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Moose, WY

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Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center

4.8 (29 reviews)

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Inside
Samuel O.

It's very spacious and clean. You can tell it's well maintained with intentional placement of their shop, information and exhibit. It's very pretty the moment you walk closer to it. Architecturally stunning. I will say it feels like there is a bit too much space like there's something more they could have done to add another layer of complexity to the center. I like where the place is located and how it's close to some historical sites that you can just walk to if you're up for a brief trail walk. As gorgeous as this place looks, I found it to be a one-and-done sort of experience. It's not a place I would go out of the way to visit again, but it was nice to experience. There are other centers where I feel like there's enough content or service where I want to come back and visit again.

Andrea U.

A very informative and busy visitor center with a huge gift shop and lots of hand on displays. What was really special here, though are the views of the grand Tetons all around us

Pat C.

This visitor center is worth going to. Parking was not an issue when I went there. It's spacious and well-maintained. There's a part where there were screens on the floor and videos were playing. It's informative; the theater shows video about the Grand Teton. The rangers were present, ready to answer questions. The gift shop is big. Magnets, puzzles, books, shirts, stickers, etc are available. Would definitely check this out before going to the national park.

View from floor to ceiling windows
Theresa C.

This a spacious, modern, well-lit visitor center in Grand Teton National Park. We perused the interactive displays, watched the park film in the movie theater and shopped in the gift shop

Faith D.

After being disappointed that the first visitor center we stopped by was closed for the season (Jenny Lake, but also our fault for not checking), we moved on to Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center which is open until the end of October. This center was huge, with a very interesting exhibit section, decently sized gift shop, and a helpful ranger desk. Michael H. was probably the best and most helpful park ranger I've come across in all the National Parks I've been to! He was very friendly, gave amazing suggestions, and even had an awesome highlighter collection to help us distinguish the different areas of interest we mentioned to him. He gave us a quick rundown on bear safety and extra suggestions/helpful tips. Also Oh also one cool little part is when you enter and go straight ahead to the back where you have a view of the Tetons range. On the ground are markers that are lines that point out the individual mountains and their elevation. Just thought it was a beautiful visual. So glad we stopped by!

Teton Range
Travis T.

While you are exploring the Grand Tetons, this is a great stop to make to learn more about the history of the area and the wildlife. There are a variety of ranger-led programs that you can partake in too. The museum area has some interactive exhibits and a collection of Native American Indian artifacts. I personally liked the raised relief map of the Teton range in the lobby. It helped give me perspective of how large this park is. You can also get backpacking and boat permits here as well as a stamp for your national park passport book.

Inside near the entrance
Jeanette Y.

This is probably the nicest visitor center I've visited. The building even looks architecturally gorgeous. It's very nice, clean and you learn a lot in the educational spaces. There was also a ranger outside in the front of the visitor center teaching you more about the wildlife and the recommendations of the different trails and stops. It's located a few yards before the actual pay station entrance to the park. There's plenty of parking and bathrooms and their souvenir shop carries a good variety of shirts, postcards, cups, books, magnets etc. If you have the time and need some gift shop items, this is a good place to stop.

Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center
Anton K.

Not all visitor centers are must stops but the Craig Thomas & visitor center in Moose, Wyoming is. It is located in Grand Teton National Park and opened in 2007 so it is a relatively new visitor center. The center is an interactive venue featuring the parks natural history, western artifacts, a ranger information station, maps of all the trails, displays of early explores, settlers and mountaineers. They have an extensive souvenir shop. You can also get your passport stamped here. A 15 minute film is shown in the 154 seat theater on a loop which is well done. The Ranger program includes an information center, a scavenger hunt for young kids who are rewarded with a wooden badge for completing the hunt, booklets to fill out to earn patches and scheduled ranger talks .Back country permits can be obtained here, as well as, detailed descriptions of all the the available trails in the Grand Teton National Park. Something unexpected was a demonstration by a ranger on how to use bear spray. A bonus to visiting the Craig Thomas Discovery Center is the photographic views of the Grand Tetons.

