Grand Teton National Park guide · 2 min read
Teton Hiking: 200 Miles, Lakeshores to Mountains
Grand Teton has more than 250 miles of trail, ranging from short walks beside the water to long routes deep into the backcountry.
Many hikes circle or lead to glacier-fed lakes at the foot of the range, while others climb up through canyons toward the peaks. A ranger at any visitor center can help you match a trail to your plans and share the latest conditions.
For a first visit, the hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point is the classic choice. Take the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake, then walk past the falls and climb to Inspiration Point, where the view opens out over the park. Families often pair this outing with the boat ride itself.
From Inspiration Point, the trail keeps going into Cascade Canyon. Starting at the west dock on Jenny Lake, the full canyon hike runs about 10 miles with roughly 1,000 feet of climbing, and moose sightings are common along the way. Hikers with plenty of energy can push on to Lake Solitude, a lake set back in the range at the end of a demanding 15-mile round trip. The longest version links Cascade Canyon with Paintbrush Canyon in a 20-mile loop that gains about 4,500 feet.
Gentler options sit lower on the valley floor. The Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loop is a moderate two to three hour hike from the Taggart Lake Trailhead that visits two lakes below the mountains. Leigh Lake is a flat 1.8-mile round trip suited to all ages, and at Colter Bay a 2-mile lakeshore walk looks across Jackson Lake to the Teton Range.
Wildlife is part of nearly every hike here. Elk, moose and bears are regularly seen from the trails, and the Heron Pond and Swan Lake route near Colter Bay passes through bird habitat on its way to two ponds.
