The 6 Best Easy Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is a stunning national park covering over 310,000 acres in Wyoming and is home to the Teton Mountain Range. Although you can enjoy beautiful views from scenic overlooks, hiking is one of the best ways to explore the park.

Grand Teton National Park has over 250 miles of trails for all hiking levels, offering beautiful views of lakes, rivers, mountains, and wildlife. This guide has everything you need to know about the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park to add to your itinerary!

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Tips for Hiking in Grand Teton National Park

Buy your park pass ahead of time. To save time at the park entrance, I recommend purchasing your park pass ahead of time. You can purchase your Grand Teton National Park pass online and print it for your trip. If you plan on visiting other national parks during the year, I recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass. The pass gets you into all the national parks and federal recreation sites for a year.
Start your day early. Grand Teton National Park has over three million visitors each year, so the park and trailheads are crowded. I recommend starting your days early in the morning to avoid being in a long line at the park entrance and easily find parking at the trailheads.
Be prepared with the appropriate layers and hiking gear. The weather in Grand Teton National Park can change quickly, even in the summer, so it is crucial to pack layers and supportive hiking gear.
Pack or rent bear spray. Grand Teton National Park is known for its black bears and grizzly bears, so it is crucial to have bear spray when hiking. Local stores in Jackson rent bear spray if you do not have any.
Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they do not have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.

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What to Pack for Hiking in Grand Teton National Park

Hiking Boots: If you want comfort and support on your trip, hiking boots are the go to.
Hiking Socks: Having moisture-wicking and comfortable hiking socks are just as important for exploring.
Hiking Backpack: You need something to carry all your food, clothes, and anything else you need while adventuring, so having a supportive hiking backpack is crucial.
Hydration Reservoir/Water Bottles: While hiking or just exploring, it is important to have enough water! I always pack a hydration reservoir.
Jackets: The weather is unpredictable, so I always pack a rain jacket and insulated jacket.
Ten Essentials: The Ten Essentials are crucial for hiking!
Microspikes: If you plan on winter hiking, you will need to bring microspikes.
Snowshoes: Also if you hike in the winter, you may need snowshoes.

The 6 Best Easy Hikes in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park has many beautiful and easy trails that are great for all hiking levels! The hikes offer views of lakes, rivers, and mountains, and you will be in awe of the beauty. This guide will review the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park to add to your itinerary!

Note: None of these trails are dog-friendly. Dogs are not allowed on trails or pathways throughout Grand Teton National Park. The park has a great resource to learn more about where they are allowed in the park.

Taggart Lake Loop

Length: 3.8 miles round trip

Elevation gain: 400 feet

Trailhead location: Bradley-Taggart Trailhead

Dog-friendly: No

Taggart Lake is a beautiful and easy hike in Grand Teton National Park and will quickly become one of your favorites! It is one of the most popular hikes in Grand Teton National Park, so the parking lot fills up quickly. I recommend arriving at the trailhead early in the day to secure a parking spot.

Since the trail is a loop, you can hike it either way, but I recommend hiking it counterclockwise. The best part about this trail is the mountain views along the entire hike. Once it reaches the lake, you have stunning views of Grand Teton, Middle Teton, and Teewinot Mountain. If it is a calm day, you may be able to photograph a beautiful reflection of the mountains on the lake. You can also enjoy hiking along the shores of the lake to get different viewpoints of the mountains. Although it is a longer trail, it has minimal elevation gain, and you can make it even easier if you only hike the right section of the loop to the lake as an out and back instead of the entire loop.

Looking to make the hike longer? You can add Bradley Lake onto the hike for a 5-mile round trip loop that is more moderate than easy.

Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail

Length: 2.5 miles round trip

Elevation gain: 100 feet

Trailhead location: Colter Bay Visitor Center

Dog-friendly: No

Colter Bay sits along the edge of Jackson Lake in the northern section of Grand Teton National Park and is a lesser-known area. Because it is a bit out of the way to get to Colter Bay, many visitors skip it, so it tends to have fewer crowds. It is also a place to see different types of birds and wildlife!

Colter Bay has several hiking trails, and the best one is the Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail. This trail is a beautiful and easy hike in Grand Teton National Park and is great for all hiking levels since there is minimal elevation gain. The Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail follows along a mostly-flat trail until it reaches the shores of Jackson Lake, offering breathtaking views of Grand Teton, Teewinot Mountain, and Mount Moran. This area has the best views along the entire trail, so I recommend taking a break and enjoying them! These views make Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail one of the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park!

