Grand Teton National Park Scenic Drives allow visitors to enjoy the diverse beauty and natural surroundings from the comfort of their car and explore the national parks in the region. Anytime during the summer these drives are enjoyable; however, in the fall months when the aspen trees turn a rainbow of colors is truly the best time. Also, keep in mind that even though there might be a beautiful lake to your right alluring your attention, you are still driving- so trust me- heed caution.

Jenny Lake Loop: This scenic drive is located in The Grand Teton National Park and can be popular in the summer months. Enter the park in Moose, WY and head about twelve miles on Teton Park Road. Make a left when you arrive at the North Jenny Lake Junction and in a few miles you will soon be on a one-way road. On your left, you will pass the historic Jenny Lake Lodge, which during the season is a great place to stop for lunch or breakfast; however, reservations are highly recommended because the space is limited. Continuing on the one-way Jenny Lake Road, you will meander through a dense forest. Keep your eyes open to catch glimpses of any animals hanging around the lake. As you come over a hill you will see the lake in front of you where there is an excellent pull-off. I suggest to pull-off and hop out and snap some amazing photos of Jenny Lake and the reflection of the Tetons glistening in the glacier water. Continue on as you enjoy views of the lake to your right and soon you will arrive back at Teton Park Road. If you loved the loop, you can make a left and do it all over again!

Two Ocean Lake: If you enter the park at Moose, this drive is in the north section of The Grand Teton National Park. Take the Teton Park road north passing Jenny Lake and Signal Mountain. Soon you will arrive at the Jackson Lake Junction and you should hang a right on to 191 also known as John D. Rockefeller Road. In a few miles you will pass a turn off on your right called Oxbow Bend, a favorite spot for photographers to snap shot of the Tetons at sunset. Continue down the road and make a left at Pacific Creek Road. About four miles down the road, make another left on to an easy-going dirt road. You will meander on this road for a few miles passing beautiful Aspen trees and conifers. The road ends at a parking lot, where you can jump out and walk for just a minute and you will end up at Two Ocean Lake. The reds, yellows and orange of the Aspen trees radiates off the water in the fall making for excellent photos. If you are feeling ambitious, a relaxing hike around the lake takes about three hours and covers 6.4 miles. Two Ocean Lake is off the beaten path amongst many tourists so you should be able to find plenty of solitude here.

Moose-Wilson Road:

This road is normally known as the other way to get to Teton Village; however, it is scenic as well as functional. Moose-Wilson Road is a two way street, so you can enter it two ways, either enter from Teton Village Road or Moose. The road curls around fantastic scenery of lush forests and marshy areas providing an excellent backdrop for many animals. Animal viewing on Moose-Wilson is best around sunset when the moose head here to get a cool drink and the elk retreat down the hills to lower ground for the evening. Just a heads up, the road is really twisty dirt road, so in the fall and spring the road can be bumpy due to recent rain. Just ask at a park entrance or the visitor’s center about the current road quality.

These scenic drives will add some amazing hidden views to your tour of Jackson. I always like to pack a picnic and stop at one of the locations and really take it all in. Whether you enjoy one of these drives or all of them, a scenic drive is a truly relaxing way to see what Jackson has to offer.