Colter Bay Tent Village

Canvas roof with log walls, wood stove, and bunk beds

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.

Quick facts

Reservation System: Recreation.gov
Reservation Window: Reserve up to six months in advance - plan ahead and book early, this one fills up quickly.
Reservation Tips: Tent cabins are reservable on Recreation.gov up to six months in advance. This is one of the most popular stays in the park, so set a reminder for exactly six months before your dates and book the moment your window opens.
Season Dates: Open mid-May to early September (winter closure September 7, 2026 through May 22, 2027).

Reservations & season

Reservation System: Recreation.gov
Reservation Window: Reserve up to six months in advance - plan ahead and book early, this one fills up quickly.
Reservation Tips: Tent cabins are reservable on Recreation.gov up to six months in advance. This is one of the most popular stays in the park, so set a reminder for exactly six months before your dates and book the moment your window opens.
Season Dates: Open mid-May to early September (winter closure September 7, 2026 through May 22, 2027).
Fills Up Speed: Very popular and tends to fill up quickly - book as early as you can.
Per Night Cost: $104.00 per night for a tent cabin.

Sites & RV fit

Sites Total: 66
Site Types: Tent cabins only - 66 units with two log walls, two weather-proof canvas walls and roof.
Site Type Breakdown: 66 tent cabins; 66 reservable, 0 first-come first-served.
RV Max Length: No RVs - this is a tent cabin village. Colter Bay RV Park next door handles the rigs.
Group Sites Available: 0
Group Site Capacity: No group sites - each tent cabin sleeps four on two sets of pull-down bunks.
Hookups: No hookups - these are tent cabins, not RV sites. Each has an interior potbelly wood stove and lighting.
Site Features: Each tent cabin: two permanent log walls, two weather-proof canvas walls and roof, two sets of pull-down bunk beds (four padded beds total), interior potbelly wood-burning stove, and lighting. Bear-proof food storage lockers on site. Sleeping bags, pillows, and linens are NOT included - bring your own.
Ground Type: You're off the ground here - padded bunks inside the cabin, no tent pad to worry about.
Site Privacy: Tent cabins share a common log wall with an adjoining cabin, so expect close neighbors - this is a village, not a backcountry hideout.

Facilities

Bathroom Types: Flush toilets (seasonal), shared facilities.
Showers Available: Coin-operated showers (seasonal) - bring quarters. Accessible showers at the launderette.
Potable Water: Yes, potable water available seasonally - no need to haul jugs in season.
Dump Station: No dump station on site.
Trash Service: Trash and recycling collection provided (seasonal).
Camp Store: Camp store on site (seasonal) with ice available for sale - handy resupply without leaving the village.
Firewood Availability: Firewood sold on site (seasonal), and you may collect downed and dead wood within the campground. Don't move firewood from home - buy it where you burn it.
Cell Service: Cell reception available year-round, though coverage depends on location and provider. No campground WiFi - complimentary WiFi at the restaurants, marina, activities desk, launderette, and stores.
Nearby Facilities: Colter Bay Village has a seasonal camp store with ice, restaurants, a launderette with laundry machines and showers, a marina, and an activities desk - all within walking distance. The physical address is 100 Cabin Road, Moran, WY 83013.

Access

Road Type: Paved roads - all vehicles OK.
Road Conditions: Paved and mostly level loop roads with some considerable sloping inclines and declines. Any sedan makes it in fine.
Vehicle Restrictions: No RVs or trailers at the Tent Village itself - it's cabins only.
Clearance Needed: Standard clearance - paved access roads all the way in.
Gate Hours: Open all day, every day during the summer season.
Accessibility: Paved, mostly level loop roads with some considerable inclines and declines. Restrooms partially accessible; accessible showers at the launderette. Amphitheater routes are paved but sloped. Limited internet; free WiFi at restaurants, marina, activities desk, launderette, and stores.
ADA Accessible Sites: Loop roads are paved and mostly level with some sloping sections. Restrooms are partially accessible; accessible showers are at the launderette. Routes to the amphitheater are paved but on an incline.

Rules & safety

Bear Country: Yes
Food Storage Requirements: This is black and grizzly bear country. Food storage lockers are provided - store food and anything with an odor properly at all times, no exceptions.
Fire Restrictions: Campfires must be contained within a metal fire grate; seasonal fire restrictions may suspend fires entirely. Fireworks are banned at all times.
Pets Allowed: Yes
Pet Restrictions: Leash under 6 feet at all times within 30 feet of roadways. Pets are not allowed on the multi-use pathway, park trails, or in the backcountry.
Alcohol Permitted: 0

What it is like

Onsite Activities: Colter Bay Village puts a lot within a stroll: Jackson Lake access, the marina, restaurants, an activities desk, and a seasonal amphitheater for ranger programs. Wildlife watching is constant - the area is home to moose, elk, deer, bald eagles, and bears.
Wildlife Viewing: Colter Bay is home to black and grizzly bears, moose, deer, and elk, plus marmots, foxes, and bald eagles. Bears are often seen on trails and in developed areas - keep 100 yards from bears and wolves, 25 yards from everything else.
Shade Coverage: Set amidst towering lodgepole pines - good shade over the cabins.
Scenic Views: Lodgepole pine forest around camp, with Jackson Lake a short stroll away.
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.
Vibe Check: 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.
Camp Here If Skip 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).
Tips Advice: - 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.

More details

Park Area: Colter Bay Village
Family Friendly Notes: 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.
Amphitheater: Yes - seasonal amphitheater with paved (though sloping) routes from the campground.
Boat Launch: Colter Bay Village has a marina on Jackson Lake a short walk 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.
Terrain Type: Forested lakeside village setting; loop roads are mostly level with some notable inclines and declines.
Temperature Ranges: July and August bring warm days and cool nights with afternoon thundershowers common. May, June, and September swing between mild days, cool-to-cold nights, and rain or even snow - frost is possible any month, so the wood stove earns its keep.
Snow Season: Snow and frost are possible any month here. December to April the snow blankets the valley; the Tent Village closes early September through late May, ahead of the worst of it.
Monsoon Season: Afternoon thundershowers are common in July and August - plan morning activities and keep rain layers handy.
Setup Strategy: 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.
Bath Laundry Recon: 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.
Review Summary: 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.

Location

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to bring my own bedding to Colter Bay Tent Village?

Yes. Each cabin has two sets of pull-down bunks with padding - four beds total - but sleeping bags, pillows, and linens are not included. Pack warm bags; frost is possible any month in Grand Teton.

Is a tent cabin worth it over a regular campsite?

If you want a roof, real bunks, and a wood-burning stove without hauling gear, yes - at $104 per night it's the middle ground between a tent site and a lodge room. If you want privacy, know that each cabin shares a log wall with its neighbor.

How far ahead do I need to book?

Book on Recreation.gov up to six months in advance. The Tent Village is very popular and tends to fill up quickly, so reserve the moment your booking window opens.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, pets are allowed, but they must be on a leash under 6 feet within 30 feet of roadways, and they're not allowed on the multi-use pathway, park trails, or in the backcountry.

Are there showers and laundry?

Yes - coin-operated showers (seasonal) and a seasonal launderette right in Colter Bay Village, which also has the accessible showers. Bring quarters.

Is it safe with bears around?

This is black and grizzly bear country, and bears are often seen in the developed areas. Food storage lockers are provided - keep food and anything with an odor locked up at all times, and stay 100 yards from bears and wolves.

Can I have a campfire?

Campfires are allowed in metal fire grates unless fire restrictions are in effect. Firewood is sold seasonally on site, and you may gather downed and dead wood within the campground. Each cabin also has an interior wood-burning stove for heat.