Julie United States 22 Comments

Grand Teton National Park truly is a hiker’s paradise. Hike through picturesque canyons, around glacier-fed lakes, and up to the highest peaks. Wildlife sightings from the hiking trails are frequent, with elk, moose, and bear making regular appearances. If you want to add some adventure to your visit to Grand Teton, strap on your hiking shoes and take your pick from this list of unforgettable trails. Here are 15 of the best day hikes in Grand Teton National Park.

This list starts with the easiest trails and progresses to the longer, more challenging hikes. Each of these hikes is a day hike, so they can all be completed in one day. Note: all distances are round-trip.

Many of the shorter hikes can be combined together to form full day adventures. I’ll let you know the best combinations in this post with details on how to do them.

 


Grand Teton Hiking Guide Get a Digital Download of this Hiking Guide

Do you want a printer friendly version of this hiking guide? How about an eBook version that can be downloaded onto your computer or mobile device?

Our Grand Teton Hiking Guide eBook includes this full list of 15 hikes, with route descriptions, hiking stats, maps, and time estimates for each hike. It is a 23-page guide that contains all of the information in this article, plus our other Grand Teton hiking posts, that you can download to take with you or print at home.

Click here to purchase the eBook on Etsy.com.


Best Day Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

1. Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls

Distance: 2 miles | Time: 1 to 2 hours | Difficulty: Easy to moderate | Total Ascent: 420 feet

This is an essential hike for first-timers to Grand Teton National Park. Ride the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across Jenny Lake and then hike up to one of the most famous viewpoints in the park, Inspiration Point. On the way, make the quick detour to Hidden Falls.

Inspiration Point Grand Teton | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

View from Inspiration Point | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 Inspiration Point hike | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Trail to Inspiration Point

 

Hidden Falls

Hidden Falls | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Shuttles run every 10 to 15 minutes and cost $20 round trip and $12 one-way. Click here for updated pricing and hours of operation.

Once on the west shore of Jenny Lake, it is a 0.5-mile uphill walk to Hidden Falls. To continue to Inspiration Point, it is another 0.5-mile hike, only this time the trail is steeper and more difficult.

Getting Here: Park in the large lot at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and walk out to the Jenny Lake boat dock. Tickets can be purchased here for the shuttle. The boat shuttle takes visitors to the opposite side of Jenny Lake, eliminating the extra walking distance around the lake. If you do not take the boat shuttle, it is a 2.4-mile walk from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center to the west shore of Jenny Lake.


2. Lakeshore Trail

Distance: 2 miles | Time: 1 hour | Difficulty: Easy | Total Ascent: Minimal

The Lakeshore Trail is a mostly flat trail that offers views across Jackson Lake to the Teton mountain range. This is a great place to get out and stretch your legs when visiting the north side of Grand Teton National Park.

Jackson Lake | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Lakeshore Trail

Lakeshore Trail | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

This hike is done as a loop and it starts and ends at the Colter Bay Visitor Center on Jackson Lake.

Location: Colter Bay Visitor Center


3. Phelps Lake Overlook

Distance: 2 miles | Time: 1 hour | Difficulty: Easy to moderate | Total Ascent: 440 feet

For one of the best lake views in all of Grand Teton National Park, put this short, sweet hike to the Phelps Lake Overlook on your to-do list. With a minimal amount of elevation gain, this is a great hike for all ages and ability levels.

Phelps Lake Overlook | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Phelps Lake Overlook | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

To get to the hiking trail, an SUV with 4WD is recommended, since you will drive on a rough gravel road to get to the trailhead (the Death Canyon Trailhead).

This hike can be combined with Death Canyon. In fact, I highly recommend adding on at least a little bit of Death Canyon onto this hike, if you have the time and the energy. Keep reading to find out how to do this.

