Colter Bay Swim Beach Wedding + Elopement Guide - Grand Teton National Park
Hey, I’m Danielle! I’m a wedding and elopement photographer in Jackson, WY and literally live at Colter Bay in Grand Teton National Park. So basically, I’ve been to all of the wedding ceremony locations and viewpoints more times than I can count and at all times of day.
I’m not saying you should pick the coolest photographer you find…but if having a photographer with some serious local expertise and skill behind the camera sounds like something you want on your very important wedding day, check out my Grand Teton wedding and elopement packages.
Below is a quick run down on the details of the Colter Bay Swim Area and Beach wedding and elopement ceremony site.
Interested in booking the Colter Bay Swim Beach for your wedding but not sure where to start? I put together a comprehensive guide for my clients that includes planning essentials like a step-by-step permitting guide, marriage license information, and my personal suggestions for time of day, where to stay, and more.
Below, I’ll get into:
Colter Bay Swim Area 101
The Colter Bay Swim Area is probably the venue I know best, because I live at Colter Bay and spent a lot of time down at the beach. I go running along the Lakeshore Trail almost every day when the snow melts and the bears leave, and we walk our dog in a loop through the campground and beach every evening.
It’s a unique wedding venue compared to the other locations in GTNP because it’s the only permitted ceremony location that’s situated near the water. It’s also a great venue if you don’t want a white, washed out sky, because the sun sets way to the right of mountains in the summer.
The beach at the Colter Bay Swim Area is not a sandy beach. It’s made up of a lot of smooth, glacial, gray rocks. The amount of beach varies based on the time of year as the water levels change. This is one reason I say it’s so important to book a local photographer - they can tell you what the water level is and what the beach will look like.
The view of the Tetons from the North isn’t the classic Teton angle but it’s personally my favorite. Mt. Moran is a unique and enormous Teton mountain, and you can really see just how tiny and precarious the summit of the Grand Teton is from this direction.
Location
The Colter Bay Swim Beach is about an hour from Jackson. Traffic often backs up at the pay stations to get into the park, however, so you could be sitting in traffic for 20 minutes or more. Given its distance and the fact that you’ll drive past nearly every other wedding venue in Grand Teton National Park, the swim beach is really best if you’re staying in the northern part of the park or Yellowstone National Park.
The entrance lines and bear jams create huge traffic jams, so take this estimate with a grain of salt and plan for extra time.
Cost
Eloping or having a micro-wedding at the Colter Bay Swim Area beach is significantly more budget-friendly than traditional venues in the area. Couples can secure a spot via a $200 permit fee through the Grand Teton National Park, which is so much cheaper than the cost of a traditional venue in Jackson (they can cost over $20,000!!).
Colter Bay Swim Area and Marina
Permits
Permits can be found on the Grand Teton Weddings & Ceremonies page. Permit applications open on December 4th. Do not submit your application before then - the park will not accept them and you will not receive a refund. Colter Bay is one of the first venues to book up though (usually over the winter), so don’t wait on this permit.
Site-Specific Ceremonies
Ceremony sites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the popularity of the Colter Bay Swim Area, only one wedding or elopement is allowed per day. To secure your desired date, you must apply for the permit early because it’s one of the first locations to book up. Last minute elopements here are not likely but it’s worth checking with NPS for cancellations.
Applications must be submitted at least 30 days before the scheduled event, but earlier is better given Grand Teton National Park’s popularity for weddings. Schwabacher Landing, Mormon Row (South), Mountain View Turnout, Glacier View Turnout, and Snake River Overlook can accommodate up to 25 guests, while Mormon Row (North) and Colter Bay Swim Beach have a capacity for up to 40 guests.
Remember: ‘guests’ includes the photographer, officiant, videographer, and guests.
Site-specific ceremonies can only be held in the park from May 10th to October 20th.
These permits do not apply to the two distinct chapels in the park (Chapel of the Transfiguration and Chapel of the Sacred Heart) or the lodges - all of these locations have their own websites and fees.
Small Dispersed Weddings
Small dispersed wedding permits are available for smaller gatherings of up to 12 guests, including the officiant. These ceremonies are permitted in any park area except reserved ceremony sites, certain paved trails (around Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, String Lake), Lawrence S. Rockefeller Preserve, park partner facilities, park cemeteries, and areas near chapels.
Small dispersed weddings can be held in the park all year.
