Driving from Driggs to Grand Teton National Park

Are you considering making the drive from Driggs to Grand Teton National Park? When we went to Grand Teton recently, we decided to stay in Driggs, Idaho mianly so we could make our Grand Teton visit a little more affordable. This meant a little more driving, but a lot more savings.

Driving from Driggs, Idaho to Grand Teton is longer, but not a terrible drive. This makes staying in Driggs a great option for those looking to visit Grand Teton on a budget. You’ll get plenty of lodging options at much better prices.

In this post, I’ll show you many options of where to stay in Driggs, ID plus what the drive is like going from Driggs to Grand Teton.

Where is Driggs, Idaho

Driggs is located on the very eastern border of Idaho in Teton Valley. It’s almost exactly on the other side of Grand Teton mountain range from the national park.

As the crow flies, it’s only 16 miles from Teton. However, since you have to drive down and around the mountain range, it’ll put your drive around 40 miles.

Driggs is located east of Idaho Falls and Rexburg. The town just south is Victor (another lodging option, though Driggs is a little bigger so I prefer it.)

Driving from Driggs to Grand Teton National Park

How Far is Driggs, ID from Grand Teton?

From city-center Driggs to the “Welcome to Grand Teton” sign near the Moose entrance (south entrance), it’s right about an hour of a drive. In distance, that same drive is 38 miles.

But you really get into the park at about 44 miles (1 hour 6 minutes). At this point, you’re just a few minutes from Mormon Row and Schwabacher Landing. Both of these sites can be accessed by staying on the east road of the park.

For reference, to get from Driggs up to Jenny Lake in Grand Teton, the drive will be about 1 hour and 20 minutes and a distance of 52 miles.

How to Drive from Driggs to Grand Teton?

There are two main routes of getting from Driggs to Grand Teton. Depending on traffic, our maps app took us different routes on different days.

The first way is to take ID-33, which turns into WY-22, and then turn you left onto Spring Gulch Road. This is a nice, easy back road through some fancy houses and country club areas. It is more of a back-road option to getting into the park.

The second way is to take ID-33/WY-22 and going past Spring Gulch Road. Instead, you’ll drive a little farther and turn onto US-191 and into the town of Jackson. You’ll drive through town and continue onto 191 north.

This second option will take you past the Elk Refuge and past the Grand Teton sign. Plus, if you want to see a little of Jackson (like visiting the famous Antler Arch), this is your option.

Again, it really depends of traffic as to which route your maps app will take you. We went through Jackson a couple times and down Spring Gulch one of the times.

If you’re only visiting Grand Teton for one day, it may not be worth the drive from Driggs. But I highly suggest taking 2 or more days in Teton to explore, in which case staying in Driggs makes a lot of sense since you’ll have more time in the park.

How is the Drive?

Again, the drive is fairly simple. The most exciting thing you’ll have to do is drive over Teton Pass. This is required regardless of which route you choose.

Teton Pass is a mountain pass that has some steep grades. While the speed limit is 55 through most of it, neither we nor the other people on the pass were reaching that speed. Because of the turns and steepness (and chance at wildlife), just take this road at a comfortable, safe speed.

Make sure to check ahead for scheduled and unscheduled closures of Teton Pass.

Notable Places to Stop from Driggs to Grand Teton

There aren’t really a ton of places to stop in-between if your goal is just to get to the park and it’s a little longer drive.

BUT if you wanted to add some fun to your drive, here are a few notable places:

• Driggs Broulims Grocery Store– a great place to grab snacks, water, bug spray (YES, get it!), and anything else you need for the day
• Welcome to Wyoming Sign– For those that collect these state photos, make sure to stop and grab your Wyoming sign photo-op
• Hiking at Teton Pass– if you have an extra day that you’re not going to the park, you can spend it exploring the many trails in Teton Pass
• Jackson, WY– this town is a major tourist town with a lot going on. Make sure to get a picture with the iconic Elk Antler Arch at the town plaza.
• Elk Refuge- While elk usually come in masses during winter months, you can still search for other animals and plenty of birds during the summer at the refuge. There is a viewing spot at the very southern part
• National Museum of Wildlife Art– just north of Jackson, explore indoor and outdoor art pieces, including giant outdoor statues of bison, elk, and more!

Where to Stay in Driggs

Driggs really was a great place to stay. Yes, it took a little longer to get to the park than if we had stayed in Jackson, but it was so much more affordable.

Plus, there are plenty of rental options in Driggs, giving your family much more space than a hotel room, plus the option to make your own meals (saving you even more money). I’ve dug into the rental world to find some of the best rentals in Driggs that are both affordable and family-friendly.

Here are a few recommendations for where to stay in Driggs, Idaho for your visit to Grand Teton:

Super 8 Hotel – This is the Budget-Friendly pick located in Driggs, ID. Guests were still happy staying here though! Even though it’s not a luxury resort, it offers a (more) affordable option for somewhere to stay near Grand Teton National Park.

Cozy Affordable Condo– This is where we stayed! We had to work out some kinks in the listing (we were the first guests from VRBO), but I can give you details now that we’ve actually been there.

Our family of 6 stayed in a 1-bedroom (with 2 full beds) and 1 pull out sofa. It has a full kitchen and 1 full bathroom. There is no AC, but we opened the windows in the evening and turned on the provided fans. The location was great, it was clean, and it was very affordable.

Good to know- There is no washing machine in the condo. This is a 2nd story (with no elevator). Parking is right outside the building. Host responds pretty quickly when you have a question.

Larger Townhome– For those wanting more space, this property has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, plus a loft with a queen-sized Murphy bed. It can comfortably sleep 8 people! It has a large, beautiful kitchen and washer/dryer in the unit. Past guests note the hosts are some of the best they’ve experienced, occasionally checking into see how they can help.

Spacious Modern Home- this is a great, standalone home, especially for families! This modern home comes with a game area featuring an arcade game, foosball, and shuffleboard. You’ll get a hot tub, large yard, deck, gas fire pit and great service from the hosts. Guests loved how spacious and clean it was!

This home has 3 bedrooms with BEDS for 8 people (no pull-outs!). You’ll also get A/C for those hot summer days.

Driggs to Grand Teton National Park

Does Driggs make a good base for Grand Teton National Park?

Yes, absolutely. We loved staying in Driggs. We still had plenty of time in the park, even with a longer drive. But what we lost in time we made up for in saving money. If it were a matter of a hundred or two hundred dollars, I would have chosen to stay in Jackson.

But it’s a matter of $500 to over $1000 (and $1000’s in some cases) to choose staying in Driggs or Jackson. To some, you may be able to swing that and really want to enjoy some luxury stays, and that is great. But for us, we travel on a budget, so the extra drive was totally worth the savings.

From a larger grocery store to affordable property options, I would definitely stay Driggs next time. And though it’s about an hour+ to the park, the drive from Driggs to Grand Teton National Park is not terribly hard or long.

👉🏼 Check out What to Pack for Grand Teton