Visitors can now borrow life jackets at Grand Teton National Park

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (KIFI)—Visitors who want to recreate on the rivers and lakes in Grand Teton National Park can now borrow life-jackets.

Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Grand Teton National Park announced the loaner program on Monday, July 20, 2026. They said many of the thousands of visitors to the park are unaware that life jackets are an essential piece of safety equipment.

Loaner kiosks are installed at Jackson Lake Dam, Pacific Creek Landing, String Lake, and the Colter Bay Swim Beach. They said people can borrow the jackets from the kiosk and return them to the same kiosk or one downstream when finished.

"Spending time on the water is one of the best ways to experience Grand Teton National Park," said Superintendent Chip Jenkins. "By making life jackets readily available, we're helping remove a barrier to safe recreation and encouraging everyone to make wearing a life jacket part of every trip on the water."

“Grand Teton's waterways draw visitors from around the world, and everyone should have the opportunity to experience them safely,” said Leslie Mattson, president of Grand Teton National Park Foundation. “This program is a natural extension of the Foundation's commitment to enhancing the visitor experience, and we're proud to bring it to life this summer.”

The project was funded by Grand Teton National Park Foundation with support from the Snake River Fund, a local organization that has operated a similar program on sections of the Snake River south of the park.

Volunteers for the Snake River Ambassadors will help recreationists understand how the kiosks work and inform them about water safety.

Visitors are reminded that children under the age of thirteen must always wear a life jacket while on a boat, and all boaters should wear a properly fitted life jacket or have one readily accessible.