Teton Crest Trail

Overview

The Teton Crest is the American skyline walk: roughly 64km along the spine of the range, almost all of it above 2,700m, with the Grand Teton's granite prow appearing and reappearing like a recurring dream. You camp on Death Canyon Shelf — a limestone balcony wide enough for a tent and a thousand-metre view — cross the wildflower amphitheatre of Alaska Basin, and top out on 3,240m Paintbrush Divide before the switchbacks drop you past Lake Solitude into Cascade Canyon. Two variables catch people: snow and permits. A steep north-facing bank guards Paintbrush Divide well into July and an ice axe is often required kit — check the ranger report, not the weather app. Camping zones inside Grand Teton National Park go to a January lottery on recreation.gov, but a third are held back as walk-ups the day before; flexible parties nearly always get on. Most hikers ride the Jackson Hole tram from Teton Village to start high, finishing at String Lake. Jackson is the access town, with bear canisters compulsory and moose a genuine trail hazard. Four to five days; around £280 all-in with permits, canister hire and shuttles.

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Prefilled for 1 July 2027 — the next best-season window. Search on partner sites — opens in a new tab.