Best Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is among the top 10 most visited national parks. Once you visit and see the beauty for yourself, you’ll understand why. Spending a weekend hiking in the Grand Tetons is still among my favorite experiences, especially hiking Cascade Canyon & seeing multiple moose. The gorgeous mountain views, reflective lakes, serene feeling, and wildlife viewing is unbeatable and makes this park worth visiting. In this guide, I’ll detail all of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park, so be sure to save this guide for your trip!

Need more info on visiting? Be sure to check out my Grand Teton National Park Travel Guide!

Be sure to visit the Grand Teton NPS Website for more info and updates on trail conditions.

Easy Hikes

1. Taggart Lake Loop Trail:
   • Distance: 3.3 miles (5.3 km) loop.
   • Trailhead: Taggart Lake Trailhead, located off Teton Park Road, about 2 miles north of the Moose Entrance Station.
   • Features: Views of the Teton Range, Taggart Lake, and surrounding meadows. Relatively flat terrain, suitable for families and beginners.
2. String Lake Loop Trail:
   • Distance: 3.8 miles (6.1 km) loop.
   • Trailhead: String Lake Trailhead, located at the southern end of String Lake.
   • Features: Scenic loop trail around String Lake with opportunities for swimming, picnicking, and stunning views of the Tetons reflected in the lake.
3. Lakeshore Trail:
   • Distance: Varies, but approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) one way.
   • Trailhead: Various access points along Jackson Lake, including Signal Mountain Lodge and Colter Bay Village.
   • Features: Flat, paved trail along the shore of Jackson Lake with opportunities for wildlife viewing, fishing, and birdwatching. Accessibility makes it suitable for all ages and abilities.

Busy Bee Tip: Taggart Lake Loop was one of our favorite hikes! It’s super easy and flat, but gorgeous the entire time. We actually started around 2pm and had plenty of time to hike, stop for a snack break, take lots of pictures, and still made it back with plenty of time for dinner. We loved stopping at the lake to take in the views and chill for awhile.

Busy Bee Tip: Bring your bear spray! Multiple groups we passed on Taggart Lake Loop stopped us to warn us they had seen a bear. We never came across it on this hike, but we did see them at other various times in the park, throughout our trip.

Medium Hikes

1. Bradley and Taggart Lakes Trail:
   • Distance: 5 miles (8 km) round trip.
   • Trailhead: Taggart Lake Trailhead, same as Taggart Lake Loop Trail.
   • Features: Views of Bradley and Taggart Lakes, the Teton Range, and surrounding forests. Moderate elevation gain, suitable for moderately experienced hikers.
2. Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point:
   • Distance: 5.8 miles (9.3 km) round trip.
   • Trailhead: Jenny Lake Trailhead, located at the south end of Jenny Lake.
   • Features: Waterfall views at Hidden Falls, panoramic vistas from Inspiration Point, and stunning scenery along the shores of Jenny Lake. Moderate elevation gain with some steep sections.
3. Cascade Canyon Trail:
   • Distance: 9 miles (14.5 km) round trip.
   • Trailhead: Jenny Lake Trailhead, same as Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point hike.
   • Features: Scenic hike through Cascade Canyon with views of waterfalls, towering peaks, and alpine meadows. Moderate to strenuous elevation gain, suitable for experienced hikers.

Busy Bee Tips

Busy Bee Tip: Hiking Cascade Canyon should be at the top of your list! To this day, it is one of the absolute best hikes and best experiences I’ve ever had. We saw multiple moose, friendly chipmunks, porcupines, beavers, and more. The views throughout the ENTIRE hike are stunning.

Busy Bee Tip: You can hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point and turn around, or you can then continue on to Cascade Canyon. It is all part of the same hike.

Busy Bee Tip: Hiking Cascade Canyon (or Hidden Falls/Inspiration Pt) requires riding the Jenny Lake Boat. This is an experience in itself, because the views are amazing during the boat ride across. I do recommend getting an early start for these hikes because the boats fill up FAST and you could end up waiting over an hour. We made sure to be at the dock in time for the first boat of the day and had no issues, but on our way back a few hours later, the line was hundreds of people long.

Hard Hikes

1. Delta Lake Trail:
   • Distance: 8.6 miles (13.8 km) round trip.
   • Trailhead: Lupine Meadows Trailhead, located off Teton Park Road, approximately 1.5 miles south of the Moose Entrance Station.
   • Features: Challenging hike with steep inclines, rocky terrain, and potentially hazardous conditions. Rewards include stunning views of Delta Lake and the Grand Teton.
2. Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon Loop:
   • Distance: Approximately 19 miles (30.6 km) loop.
   • Trailhead: String Lake Trailhead, same as String Lake Loop Trail.
   • Features: Strenuous loop hike through two scenic canyons, passing by alpine lakes, waterfalls, and panoramic viewpoints. Requires a full day of hiking and proper preparation.
3. Summiting Grand Teton:
   • Distance: Varies based on route chosen, typically over 12 miles (19 km) round trip with significant elevation gain.
   • Trailhead: Various routes start from locations such as Lupine Meadows Trailhead or Jenny Lake Trailhead.
   • Features: A challenging climb requiring technical skills, proper equipment, and experience. Offers unparalleled views from the summit of the highest peak in the Teton Range.