Grand Teton is a national park in Wyoming just south of Yellowstone featuring the impressive Teton mountain range, which includes the peak of Grand Teton at nearly 14,000 feet. More than 4 million visitors a year come to Grand Teton to see its wildlife and take in the scenery. The park’s hiking trails range from short walks through the woods to strenuous treks over rugged, snowy terrain.
Leigh Lake and String Lake
Near the center of Grand Teton National Park you'll find Leigh and String lakes. The Leigh Lake hike takes you along the shore for about a two-mile round-trip on nearly level ground. The walk around String Lake is close to four miles and will take you about two hours, but it is still considered an easy hike with about 550 feet of total climbing.
Jenny Lake Loop
The Jenny Lake Loop is an easy four-hour walk around a scenic lake in the heart of Grand Teton. The hike takes you along the shoreline of Jenny Lake for a round-trip distance of seven miles. This hike is one of the park’s more popular walking routes during the summer, so plan to arrive early before the parking lot fills up. You can also take a shuttle boat across the lake for a fee and cut a couple of miles off the hike.
Two Ocean Lake
The Two Ocean Lake trail head provides access to both Two Ocean and Emma Matilda lakes. The Two Ocean Lake hike is a moderately-challenging trek through meadow and forest areas. If you choose the Emma Matilda path, you can circle the lake and see great views of the Grand Teton from the north shore ridge. Combining both hikes will give you a seven-hour, 13-mile journey.
Lake Solitude
You can reach Lake Solitude one of two ways. Hike around Jenny Lake, then follow Cascade Canyon and take the North Fork to reach Lake Solitude. This is a strenuous 10-hour hike with more than 3,000 feet of climbing, though you can cut two hours and four miles off the trip by taking the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake. For an even more challenging route to Lake Solitude adding an additional two hours to your journey, take Paintbrush Canyon instead of Cascade Canyon.
Static Peak Divide
For one of the most difficult hikes in Grand Teton National Park, start at the Death Canyon trail head and proceed past Phelps Lake and Death Canyon to the Static Peak Divide. The 10-hour round-trip exceeds 16 miles and includes more than 5,000 feet of climbing through a whitebark pine forest. Before August, you may need an ice axe to navigate the terrain.
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