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Hidden Falls Trail

Length: 1.1 miles round trip (if you ride the shuttle boat)

Elevation gain: 200 feet

Trailhead location: Jenny Lake Visitor Center

Dog-friendly: No

Hidden Falls is a 100-foot waterfall tucked into the back of Jenny Lake and is one of the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park! The trailhead for Hidden Falls is at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and is one of the most popular areas in the park because it is home to many trails. The parking lot fills up early, so I recommend hiking it early in the morning.

There are two ways to get to Hidden Falls. The first is the easiest option and requires you to ride the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake. Once you reach the other side, the trail is an easy 1.1 miles round trip to Hidden Falls! The second way to hike to Hidden Falls is from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. This trail is much longer (5 miles round trip) and gains around 600 feet of elevation. I recommend taking the shuttle boat across Jenny Lake, so you don’t have to hike an extra four miles to enjoy the beautiful waterfall! You will quickly realize why this is one of the most popular easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park!

Leigh Lake Trail

Length: 2.9 miles round trip

Elevation gain: minimal

Trailhead location: Leigh Lake Trailhead

Dog-friendly: No

Leigh Lake is another stunning lake in Grand Teton National Park with blue-green water and is one of the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park. Although Leigh Lake is beautiful, it is a lesser-known lake with fewer crowds. It is a nice change of pace from the crowded trails near the other lakes! If you explore Leigh Lake on a calm day, you can photograph a stunning reflection of the mountains on the lake waters.

There are multiple trails you can hike to explore Leigh Lake. The shortest hike is 3 miles and is flat, making it easy to enjoy Leigh Lake. The trail follows along the shores of String Lake, offering views of Teewinot Mountain before arriving at the shores of Leigh Lake. Leigh Lake has stunning views of Mount Moran and the surrounding peaks. You will quickly fall in love with this lesser-known easy hike in Grand Teton National Park!

Looking for a longer hike? If you want to explore further along the shores of Leigh Lake, you can hike a relatively flat 7-mile round-trip trail along the western shores. It has minimal elevation gain but is a much longer trail.

Schwabacher’s Landing Trail

Length: 1.8 miles round trip

Elevation gain: minimal

Trailhead location: Schwabacher’s Landing

Dog-friendly: No

Schwabacher’s Landing is one of the most beautiful scenic overlooks in Grand Teton National Park and has an easy hike near it. The beautiful overlook offers stunning views overlooking Snake River and the Teton Mountain Range and is known as one of the best sunrise locations.

Although you can enjoy the views from the overlook near the parking lot, you can enjoy more views by hiking Schwabacher’s Landing Trail. The easy hike follows along the shores of the Snake River and is a great place to see wildlife, especially in the early morning or late afternoon. The trail also offers beautiful views of the Teton Mountain Range. Many visitors skip this trail, but it is one of the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park!

Phelps Lake Overlook

Length: 2 miles

Elevation gain: 400 feet

Trailhead location: Death Canyon Trailhead

Dog-friendly: No

Phelps Lake is one of the lesser-known lakes in Grand Teton National Park but does not lack views! The lake is near Death Canyon and is home to many hiking trails leading into the canyon and around Phelps Lake. The trailhead is off Moose Wilson Road, a beautiful scenic drive you can enjoy after the hike!

The easiest way to view Phelps Lake is to hike to Phelps Lake Overlook. Unlike previous trails in this guide, this trail does not bring you along the shores of the lake. It instead brings you above Phelps Lake, offering views overlooking the lake and Gros Ventre Mountains. Although the trail is short, it steadily gains elevation to the overlook with minimal breaks. The effort is worth it once you see the views!

Looking for a longer hike? If you want to reach Phelps Beach beneath the overlook, you can continue on the trail down to Phelps Lake. The hike is 4.4 miles round trip and gains almost 1,000 feet of elevation, so it is steep. If you want to explore more of the shores of Phelps Lake, you can enjoy a 7-mile loop around the lake. This trail starts in a different location along Moose Wilson Road and gains over 700 feet of elevation.

If you are looking for easy hikes to add to your Grand Teton National Park itinerary, this guide is the perfect place to start! It has everything you need to know about the best easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park.