Colter Bay Campground
The Quick Take
Colter Bay is the basecamp campground of Grand Teton -- the one that trades backcountry solitude for a small village worth of convenience. You are camping in a lodgepole pine forest with more than three hundred neighbors, so do not come here expecting wilderness quiet. What you get instead is a camp store, laundry, restaurants, and a marina all within walking distance, plus a short stroll to one of the most iconic views of Mount Moran you will find anywhere. There are no electrical hookups and no flush toilets, which keeps it from feeling like a full resort, but the WiFi and cell service mean you are never truly off the grid. This is the right pick for families who want Teton scenery without roughing it, RV travelers who need a big-rig-friendly pull-through, or anyone using the park as a launchpad for day trips into Yellowstone twenty miles north.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 324 sites are reservable.
Book at Grand Teton LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. Maximum length: 45 feet. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
17 ADA-accessible campsites. Accessible restrooms available. The campground has 13 ADA-accessible sites with electric hookups. Restroom facilities are partially accessible. Accessible showers are available in Colter Bay Village. Routes to the amphitheater are paved but on a sloping incline/decline which may make wheelchair access challenging. The campground loop roads are paved and mostly level, with some sloping incline and decline. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:Campfires - must be contained within a metal fire grate 4.
- Bear Safety:Food storage - all food and other items with an odor must be properly stored at all times 2.
Pro Tips
Colter Bay fills fast but turns over constantly -- if you strike out on reservations, show up early morning (before 10 AM) and check for same-day cancellations at the campground office. Mid-week arrivals in late August and September dramatically improve your odds.
Walk or bike to the Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail at sunset for the Mount Moran reflection shot that sells Grand Teton calendars. The Hermitage Point Trailhead is right there too -- the full loop is about nine miles and sees a fraction of the foot traffic that Jenny Lake trails get.
No showers in the campground itself, but the adjacent village has pay showers and laundry. Bring quarters. Also bring a bear canister or plan to use the provided food lockers religiously -- grizzlies patrol this corridor and rangers enforce food storage rules with real citations.
Photos
NPS Photo / Petersen
NPS Photo / A. Mattson
NPS Photo / A. MattsonGetting There
Directions
Heading north from Jackson on US 26/89/191, turn left (west) at Moran Junction. Continue north on US 89/191/287 ten miles to Colter Bay Junction. Turn left (west) and follow the signs. Heading south from Yellowstone on US 89/191/287, continue 20 miles south. Turn right (west) at Colter Bay Junction and follow the signs.
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