Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [215]
Mountain bikers have a few more options: Try Two Ocean Lake Road (reached from the Pacific Creek Rd. just north of Moran Junction) or the River Road, a 15-mile dirt path along the Snake River's western bank. (Bison use it, too, and you'd be smart to yield.) Ambitious mountain bikers may want to load their overnight gear and take the Grassy Lake Road, once used by American Indians, west from Flagg Ranch on a 50-mile journey to Ashton, Idaho.
A map that shows bicycle routes is available from the Park Service at visitor centers, or from Adventure Sports at Dornan's in the town of Moose (☎ 307/ 733-3307), which is inside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. You can also rent mountain bikes here.
Boating. If you bring your own boat, you must register it: For human-powered craft, it's $5 for 7 days, or $10 for a 1-year permit; motorized skippers pay $10 for 7 days and $20 for an annual permit, which you can buy at the Colter Bay and Moose visitor centers. Boat and canoe rentals, tackle, and fishing licenses are available at Colter Bay and Signal Mountain (rental fees of $25 per hr. for motorboats include permits; kayaks, canoes, and deck cruisers are available as well). Sailboat tours are also available at Signal Mountain. The Jenny Lake Boating Company (☎ 307/733-9227) runs shuttles to the west side of Jenny Lake and offers scenic cruises.
Motorized boats are allowed on Phelps, Jackson, and Jenny lakes, but on Jenny Lake the motor can't be over 8 horsepower. Only human-powered vessels are permitted on Emma Matilda, Two Ocean, Taggart, Bradley, Bearpaw, Leigh, and String lakes. Rafts, canoes, dories, and kayaks are allowed on the Snake River within the park. No boats are allowed on Pacific Creek or the Gros Ventre River.
Scenic cruises of Jackson Lake run daily, and breakfast and dinner cruises operate twice weekly; both leave from the Colter Bay Marina from May through September. You'll travel to Elk Island for a pretty good meal: trout and steak for dinner, or trout and eggs for breakfast. The scenic trips are 1½ hours long and cost $18 for adults, $8.50 for kids; the meal cruises are twice that length and run $30 (breakfast) or $50 (dinner) for adults, and $18 or $29 for kids.
Additionally, you can rent kayaks and canoes at Adventure Sports at Dornan's in the town of Moose (☎ 307/733-3307), which is within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park.
Climbing. The Tetons have a strong allure for climbers, even inexperienced ones, perhaps because you can reach the tops of even the highest peaks in a single day. The terrain is mixed, with snow and ice year-round—knowing how to self-arrest with an ice axe is a must— and the weather can change suddenly. The key is to get good advice, know your limitations, and, if you're not already skilled, take some lessons and hire a guide at a local climbing school. Two long-standing operations offer classes and guided climbs of Grand Teton: Jackson Hole Mountain Guides in Jackson (☎ 800/239-7642 or 307/733-4979; www.jhmg.com) and Exum Mountain Guides in Moose (☎ 307/733-2297; www.exumguides.com). Expect to pay around $500 to $600 for a guided climb, or $120 for a class. The Jenny Lake Ranger Station (☎ 307/739-3343; open only in summer) is the center for climbing information; climbers are encouraged to stop in and obtain information on routes, conditions, and regulations.
Fishing. The lakes and streams of Grand Teton are popular fishing destinations. Jackson, Jenny, and Phelps lakes are loaded with lively cutthroat trout, whitefish, and mackinaw (lake) trout. Jackson has produced monsters weighing as much as 50 pounds, but you're more likely to catch fish under 20 inches, fishing deep with trolling gear from a boat during hot summer months.
The Snake River runs for about 27 miles in the park, and it has