Location: The hike to the Phelps Lake Overlook starts at the Death Canyon Trailhead. To get here, turn onto Whitegrass Ranch Road and take this to the end (go 1.6 miles). The road ends at a large parking lot at the Death Canyon Trailhead. The first part of this road is paved but the final 0.7 miles is a rough, unpaved road with enormous potholes. An SUV with 4WD is highly recommended, although we did see a few standard cars that made it to the parking lot.

Alternate Route to Phelps Lake Overlook

If you don’t have an SUV, there is an alternate way to get to the overlook. You can get to the overlook from the Phelps Lake Loop Trail. Once you are on far end of the lake, look for trail signs pointing to Death Canyon and the Phelps Lake Overlook. From the lake, this detour to the overlook adds 1.6 miles and 530 feet of elevation gain, round trip. It will be a moderate, uphill walk to get to the overlook, but it’s well worth it for the view, in my opinion.


4. String and Leigh Lakes

Distance: 1.8 miles | Time: 1 to 2 hours | Difficulty: Easy | Total Ascent: Minimal

This lovely little hike takes you to String Lake and Leigh Lake. It’s flat, it’s easy, and it’s great for all ages and ability levels.

String Lake | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

String Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Kara and I loved this hike. The view across String Lake, with the reflections of the mountains, is beautiful. Even during peak season, this trail doesn’t get that busy, so it feels more peaceful than many other hikes on this list.

Getting Here: Park in the parking lot at the end of String Lake Road. From Leigh Lake Trailhead, follow the String Lake Trail north along String Lake and Leigh Lake.

Grand Teton National Park Guide


5. Jenny Lake Loop

Distance: 7.6 miles | Time: 3 to 5 hours | Difficulty: Easy | Total Ascent: 250 feet

This is another extremely popular hike in Grand Teton National Park. Jenny Lake is one of the iconic sights in the park, so it attracts many first-time visitors.

This is a long hike, almost 8 miles in length, but since it’s mostly flat, it’s a relatively easy trail.

Jenny Lake

Jenny Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

If you walk the trail in a clockwise direction, you save the best views for the end of the hike…the iconic views across Jenny Lake to the jagged Teton mountains.

This hike is perfect if you want great views of the Teton mountains without a lot of effort.

If you don’t want to hike the entire loop, take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake, and then hike the loop in a clockwise direction back to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. The hike will be 5 miles long.

Getting Here: Park at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and walk the perimeter of the lake from here.

Jenny Lake Loop + Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point

Park at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and hike the Jenny Lake Loop in a counter-clockwise direction. The views across the lake, particularly from the Jenny Lake Overlook, is very nice in the morning hours. Once you arrive at the west shore boat dock, hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Have a picnic lunch in the shade of the trees near Hidden Falls before catching the Jenny Lake shuttle back to the Visitor Center. This hike is 7 miles long and the entire experience will take approximately 5 hours.


6. Taggart and Bradley Lakes

Distance: 5.5 miles | Time: 2 to 3 hours | Difficulty: Easy to moderate | Total Ascent: 560 feet

Taggart and Bradley Lakes are two beautiful lakes with spectacular views of the Teton Range. Because of stunning views and the easy nature of this hike, this is an extremely popular hike in Grand Teton National Park. Start early or go late in the day to avoid the large crowds.

From the trailhead, it is an easy, uphill walk through a forest of evergreen trees and past horse corrals. Hike to Bradley Lake first and enjoy the view of Grand Teton, Middle Teton, and Teewinot Mountain from across the lake. On the hike back to the parking lot, take the trail to Taggart Lake, where similar views await.

Taggart Lake | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Taggart Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Getting Here: The Taggart Lake Trailhead is located on Teton Park Road south of Jenny Lake. There is a fairly large parking lot here but it typically fills by mid-morning.


7. Phelps Lake Loop

Distance: 7 miles | Time: 3 to 4 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Total Ascent: 800 feet

This is yet another lovely lake hike in Grand Teton National Park. What makes this one special is that, for part of the hike, you walk through the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve.

The Rockefellers once owned over 3,000 acres of land near the southern end of the park. Over the years, this land was donated to the national park service. In 2001, the final 1,106 acres was donated to the park and became the Preserve.

Limited parking at the Preserve helps keep crowds to a minimum. It’s still possible to hike to Phelps Lake from other parts of the park, but for a lake hike, the traffic on this trail is relatively low.

To do this as a loop, I recommend taking the Woodland Trail to the lake, walking counter-clockwise around the lake, and coming back to the Visitor Center on the Lake Creek Trail. Along the way, don’t miss the huge boulder that serves as a diving board in the summer months (on the east side of the lake) and Huckleberry Point for its view over the lake (on the west side of the lake). There is even a beach at the far end of the hike.

We did this hike at the very end of the day and only saw a handful of people on the trail.

Phelps Lake | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Phelps Lake Loop | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

Phelps Lake Rock

Phelps Lake Huckleberry Point

Huckleberry Point | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Getting Here: Park at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. There is very limited parking here and it tends to fill up early, so plan on arriving early (before 8 am) or late (4 to 5 pm) for your best chance to get a parking space. It is a .1-mile walk to the Visitor Center, where this hike begins.


8. Death Canyon to the Patrol Cabin

Distance: 8 miles | Time: 4 to 6 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous | Total Ascent: 2,100 feet

Death Canyon is similar to Cascade Canyon and Paintbrush Canyon, with its scenic views and chance to see moose and bear. However, with fewer visitors, this trail feels much quieter. When we hiked this trail (on the way to the Static Peak Divide), we saw four moose and only a few people, making this one of our favorite hiking experiences in Grand Teton National Park. We didn’t even start all that early, with our feet hitting the trail at 8 am (late in September).

Starting at the Death Canyon Trailhead, you will first come to the Phelps Lake Overlook, then drop down towards Phelps Lake. However, you won’t see the lake from the shore, unless you add this short detour onto the hike. Once past Phelps Lake, the trail turns to the right and heads up into the canyon.

Once in Death Canyon, it becomes a moderate to strenuous hike on a rugged, rocky trail. You can turn around at the Patrol Cabin (4 miles from the trailhead) or continue all the way to the Teton Crest Trail (9.5 miles from the trailhead).

Death Canyon Hike | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Death Canyon | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

Death Canyon

Moose Grand Teton

Getting Here: To get here, turn onto Whitegrass Ranch Road and take this to the end (go 1.6 miles). The road ends at a large parking lot at the Death Canyon Trailhead. The first part of this road is paved but the final .7 miles is a rough, unpaved road with enormous potholes. A 4×4 is highly recommended, although we did see a few standard cars that made it to the parking lot.


9. Cascade Canyon

Distance: 10 miles | Time: 5 to 7 hours | Difficulty: Moderate | Total Ascent: 1,100 feet

Cascade Canyon is one of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park. Not only do you get to walk through one of the most scenic canyons in the park, but you also get to see Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Jenny Lake.

To do this hike, ride the Jenny Lake shuttle across Jenny Lake. Hike past Hidden Falls and enjoy the view from Inspiration Point, before heading into Cascade Canyon.

It’s a slightly uphill walk through the canyon but nothing too strenuous. Most likely, you won’t even notice that you are walking uphill, since you are treated to gorgeous views of the Cascade Canyon Creek, where moose and black bears are frequently spotted.

Cascade Canyon Hike | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Cascade Canyon | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

Cascade Canyon

The canyon ends at the Forks of Cascade Canyon, where the trail splits. From here, you have the option to extend your hike, either going to Lake Solitude or Hurricane Pass and the Alaska Basin.

However, you don’t have to hike all of the way to the end of Cascade Canyon. If you just hike two miles past Inspiration Point, you get to see some of the best views of the Canyon, with Cascade Canyon Creek and craggy Tetons as a backdrop.

Getting Here: Park at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and ride the shuttle to the West Shore Boat Dock.


10. Surprise, Amphitheater & Delta Lakes

Distance: 11.5 miles | Time: 5 to 7 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous | Total Ascent: 3,800 feet

The hike to Surprise, Amphitheater and Delta Lakes is a popular hike to do in Grand Teton National Park. It’s a tough hike but your reward is a visit to three stunning alpine lakes.

To get to the lakes, it is a tiring, uphill walk but along the way you will have a nice view out over Bradley and Taggart Lakes.

Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes sit almost next to one another. You’ll hike 5 miles to get here, and it’s uphill pretty much the entire way. But what a beautiful place!

Surprise Lake

Surprise Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

Amphitheater Lake

Amphitheater Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

On the way down, you can add on Delta Lake. Delta Lake was once a hidden gem in Grand Teton National Park, but the secret is out. It’s now one of the most popular hiking destinations in the park. To get to the lake, you will hike an unmaintained trail, across boulder fields, and up a very steep, dirt trail. So, expect big crowds and a tough hike to get to Delta Lake.

Delta Lake | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Delta Lake | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Getting Here: The trail starts at the Lupine Meadows trailhead, which is located at the end of Lupine Meadows Road. Lupine Meadows Road is a gravel road that is suitable for most cars.


11. Lake Solitude

Distance: 15 miles | Time: 8 to 12 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous | Total Ascent: 2,250 feet

Surrounded by some of the grandest mountain scenery in Grand Teton National Park, Lake Solitude is well worth the effort it takes to get here.

The most common route to Lake Solitude is through Cascade Canyon. Ride the Jenny Lake boat shuttle, hike past Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and then hike up Cascade Canyon to the Forks of Cascade Canyon. Take the trail to the right and continue on the moderate, uphill trail until you reach Lake Solitude.

Lake Solitude | Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Lake Solitude | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

During peak season, this lake can be a busy place, so don’t let the name fool you. In fact, we were surprised to see so many people here, especially since it is a hefty hike to get here.

As you hike back towards Jenny Lake, enjoy the view of Grand Teton, which will be smack in front of you, before you make the turn down Cascade Canyon.

Getting Here: Park at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and ride the shuttle to the West Shore Boat Dock.


12. Paintbrush Canyon and Paintbrush Divide

Distance: 16.8 miles | Time: 8 to 10 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous | Total Ascent: 4,000 feet

At 10,700 feet, Paintbrush Divide is one of the best viewpoints in Grand Teton National Park. The views from here are simply spectacular.

To get to the Paintbrush Divide, it is a strenuous, uphill walk through Paintbrush Canyon.

This hike starts at the String Lake Trailhead. At first, you get to enjoy the view over String and Leigh Lakes, before the trail takes a turn to the left and begins its ascent into Paintbrush Canyon.

Paintbrush Canyon is a beautiful canyon, especially in the fall months, when the trees and shrubs turn various shades of yellows, oranges and reds. On the way to the divide, you will pass lovely Holly Lake, and then it’s one last steep, strenuous ascent onto Paintbrush Divide.

Paintbrush Canyon

Paintbrush Canyon | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

From Paintbrush Divide, you will have views of Rockchuck Peak, Mt. Moran, Leigh Lake and Jackson Lake.

Paintbrush Divide

Extend This Hike: Turn this hike into an epic loop hike by adding on Solitude Lake and Cascade Canyon. Keep reading for the full details on how to do this (it’s our favorite hike in the park!).

Note: Snow can linger on this trail through mid-July, so if you plan to hike this trail in the early summer, you will need to bring special gear.

Getting Here: Park in the small lot at the String Lake Trailhead. This hike starts and ends at this trailhead. I recommend getting here no later than 7:30 am to ensure that you get a parking space.


13. Static Peak Divide

Distance: 16 miles | Time: 8 to 10 hours | Difficulty: Very Strenuous | Total Ascent: 5,000 feet

Panoramic views, wildlife, stunning canyon scenery, and the viewpoint over Phelps Lake makes this one of the best day hikes in Grand Teton National Park.

This is one of the longest, most difficult hikes on this list, but it includes several of the shorter hikes already mentioned.

First, you’ll hike past Phelps Lake Overlook and then hike through Death Canyon until you reach the Patrol Cabin. This is the halfway point. From here, it’s a long, strenuous climb up to the Static Peak Divide. It can be a thigh burning, monotonous climb, but once on the Divide, you’ll be standing at 10,790 feet with spectacular views of the park, Jackson Hole, and the Wind River Range off in the distance.

Grand Teton Hike

Static Peak Divide View

Static Peak Divide Hike

Grand Teton September

Getting Here: This hike starts at the Death Canyon Trailhead. To get here, turn onto Whitegrass Ranch Road and take this to the end (go 1.6 miles). The road ends at a large parking lot at the Death Canyon Trailhead. The first part of this road is paved but the final .7 miles is a rough, unpaved road with enormous potholes. A 4×4 is highly recommended, although we did see a few standard cars that made it to the parking lot.


14. Alaska Basin

Distance: 16 miles | Time: 10 to 12 hours | Difficulty: Strenuous

This is one of the best day hikes in Grand Teton National Park, but due to its location, is often skipped by many visitors. In fact, this is the only hike on this list that we did not do, but I have heard so many amazing things about it that I could not leave it off of this list.

The Alaska Basin is located on the west side of the Teton Range. On this trail, you will hike through evergreen forests and fields of wildflowers in the summer months. The trail climbs up to the Alaska Basin, were alpine lakes and the granite peaks of the Tetons create one of the most picturesque scenes in Grand Teton National Park.

Getting Here: From Alta, Wyoming, take Teton Canyon Road to the very end and park in the parking lot. This hike starts at the Teton Canyon Trailhead and heads east into the park.


15. Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop

Distance: 20 miles | Time: 8 to 12 hours | Difficulty: Extremely strenuous | Total Ascent: 4,700 feet

The Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop is one of the best hikes to do in Grand Teton National Park. In just one hike, you can visit a handful of the park’s top spots: Jenny Lake, Inspiration Point, Lake Solitude, Cascade Canyon, and Paintbrush Canyon. Throw in panoramic views across the Teton mountain range and a few moose, and you have an unforgettable hike in Grand Teton National Park.

This hike is a big undertaking. At 20 miles, with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain, it’s a massive hike. Many people do this as a 2 or 3-day backpacking trip, but if you are fit and fast, the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop can be done as a day hike.

We LOVED this hike. Sure, it’s a big day, but this trail is gorgeous every step of the way. Since it is a loop, you never repeat any part of the trail twice. Every few miles the views and the terrain changes, so there is never a boring moment on this trail.

Best hikes in Grand Tetons

Hiking to Lake Solitude | Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

Hike Grand Tetons

Getting Here: Park in the small lot at the String Lake Trailhead. This hike starts and ends at this trailhead. I recommend getting here no later than 7:30 am to ensure that you get a parking space.

For the full details on how to do this hike, read our post How to Hike the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop

Best Day Hikes in Grand Teton: On a Map

How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.

Our Recommendations

Our favorite hikes are the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop (unbeatable alpine views, two canyons, Lake Solitude, Jenny Lake, Inspiration Point, and the chance to see wildlife…this is one of the best experiences in the park if you can handle the distance), Taggart and Bradley Lakes (two lovely lakes with amazing views of the Tetons), and Static Peak Divide (more awesome alpine views with the chance to see wildlife in Death Canyon).

The classic hikes for first-timers are the Hidden Falls + Inspiration Point hike, the Jenny Lake Loop, Taggart and Bradley Lakes, and Cascade Canyon.

If you want a short, easy hike, we recommend String and Leigh Lakes, Hidden Falls with Inspiration Point, Phelps Lake Overlook, or the Lakeshore Trail. Taggart and Bradley Lakes are also very nice, especially at the end of the day, when crowds are lower.

If you want to leave the crowds behind, put Death Canyon, Static Peak Divide, Alaska Basin, or the Phelps Lake Loop on your to-do list.

For the ultimate day hiking experience, hike the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop.

Before you go, get updated trail conditions on the National Park Service website.

 

Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.

 


Grand Teton Hiking Guide Get a Digital Download of this Hiking Guide

Do you want a printer friendly version of this hiking guide? How about an eBook version that can be downloaded onto your computer or mobile device?

Our Grand Teton Hiking Guide eBook includes this full list of 15 hikes, with route descriptions, hiking stats, maps, and time estimates for each hike. It is a 23-page guide that contains all of the information in this article, plus our other Grand Teton hiking posts, that you can download to take with you or print at home.

Click here to purchase the eBook on Etsy.com.


What do you think are the best day hikes in Grand Teton National Park? Let us know in the comment section below.

Where Are You Going Next?

Here is more information for your trip to Grand Teton National Park and Wyoming.

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK: Check out our Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide for important travel information, sample itineraries, and how to plan your visit. For a list of must-have experiences, read our article Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park.

YELLOWSTONE & GRAND TETON: Planning a trip to Yellowstone & Grand Teton and don’t know where to start? In our Yellowstone and Grand Teton Itinerary, get lots of practical information about how and where to rent a car, road trip routes, and advice on how to plan your time.

YELLOWSTONE DAY TRIP: If you will be staying in Grand Teton or Jackson and are planning a day trip to Yellowstone, read our article How to Plan the Perfect Yellowstone Day Trip.

VISIT THE US NATIONAL PARKS: Looking for your next big adventure? Read our post Best National Parks, where we narrow down the long list into 15 must-see parks. You can also learn more about the national parks (and get the full list) in our Guide to the US National Parks.

MORE GREAT HIKES IN THE NATIONAL PARKS: From hikes to the tallest peaks to beautiful coast trails, read our Guide to the Best Day Hikes in the US National Parks. If you prefer to keep your hikes short and sweet, read our guide to the Best Short Hikes in the National Parks.

 

We have more information about things to do in Wyoming in our Wyoming Travel Guide. If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, you can read all of our articles about the United States in our United States Travel Guide.

 

Grand Teton Day Hikes

Best hikes in Grand Teton National Park

 

All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc.), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

Comments 22

  1. Avatar for Zynall Jordan
  2. Avatar for Shalin
    Shalin

    Hi.

    We are planning on doing Death Canyon to static divide peak, in the 1st week of June, to be very precise. I have read and understood that one can expect snow. However is it still very much doable?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Yes, it should still be doable, just as long as the area doesn’t get hammered with a late season snowstorm. It might be a good idea to bring along something like Yaktrax and hiking poles so you have have an easier time if there is still snow on the trail. Have a great hike! Cheers, Julie

  3. Avatar for Tonya
    Tonya

    I would like to hike GTNP next summer. How concerned should I be about seeing bears? Do we need bear spray, bells, or to hike in groups? Thanks for all the great info!

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      There is a small chance that you will see a bear while hiking in Grand Teton. We have been to this park three times and have not yet seen a bear. Even so, we always carry bear spray with us. We buy it at the grocery store in Jackson. Bear bells are not recommended (some people, particularly locals that we spoke to in Glacier NP and Canada, call them “dinner bells,” since they can actually make bears more curious and attract them to you, so we never use bear bells). When hiking in Grand Teton, we talk to each other constantly. Talking alerts bear of our presence so you don’t startle it (they’ll hear you before they see you). What you don’t want to do is to hike around a bend, while making very little noise, and stumble upon a bear. That will startle it and could make it aggressive. By constantly talking, they know you are coming, so you don’t startle them. We have met bear multiple times when hiking in other parks (Glacier and Katmai), and by talking (or singing), they moved off of the trail and then we could continue on our way. If you meet a bear on the trail, keep talking, stay calm, and don’t run. They will typically walk off the trail and let you pass. Hiking in groups is best, but I wouldn’t hesitate to hike solo in Grand Teton…I would just talk to myself the entire time. 😊 Cheers, Julie

      1. Avatar for Tonya
    2. Avatar for Dersh
      Dersh

      Hi Tonya,

      We just finished a ten day hike/backpacking trip at Teton National Park along with a day trip to Yellow Stone. In my strong opinion I do recommend that you take a bear spray or at the least two bear sprays if in a group. We did encounter moose and a grizzly cub, we did not use any spray but better be prepared for when you need it. It is always a good habit to talk amongst the group to let other hikers and any respective habitats know your presence or the bells can do the trick as well. Hope this helps.

      D

  4. Avatar for Rosie Piller
    Rosie Piller

    Thanks so much for posting these details! We had just a morning to spend at Grand Teton, and based on your description, we went on the Bradley/Taggart Lake loop. (More like a lollipop in our case, actually!) Thanks to you, we went to Bradley Lake first, which gave us gorgeous views most of the time and beautiful views of Taggart Lake on the way down.
    If we had more time in Grand Teton (or if we come back anytime soon), we would certainly purchase your eBook. We hike a lot in U.S. National Parks, so we’ll be sure to look at your blogs and buy eBooks for those Parks. Thanks again!

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
  5. Avatar for Vick Fisher
    Vick Fisher

    This is a great guide. I really appreciate that this is from personal experience. Gives it a ton more credibility!

    I would suggest adding how much altitude is gained on each hike as a valuable bit of info. As an example, a five mile flat hike is not the same as a five mile hike gaining 3000 feet. You can get this type of info on your future hikes using an app on your phone, such as Sportractive, or any others out there.

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      That’s a good suggestion. I have that data…it’s just in the individual posts about each hike. I’ll look into adding it. Cheers, Julie

  6. Avatar for Gary and Michelle
  7. Avatar for Zach
    Zach

    Thinking of doing this mid June (in a couple weeks). Do you think snow will make this trail un-doable without crampons, etc.? How far could we expect to get without crampons? Thanks!

    Zach

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      It depends on which hikes you are considering. Those at the lower elevations should be snow free. But Static Peak and Paintbrush Divide could still have snow, so crampons, traction cleats and/or hiking poles would be helpful. As far as whether or not this additional gear is necessary depends on how much snow is still on the trail and you might be able to get updates on the Grand Teton National Park service website. Cheers, Julie

  8. Avatar for Eric Keith
    Eric Keith

    Great article with lots of superb insights. Would really like to print/download for my trip this Fall 2021. I know that you have an Etsy Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks 10 Day Itinerary digital download. Are you able to make this article available for purchase as well, please?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      1. Avatar for Eric Keith
        Eric Keith

        Thanks. I appreciate that you are busy with many things … and hope that this makes it near the top of the list. Eric

        1. Avatar for Julie Post
          Author
  9. Avatar for Linda
    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Teton Park Road is closed to cars until April 30. If the road is clear of snow during your visit, you are permitted to ride bikes on this road. But that will depend on snowfall totals. So, getting to the trailheads will be very challenging so this is not a great time for hiking in GTNP. Once on the trails, you would need snowshoes or traction devices. You could see if there are tour companies leading hikes or snowshoeing in the park. But if you plan on hiking, I recommend waiting until May when the roads open. Cheers, Julie

  10. Avatar for Colleen Hegge
    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      The only way I know how to print it out is through Google Chrome and turning it into a PDF, then print it. But yes, it is a lot of paper but unfortunately I don’t have a smaller version than what is on the website. Cheers, Julie

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