Upper Teton River & Teton River Canyon

Known for its famed fly fishing, the Teton River offers so much more than that. Whether it’s floating down the river or hiking the mountain ridges above it, there are activities for everyone to enjoy in the watershed. And sometimes, the best activity is no activity at all–just soaking it all in. It’s common to see a moose eating a meal of willow on the river bank, bald eagles and osprey soaring above, with the distinctive call of sandhill cranes from adjacent agricultural fields. The Teton River offers family-friendly meandering flows to class IV whitewater, so no matter your skill level or taste for adventure, the Teton River is sure to float your boat.

Upper Teton River

Teton River Canyon

One of the most altering events in the course of the Teton River was the collapse of the Teton Dam, on June 5, 1976–just as it was being filled for the first time. Eleven people perished, entire towns were destroyed, 13,000 head of livestock were killed, and tens of thousands of acres of farmland were stripped of topsoil.The force of the failure destroyed the lower part of the Teton River, washing away riparian zones and reducing the canyon walls. This significantly changed the river’s ecology and the future of recreation in the Canyon itself. What remains is a striking and remote basaltic canyon that few anglers and boaters access each year.