It is fitting that Grand Teton National Park was designated 57 years after Yellowstone National Park because geologically speaking, the 330,000-acre park is a relative baby compared to its older sibling to the north. The Tetons were formed by a dramatic upheaval between 9 and 13 million years ago, when the mountains rose to the west and the valley now known as Jackson Hole sank to the east along a 40-mile fault. The mountains and a few glacial lakes were protected as a national park in 1929. It took 21 years and lots of politically haggling for the Snake River valley and much of Jackson Hole to be added to the park. 13,770-foot Grand Teton is the highest mountain in the park, but only the second highest peak in Wyoming.

Visit our photo gallery to view more breath-taking photos.

Find out what GYC is doing to protect Grand Teton National Park and the ecosystem that supports it, by visiting our lands, waters, and wildlife issue pages.

UPDATE: READ ABOUT CURRENT THREATS TO GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK.