Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park, national park established in 1929. Located in northwestern Wyoming just south of Yellowstone National Park, the park features a spectacular series of peaks and canyons in the Teton Range, which is part of the Rocky Mountains. Grand Teton, the highest peak, is 4,197 m (13,771 ft) above sea level. Other summits, all higher than 3658 m (12,000 ft), include Mount Owen, Middle Teton, South Teton, Mount Moran, Mount Teewinot, and Thor Peak.

Native Americans once hunted and fished in the area, fur traders explored the region in the early 19th century, and homesteaders settled here later in the century. The majestic peaks of the Tetons rise more than a mile above the floor of Jackson Hole, a high valley of meadows and forests crossed by the Snake River. Jackson Hole was once a national monument and became part of the park in 1950. The mountain range is laced with canyons created by the action of glaciers, and glacial lakes at the foot of the range include Jenny Lake, Leigh Lake, and Jackson Lake, the second largest lake in Wyoming. The Snake River and the park’s many lakes support an abundance of aquatic life. Plant life in the park ranges from sagebrush and wildflowers in Jackson Hole, to forests of cottonwood and spruce growing along the Snake River, and subalpine meadows at the foot of the mountains. The park is the natural habitat of moose, bears, coyotes, and deer. As a wildlife sanctuary, it is the winter feeding ground of one of the largest elk herds in North America, as well as the home of bald eagles, Canada geese, great blue herons, osprey, and rare trumpeter swans.

The scenic John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, dedicated to the American industrialist who helped establish the park, runs through Grand Teton and into Yellowstone Park. Hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, and boating are popular recreational activities, and the park contains more than 322 km (200 mi) of trails. The Indian Arts Museum, located on Jackson Lake, features exhibits on Native American life. Administered by the National Park Service. Area, 125,450 hectares (309,994 acres).