Colter Bay Tent Village

Colter Bay Tent Village

Camping
Last Updated: July 2026

Sites

66

RV Max Length

No RVs - this is a tent cabin village. Colter Bay RV Park next door handles the rigs.

Hookups

No hookups - these are tent cabins, not RV sites. Each has an interior potbelly wood stove and lighting.

Pets Allowed

No

Showers

No

Overview

About This Campground

Colter Bay Tent Village is the middle ground between tent camping and a lodge: 66 tent cabins with two log walls, two canvas walls, a wood-burning potbelly stove, and pull-down bunks for four. It sits in the lodgepole pines a short, picturesque stroll from Jackson Lake, right in the middle of Colter Bay Village with its store, launderette, and marina. You bring the sleeping bags and linens; they supply the shelter and the beds. Open mid-May to early September, and like the rest of Grand Teton's campgrounds it fills fast, so book early on Recreation.gov.

Highlights

Book If

CAMP HERE IF: you want beds and a wood stove without hauling a tent, you're introducing kids to camping, or you want showers, laundry, and a store within walking distance of Jackson Lake. SKIP IF: you're after privacy and quiet - cabins share a wall - or you're in an RV (head to Colter Bay RV Park) or want a classic tent site (Colter Bay Campground is right there).

Site Types

Tent cabins only - 66 units with two log walls, two weather-proof canvas walls and roof.

Scenic Views

Lodgepole pine forest around camp, with Jackson Lake a short stroll away.

Nearby Attractions

Jackson Lake is a short, picturesque stroll from the tent cabins. Colter Bay Village itself has the marina, restaurants, camp store, and launderette.

Family Friendly

A solid pick for families easing into camping: real bunks for four, a roof overhead, a wood stove for cold nights, and flush toilets nearby. Kids need the wildlife talk though - bears are often seen in the developed areas, so food discipline is a family job.

Best Time to Visit

July and August for warm days and cool nights; shoulder weeks in June and early September are quieter but can turn cold and wet fast - frost is possible any month.

Camping Tips

- Bring sleeping bags, pillows, and linens - bunks are padded but bedding is NOT included. - Bring quarters for the coin-operated showers at the launderette. - Learn the potbelly stove before dark - nights get cold even in July. - Use the bear lockers for food AND anything with an odor: toothpaste, deodorant, coolers. - Book at 6 months out on Recreation.gov - this place fills up quickly. - Buy firewood at the seasonal camp store or gather downed and dead wood in the campground; don't haul wood from home.

RV Driver Intel

The Setup

No rig to level here - you park at your cabin and move in. Internal loop roads are paved and mostly level with a few real inclines and declines. Your setup job is bedding: make up the four pull-down bunks with the sleeping bags you brought, stack firewood by the potbelly stove, and get food into the bear locker before anything else.

The Vibe

Honest read: this is a village, not solitude. Cabins share a common log wall with the neighbor, and you're inside a busy hub with a marina, restaurants, and store. What you get in trade is towering lodgepole pines overhead, Jackson Lake a short stroll away, and a wholesome camp-community feel.

Bath & Laundry

Flush toilets in season, coin-operated showers (bring quarters), and a seasonal launderette that also has the accessible showers. Laundry service is seasonal - handy for washing the campfire smoke out mid-trip. Restrooms are shared and partially accessible.

What Campers Say

The word on the trail matches the NPS's own warning: this place is very popular and tends to fill up quickly. Campers come for the bunks-and-wood-stove middle ground between tenting and a lodge, the short stroll to Jackson Lake, and having the store, showers, and laundry right in the village.

ℹ️ Data Sources
📖 National Park Service — Colter Bay Tent Village (official page) (checked 2026-07-12) 📖 National Park Service — Grand Teton National Park fees, hours & conditions (checked 2026-07-05) 📖 Climate data: Moran 5Wnw, Wy Us, 6,810 ft (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, station USC00486440) 📝 YourNPGuide Editorial

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