14 Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Easily our favorite national park, Grand Teton National Park offers an incredible selection of breathtaking hikes with a variety of distances and difficulty levels to suit all types of outdoor adventurers. From gentle strolls to bun-burning climbs, there’s something for everyone in Grand Teton.

With over 300,000 acres and 200 miles of hiking trails, there are plenty of amazing hikes in Grand Teton National Park. From the dramatic, jagged peaks of the Teton Range to the clear waters of the alpine lakes fed by melting snow and ice to the many moose, bears, and flowers and the meandering Snake River, we have yet to find a place as beautiful as Grand Teton National Park.

Located about 30 minutes north of the ever-growing Jackson, WY and about an hour or so south of Yellowstone National Park, no visit to the West is complete without some time spent with the Tetons.

In this article, we’ve rounded up a list of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about each. We have done every hike on this list so you can rest assured that our recommendations are accurate and honest. Happy hiking!

Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

There are tons of great hikes in the Grand Tetons, but we’ve narrowed the list to just 14 of the best hikes in the park.

1. Phelps Lake Overlook | A nice short hike to an overlook above the beautiful Phelps Lake
2. Static Peak Divide | Best hike to summit a Teton peak
3. Taggart and Bradley Lakes | Best moderate hike in Grand Teton with two beautiful alpine lakes
4. Surprise Lake and Amphitheater Lake | A great way to extend the Delta Lake hike
5. Delta Lake | Most stunning alpine lake and the biggest bang for your buck
6. Leigh Lake | Best easy, family-friendly day hike
7. Jenny Lake Loop Trail | An easy and mostly flat hike around the most popular lake in Grand Teton
8. Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point | Most fun hike in Grand Teton (option to include a boat ride across Jenny Lake)
9. Cascade Canyon | A perfect extension to the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point hike
10. Lake Solitude | An alternative to the Paintbrush – Cascade Canyon Loop if you don’t want to hike 22 miles in one day.
11. Paintbrush – Cascade Canyon Loop | Most challenging day hike with the best views in the park
12. Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail | Best easy hike for sunset at Jackson Lake
13. Schwabacher’s Landing Trail | Best easy hike for sunrise
14. Teton Crest Trail | Most epic multi-day trek for a full tour of Grand Teton National Park

Map of the Best hikes in Grand Teton

The map below displays each of the trailheads for the best hikes in Grand Teton, as well as key landmarks along the hikes. Note that some hikes share the same trailhead, and several hikes can start from more than one trailhead.

• To view more details about each location, click on the marker on the map.
• To save this map for future use, click the star next to the title. From your phone, open the Google Maps app and click the “saved” tab, followed by the “Maps” icon. From your Gmail account, navigate to Maps –> “Saved” –> “My Maps” –> “Maps” tab.
• To email this map to yourself, click the three dots in the upper right corner.

1. Phelps Lake Overlook

• Hiking distance | 2 miles
• Elevation gain | 400 feet
• Total time | 1 – 2 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 5
• Difficulty | easy

Find this hike on AllTrails: Phelps Lake Overlook

This short, easy hike starts from the Death Canyon trailhead and leads to a lovely viewpoint overlooking Phelps Lake, the first of many beautiful alpine lakes on our list.

From the overlook, you can continue down to the lake, which will add an extra 1.5 miles and 800 feet of elevation gain. The trail continues about 4 miles all the way around the perimeter of the lake.

Note: Death Canyon trailhead is located on a bumpy dirt road that gets worse the farther you go. While it’s typically passable without 4WD, use caution proceeding if the road is muddy and/or you don’t have high clearance.

2. Static Peak Divide

• Hiking distance | 16.8 miles
• Elevation gain | 5400 feet
• Total time | 8 – 12 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 8.5
• Difficulty | Hard
• Easily combine with | Phelps Lake Overlook

One of only a few peaks in the Tetons that are accessible via a hiking trail (as opposed to technical climbing routes), Static Peak is an extremely strenuous but rewarding hike featuring stunning views high among the jagged mountains.

The 16.8-mile hike departs from the Death Canyon trailhead and passes by the Phelps Lake Overlook before continuing up Death Canyon and turning right towards Alaska Basin. Although the hike is long and steep, the 360 degree views from the summit are well worth the effort.

Static Peak is aptly named due to the high frequency of lightning strikes the mountain receives. As such, it’s important to be mindful of weather conditions and start your hike early in the morning in order to be off the peak before mid-afternoon thunderstorms roll in.

