Clay Hanna
Former Branch Chief of Visitor Engagement
Grand Teton National Park
Every summer, Grand Teton Association distributes official park trail guides at select trailheads and historic sites within Grand Teton National Park.
Trail guides are available at 13 inspiring locations within the park, starting at the south end at Menor’s Ferry and Murie Ranch and stretching all the way north to Colter Bay.
The trail guides are available for a suggested donation of $1.This program helps to create a deeper connection to the stories and landscapes of the park and all donations into the trail boxes ensure that future visitors can receive the same information about these special locations.
Trail Guides are located at the following park sites:
• Mormon Row North
• Mormon Row South
• Cunningham Cabin
• Colter Bay Amphitheatre near the Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail trailhead
•Colter Bay Hermitage Trail
•Jenny Lake Commons
•Jenny Lake Lakeshore
•Taggart/Bradley Lake Trailhead
•String Lake
•Menor’s Ferry
•Murie Ranch
•Craig Thomas Discovery Visitor Center
•Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
The most popular trail guides are at the Jenny Lake Boat Dock, Mormon Row, Cunningham Cabin and Taggart Lake.
On a regular basis, GTA staff monitor all of the trail boxes, refilling the guides and collecting the donations to sustain and enhance the program into the future. We wrap and close the trail boxes in the winter months.
This year, we have expanded our partnership for bear spray rentals at three locations in Jackson Hole with Bear Spray Shack: Jenny Lake Visitor Center, Colter Bay Visitor Center and the National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center.
Starting at $10 for 1 day and going up to $30 for 5-21 days, visitors can pick up a rental canister from Bear Spray Shack at any of their three locations and return it when finished at any location. The fully automated kiosks also provide a QR code on the canister that link you with helpful instructions on how to use bear spray properly.
This pilot program allows visitors access to bear spray outside of normal store business hours and helps ensure that fewer canisters end up in the waste stream.
Visit Bear Spray Shack to learn more about bear spray rentals in the Tetons.
Designed to spark curiosity and connection with the natural world through hands-on activities, games, and educational exhibits, Junior Ranger Day is an incredible learning opportunity for area youth.
In 2026, 650 attendees showed up to learn from park rangers and experts about bear safety, conservation and preservation, and how to protect wildlife and the ecosystem. About 300-350 junior rangers were sworn in by park rangers at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose.
Grand Teton Association sponsors the advertising campaign including ads in the Jackson Hole Daily and radio spots on local stations. GTA also supports the printing of Jr. Ranger program books and badges. In 2025, over 18,000 Jr. Rangers became park stewards in Grand Teton.
Through engaging activities, kids discovered ways to leave no trace, stay safe, respect wildlife, and share their knowledge of the park. Small hands can make a big difference!
Each summer, Grand Teton National Park hosts Indigenous artists at the Colter Bay Visitor Center to share their traditional and contemporary art with park visitors. This annual summer program will run from mid-May through late-September at the Colter Bay Visitor Center and is proudly supported by the Grand Teton Association.
Visitors are invited to learn about Indigenous cultures through demonstrations where participating artists share the cultural traditions of their tribes through painting, weaving, pottery, beadwork, musical instruments, and more. Artists will offer their finished items for purchase. The Indigenous Arts and Cultural Demonstration Program is available when the Colter Bay Visitor Center is open.
Most Saturday nights at 8 p.m. throughout the summer and 7 p.m. in the fall, visiting artists will offer live performances and talks at the Colter Bay Amphitheater, available to the public. See below for the current artist and speaker series schedules (each summer's schedule will be posted by May 1).
Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are the homelands of 24 Associated Tribes with ancestral and cultural connections.
In 2025, GTA provided merchandise to support learning (journals, books) or self-care (water bottles, good socks, buffs) for 79 youth participating in career development and service programs. Additionally, GTA supported staffing of 114 different education programs.
In 2026, GTA delivered 48 programs over 2.5 weeks, reaching 5,000+ students across 21 states.
GTA also employs science communications staff and graphic designer to create educational content regarding park wildlife, resources, and visitor information.
The Grand Teton Guide offers vital information to every visitor of the park. GTA helps produce these comprehensive guides to provide year-round single and multi-day visitors with up to date information on natural history, visitation considerations, and scheduled events. The Grand Teton Guide continues to be one of the best ways to reach everyday visitors and enhance their park visit.
In 2025, GTA published over 412,708 copies of the Grand Teton Guide, distributed at park visitor centers, park entrance booths, the National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center and newspaper boxes. A copy of each edition of spring, summer, fall, and winter is also inserted once per season into the Jackson Hole News and Guide newspaper for our local community.
Stay close to the Tetons wherever you are and help protect the landscape that inspires you.
