Want to see the most beautiful spots the Tetons have to offer? Here's a list of the best hikes in Grant Teton National Park.
Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park
There are so many incredible hikes in the Tetons that it's really difficult to choose which ones to pursue. With research and experience, here's my list of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park.
To decide hikes, we used the AllTrails App along with talking to Park Rangers in the Visitor Centers. Both are helpful resources to choose hikes that meet your needs!
I also have a Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide to help in your trip planning process.
Hiking options
When choosing a hike, consider the amount of time available, hiking difficulty, and skill level of yourself & everyone in your hiking group.
- Day Hike: These are hikes that range from a few hours to the bulk of the day. I usually pick a few shorter hikes or one really long hike if I'm choosing a day hike option.
- Multi-Day Hike: These are hikes that take more than one day to complete. This is the same thing as backpacking and you should plan to hike all day and camp in the backcountry at night.
What to bring on your hike
It's important to be prepared for every hike in the park! Here are some resources to get you ready for your adventure:
What are the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park?
Here is a roundup of some of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park! These are some of my personal picks for day options, so this list is not exclusive to all of them. I encourage you to adventure and find your favorites!
- String Lake Trail
- Leigh Lake Trail
- Phelps Lake Overlook
- Phelps Lake Trail
- Taggart Lake Loop
- Inspiration Point
- Solitude Lake Trail
- Death Canyon to Patrol Cabin
- Cascade Canyon Trail
- Table Mountain Trail
Keep reading to find out more about each hike!
Cascade Canyon Trail
This is a 9.1 mile out & back trail that has a little bit of elevation in the beginning but is generally flat. We saw a lot of wildlife! If you hike this trail to the end, keep going at the junction towards Solitude Lake! Even if you can hike an extra mile towards Solitude Lake, you will be rewarded with an incredible view. It really opens up and is absolutely beautiful!
There are several campsites along the way and this would be a great trail for a beginner backpacker.
Solitude Lake Trail
This is a really incredible 16.1 mile hike! You start the hike on the Cascade Canyon Trail and then continue on at the junction towards Solitude Lake. There are beautiful views after Cascade Canyon! The lake was still frozen over in June and there was some snow on the way up.
You can start the hike on the Visitor Center side of Jenny Lake OR shave off about 2 miles by taking the the Jenny Lake Ferry to the start of the Canyon Lake Trailhead.
Inspiration Point
To get to the start of the Inspiration Point hike, you can hike around Jenny Lake starting at the Jenny Lake Trailhead OR take the ferry across the lake. If you take the ferry, the hike is about 1.8 miles out and back to Inspiration Point. It offers a great view of Jenny Lake!
It was fun to take the ferry BUT beware that the afternoon the wait is VERY long to get back. This is a very popular hike—no Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide would be complete without it!
Table Mountain Trail
This hike is located in the Jedidiah Wilderness Area, right outside Grand Teton National Park. It's a difficult 10.7 mile loop trail that offers incredible views! It's challenging but worth it.
String Lake Trail
This 4.4 mile loop is a heavily trafficked trail. This is a great hiking option for hikers with a wide-variety of skill levels as it is mostly flat and has several access points. I would recommend this for families, kiddos, and older folks! Be prepared for several bugs if hiking this in the summertime.
Leigh Lake Trail
This is a 7 mile out and back trail. Similar to Leigh Lake Trail, this is another great option for hikers with a wide variety of skill sets. Be prepared for bugs on this trail as well!
There are a few campsites available on this trail and they are awesome!
Taggart Lake Loop
This is an easy 3.8 mile loop trail around the lake. This hike is a great option for a wide variety of skill sets.
Phelps Lake Trail
This is a 7-mile loop trail that goes around Phelps Lake. This trail is more moderate than the Leigh Lake, Taggart Lake, and String Lake trails.
Death Canyon to Patrol Cabin
This is a 9.1 mile out and back trail up to the Patrol Cabin in Death Canyon. It's heavily trafficked and has over 2,000 feet of elevation. This is a great moderate day hike!
Phelps Lake Overlook
This is a 2-mile hike up to an overlook of Phelps Lake. This is a great option for families or for a short hike. If you want more, I highly recommend going on from here either all the way around Phelps Lake or up to the Patrol Cabin in Death Canyon.
Jenny Lake Trail
Jenny Lake Trail is a 7.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail
Difficulty of the hikes
The easier hikes from the list are:
- String Lake Trail
- Leigh Lake Trail
- Phelps Lake Overlook
- Phelps Lake Trail
- Taggart Lake Loop
- Inspiration Point
The harder hikes from the list are:
- Solitude Lake Trail
- Death Canyon to Patrol Cabin
- Cascade Canyon Trail
- Table Mountain Trail
Multi-day hikes
These are hikes that take more than one day to complete. If you're a strong hiker, you might be able to complete some of these in one day, but for most people, these will be backpacking trips with a plan to camp in the backcountry.
The list:
- Teton Crest Trail
- Death Canyon
- Fox Creek Pass
- Open Canyon to Death Canyon
- Alaska Basin
- Paintbrush Divide
Teton Crest Trail
The Teton Crest Trail is a 40-50 mile trail that loops around Grand Teton National Park. This trail is an incredible way to see the entire park!
We planned to take about 5 days to backpack this loop. Unfortunately there was too much snow when I visited and was unable to complete these trail.
Paintrbush Divide
There are several ways to hike to Paintbrush Divide. One option is from String Lake, which is a 20-mile trip. This is a difficult hike over passes and looks incredible.
Alaska Basin Trail
Alaska Basin Trail is a 15-mile trail that could be a long day hike or split into an overnight trip. The trail heads out into a basin and offers stunning views!
Death Canyon
Start at the Death Canyon Trailhead and hike up into Death Canyon. It’s about 6-8 miles of vertical elevation gain to get to the camping area but SO beautiful. Towards the beginning of the Death Canyon Trail you’ll pass Phelps Lake, another cool camping spot.
There were a lot of people hiking to the Phelps Lake overlook & up to the Cabin at the top of Death Canyon. Once we were passed the Cabin, the crowds were gone and it was just us!
Fox Creek Pass to Mount Hunt to Open Canyon
If you take the hike into Death Canyon, an option is to continue on over Mt Hunt Divide to Open Canyon. You will have the opportunity to hike over passes and camp in Open Canyon. You can then finish off the hike around Phelps Lake and make your way back to the Death Canyon Trailhead.
This is definitely a multi-day hike!
String Lake & Leigh Lake
These lake have trails you can hike and camp at. The hikes to these campsites are great for multiple skill levels. Another option is to paddle to the campsites along these lakes!
Where is the best view of the Tetons?
If you want to hike for a view of the Tetons, Cascade Canyon Trail to Solitude Lake Trail offers a really great view! Table Mountain Trail and Paintbrush Divide do as well.
Is it safe to hike in Grand Teton National Park?
Absolutely! Like with hiking anywhere, it's important to be prepared and know your limits. However, it's definitely safe and worth the hike!
Guide to Grand Teton National Park
If you're planning a trip to Grand Teton, check out this Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide to help in your planning process. Have the best time!
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