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Grand Teton National Park Facts

Grand Teton National Park Facts
Grand Teton National Park is a 310,000 acre park located in the state of Wyoming's northwest region. The region has been inhabited by humans for at least 11,000 years, first by the Paleo-Indians who were nomadic hunter/gatherers. In the early 1800s explorers met the Shoshone Natives in the area and settlements were built in the Jackson Hole area in the 1880s. In the last 1800s efforts began to protect the region but it wasn't until 1929 that Grand Teton National Park was established. Jackson Hole was not added to the park until John D. Rockefeller, Jr. began to buy private land in the area in the 1930s and added it to the park. Jackson Hole was protected by the 1943 national monument status, but was added to Teton National Park in 1950.
Interesting Grand Teton National Park Facts:
Grand Teton National Park is named after the mountain Grand Teton. Grand Teton is the Teton Range's tallest mountain at 13,775 feet.
Grand Teton was named after French trappers 'the three teats', derived from 'les trois tetons'. The name 'the three teats' was shortened to Teton.
Grand Teton National Park was established in 1929 by then President Calvin Coolidge. At the time it was 96,000 acres.
In 1950, in protest to the designation of Jackson Hole as a national monument, cattle ranchers, led by a movie star named Wallace Berry, drove 500 cattle across the land.
There is a 24,000 acre piece of land dedicated by Congress in 1972 to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. at Grand Teton. It is called the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.
Grand Teton National Park's elevation ranges from 6.400 feet to 13,775 feet.
Grand Teton is one of the top 10 visited national parks in the United States. It receives more than 2.5 million people each year.
Grand Teton National Park is only 10 miles south of another famous park - Yellowstone National Park.
Grand Teton National Park is the only national park in the United States with a commercial airport. It was built in the 1930s and was added to the park when Jackson Hole was absorbed into the park.
The fastest land mammal in the western hemisphere can be found living in Grant Teton National Park. It is the pronghorn, and can run as fast as 70 miles per hour.
There are 12 small glaciers in Grand Teton National Park. The largest is Teton Glacier at Grant Teton's north side peak.
Grand Teton is home to a variety of wildlife including more than 300 bird species, 16 fish species, 6 amphibian species, 4 reptile species, 6 bat species, 3 rabbit species, 6 hoofed-mammal species, 17 carnivore species, and 22 rodent species.
Mammals found in Grand Teton National Park include black bears, Grizzly bears, gray wolves, coyotes, river otters, cougars, martens, elk, bison, and moose.
Activities that tourists can experience at Grand Teton National Park include camping, hiking, boating, fishing, mountaineering, rafting, snowshoeing, biking, and skiing.
Popular destinations within the park include Snake River, Hanging Canyon, Solitude Lake, Cascade Canyon, and many others.


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