grand teton national park wyoming — Best Grand Teton Hikes

Article Overview: Best Grand Teton Hikes

If you’re looking for the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park you’ve come to the right place. I was part of a film crew tasked with shooting the most beautiful places in the park and as a result have hiked nearly every trail in Grand Teton.

Located in the spectacular Jackson Hole Valley and encompassing nearly 500 square miles, Grand Teton National Park boasts an awe-inspiring array of pristine wilderness, glacial lakes, winding rivers, diverse wildlife, and the magnificent Teton Range.

This is a land dominated by towering peaks, apex predators, and majestic mountain beauty. In this article we’ve included:

Best Hikes in Grand Teton
Easy Grand Teton Hikes
Grand Teton Day Hikes
Hiking Tips in Grand Teton
Best Trails in Grand Teton

With spectacular landscapes comes world-class hikes in Grand Teton.

Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

best grand teton hikes, best hikes in grand teton national park — Best Grand Teton Hikes

Things to Know Before Hiking in Grand Teton National Park

Entrance Fees

$30 per vehicle OR if you plan to visit more National Parks within the next 12 months we suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be purchased at any national park) and gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more including 2,000 sites for free after a one time $79 fee.

Grand Teton Map

The best map for the park: We like this map the best.

Best Guide Book

The best guide book for Grand Teton: This is our favorite guide for Grand Teton.

Mosquitoes

During the months of June and July expect to find mosquitoes at varying levels. I recommend this bug spray which has worked for me in the park and is environmentally friendly.

Best Time to Visit Grand Teton National Park

The Best Time to Visit Grand Teton National Park is in Spring and Fall to take advantage of lesser crowds and beautiful scenery. Summer is a great time to visit as well but it will be crowded.

Leave No Trace

We’re big fans of Leave No Trace, here at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.

Bear Spray

Bear Spray: It’s a good thing to have on lots of the trails here. We like this one.

Dogs

Dogs are not allowed on trails in most national parks due to their potentially disruptive presence with the natural ecosystem. The basic rule is they are allowed where cars can go so be sure to check the rules before bringing along your furry friend.

Where to Stay in Grand Teton

Visiting Grand Teton National Park? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on visiting Grand Teton National Park for tips. Don’t have time? Here’s our favorite hotel in Grand Teton.

Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Table of Contents: Best Grand Teton Hikes

Things to Know Before Hiking in Grand Teton National Park
Where to Stay in Grand Teton
Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Watch the Award Winning Grand Teton National Park Video

The film I co-produced (along with my brother, Jim) featuring Grand Teton | Grand Teton Video

Top 5 Best Grand Teton Hikes

bradley taggart lake hike grand teton national park wyoming — Taggart & Bradley Lakes | Grand Tetons Hikes

1. Taggart & Bradley Lakes Hike

Distance: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 750 feet
Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking Bradley & Taggart Lakes

Taggart Bradley Lakes Hike Grand Teton — Bradley & Taggart Lake Trail | Best Grand Teton National Park Hikes

The Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake loop is one of the most popular hikes in Grand Teton National Park featuring epic views of the mighty Tetons. This hike offers visitors a great taste of the pristine alpine scenery the park is known for.

The hike itself can be approached a couple ways starting either at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead or the Taggart Lake Trailhead. The Taggart Lake Trailhead is the shortest and most popular route for this hike.

Hikers will ascend up into the Tetons from the valley floor with the option to do a simple loop at Taggart Lake or pressing on to Bradley Lake if they so choose before heading back. Taggart is the more impressive lake in my opinion so if you are short on time feel free to cut this Grand Teton hike short.

taggart lake grand teton national park wyoming — Taggart Lake | Grand Teton National Park Hikes

jenny lake hike grand teton national park wyoming kayaking — Jenny Lake | Grand Teton Hikes

2. Jenny Lake Loop Hike

Distance: 7.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 600 feet
Time: 3-5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking Jenny Lake – Grand Teton National Park

jenny lake hike grand teton national park wyoming — Jenny Lake | Grand Tetons Hikes

Jenny Lake is one of the most breathtaking lakes in Wyoming and as such one of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park. The best views of the lake are from the east side with the Tetons as the backdrop but it is impressive all the way around.

The Jenny Lake Trail is a great Grand Teton hike for folks of all ages as you can pop on for as long as you’d like and turn around when you’re ready to go. If you’re feeling ambitious you can hike all the way around the lake and even up to Inspiration Point (more on that below).

There’s not too much elevation gain on this trail (600 feet) so it’s more of a long gentle stroll. The best views are from the side where you start so I personally recommend strolling along the eastern shore as an out and back.

jenny lake grand teton national park wyoming — Here I am (in the red) with my brothers & dad at Jenny Lake

phelps lake hike grand teton national park wyoming — Phelps Lake | Grand Tetons Hikes

3. Phelps Lake Hike

Distance: 7 miles
Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking Phelps Lake

The Phelps Lake Trail is a popular, family-friendly loop hike in Grand Teton National Park located off the heavily trafficked Moose-Wilson Road. The views from Phelps Lake are among the most spectacular and dramatic in the park with massive teton peaks reflected in one of the park’s largest lakes.

The hike is a great place to spot one of the park’s most notable residents, the moose.

Hikers ascend 700 feet steadily over the course of a few miles to reach the lake where there are composting toilets available. The lake itself is stunning, especially on a calm day. Hikers frequently cool off in the lake’s (cold) waters.

grand teton national park hikes — Hiking Grand Teton National Park

4. Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls Hike (via boat shuttle)

Distance: 1.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 410 feet
Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Hiking to Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls

Casual hikers will appreciate the shortcut of the Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle during it’s open season which shaves several miles off of this favorite Grand Tetons hike.

Inspiration Point is an elevated prominence on the west side of Jenny Lake that gives hikers a view of Jenny Lake looking east (without the Tetons in the backdrop).

The hike itself is relatively easy ascending 400 feet over the course of just under a mile. Along the way, hikers are treated to the beautiful Hidden Falls.

5. Cascade Canyon Hike

Distance: 9.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 1100 feet
Time: 5-7 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous

Hiking Cascade Canyon – Grand Teton

Rated by many as the best hike in Grand Teton National Park, the Cascade Canyon Trail offers hikers a breathtaking look into the magic that is the “Cathedral Group” of the Tetons.

The best way to access the trailhead is via the Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle which operates regularly during the park’s peak months and takes visitors to the west side of Jenny Lake. From the boat dock, hikers ascend past the beautiful Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point before arriving at the Cascade Canyon Trail.

From here, hikers ascend steadily up past Valhalla Canyon. This trail ends at a fork in the road where ambitious hikers can continue on toward Lake Solitude (right) or the Schoolroom Glacier and Hurricane Pass (left).

Bears are frequently spotted on this trail so be on the lookout!

Top 10 Best Grand Teton Hikes

best hikes grand teton national park — Lower Schwabacher Landing | Grand Tetons Hikes

6. Schwabacher Landing Hike

Distance: 1.8 miles
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Hiking Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing is one of the most heavily photographed and iconic locations in Grand Teton National Park. The hike to the landing itself represents one of the easiest hikes in Grand Teton.

Most folks don’t realize there is an Upper Schwabacher Landing and Lower Schwabacher Landing. The lower is the most popular of the two but the upper is worth checking out as well.

The water that gently glides by the landing is part of the snake river and has been slowed by the magnificent work of beavers which still populate the area today. The upper landing represents one of the best places in the park to witness the incredible work of beavers.

The best time to see the beavers at work is an hour or so before the sunset.

beaver grand teton national park wyoming upper schwabacher landing — A beaver inspects their work at Upper Schwabacher Landing

string lake grand teton national park wyoming — String Lake

7. String & Leigh Lakes Hike

Distance: 7 miles
Elevation Gain: 100 feet
Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking String Lake & Leigh Lake – Grand Teton

String Lake & Leigh Lake are connected and really part of the same body of water. String Lake is more shallow features crystal clear water that is interrupted by kayakers. Leigh Lake is the larger of the two and is quite stunning as well.

Hiking to String Lake is more of a short walk, maybe a few hundred feet from the parking lot. From the north end of the String Lake parking lot you can pick up the best (most direct) entry point to Leigh Lake.

The hike itself is quite easy featuring minimal elevation gain and can be done as a loop or shorter out and back.

8. Death Canyon Hike (to Patrol Cabin)

Distance: 9.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 2100 feet
Time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous

Hiking Death Canyon

Death Canyon is a popular hike in Grand Teton National Park located near Phelps Lake off of Moose-Wilson Road. Getting to the trailhead is a bit tricky requiring driving on a pothole filled gravel road for a couple of miles.

The hike itself is strenuous ascending over 2000 feet up into Death Canyon which can be seen of the far side of Phelps Lake. The canyon is remarkable and stunning with dramatic cliff faces.

death canyon hike grand teton national park

colter bay lakeshore trail, grand teton national park hikes — Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail

9. Colter Bay Lakeshore Hike

Distance: 2.5 miles
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Hiking Colter Bay Lakeshore in Grand Teton

Colter Bay is a popular hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park that follows the shore of Lake Jackson. The hike itself is fairly secluded leading to a beach at the lake.

In recent years, the water levels at Lake Jackson have been quite low which has changed this hike.

Hikers can still enjoy a pleasant walk around the beach of Colter Bay and soak in the scenery. This hike does close seasonally for the Trumpeter Swan migrating.

jackson lake overlook trail grand teton national park wyoming — Jackson Lake Overlook

10. Jackson Lake Overlook Hike (from Signal Mountain Road)

Distance: .2 miles
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Google Maps: Pin

Hiking to Jackson Lake Overlook

Jackson Lake Overlook is a great, little-known spot to get a high vantage of Grand Teton National Park’s largest body of water. The hike itself is just a short walk from a small parking lot located off of Signal Mountain Road.

I’ve dropped a pin to this exact location here as it often shows up in a different location on directions apps. From the parking lot, hikers (or walkers) can take a short jaunt to the overlook on a nice little trail.

When we were there at the beginning of July the mosquitoes were pretty wild so be aware.

jackson lake overlook, grand teton national park best hikes — Jackson Lake Overlook

Top 15 Grand Teton National Park Hikes

11. Surprise, Amphitheater, & Delta Lakes Hike

Distance: 11.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3600 feet
Time: 6-8 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous

Hiking to Surprise Lake, Amphitheater Lake, & Delta Lake

Surprise Lake Delta Lake Amphitheater Lake Hike Grand Teton — Surprise, Amphitheater, & Delta Lakes Hike Topo Map

The hike to Delta, Surprise, & Amphitheater Lakes is one of the most challenging day hikes Grand Teton National Park. The view at Delta Lake rivals that of any alpine lake you’ll find in the world (I’d say similar to Colchuck Lake in Washington State).

The hike itself is fairly grueling with plenty of switchbacks and lots of elevation gain. There are two basic ways to do it from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead.

Hikers can choose to either start with Delta Lake then double back for Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes or vice versa. I personally recommend starting with Delta as it is the most stunning in my opinion and if there’s one hike to see on the trail it’s that one.

lake solitude hike grand teton national park — Lake Solitude Hike Topographic Map via Google Maps | Best Hikes Grand Teton

12. Lake Solitude Hike

Distance: 16.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2600 feet
Time: 8-10 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous

Hiking to Solitude Lake – Grand Teton

Solitude Lake is one of the more difficult day hikes in Grand Teton National Park featuring some of the park’s most epic views. I recommend taking the ferry across Jenny Lake to save an extra couple of miles on your hike as it’s already an ambitious one!

Starting early is important for this hike as it’s no fun to be on this trail after dark. Along the way hikers frequently see bears, moose, deer, and pikas so be on the lookout! I highly recommend packing bear spray to be on the safe side.

The first part of the hike falls the Cascade Canyon Trail past Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. From there, hikers will ascend through Cascade Canyon eventually reaching a fork in the trail.

Taking the trail to the right leads to Solitude Lake. This section of the trail is the most difficult and steep so be prepared.

13. Hermitage Point Hike

Distance: 9.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking to Hermitage Point in Colter Bay

Hermitage Point is a less traveled trail in Grand Teton National Park that hugs the shore of Lake Jackson in Colter Bay. All along the trail hikers can see beaver activity and spectacular views of the teton range.

The Hermitage point hike is a longer one so be prepared and pack plenty of water. A lot of folks just pop on for a shorter out and back which is great as well.

14. Moose Ponds Hike

Distance: 3.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 100 feet
Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Hiking Moose Ponds Trail

The Moose Ponds Trail is a fairly popular, easy hike in Grand Teton National Park located adjacent to Jenny Lake. Many folks use the trail for running and bird watching. You may see an occasional moose on the trail as well!

All in all the hike is fairly easy and flat featuring beautiful alpine scenery. It is a great hike for families and people of all ages.

moulton barn grand teton national park wyoming — Moulton Barn

15. Mormon’s Row Hike

Distance: .1 miles
Elevation Gain: 0 feet
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

It’s hard to call Mormon’s Row a hike as it’s just a few steps from where you park to the popular area with Moulton Barn and some more dwellings.

Sunrise is the best time to see this area as the light beautifully illuminates the barn and the Tetons.

Top 20 Grand Teton Hikes

grand teton national park wyoming, oxbow bend sunrise — Sunrise at Oxbow Bend

16. Oxbow Bend Overlook Hike

Distance: .1 miles
Elevation Gain: 0 feet
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Oxbow Bend is one of the most iconic, heavily photographed locations in Grand Teton National Park as well as one of the easiest hikes.

Finding parking can be tough, especially around sunrise when the area is covered with photographers. After you park the car there isn’t much area to really hike on so soak in the view, get the shot, and move on.

oxbow bend sunrise grand teton national park wyoming — Sunrise at Oxbow Bend

blacktail ponds trail, grand teton national park wyoming — Blacktail Ponds Overlook

17. Blacktail Ponds Spur Trail

Distance: 4.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 250 feet
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Hiking Blacktail Ponds Trail

Blacktail Ponds Trail is a lesser traveled, easy hike in Grand Teton National Park featuring beautiful views of the Teton mountains.

The hike starts at the Blacktail Ponds parking lot descending quickly about 100 feet or so onto the trail. The trail is a simple out and back providing visitors an opportunity to escape the crowds and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

List of the Best Grand Teton Hikes

Taggart & Bradley Lakes Hike
Jenny Lake Hike
Phelps Lake Hike
Inspiration Point & Hidden Falls Hike
Cascade Canyon Hike
Schwabacher Landing Hike
String Lake & Leigh Lake Hike
Death Canyon Hike
Colter Bay Lakeshore Hike
Jackson Lake Overlook Hike
Surprise, Amphitheater, & Delta Lakes Hike
Lake Solitude Hike
Hermitage Point Hike
Moose Ponds Hike
Mormon’s Row Hike
Oxbow Bend Hike
Blacktail Ponds Hike

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Getting To Grand Teton National Park – Directions & Location

There are many ways to get to Grand Teton. The deciding factors in getting to Grand Teton are cost and time.

Closest Airport: JAC – Jackson Hole, WY (distance 0 miles from the park)

The fastest way to get to Grand Teton National Park is by plane, flying into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC). The airport is basically in the park and offers sweeping views of the Tetons from the grounds. If money is no issue and time is paramount this is the way to go. Major airlines such as Delta service this airport so finding a flight shouldn’t be a problem – the price, however is typically steep.

The cheapest way to get to Grand Teton is by simply driving to the park. This is a great, budget friendly option. Depending on your access to a car and the distance you’re willing to drive (see my national park road trips post), you may want to fly somewhere more affordable and rent a car from there.

My recommendation is to check both rental car prices and flight prices at other nearby airports like Salt Lake City (SLC) – 5 hours away and Twin Falls (TWF) – 4.5 hours away. The savings for finding an alternative airport to fly into and rent a car from can sometimes be in the thousands.