Water Safety in Wyoming

Wyoming's mountain water is cold all summer. Wear a life jacket whenever you boat or float, dress for water below 60 degrees, and remember that places like Grand Teton have no lifeguards at all. Wyoming doesn't require a boating course, but the state offers free ones.

Wyoming drowning and boating numbers

1.41 per 100,000

• Drowning: CDC puts Wyoming's average annual drowning death rate for 2018-2021 at 1.41 per 100,000 people (opens in a new tab), in the second-highest band on its map.
• Boating: The U.S. Coast Guard counted 13 reportable recreational boating incidents in Wyoming in 2024, with 2 deaths and 4 injuries (opens in a new tab). Deaths by year: 1 each year from 2020 to 2023, and 2 in 2024.

CDC counts drowning deaths of residents; the Coast Guard counts boating incidents. See our Wyoming data page.

Cold water in Grand Teton and beyond

In Grand Teton National Park, the National Park Service warns that water is cold, even in summer. Glacial lakes and the Snake River often stay below 60°F (opens in a new tab), and hypothermia can set in quickly, even on a warm day. The park also says there are no lifeguards anywhere in the park: swimming, boating, floating and wading are at your own risk.

The National Weather Service explains why cold water is so dangerous: cold shock can be just as severe and dangerous from water temperatures of 50-60°F (opens in a new tab) as from near-freezing water. The first gasp can pull water into your lungs. A life jacket keeps your head above water while your breathing settles.

• Dress for water temperature, not for air temperature (opens in a new tab).
• On rivers, read river safety before your trip.

See cold water shock and hypothermia after cold water.

Life jackets

Grand Teton's life jacket rules:

• A U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket (PFD) is required for each person when boating or floating in the park (opens in a new tab). It must be the right size and easy to reach.
• Children under 13 must wear a life jacket while a vessel is underway, unless they're inside an enclosed cabin.

Wearing yours, not just carrying it, is what saves lives in cold water. See kayak and canoe safety.

Free boating courses

Wyoming Game and Fish says a boating safety certificate is required by some states, but not in Wyoming (opens in a new tab). It still recommends a course, and offers:

• a free "Boat America" home-study course packet and exam, available from the Cheyenne office;
• online courses that are free to take (a fee applies for the exam and certificate);
• a free online course for kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards.

All are approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and recognized by the Coast Guard. A certificate also helps if you boat in a state that requires one.

What you can do today

• Pack a life jacket for every person on every float or boat trip, and wear it.
• Check the water temperature, not just the air, before you go.
• Order Wyoming's free Boat America course, or take the free paddling course online.
• Learn the rescue rule: reach or throw, don't go.