
This is the most popular route for completing the Teton Crest Trail. You will find our route highlighted in blue. Other optional trail heads are Rendezvous Mountain, Granite Canyon, Death Canyon, or Cascade Canyon. The trail technically starts at Teton Pass and can be accessed off of WY 22 and runs all the way to String Lake. Meaning, that you can select a route that works best for the amount of time that you have or your skill level. The Teton Crest Trail can be accessed by several different trails. Map of Teton Crest Trailīelow is a map provided by Grand Teton National Park with campsites, mileage, and elevation high points on the Teton Crest Trail.

Planning Your Teton Crest Hike What to Pack for the Teton Crest Trailįor a comprehensive list of everything we packed for the Teton Crest Trail, check out this article on preparing for a backpacking trip. If you’re up for it, add an extra day and shorten your daily mile average. Mileage Each Day: We were averaging about 10 miles on the first three days (only 7+ on the last day).Fortunately, water is plentiful on the trail and you will not have to carry much water at a time. Don’t underestimate the weight of these bear canisters and the weight of four days worth of food. Pack Weight & Bear Canisters: Bear canisters are required by the NPS to carry any and all food/scented items.Don’t be fooled, you will be climbing at least 1000-1500 feet each day. BUT, what none of us were aware of was the significant descent each morning followed by a brutal climb each afternoon. Looking at the map, the net elevation change each day was nothing huge. Nothing that any of us read online discussed the significant elevation gain that we experienced EACH day. Ups-and-Downs: This was the biggest surprise for us.Don’t be like us and arrive only 10 hours before hitting the trail. If you’re like us and from sea-level, plan to get to Wyoming a day or two ahead of time to acclimate. The highest point is Paintbrush Divide that reaches 10,700 feet. Elevation: Almost the entire hike is between 8,000 and 10,000 feet in elevation with a few portions that reach above 10,000 feet.A few factors that contributed to the difficulty were: The Not-So-Fun Side of the Teton Crest Trail & What No One Tells Youįirst off, this trail is very physically demanding. If this is your first time backpacking, pick something not quite as ambitious or do a modified version of this hike. If you’re up for a physical challenge accompanied by grand mountain views, then the Teton Crest Trail is for you! The up-close views we experienced of the Teton Range were something spectacular and unforgettable. This hike spans the entire length of the Teton Range and provides some of the most epic mountain views. I still hope that the information shared in this post is to your benefit.Ĩ.1 Share this: Why You Should or Shouldn’t Hike the Teton Crest TrailĬompleting the Teton Crest Trail was such an accomplishment! Although very strenuous, this trail was so worth it! Due to pushing our bodies to the point of total exhaustion each day, I didn’t have much energy left to devote to photography.

Side Note: I was a bit disappointed when I got home and took a look at the photos that were taken on this trip.
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How to Prepare for Your First Backpacking Trip Since the Teton Crest trail head doesn’t start at a parking lot, it must be combined with a few other trails meaning that the total length is closer to 35-38 miles.Īre you a beginner backpacker? You may also like this article: The Teton Crest Trail is a 25 mile hiking trail that expands almost the entire backside of the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park. Did we bite off more than we could chew? Possibly.įortunately, a couple of friends agreed to take on this challenge with us! Strength in numbers, right? Were we a little ambitious to go from never having backpacked to a strenuous high-altitude 4-day backpacking hike? Most definitely. We stumbled upon the idea of hiking the Teton Crest Trail, a 3-night backpacking hike through Grand Teton National Park. The hardest thing physically, at least.Īs Randy and I have spent a lot of time in national parks the last couple of years, we have developed a love for hiking and exploring the national parks on foot.īut, we had yet to try backpacking to experience an overnight or multi-day hike. Post Topic: Everything You Need to Know about the Teton Crest Trailīackpacking the Teton Crest Trail was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
