With Grand Teton National Park being so close to Yellowstone National Park, it’s pretty common to visit both on a trip. We did it this summer and found a great cabin in Grand Teton that just happens to be 2 miles from Yellowstone: Headwaters Lodge & Cabins.
Where are the Headwaters Cabins within the Grand Teton National Park?
Headwaters is located at Flagg Ranch on the far north end of Grand Teton National Park. While a lot of the park’s attractions that we were interested in, especially Jenny Lake, were on the other end of the park, we enjoyed driving through the park to get to our cabin.
It’s even further (about an hour) to drive to Jackson, Wyoming. Go there if you want a variety of shops, restaurants, and kid-pleasing tourist activities.
The good thing about the location of Headwaters?
Headwaters is very near Yellowstone National Park, making it almost a no-brainer that you should visit both parks. Separate entrance fee applies, though.
Related post: See how a visit to Yellowstone and Grand Teton fits into an awesome seven-day Wyoming road trip!
What the Grand Teton Headwaters cabins are like
There are two options for cabins, as well as tent and lodge accommodations. We reserved a deluxe cabin since it was the only one available, but also because it was the right size for our family of four. It had two queen size beds, a bathroom with a bathtub, and a small sitting area in front with two rocking chairs.
I took zero pictures of the interior of the cabins because there really wasn’t anything to distinguish it from a regular hotel room. Set your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed.
The cabin is actually a building with four separate rooms to reserve. We never heard neighbors, so it did feel like we had the place to ourselves.
Like all accommodations inside the park, there was no TV, which just about ruined my kids’ lives.
Just kidding.
But, there was no TV and there was no WiFi and it took a while for all of us to accept that it was a time to unplug. There is no air conditioning but you also didn’t need it, even in June. It got pretty cold each night.
How much are the cabins?
The price of the cabins was pretty steep. I’m talking $300+ a night.
There are several lodging options, many with fewer amenities and therefore a better price. But, be warned: Not all lodges at Grand Teton are open due to COVID-19.
You may have better luck finding a cabin outside of the park with more amenities for a more reasonable price.
But you really can’t beat this location of Headwaters, so I’m torn between recommending you look elsewhere or spend big.
If you’re still convinced that these cabins are for you, I recommend booking as early as possible. While I snagged this cabin at the last minute (less than two weeks from our vacation start date), that is not common.
What’s near the cabins?
As you drive south from the cabin into Grand Teton National Park, you’ll pass several pullout stops with great views of Jackson Lake with the Grand Tetons towering behind it.
We visited at the end of June during wild flower season, and it was stunning.
This park is considerably smaller than Yellowstone National Park, so having a home base in the north part of the park was no big deal. During our drives through the park, we spotted several mama bears with cubs, even the famous Grizzly 399!
Related post: 3-day Itinerary For Yellowstone That Hits The Highlights
While seeing the famous grizzly and her cubs off in the distance was definitely a highlight, we saw a juvenile grizzly much closer to the road on our last night in the park.
Keep in mind this was in late June, so the bear activity will likely be different if you visit during a different season.