3D map
Ward D.

Beautiful building and very nice display even with COVID This site is well marked from the road and easy to get to from the main park road. There is a large parking lot with plenty of parking. They have managed the COVID arrangements very well. They have arranged it with one entrance and one exit . Dots on the floor to specify 6 foot distance. The 3 d map, gift shop and ranger booth are all open. The view out the window looks directly out onto the Tetons. This is a great first stop for seeing the park and I highly recommend it for people to prepare to see the park.

First ascent?
Ryan C.

They have a really cool Jr Ranger program here. They have a scavenger hunt as part of the program which was very exciting for my 8 year old. When completing the program they gave her a wooden Jr Ranger badge where all of the others had given her a plastic badge. As of the displays they are great. The gift store has many options, but know that the check out process is very slow. What did I learn today? Bear prints show 5 toes.

Information desk
Richard F.

One of the nicest National Park Visitor Centers we've ever stopped in to see. There are very clean rest rooms and all sorts of interpretive displays to see. The information desk is well staffed with Rangers that can assist you in planning your visit or arranging your permits to hike in the back country. Across the street is a check in station where you can have your boat inspected if you are going to go on any of the lakes or rivers.

stunning design outside and in
Michele R.

If, as a ranger at Montana's Little Big Horn National Historic Site told us, the National Park Service is running on fumes then the Craig Thomas Visitor Center at the Moose Entry to Grand Teton National Park has a full tank of high test fuel! This stunning for architecture, view siting, displays and orientation film may be the most impressive of all visitor centers we've experienced at many National Parks. Be certain to stop here and even plan to spend an hour or more. We almost passed this by in eagerness to get into the Park and that would have been our loss. STUNNING ARCHITECTURE, VIEWS, DISPLAYS The outlook alone here, from the inside windows of this 22,000 square foot facility or from the path at the back of the uniquely designed building is worth the stop as you get the sense of how unique are the Tetons given they, unlike most mountain ranges, seem to rise straight out of the ground given absence of foot hills. You'll also enjoy displays that describe the land and people that pioneered it and which include a large relief model of the entire National Park. Some of those displays are even embedded as digital images in the floor. There are also beautiful sculptures in and out as well as a large gift store with all sorts of mementos from books to clothing to games to DVDs. We didn't do more than peek in there, but it seemed to have something for people of all ages in the gift store just as there is in the displays. EXCELLENT HD MOVIE Be certain to take the time to see the HD, Discovery Channel produced, 24 minute movie about the Grand Teton National Park. If is awe inspiring, not only for the magnificence of the land but for how so many people before us helped preserve the land and make the Park possible for us to enjoy today. Some of these people by willingness to brave the fierce elements to create the infrastructure of roads and dwellings to make the land inhabitable year around. Some of these people in spite having do the proverbial shoveling of sand against the tide of Washington DC based politics that tried to stand in the way of the expansion of the Park to what it is today. As example, we owe a debt to Laurence Rockefeller as one of those individuals who invested not only years of his time but millions of dollars of his money to overcome the hurdles and have the land protected from development and incorporated into the Park Then the best part of all, at the end of the movie in the silence among the audience was so complete in appreciation of what we had just watched that you could hear a pin drip in that theater, the big curtains opened immediately as the screen was raised to reveal a stunning view of the Tetons. Awe inspiring for their majesty. PUBLIC SECTOR - PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP Maybe it is because this visitor center is funded through government National Park funds of $8M and another $13.5 million in private sector gifts that it is so extraordinary. That public - private buy in has made this visitor center remarkable. The names of some of the philanthropists who helped to make this happen are listed on a plaque. In a time when it is popular to throw darts at people with wealth, it is also worth remembering how philanthropic generosity from those folks makes things like this visitor center possible for all of we were mortals. THIS N THAT: 1) ACCESSIBILITY: This is a stellar example of seamlessly incorporated universally accessible design for people of all physical abilities and ages. (Think people pushing strollers, or using wheelchairs or crutches.) 2) TRAIL PASSES: Available here for those trails where they are required. 3) CROWDS: To avoid them, the hour or so after morning opening is best. 4) HOURS & ENTRY: This is located off Teton Park Road as you drive toward the Parks entrance at Moose. If you get to the Moose Entry at the Park, you've gone too far so turn around and look for the sign into the visitor center. No entry fee into the visitor center. Hours are roughly this, seven days a week: June thru Aug 8a - 7a, Sept & Oct 8a - 5p, Nov to June 9a - 5p.

