Camping

I camped the whole time I was there and think that you'll be missing out if you don't spend at least some time there sleeping in the outdoors... On more than one occasion I was awakened late by a chorus of coyotes... Started by one, then quickly joined by what sounded like a dozen. (You wouldn't get this staying in Jackson Hole!)  The campsite where I was was comfortable and roomy in the layout and I had a nice view of the mountains in the distance (see the photo here>>>).

The National Park Service detail on the various camping areas is here... For my take on them, see below...

Jenny Lake

This is the smallest (I think - 48 spaces) and most popular spot for camping. It's tent only and close to trailheads, the lake and the facilities associated with the Jenny Lake Visitors center. If you want a spot here, you'd better get here early (and maybe scout out whose packing to leave.

Signal Mountain

This site is a bit bigger (80 some odd sites), is close to the lake, and has a restaurant and store close by. But between the RV's, the small sites and the hilly terrain, it didn't seem as comfortable to me as where I was staying.

Colter Bay

This place is like a small city... 350 sites (plus another separate RV-only camp) adjacent to the Visitor's Center, restaurants and store. On the other hand, there is a laundrymat and hot showers so make your tradeoffs.

Gros Ventre

First of all, the way you say this is 'grow von' (or something close to that). You can imagine the amusement that the park rangers get by the way people probably butcher this (and identify themselves as just arrived)!

Since all of the campgrounds here are first-come, first-serve when I arrived here I had no place to stay and went immediately to Gros Ventre since I had understood that this was the biggest (372 sites) and most out-of-the-way campground and so was likely to have space. Upon arrival I just paid for one night, thinking that I would transfer to one of the other campgrounds. BUT, after visiting the other sites I was considering (Jenny Lake, Signal Mountain or Colter Bay) I ended up staying where I was for the rest of the week. (Not that I actually spent much more time there than eating and sleeping - which was another consideration in the selection of sites.)

• Upside: quiet, roomy campsites, level, little traffic, closest camping to Jackson Hole.
• Downside: no facilities except bathrooms (no showers, laundry, store, etc.).

The lack of showers was the only thing that seemed inconvenient to me, but one of the rangers steered me to the Bunkhouse hostel in the basement of the Anvil Motel not far from the main square in Jackson. Non-guests can take a shower for $5.00 and you can be sure that after a couple days hiking and climbing you'll consider it money well spent!!

There is also Lizard Creek Campground (with about 60 sites) but I didn't visit it so I can't offer much in way of an opinion.

The Gros Ventre campsite is across this sagebrush in the stand of cottonwood trees and is flanked on the other side  of the trees by the Gros Ventre River...