Best Tent Camping near Tetonia, ID

Camping on the banks on the banks of the Warm River, which actually is quite cold, can’t get much better than this! There are several options here- tent camping in a tent only walk in area along the river banks and under some pretty good hammocking trees (best sites are #12, 13, 16, and 8 because they have some space from neighbors and are right on the river); RV sites with what looks like at least electric hook ups (best sites for river views and/or privacy are #2, 4, 6, 19); from what neighbors say is pretty good fishing; and an awesome alternative to camping at Mesa Falls if that campground is full. Walk down the road and cross the river to check out a protected area of the river where the fish are HUGE and you can stand with your toes in the river while you feed them bits of bread. The sites all have the usual picnic tables and firepits, with nice level tent pads, clean vault toilets, and firewood for sale from the campground host. The only two downsides are no showers and the campground is wedged between the road and the river, so there is quite a bit of road noise in the day which fortunately dies down once dark sets in. At that point the river covers the road noise (also helpful in the morning). The campground is close to a lot of hiking trails, but there are no trailheads in the campground (so I guess that makes three bummers). All in all, a cool place to camp.

We spent quite a bit of time in the Colter Bay Village area during our visit to Grand Teton. We split time tent camping and staying in one of the historic Colter Bay Cabins. Reservations are not accepted for the campground and are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. We arrived at the campground to get in line around 7:00 a.m. and were able to get a sight within 15 or 20 minutes of the gate opening. 

We drove into our site and pitched our tent and then headed back out for the day to explore the park. We were so busy trying to get as much in that I didn't get any photos of the tent site. However, the sites are nicely spaced with a good deal of shade. Each site has a nice and clean fire ring, picnic table and ample flat ground for pithing a tent. 

The campground has bathrooms spaced within each loop. They have an area to drain dish water (separate from the bathroom) and flush toilets. I would say that the bathrooms are dated but we didn't experience them being gross or overly dirty as another reviewer mentioned. And yes, the campground is a little expensive which is normal for Grand Teton. In my experience, it is one of the most expensive parks to travel in. 

Our cabin at Colter Bay was wonderful! It was clean and just what we needed for a few nights. The folks in the office were attentive and friendly. The folks in the cabin next to us were a bit loud but it didn't impact our stay much. It wasn't spacious but it was plenty big enough to bring things in, get ready for a backcountry trip, shower and get a good night's sleep. No, they aren't cheap but we didn't mind splurging for a few nights!