Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton's filming and photography rules after the EXPLORE Act, plus the 2026 road closures and wildlife-distance rules that shape access.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Grand Teton National Park Special Use Permit office
Cost: No NPS permit for groups of 8 or fewer meeting the EXPLORE Act conditions; location and cost-recovery fees apply to permitted shoots
Processing: Plan ahead for permitted productions
Groups of eight or fewer using hand-carried gear in public areas, without exclusive use and without extra cost to the park, generally need no permit under the EXPLORE Act. Wedding and ceremony photography at sites like Schwabacher Landing needs a separate special use permit.
Drone / airspace
Effectively banned: launching, landing, or operating a drone within park boundaries is prohibited
NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 directs each superintendent to close the park to drone use under 36 CFR 1.5. For airspace, Part 107, and legal flying nearby, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes for personal and editorial photography throughout the park
Standard visitor photography is welcome.
Practical notes
- Schwabacher Landing, Oxbow Bend, Snake River Overlook, and the Mormon Row barns fill before sunrise in summer; Mormon Row sits in a registered historic district.
- Through 2026, Death Canyon Road off the Moose-Wilson Road is closed for construction with delays on nearby roads; check current road status before a shoot.
- The interior Teton Park Road closes to vehicles in winter; wildlife distance rules require 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other animals.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: