Grand Teton National Park with the Carful of Kids

Sitting by the fire in Roosevelt Lodge in YNP, the kids love the rustic feel.

The carful of kids explored the Upper Rocky Mountains for nearly a month on a road trip that started in Central Texas and meandered to Jasper National Park and back. After spending five glorious days exploring Yellowstone National Park, we have to move on.

The carful of kids wake up in our Rough Rider Cabin in Roosevelt Lodge after a quintessential Old West Cookout in Pleasant Valley. If you have kids, I highly recommend this activity and staying in the cabins at Roosevelt. It's an authentic experience that  you and your kids will remember fondly.

We are headed to the Old West Cookout in covered wagons through Pleasant Valley. My favorite excursion in YNP.

The whole reason to make the trek to Yellowstone NP is to reconnect with the natural world and this will get you close. Did I tell you the carful of kids found a small, mule deer that they followed around the cabins? The boys loved it. My daughter found a wild raspberry bush along the banks of the mountain brook next to our cabin. It’s idyllic for the whole family and a great way to discover and explore.

We are headed to Grand Teton National Park, just 40 miles down the road from Grant Village Junction at the South Entrance of Yellowstone NP. Before loading up the SUV, we walk over to the Roosevelt Lodge for a hearty breakfast, this is a great option for families.

This is the view from our table inside the Roosevelt Lodge, you can see why this area is a favorite to visitors.

The Roosevelt Lodge is a log cabin, built in 1920, that evokes the spirit of the Old West. Along with the Old Faithful Inn, I found it to be another great option for families. It has that authentic feeling that I crave in a property. You just can’t replicate the way a 90-year old building feels.

The first thing you see as you walk up to the Roosvelt Lodge is the row of rocking chairs lining the front porch. I take a minute to sit a spell and write in my travel journal--I'm in Heaven.

Breakfast at Roosevelt Lodge, wanna share?

Inside, you will find the Roosevelt Lodge's restaurant with a western theme and a kids menu that satisfies my carful of kids. I order a western skillet that is more than enough for most people.

The carful of kids have sampled our way across the dining rooms of Yellowstone and found the service and food above my expectations for concessionaires. I usually cookout in parks but in Yellowstone, it's not that easy. Most of the lodging properties in Yellowstone forbid cooking near cabins, except Roosevelt Lodge so if you want to cookout at the cabin you can.

I really hate to say goodbye to Yellowstone, I wish it was closer so I could visit it more often. Once a decade is just not enough.

It's a short drive in-between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks but first we have to get out of Yellowstone since we are at the northeast corner of the park. With seasonal road construction and slow-moving traffic, this can take some time--like hours to drive the nearly 80 miles to exit Yellowstone. Pack your patience, like you would pack your snacks.

Hayden Valley is a must-stop for wildlife in YNP, the Yellowstone River runs through it.

Though at times slow-moving, we do get another opportunity to drive through the wildlife-rich Hayden Valley, one of the places you might find grizzlies or wolves. Then onto the Fishing Bridge Junction, where we hit seasonal road construction.

Once outside the boundaries of Yellowstone, we drive through John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. There is a visitors center and you can stamp your National Parks Passport Book here. The Park Rangers here are a wealth of knowlegdge for this area, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks combined, so stop if you have the time.

Grand Teton National Park has a different feel than Yellowstone so if this is your first trip to the area don’t assume the parks look the same. Grand Teton NP features the mountains as a backdrop and is more majestic than Yellowstone, which is rich in geothermal features and wildlife.

The view of Grand Teton is the reason to visit this park.

At the base of the Grand Tetons are--Jackson Lake, Leigh Lake and Jenny Lake, all of which reflect the mountains giving you that wow moment when you see them. There are several lodges that dot the park along the main route, Teton Park Road.

The carful of kids want to do a little exploring before heading to the cabin for the night so we drive over to Jackson Lake Lodge, built in the 1950s. This lodge is the hub for Jackson Lake and features some incredible views from the lobby so be sure to check it out.

Inside the main lobby of the Jackson Lake Lodge, the view is amazing so be sure to walk through.

The carful of kids walk around and find the giant, standing grizzly bear next to a sign announcing a Ranger Talk about grizzlies later. They beg to go, they love the idea of grizzly bears, just not encountering a grizzly bear.

He is running from the Grizzly, he will outrun it because he's 7. You will not. 

The Jackson Lake Lodge and Cottages are a popular choice for families since it has a pool and a playground, which you don't find in most of the national park lodgings. There are several restaurants in the lodge as well; the carful of kids are hungry so we duck into the most family-friendly one.

The Pioneer Grill's claim to fame is the longest continuously running counter in the world. They feature a kids menu full of kid-pleasers and a not-to-be-missed dessert.

The Teton Treat, a crowd pleaser for the carful of kids.

After a satisfying dinner, the carful of kids head to the Ranger Talk about Grizzlies and I sneak a little alone time in the lobby with my travel journal and a drink. The fire is going and the view is to die for.

The Grizzly Ranger Talk is a hit with the carful of kids and I recommend the Ranger Talks throughout the NPS. My carful of kids really seem to engage in the presentations and the activity counts for the requirement for the Junior Ranger Badge Booklet.

I made reservations at a camping cabin in the Colter Bay Village at the northern end of Jackson Lake so the carful of kids head back.  There is a campground, a separate RV park, one and two bedroom cabins and camping cabins ( think tents ). You will also find a grocery store, gas station, two restaurants, pay showers and a launderette, along with a marina and corral. This area can get congested at times.

The outside of our camping cabin at Colter Bay Village.

The term camping cabin is a little misleading, I would call this a tent. It has two log walls and two canvas walls, inside you will find a pot-belly stove and four single bunks. There are NO electrical outlets to use.

The outside includes a picnic table, a fire pit and a bear box. You will be required to keep a bare campsite to keep the foragers away.

While the carful of kids love this property, I have my reservations.

First, the bedding looks ancient, guessing by the harvest gold colored cover--I might have slept on it when I was a kid. So out comes the Clorox wipes to wipe them down and I'm not a germaphobe.

Second, the bunks don't have built-in railings. Yes, they have some at check-in but they have seen better days and for little kids. I make the boys sleep on the bottom bunks so they don't roll out in the night.

Outside the camping cabin, sometimes the carful of kids climb on things.

Third, the daily rate doesn't include a bathroom. Yes, there is a restroom without showers within walking distance and it's adequate. But for a hot shower, I have to go to the Colter Bay Village for a pay shower ( $ 4.25 a person, that adds up with a family of five ) and that facility has not been updated since I visited in 1999. I remember it.

The takeaway for Moms, I don't recommend Colter Bay Camping Cabins and I won't stay here again. Sorry Grand Teton NP, I love you and your scenery but I am unimpressed by this property. Again, the kids loved it, other parks just do this better like Parks Canada.

Overall, I am usually impressed with the quality of the lodgings within the NPS, this has been the exception.

Up Next: Another day in Grand Teton, with an excursion at Jenny Lake.

Know before you go:

Grand Teton National Park is open 7-days a week, 24-hours a day, seasonal road closures during the winter. The admission is $ 30 for a 7-day pass or you can use an America the Beautiful annual pass ( $ 80 ). The lodging in Grand Teton National Park is reservable up to 16-months in advance. I advise making reservations as far in advance as possible.

This is Grizzly Country and it is advised to carry and know how to use Bear Spray at all times.