Colter Bay Tent Village

The vast Colter Bay Tent Village is set amidst towering lodgepole pines just a short, picturesque stroll away from Jackson Lake. It includes 66 tent cabins and is open from mid-May to early September. Think of the surrounding Colter Bay Village as summer camp for the entire family: it offers practical amenities like laundry facilities, showers, restaurants and a grocery store, as well as purely-for-fun diversions like a marina, gift shop, visitor center, and horse corrals. Tent cabins are temporary summer cabins with two permanent log walls and two weather-proof canvas walls and roof, sharing a common log wall with an adjoining cabin. Each includes two sets of pull-down bunk beds for a total of four beds with padding, an interior potbelly wood burning stove for heat, and lighting. Sleeping bags and pillows are not included, and the cabins do not offer electric outlets or private restrooms. Each site includes a picnic table, a fire pit with metal fire grate, a bear-proof food storage locker, and access to nearby water spigots and flush toilets; laundry and showers are available for an additional fee. Firewood and kindling can be purchased at the Tent Village office or the nearby grocery store, and food, ice and camping supplies at the grocery store and adjacent gift shop. Visitors can enjoy hiking, kayaking and canoeing, horseback riding, fishing, swimming and beach-going, lake cruises, and ranger-led programs. Jackson Lake is a popular area for boating; several islands float just off Colter Bay's shores and are home to fish, birds, river otters, beavers and other wildlife. Bring your own boat or rent a canoe, kayak, or motor boat from the Colter Bay Marina. Several easy to moderate hiking trails leave from Colter Bay: a leisurely stroll along the lakeshore, a walk to Swan Lake and Heron Pond for incredible birdwatching and wildlife sightings, or a more challenging outing to Hermitage Point. Visitors can also take a self-guided tour of Grand Teton via the 43-mile Scenic Loop Drive, offering an opportunity to photograph the famous landscape and local wildlife. About 30 miles south is the town of Jackson, where you can visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art just outside of town, walk under the famous giant elk antler archway in the town center, and attend the Jackson Hole Rodeo. In the opposite direction, Yellowstone National Park is within easy reach by car, and has a great diversity of activities for everyone to enjoy. The Colter Bay Visitor Center is home to the David T. Vernon Indian artifacts collection, an exhibit celebrating Indian artwork and the long history of human habitation in Jackson Hole and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Daily ranger-led programs include a hike to Swan Lake, a lakeshore stroll, a tipi demonstration, Indian arts and culture, wildlife watches, short presentations on park highlights, and a variety of evening programs. From the lakeshore, visitors have views across Jackson Lake to Mount Moran and the northern end of the Teton Range. Colter Bay is home to black and grizzly bears, moose, deer, elk and other large animals, as well as marmots, foxes and bald eagles. Bears are often seen on trails and in the developed areas, and being prepared for an animal encounter helps ensure your safety as well as that of the wildlife. The campground loop roads are paved and mostly level, with considerable sloping inclines and declines; restroom facilities are partially accessible, with accessible showers available at the launderette, and routes to the amphitheater are paved but on a sloping incline. Complimentary WiFi and internet service is available at the restaurants, marina, activities desk, launderette, and stores. Cellular coverage varies within the campground.