The Best National Park In America For People Who Hate Hiking

Hiking trails and national parks tend to go hand in hand, and it often feels like you can't head to one without going on a strenuous hike, especially if a hardcore hiking friend is pressuring you to do so. But what if you hate hiking? It tends to involve bugs and tripping and mud, and sometimes you just want some beautiful experiences in nature without the heavy commitment that comes with trudging along for miles on end.

Thankfully, there's a national park for that: Grand Teton in Wyoming is a breathtaking western national park encompassing the Teton mountain range and the Jackson Hole valley. It's one of the most stunning and popular national parks the U.S., much of which can be enjoyed during a light walk or even a drive. It has hiking, sure, but it has plenty of other sights and activities that don't require it. If only more were like that.

Perhaps most convenient, the main highway along the park is rife with stunning vistas, and features dozens of viewpoints along the way. There are three lakes you can drive right up to (Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and Leigh Lake) to swim, kayak, and paddle board in, or to simply admire. One TikToker visited Grand Teton but was recovering from surgery and naturally wasn't up for a hike. They found some great activities you can do in the park with limited mobility or if you just hate hiking.

@katbennettphoto

there's still time to book a last minute trip to Grand Teton this summer 😏 While I actual am an avid hiker, I did this trip to Grand Teton National Park only 2 weeks after my appendix surgery and I didn't feel like I had enough energy/stamina for the hikes I wanted to do on this trip. Luckily this wasn't too big of an obstacle because there were sooo many other ways to enjoy this park without hiking 🙌 We still had such a fantastic time without setting foot on a single trail (which I have never done before when visiting a National Park !!) so here's a few things of the best things to do as a non-hiker 👇 1. Drive around the park & stop at the dozens of incredible viewpoints. A few of my favorite were Blacktail Ponds Overlook, Mormon Row, Schwabacher Landing, & Oxbow Bend 2. Boat, paddle board, swim (if you like very cold water 🥶), or lounge at one of the 3 drive up lakes in the park: Jenny Lake (there's a ferry you can ride across the lake here), String Lake, and Jackson Lake 3. Book an activity!! We did horseback riding (right outside the park in the National Forest) & it was amazing!! There is also a huge network of awesome bike trails in Jackson and inside the park so consider renting bikes or even e-bikes. You can also book a wildlife safari, rafting trip down the Snake River, hot air balloons, boat rides and more! Also I do want to acknowledge the amount of insanely awesome hikes there are here. If you are even a little interested in hiking, definitely try out a few trails (& bring bear spray). It definitely did kill me a little inside to skip them (looking at you specifically Delta Lake 👀) but I know for sure I'll be back here to tackle them one day!

♬ The Kite Live by Luisa Marion – luisa_marion_music

Some of the enchanting sights in the national park include a plethora of wildlife, and spotting them doesn't always mean you have to go as far into the woods as the animals do. Sites like Gros Ventre, Moose-Wilson Junction, Oxbow Bend, and the Elk Refuge offer a chance to see an array of animals, including bears, moose, bison, coyotes, elk, and bald eagles. Much can be seen outright, but booking a wildlife tour will get you a little closer, such as the Grand Teton Wildlife Safari.

Many of the popular attractions are easily reachable, among them Mormon Row, where many visitors have snapped an oft-taken iconic picture of the old T.A. Moulton Barn with the Tetons in the background. It's an area where Mormon pioneers settled in the early 1900s, and the remaining barns is one of the more the bucolic sites at the park. If you're up for a breezy stroll rather than a hike, Schwabacher Landing is a short and easy trail to an iconic overlook at sunrise or sunset. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is a popular stop and easily accessible with ample parking. Any combination of the above is more than a full day at Grand Teton, and you won't miss hiking in doing it.

There are numerous adventures for those looking to be a bit active as well, with one of the simplest being to just let another creature do the hiking for you, like a horse. If you're an avid horseback rider or looking to learn, there are handful of operators in Grand Teton that lead horseback trips throughout the park, seeing sights you may not catch from the main road. Additionally, there's a 42-mile scenic drive that covers many beautiful points of interest from the comfort of your car, including animal habitats, historical sites, and several geological features. It's important to note that the entire drive can only be done between the beginning of May and end of October due to winter conditions the rest of the year, though parts of the highway are still open year-round.

Numerous scenic cruises are available on Jenny Lake, as well as convenient shuttles to take you to and from many of the popular landmarks around the area. One can also move around more than a bit by biking on any of the paved roads around the park, going kayaking on Jackson Lake, paddleboarding on String Lake. (You may need a permit, even for non-motorized boats). Bikes and boats are available to rent in and around Grand Teton National Park, so there's no shortage of things to do if you hate hiking but want to enjoy the Great Outdoors.