3. Taggart and Bradley Lakes

• Hiking distance | 3.8 to 6 miles
• Elevation gain | 7400 to 80 feet
• Total time | 3 – 4 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 7
• Difficulty | easy-moderate
• Includes | Taggart Lake Loop

If you’re looking for an easy hike with a big payoff, look no further than Bradley and Taggart Lakes. A short stroll through the woods brings you to this beautiful lake, with the dramatic Grand Tetons dominating the backdrop.

There are plenty of spots around the lakes to find a little slice of solitude and relax while you take in the views.

The hike to Taggart Lake can be extended by continuing to Bradley Lake. Bradley Lake rivals Taggart in beauty, and the trail to get there is equally enjoyable with views of the Grand in the background as you wind through pine forests and open fields of wildflowers.

Tip | For the best chance of still waters for a clear reflection over the lake (like the photo below), go as early as possible. Winds tend to be lighter in the morning and pick up in the afternoon. The view is always better when it is doubled!

4. Surprise Lake and Amphitheater Lake

• Hiking distance | 10.1 miles
• Elevation gain | 3000 feet
• Total time | 5 – 7 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 7.5
• Difficulty | hard

One hike, two incredible alpine lakes: what more could you ask for? The beautiful Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes are located less than half a mile from each other, but you’ll have to put in some work to reach these gems nestled high among the Teton peaks.

The five mile hike to reach the lakes climbs about 3000 feet with seemingly endless switchbacks. But, the pain is a bit more enjoyable with sweeping views overlooking the valley and lakes below.

From the trail, you get a birds-eye view of Bradley and Taggart Lakes below. In the spring early summer, abundant yellow wildflowers cover the side of the mountain as far as the eye can see.

5. Delta Lake

• Hiking distance | 7.2 miles
• Elevation gain | 2250 feet
• Total time | 4 – 6 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 9
• Difficulty | hard
• Easily combine with | Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes

The hike to this cerulean-colored lake with a close-up view of the Grand Tetons starts at Lupine Meadows Trailhead and shares much of the trail to Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes, making these three lakes easy to combine into one hike.

To reach Delta Lake, you will veer to the right on a spur trail about 90% of the way up to Surprise and Amphitheater.

Technically, the trail to Delta Lake that leaves the trail to Surprise and Amphitheater lakes isn’t an official trail and isn’t maintained by the park. Nonetheless, Delta Lake has become an increasingly popular destination in the Tetons, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.

The last leg of the hike is not well marked in places and can be difficult to follow. Keep an eye out for cairns (though they are not reliably available) or other hikers coming down to find your way.

Despite the challenges to get there, Delta Lake is absolutely worth the trek. It is truly stunning and undoubtedly one of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park.

6. Leigh Lake

• Hiking distance | 3 – 7 miles (3 miles roundtrip to reach the lake)
• Elevation gain | 100 feet
• Total time | 1 – 4 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 6
• Difficulty | easy
• Includes | part of String Lake

Find this hike on AllTrails: Leigh Lake Trail or Leigh Lake Trail: Short Version

If you’re looking for a casual hike with solid views, Leigh Lake is a great option. From the trailhead, it’s about a mile and a half to reach Leigh Lake, and you can continue for another 2 miles along its shore. Round trip your Leigh Lake hike can be as short as 3 miles or as long as 7 miles, and the entire trail is almost flat.

You’ll also get to catch a glimpse of String Lake, as the trail starts out along its northern shore.

7. Jenny Lake Loop Trail

• Hiking distance | 7.5 miles (entire loop)
• Elevation gain | 600 feet
• Total time | 2 – 4 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 6
• Difficulty | easy-moderate
• Easily combine with | Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, Cascade Canyon, String Lake

Jenny Lake is one of the most popular hikes in the Grand Tetons. The trail around the perimeter of Jenny Lake is a fairly flat 7 mile hike, departing from either Jenny Lake Trailhead or String Lake trailhead. The lake offers lovely views all the way around, looking down Cascade Canyon from its eastern shore or across to Jackson Hole from its western shore.

Jenny Lake is a central hub for several other hikes, including Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls and Cascade Canyon. You can also take a boat across the lake, which is a popular way to cut down the hiking distance on the aforementioned trails. Read more about ticket prices and departure times here.

Pro Tip | There are two possible trailheads: Jenny Lake Trailhead or String Lake Trailhead (both the same distance).

8. Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point

• Hiking distance | 1.8 miles (via boat shuttle) or 5.8 miles (via Jenny Lake trailhead)
• Elevation gain | 400 feet (via boat shuttle) or 800 feet (via Jenny Lake trailhead)
• Total time | 2 – 3 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 6
• Difficulty | moderate
• Includes | Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls

Find this hike on AllTrails: Inspiration Point via Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle

Did you know that Hidden Falls are the only accessible waterfall in the Grand Tetons? In a park filled with tons of alpine lakes, deep canyons and snowy peaks, it’s quite hard to believe! The 100 foot tall waterfall is fairly hidden from the main trail, and can be viewed head on from a short spur trail.

The hike to Hidden Falls is about 5 miles roundtrip from the Jenny Lake trailhead and can be shortened to just over a mile by taking the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake.

Continue less than half a mile from Hidden Falls to Inspiration Point, one of the park’s most popular viewpoints.

Inspiration Point offers nice views overlooking Jenny Lake and Jackson Hole. The entire roundtrip hike to Inspiration Point from Jenny Lake trailhead is about 5.8 miles and can be shortened to 1.8 miles by taking the shuttle across Jenny Lake.

We were personally somewhat unimpressed by the views, particularly after hiking other trails on this list, like Surprise Lake and Paintbrush Divide.

If you’re looking for something quick, Inspiration Point is easily accessible, especially if you take the shuttle, but I’m not sure we would recommend going out of your way for this hike.

9. Cascade Canyon

• Hiking distance | 9.1 miles with shuttle across Jenny Lake, 13.9 without shuttle
• Elevation gain | 1100 feet (via boat shuttle) or 1500 feet (via Jenny Lake Trailhead)
• Total time | 4 – 5 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 7
• Difficulty | moderate
• Includes | Jenny Lake, Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls

If you’re looking to extend your hike from Inspiration Point, continue on through Cascade Canyon. To the end of Cascade Canyon and back to the Jenny Lake Boat Dock is about 9 miles, but you can opt to continue as long as you’d like.

Cascade Canyon is nestled between Teewinot Mountain and Mount St. John, offering sublime views of the jagged peaks on either side of the trail and probably your best opportunity to see wildlife (we saw two moose from this trail).

Most of the elevation gain for this hike is up to Inspiration Point. Cascade Canyon itself is relatively flat, bringing you into the heart of the Tetons without the extreme elevation gain that many other hikes into the backcountry require.

If you plan to visit Inspiration Point, we highly recommend leaving the crowds behind and venturing into Cascade Canyon, even if you don’t go all the way to the end of the trail.

10. Lake Solitude

• Hiking distance | 16.6 miles
• Elevation gain | 2700 feet
• Total time | 8 – 10 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 8
• Difficulty | hard
• Includes | Jenny Lake, Cascade Canyon, Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls

For those looking for even more of a challenge, the hike to Lake Solitude extends beyond Cascade Canyon and gets you deeper into the Teton backcountry.

To reach Lake Solitude, you will hike through the entirety of Cascade Canyon before turning north into the North Fork of Cascade Canyon. This hike does include a bit more elevation gain than Cascade Canyon, but you will be rewarded with one of the best views of the Grand Teton perfectly framed by the sloping walls of the canyon.

Note that the route on AllTrails does not include Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls – if you want to include them be sure to take the right connector trail from Cascade Canyon past Jenny Lake.

Tip: There are a number of backcountry camping spots in the North Fork of Cascade Canyon, making it a popular place to pitch a tent and spend the night. Permits are required to camp in the Teton backcountry.

11. Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop

• Hiking distance | 22 miles
• Elevation gain | 4300 feet
• Total time | 11 – 13 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 10
• Difficulty | strenous
• Includes | Holly Lake, Lake Solitude, Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, Cascade Canyon, Paintbrush Divide, Jenny Lake

The Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon Loop is hands down the best hike in the Grand Tetons, but these epic views won’t come easy. This strenuous hike covers 22 miles and 4300 feet, making it a very challenging day hike – you’ll have to get an early start to complete the loop before dark.

Paintbrush Divide sits at 10,700 feet and separates the North Fork of the Cascade Canyon to the southwest from Paintbrush Canyon to the east. Most people doing this as a day hike start at String Lake Trailhead, pass through Paintbrush Canyon and continue for about 1.5 miles past Holly Lake until reaching the divide.

Make no mistake, this hike is a beast, especially if you are trying to do it in one day. The elevation gain is no joke but the views from the divide are absolutely breathtaking. Also, be sure to check the trail conditions before you depart. We hiked here in July and there was still snow at higher altitudes.

12. Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail

• Hiking distance | 2.5 miles
• Elevation gain | essentially flat
• Total time | 1 – 2 hours
• Epic-ness rating | 7
• Difficulty | easy

If you are staying at Colter Bay campground, this easy hike is a must do at sunset. There’s a small rocky beach area at the tip of the peninsula, which makes for the perfect spot to watch the sunset over Jackson Lake in peace.

We saw one other couple the entire night and basically had the view to ourselves, while most people stick to the Colter Bay Beach.

From the Colter Bay Campground you can access the Lakeshore Trail via several short trails through the woods, leading towards the water. Even if you aren’t staying at the campground, it’s worth visiting the Colter Bay area for an afternoon hanging out by the lake and sunset stroll along this trail.

13. Schwabacher’s Landing Trail

• Hiking distance | 1.7 miles
• Elevation gain | essentially flat
• Total time | 1 hour
• Epic-ness rating | 7
• Difficulty | easy

Schwabacher’s Landing is one of the most popular viewpoints in the park, offering unbeatable sunrise views illuminating the tips of the Tetons in hues of orange and pink. On a calm morning, the entire scene is reflected in the calm waters.

The most popular viewpoint from this trail (which you’ve almost surely seen in photos, like the one below) is located just a few minutes from the trailhead, so expect heavy crowds.

It’s certainly worth stopping here for a photo, but if you continue past this spot the crowds start to thin out and the views remain just as epic. The trail continues for another 0.8 miles or so until you reach the Snake River.

14. Teton Crest Trail

• Hiking distance | 40 miles (Phillips Canyon to Jenny Lake)
• Elevation gain | approximately 10,000 feet
• Total time | 4 – 6 days
• Epic-ness rating | 9.6
• Difficulty | hard

And last, but certainly not least, is Grand Teton’s crown jewel: the Teton Crest Trail! Traversing 40 miles along the western edge of the Tetons, the Teton Crest Trail is a dream for backpackers looking to get off the grid and up close and personal with the majestic mountains.

The Teton Crest Trail is one of our favorite backpacking trips of all time (although we also got engaged here, so we may be a tad bit biased!). The views from Hurricane Pass and Paintbrush Divide are hands down the best in the park, made even more special by the fact that most visitors to the part will never witness them.

So if you’re up for a big adventure, get out your maps and guidebooks and start planning your hike!

Hiking in Grand Teton | FAQs

When is the best time to hike in Grand Teton National Park?

The hikes at higher elevation in Grands Teton National Park (ex: Paintbrush Divide) can be covered in snow as late as July.

Lower elevation trails at the base of the Tetons (ex: Bradley and Taggart Lake, Jenny Lake, String Lake, Schwabacher Landing) should be snow-free by late May. June is a great time to hike at lower elevations, as the wildflowers are absolutely beautiful during the Teton’s springtime.

How do I avoid altitude sickness in Grand Teton?

The lowlands of Grand Teton National Park sits at an elevation of around 6800 feet. Many of the hikes on this list climb several thousand feet over a few miles, so altitude sickness can be a problem.

If you are coming from a lower elevation, it may be best to acclimate for a few days before attempting any of the more challenging hikes on this list. Hikes in the foothills, like Bradley Lake, Phelps Lake and Jenny Lake, are also good warmup hikes to help your lungs get accustomed.

Other tips for hiking in Grand Teton

Below are a few tips to ensure you have a great experience hiking in Grand Teton National Park:

• Entrance to the park costs $35 per vehicle for 7 days. If you plan to visit more than 2 U.S. National Parks over the next year, it typically makes sense to purchase an America the Beautiful Pass for $80, which gives you entrance to all national parks for one year.
• Start your hikes early! Most of the parking lots in the Grand Tetons fill up very quickly, so be sure to get an early start to avoid circling the parking lot.
• Be sure to carry bear spray. Each person in your group should have their own bear spray attached in an easily accessible location. Odds are you won’t need it, but this is grizzly territory so it’s best to be prepared!
• If you plan to backpack in the Grand Tetons, advance permits are released the first Wednesday of January for the entire season. Permits are in high demand and typically sell out fast. Read more about backpacking in the Grand Tetons on the NPS website.
• We highly recommend using hiking poles and a pair of hiking boots with good traction for hiking in Grand Teton. Many of the trails in the area are steep, with some exposed sections.

Other Grand Teton Resources

Looking for more to do in Grand Teton National Park? Check out these resources for more ideas on how to spend your time:

Have you been hiking in Grand Teton National Park? What hike would you add to our list of best hikes in the Grand Teton?!