(Mr. B doesn't realize this is not a real moose)
Wendy B.

This is an essential stop when in the vicinity of Jackson and the Grand Tetons. This is the place to get the lowdown on the Who, What and Where before you return to your car and experience your Grand Teton Adventure. There was a pretty interesting, artsy gift shop as well, if only they had been open! The huge visitor's center is pretty new, with nice displays, dioramas, films, and some thoughtfully placed benches to sit and marvel at the sight outside. It is completely glassed in on the western side, so you can view those statuesque mountain spires without enduring the fickle weather changes. And don't forget to get your picture taken with the moose outside. He is the only one I dare recommend getting close to.

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Review Highlights - Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center

“While you are exploring the Grand Tetons, this is a great stop to make to learn more about the history of the area and the wildlife.”

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Hidden Falls

Hidden Falls

4.7(11 reviews)
7.9 mi

This is one of the most popular hikes in grand Teton National park. I would strongly recommend it,…read morebut just be aware that the parking is competitive at Jenny Lake visitor center because it's the most popular in the park (despite there being a massive parking lot with an overflow area). One of the nice things about this visitor center is that there are clean bathrooms with running water, food, options, and gift stores. The lake itself is absolutely stunning, and you have two options to get to hidden Falls - you can either do the actual trail, which takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, or you can take the ferry shuttle across the lake ($20 I think), which cuts your trip down by a solid mile or two. In fact, it ends up only taking maybe 15 to 20 minutes of an uphill walk to get to hidden Falls from where the ferry dock is after you ride it. Honestly, though, I think that the hike itself is absolutely worth it because the views around the lake itself are absolutely stunning! I think if you only do one hike in Grand Teton National Park, this should be it.

Hidden falls can be accessed either by taking the ferry across Jenny lake or by hiking around Jenny…read moreLake. My group opted for the hike, and it made getting to the waterfall, where it was incredibly cool, extra sweet. The water created a much appreciated swamp cooler effect. It was also super pretty to look at. This part of the hike was definitely the busiest with lots of people taking pictures and eating their lunch by the waterfall. Really gorgeous! Great views on the hike up. Great stop on our trip to the Tetons!!

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Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls - Gorgeous~~

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Gorgeous~~

Yellowstone National Park - Mammoth Hot Springs

Yellowstone National Park

4.6(630 reviews)
53.9 mi

We only spent one day in Upper Loop and one day in Lower Loop. Honestly, you can spend a week in…read moreYellowstone National Park and it's still wouldn't be enough. I mean it's 2,221,766 acres spread over 3 states (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho)! Upper Loop We visited Gibbon Falls, Norris Back Basin Geyser, Brink of Upper Falls and my favorite spot Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which is a massive river-carved gorge. We watched the sunset and I have no words. I have seen many pictures and paintings. Nothing will prepare you for the beauty. Lower Loop I was so excited to see Old Faithful as it is on my travel bucket list. It is the most predictable geyser, hence the name "Old Faithful"! Visitors can check the park website in the morning to see the next predicted eruption time based on the last eruption. It's +/- 10 minutes and pretty accurate. Get there early to get a front row seat. There are benches surrounded the geyser. We also visited Grand Prismatic Springs. It's the colorful large geyser with the gorgeous overhead view. We walk/hike about 0.8 miles to the overlook. It's not a hard hike but make sure you have your water bottle, a hat, sunscreen, and dress accordingly. Even during off-peak season in September, it was still kind of crowded and hot! Plan ahead, map out your route and stop by visitor center for additional information and tips.

