The alpine terrain of the Tetons challenges even the most experienced mountaineers. If you're going to undertake an overnight backpacking trip, you'll need to carefully plan your route, secure a back country permit and pack for variable weather and trail conditions. Snow can linger in the higher elevations until August, and you'll need an ice ax to safely cross the mountain passes for much of the year. But if you're a hearty hiker with solid outdoor survival skills, the backpacking loops in Wyoming's Teton Range will reward you with intimate views of the peaks and close encounters with wildlife.
Cascade Canyon to Paintbrush Canyon
The busiest overnight backpacking route, the 19.2-mile Cascade Canyon to Paintbrush Canyon loop starts at the String Lake trail head. You can take this hike in either direction, but plan to spend at least one night in the back country in the North Fork Cascade camping zone. If you prefer a harder first day of hiking, you'll want to start with the Paintbrush Canyon portion. If you like to warm up on day one, head into Cascade Canyon first. The trail crests on Paintbrush Divide at 10,720 feet.
Granite Canyon to Open Canyon
You can start this hike from either Teton Village or the Granite Canyon trailhead. At Teton Village, follow the Valley Trail north for 2.5 miles, where you'll link to the Granite Canyon trail. Plan to spend one night in the Granite Canyon, Upper Granite or Mt. Hunt camping area, depending on whether you want to cover an extra two to four miles of the 19.3-mile hike on the first day. Day two will take you across the Mt. Hunt Divide at 9,710 feet and into Open Canyon.
Granite Canyon to Death Canyon
This 25.7-mile loop (give or take a mile depending on your departure point) also starts in Granite Canyon, but instead of turning into Open Canyon it continues along the North Fork Trail to the Teton Crest Trail. A right turn onto the Teton Crest Trail will take you up Fox Creek Pass to the Death Canyon Trail. Be sure to veer sharply right down into Death Canyon. About eight miles along you'll come to Phelps Lake. From there, follow the Valley Trail back to the Granite Canyon Trail if you parked at the Granite Canyon trail head, or all the way to Teton Village if you left your car there. Plan for two nights in the back country to complete this grueling hike, camping in either the Granite Canyon or Upper Granite zone on night one and the Death Canyon zone on night two.
Death Canyon Loop
This 26-mile trek will have you scaling three high passes, crossing the boundary of Grand Teton National Park and passing a patrol cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. From the Death Canyon trail head, walk to the Phelps Canyon overlook then head into Death Canyon. Continue to Fox Creek Pass and head north along the Death Canyon Shelf to Mt. Meek Pass, where you'll leave the park as you drop into Alaska Basin. If you're going to do this hike in three days, you can spend your first night in the Death Canyon camping zone and your second night in Alaska Basin, where you can camp without a permit. If the permits have all been claimed, you can hike the 13 miles or so to Alaska Basin in one day. There are no park camping zones between Alaska Basin and the Death Canyon trail head when you cross Static Peak Divide, so you'll have to cover those 13 miles in one day.
The Grand Teton Loop
Plan at least three and up to five days to complete this grueling 33-mile loop around the iconic South Teton, Middle Teton, Grand Teton and Mount Owen. You can start at either the Jenny Lake or Lupine Meadows trail head, but be sure to start out early as both parking lots fill up fast. A comparatively easy first day will take you approximately eight miles to the South Fork Cascade camping zone. On day two you can camp at Alaska Basin, or continue over Static Peak Divide to Phelps Lake, a distance of 11 miles, which would have you pushing 15 miles for the day. On the final day you'll cover another 10 miles from Phelps Lake back to the trail head.
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