Prohibited locations include:
Reserved Site-Specific Ceremony locations during Friday, May 10, 2024 to Sunday, October 20, 2024
The paved trails within and surrounding the Jenny Lake Visitor Plaza at South Jenny Lake, Jenny Lake Trail, and Jenny Lake Overlook
Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
String Lake developed area and trail
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
Concessioner land assignments (exception for weddings sold/catered by concessioners in assigned facilities in accordance with their contract)
Park partner facilities (e.g., Murie Ranch, Teton Science School)
Within proximity of places where weddings are being managed by a chapel or concessioner (e.g., the Chapel of the Transfiguration)
Park cemeteries
If a location is behind a gate, the permittee may have walking access but not vehicle access
Areas where there is high visitation during the requested period or potential for resource damage
Park regulations prohibit the use of arbors, arches, platforms, podiums, rugs, tables, or tents. Limited seating, primarily for guests with standing difficulties, is allowed. It's important to note that rearrangement of park facilities is not permitted according to park guidelines.
Time of Year
It can snow from September to June, so targeting the middle of the summer is a good idea. June and July in particular will have stunning wildflowers too.
However, my preferred time for weddings and elopements in Jackson Hole is Mid-September through early-October. This period showcases the breathtaking fall colors in the region. This location does not have a ton of changing cottonwoods or aspens in the area, however, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re going for fall foliage in particular.
Colter Bay Swim Area at high water
Special Considerations
Jackson Lake’s water levels will really affect your swim beach experience. When the water levels are low, you’ll have a lot of space to spread out. But when the water is high, the beach will be pretty thin (or even nonexistent).
Water levels are usually predictable by season, but Jackson Lake is a little different. In 2023 and 2024, the Bureau of Reclamation decided to effectively shut the dam down for several months, so the lake was very high for most of the summer.
Another consideration is the bears. A black bear family usually spends part of the summer along the Lakeshore Trail and NPS will close off certain areas. This varies by year, but it may not be possible to take photos in the entire area, so you may want to plan to visit photo sites in Grand Teton National Park.
One very positive thing about the Colter Bay Swim Area is that unlike every other site in the Tetons, your photographer will primarily be taking photos to the south so in the early summer you won’t have as much of a washed out, white sky that you see in most Teton sunset photos. A lot of people don’t mind that, but I did have a client was very upset about it, so I think it’s worth calling out!
Colter Bay is also the only Grand Teton ceremony site where you can literally stay in the same place that you’re getting married. Colter Bay has cabin, RV, car camping, and tent sites all within a short walk of the swim beach.
More Jackson Hole Wedding Venues
If you’re just starting to explore wedding venues in Grand Teton and Jackson Hole, check out my guides to the other popular elopement locations in the area.
Wedding Venues in Grand Teton National Park
Wedding Venues in Bridger Teton National Forest
Sunset at the Colter Bay Swim Area and Marina
What NPS Says
The Colter Bay Swim Beach ceremony location is available as a Reserved Site-Specific Wedding Ceremony Special Use Permit for groups up to 40 people between mid-May and mid-October. The location is available as a Small Dispersed Wedding Ceremony Special Use Permit for groups up to 12 people for the remainder of the year.
Location is limited to one ceremony permit per day and no more than 30 per year.
Ceremony site permits are issued in the order of the date applications are received.
Visit the Grand Teton National Park, Plan Your Visit, Places To Go, Colter Bay website to learn more.
Details
Restroom? Yes, flush toilets nearby.
Points of interest? Views of the Teton Range and Jackson Lake.
Is the site level or rocky? Rocky with some level areas.
Is the location accessed by a paved or gravel road? Paved
Is the site closed seasonally? No
How many parking spots are available? Many
Is there overflow parking nearby? Yes
Is the parking frequently full or have availability? Frequently full in the afternoon.
How busy is this location? Not busy in the morning, very busy at midday, and moderately busy in the evening.
Seating? There are no benches, but there are some picnic tables at this location.
Any structures for shade or rain cover? No, but some trees.
Are there formal pathways? Yes, some paved.
Accessibility? There are designated accessible parking spots and some pathways are paved.
More Planning Resources
Choosing to elope at the Colter Bay Swim Area is a huge step in the planning process but there’s a lot more that goes into Grand Teton elopements. Check out my ultra-comprehensive guide to eloping in Jackson Hole for everything else you need!