Although the park was great, there were a lot of closed areas of interest. Not much in the way of…read morefood or decent shops around the area either. Also, it's not entirely pet-friendly. Most of the sights require a small walk in areas that are pet-restricted. If you're bringing a furry.... Consider throwing them in a stroller or something.

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Yellowstone National Park - Old Faithful

Old Faithful

Yellowstone National Park - Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs

Yellowstone National Park - Mammoth Hot Springs

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Mammoth Hot Springs

Moose Junction - Scenic back road that circumvents Jackson, Wy.

Moose Junction

4.4(5 reviews)
0.2 mi

True to its name, we were very thankful to spot several moose near this Junction on our first visit…read moreto Grand Teton National Park! Beyond the moose - part of the fun of this junction is the anticipation of entering the main section of Grand Teton National Park (NP). A turn onto Moose Wilson Road leads to the NP visitor center, fee station, the mighty, glorious Teton Range, and all the beautiful lakes, trails, and wildlife you might be privy to see! A welcome sign along a long, flat stretch of road - watch out for moose and cyclist along the main road;)!

Moose Wilson Rd, the road less travelled, starts at Moose Junction. This tiny dot on the map is…read moreright next to the Craig Thomas Visitors Center, a lovely large structure that is solely to promote information about the Grand Tetons. It became our launching point for heading to the other side, the western exposure, the Idaho side of those Grand Teton mountains, where we planned to continue our adventure into Yellowstone at the west entrance. We had done a not-so-thorough couple of hours in the region, stopped in Jackson for lunch, marveled at the magnificence of the craggy, snow covered peaks, inhaled the crisp clean air, and sadly knew we needed to move on, getting to the Idaho side before dark. The burning question was, how do I get there without reliving the horror that is Jackson? Just ask those "in the know" and they will tell you of Moose Wilson, a lesser known, two lane road starting at Moose Junction, that circumvents the clogged roads of Jackson and avoids the downtown crazies that populate that quaint, touristy town. Good to know, we were told it was also extremely scenic, so we decided to go for the shortcut. This became its own self guided tour. The irony? There was a steady line of cars very cautiously going this way, at least more than we had anticipated. Initially, that slowed us down. The secret passageway was not so secret. But you should also know that they were mostly driving quite cautiously because... about 1/3 of this "secret" roadway is entirely dirt, sometimes only wide enough to accommodate one car, with many large pit holes that will challenge your driving skills and make you think you are being trained for a professional obstacle course. Timing impeccable, as always, we had also managed to be there after a significant rain, and so...guess what...we were fording streams and dodging huge puddles that usually were not there. Still, oh cautious one, the beauty and serenity was worth it; vast open meadows, dense thickets of indigenous trees. We never saw any moose or any other wildlife other than birds and one or two deer, but based on what we passed, however, it would be extremely likely. You just need to get your timing right. Words to the wise: I would not try to pull a trailer through here nor would I wish this road on anyone at night. It is so isolated, so many trees, there is nothing to light the way except your handy dandy headlights. So get the H*** out of there before sunset, dear 21st Century Adventurer. This road is closed once winter kicks in, no surprise there.

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Moose Junction
Moose Junction - The view next to the muddy, pitted Moose Wilson road

The view next to the muddy, pitted Moose Wilson road

Moose Junction - Moosey mama - chillin near the Junction - Moose Junction

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Moosey mama - chillin near the Junction - Moose Junction

Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center - visitorcenters - Updated October 2026

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