Grand Teton Scenic Drive: Choose Moose, Jackson Lake or Moran Junction

Start at Moose Junction if you’re coming from Jackson. If you’re arriving from Yellowstone or staying near Colter Bay, join at Jackson Lake Junction instead. From Dubois and the east, use Moran Junction. The commonly described Grand Teton scenic drive is a roughly 42-mile loop, not a road with one official starting point: it connects these junctions using Teton Park Road and the main highways. ExploreGTNP’s loop guide identifies all three access points.

Planning item	What to allow
Distance	About 42 miles for the basic loop; approach mileage and side trips are extra
Driving time	Planning estimate: 75–90 minutes without sightseeing stops, entrance queues or construction delays
With stops	Budget 3–4 hours for several overlooks and a short lakeside visit, before construction delays
Full-loop season	Normally May 1–October 31, subject to road conditions
Fuel	Start with enough range for the loop, your approach and onward drive

October 2026 changes the timing: NPS’s construction schedule, last updated September 30, lists 20-minute delays south of Moran Junction and up to 20 minutes near the Moose Entrance Station. Budget roughly 40 minutes extra for those two work zones, plus any entrance queue; this is a contingency allowance, not a maximum delay. Current construction schedule

Choose your starting junction

From Jackson: Moose Junction

Drive north on US 89/191 to Moose Junction. This is the highway turn for Moose, not the Moose Entrance Station itself. NPS directs visitors to access Moose from this junction; the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center is in Moose if you want an orientation stop. Moose access and visitor information

For a straightforward circuit, drive counterclockwise: north on the outer highway first, then south on Teton Park Road. This puts broad valley views before the closer mountain-base section. It also fits the southbound, one-way Jenny Lake Scenic Drive without doubling back.

From Yellowstone or Colter Bay: Jackson Lake Junction

Join at Jackson Lake Junction and take Teton Park Road south toward Moose. At Moose Junction, turn north onto US 89/191 toward Moran Junction, then head west to return to Jackson Lake Junction. There’s no reason to drive all the way to Moose just to begin: Teton Park Road connects Moose and Jackson Lake Junction.

From Dubois: Moran Junction

At Moran Junction, head west through the Moran Entrance Station toward Jackson Lake Junction, then take Teton Park Road south. At Moose Junction, return north on US 89/191 to Moran Junction. Keep Moran Junction and Jackson Lake Junction as separate navigation waypoints. NPS Moran access directions

Follow this loop from Moose

1. Moose Junction → Moran Junction: Stay northbound on US 89/191. Choose Glacier View Overlook and Snake River Overlook for roadside stops. Both are among the viewpoints NPS identifies along the Outer Park Road.
2. Moran Junction → Jackson Lake Junction: Turn west toward the Moran Entrance Station and continue to Jackson Lake Junction.
3. Jackson Lake Junction → Moose: Turn south onto Teton Park Road. This paved, 20-mile section follows the mountain base and provides access to Jenny Lake and other trailheads. NPS road details
4. Moose → Moose Junction: Return to the highway to close the circuit.

For a lakeside addition, turn west at North Jenny Lake Junction, then left onto the southbound Jenny Lake Scenic Drive. NPS lists this three-mile scenic road at 15–30 minutes; allow longer if you stop at the lake. It rejoins Teton Park Road just north of South Jenny Lake. Only this side road is one-way—not the entire 42-mile circuit. Jenny Lake directions

Four 15-minute stops already add an hour to the basic driving time; walks, meals and parking searches add more. A 3–4-hour visit is a selective outing, not time to see every stop.

Check closures before committing to the loop

Teton Park Road closes to vehicles November 1–April 30 between Taggart Lake Trailhead and Signal Mountain Lodge, breaking the circuit. In winter, use the plowed main highways for an out-and-back or through-drive instead, checking weather and road status first. NPS seasonal road rules

For fall 2026, don’t substitute Moose-Wilson Road as a scenic approach: its section between the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Moose is scheduled closed September 8–November 15. Check the construction updates before departure.

Park-entry reservations are not required, but entrance fees or a qualifying pass apply; check the current fee rules. Save the official park map, and use designated pullouts—not the travel lane—for photos and wildlife watching.