teton Canyon Campground

The Teton Canyon Campground is on the outskirts of the western edge of Grand Teton National Park and is only accessible through the small city of Driggs, Idaho. It's a forest service campground operated by Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Alongside the partial and inviting views of the Teton Range, there are 20 reservable non-electric sites available, all sharing access to vault toilets and potable water. The campground is best suited for cars and small trailers.

Other common guests at the Teton Canyon Campground include moose, bears, and deer. Each campsite at Teton Canyon comes with a food-storage locker that campers are required to use. The biggest draw here is the quick access to some of the best hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park, including entrance into the Alaskan Basin and the Teton Crest Trail.

Location: Alta, Wyoming

Atherton Creek Campground

Atherton Creek Campground is forty minutes from the Moose Entrance of the National Park within Bridger-Teton National Forest. It's a short drive to the park from the campground, but this distance tends to make Atherton Creek less busy than campgrounds closer to the park.

This Forest Service campground has 22 non-electric sites that accommodate trailers up to 26 feet in length. Each campsite comes with a picnic table and fire ring, as well as great views and easy access to the adjacent Lower Slide Lake. All sites at Atherton Creek are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visitors and overnight users of the Atherton Creek Campground are encouraged to use the public boat dock to put their non-motorized or motorized vessel onto the lake. Other popular activities at the campground include swimming, paddling, and trout fishing.

Address: Forest Road 30374, Kelly, Wyoming

Paintbrush Canyon Camping Zones

The Lower and Upper Paintbrush Canyon Camping Zones are in the Teton Range backcountry, not far from the shores of Jenny Lake. These aptly named areas provide nothing short of an idyllic alpine environment, brimming with big scenery and a backdrop of luscious meadows.

Permits are required to stay within either camping zone. No amenities are provided, and carrying a backpack to the designated camping areas is not exactly an easy walk in the park.

But the effort is well rewarded within the Paintbrush Canyon Camping Zones and throughout its idyllic environments. Camping in the backcountry in Grand Teton means being "bear aware" and having the tools to properly store your food at night.

For those with advanced planning or good timing on a walk-up permit, the Holly Lake Camping Zone, within the Upper Paintbrush Zone, accommodates only three small, permitted campsites a night.

Granite Creek Campground

Bridger-Teton National Forest near Granite Creek

Granite Creek is a Forest Service campground operated by Bridger-Teton National Forest. It's almost a 90-minute drive south from the southern Moose entrance of the park, but it's not far from stunning scenery. Campers at this primitive campground tend to bask in the beauty of Gros Ventre Wilderness right at the edge of the campground.

Fishing in the wild and scenic Granite Creek is one of the most popular activities at the campground. The popular Granite Creek Hot Springs is also nearby, enticing a family-friendly soaking experience. Several trails also span from the campground, catering to hiking, biking, and horse riding.

Granite Creek has 51 sites available, with most sites catering to tents and small camping rigs. Fewer than a dozen sites accommodate RVs, with no sites longer than 24 feet long. Several water hydrants are spread throughout the campground, and campers share access to a collection of vault toilets. All campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Address: Bridger Teton National Forest, Forest Road 30500, Jackson, Wyoming

Mike Harris Campground

The Mike Harris Campground is on the western slope of Teton Pass, just across the state border in Idaho. It's a scenic 60-mile drive from the campground to the Moose Entrance of the National Park, passing through Jackson, Wyoming, about halfway through.

The 12 non-electric campsites are best suited for tent camping and car trailers. Each site shares access to vault toilets and drinking water, and every campsite comes with a picnic table, fire ring, and food storage box. All campsites are available for advance reservation.

This campground is close to the park, but it really provides the best access to the surrounding Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Every visitor also shares access to the scenic Mikesell Canyon multi-use trail, as well as trout fishing in nearby Trail Creek.

When it comes time to explore Grand Teton National Park from the Mike Harris Campground, the 22-mile drive over Teton Pass will test your brake pads and deliver an alluring view of what you're about to explore.

Address: Caribou Targhee National Forest, Forest Rd 330, Victor, Idaho

Cascade Canyon Camping Zones

Cascade Canyon provides the epitome of Teton Range backcountry, split between a North and South Fork Camping Zone. Permits are required to backpack and stay the night in Cascade Canyon, and all overnight users must pack in all equipment and gear they will need. This includes food, water purification, shelter, and waste disposal.

Big views of the Teton Range and the surrounding alpine environment are included wherever you pitch a tent within the camping zone. It's not uncommon to see a bear, moose, or marmot sharing the area.