Five Day Itinerary for the Teton Crest Loop
You’ve decided you want to backpack in the Tetons. Now what? In order to apply for a permit, you must know which camping zones you’ll be in each night. The zones you choose will depend on how many nights you plan to backpack and how many miles per day you plan to hike. You MUST camp within the designated camping zones that are on your permit.
The Grand Tetons has 11 camping zones. Some zones have marked campsites, some have group campsites (for groups of 7-12), and some have no marked sites (you’re free to camp wherever). The detailed map of each zone is linked below.
11 Camping Zones:
1. Phelps Lake
3. Marion Lake
4. Death Canyon
9. Holly Lake
10. Lower Paintbrush
11. Surprise Lake
The map above shows all of the camping zones with the exact 5-day route that I took. Here’s a breakdown of my exact itinerary:
My 5-day Itinerary (52 miles)
Starting trailhead: Taggart Lake Trailhead
Night 1 = Granite Canyon (13 miles)
Night 2 = Death Canyon Shelf (8 miles)
Night 3 = South Fork Cascade (10 miles)
Night 4 = Holly Lake (10 miles)
Ending trailhead: Jenny Lake Trailhead (11 miles)
Day 1: Taggart Lake trailhead to Lower Granite Canyon (13 miles, 2400 ft.)
Day one isn’t the most exciting. You’ll start on the Valley Trail which is a mostly flat hike through a forested area. Once you reach Phelps Lake around mile 6, your views start to improve. We stopped for lunch at the lake and continued on to the Lower Granite Canyon camping zone. We got slightly lost after lunch and added a few miles to our day, so we didn’t make it too far into the camping zone. Thankfully, the first marked campsite within the zone was a beautiful spot directly on the river.
Approximate elevation profile of day 1 on the Teton Crest Loop
Overlooking Phelps Lake
Day 2: Lower Granite Canyon to Death Canyon Shelf (8 miles, 2500 ft.)
The views significantly improve on day two. You’ll start with the climb out of Granite Canyon and up to Marion Lake. Prepare yourself for a very steep climb! Marion Lake is beautiful and the perfect lunch spot. Make sure to fill up on water here (and bring extra if you can). Fox Creek was dried up when I went so I needed enough water to last through the night and the next morning. Death Canyon Shelf doesn’t have marked campsites but if you hike in about 1.5 miles you’ll find many perfect spots.
Approximate elevation profile of day 2 on the Teton Crest Loop
Campsite on Death Canyon Shelf
Day 3: Death Canyon Shelf to South Fork Cascade (10 miles, 1900 ft.)
Day three was my favorite. You’ll start the day hiking along Death Canyon Shelf then make your way through the beautiful Alaska Basin. The terrain changes throughout the day from sparse wilderness to wildflowers and streams to dramatic mountain views. You’ll soon reach Sunset Lake which is the perfect lunch spot. Enjoy the break before you start your climb up Hurricane Pass! The 1.5 mile climb up Hurricane Pass is tough but you’re rewarded with the most spectacular views of the Teton Range up close. My jaw literally dropped when I got to the top. I couldn’t believe how up close I was to all three Tetons. After taking it in, you’ll start your descent into the South Fork Cascade Canyon. There’s many great campsites once you enter the camping zone. We found a beautiful spot right near the river!
Approximate elevation profile of day 3 on the Teton Crest Loop
Hurricane Pass
Day 4: South Fork Cascade to Holly Lake (10 miles, 3100 ft.)
Okay maybe day four is my favorite. They’re all so amazing I can’t even choose. The day starts with a trek through the North Fork Cascade Canyon then up to Lake Solitude. Make sure to turn around while hiking up to the lake — the views of the Grand Teton will blow you away. Lake Solitude is the perfect spot for a break. You’ll then start your climb up the Paintbrush Divide. The climb is 1,700 ft. gain in only 2.3 miles. It’s tough but the views are so amazing you forget you’re even climbing. After you get to the top, you’ll start your descent to Holly Lake. There’s a bit of a rock scramble to get down so make sure you’re careful and use your trekking poles! Holly Lake has a couple of marked campsites right behind it.
Approximate elevation profile of day 4 on the Teton Crest Loop
Views from Paintbrush Divide
Day 5: Holly Lake to Jenny Lake trailhead (11 miles, 410 ft.)
The last day is an easy day! You’ll hike down from Holly Lake then loop around Jenny Lake. There’s multiple paths you can take once you reach Jenny Lake — we accidentally took the long scenic route but it was worth it. If you’re tired and wish to cut down your last day, there’s a shuttle boat on the Jenny Lake Trail that costs $10 per person and cuts off 2.4 miles. Once you get to the Jenny Lake trailhead, you can hitch a ride to the Taggart Lake trailhead back to your car. Since there’s only one main road, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a ride!
Approximate elevation profile of day 5 on the Teton Crest Loop
Jenny Lake
Alternative Itinerary Options:
4-day itinerary (41 miles)
Starting trailhead: Take tram to top of Rendezvous Mountain
Night 1= Death Canyon (10 miles)
Night 2= South Fork Cascade (10 miles)
Night 3= Holly Lake (10 miles)
Ending Trailhead: Jenny Lake (11 miles)
5-day itinerary (44.5 miles)
Starting trailhead: Granite Canyon Trailhead
Night 1= Upper Granite Canyon (7.5 miles)
Night 2= Death Canyon (5 miles)
Night 3= North Fork Cascade (13.5 miles)
Night 4= Lower Paintbrush (8.5 miles)
Ending Trailhead: Jenny Lake (6.5 miles)
6-day itinerary (46 miles)
Starting trailhead: Death Canyon Trailhead
Night 1= Open Canyon (7 miles)
Night 2= Marion Lake (7 miles)
Night 3= Death Canyon Shelf (4 miles)
Night 4= South Fork Cascade (10 miles)
Night 5= Upper Paintbrush (8 miles)
Ending trailhead: Jenny Lake (10 miles)
I hope this helps you to plan your bucket-list backpacking trip to the Grand Tetons! Let me know if you have questions in the comments below.