The Taggart Lake Trail is one of the friendliest introductions to Grand Teton National Park. It delivers a glassy alpine lake sitting directly beneath Avalanche Canyon and the granite wall of the central Tetons, yet it asks for far less effort than the park's bigger objectives. If you only have a morning, this is the hike that gives you the most postcard reward per mile.
Where the Trail Starts
The Taggart Lake Trailhead sits on Teton Park Road about 3 miles north of the Moose entrance and just south of the Cottonwood Creek pullout. It is roughly a 20 minute drive from the town of Jackson and 5 minutes from the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Moose. The lot is paved with vault toilets but no water, so fill up before you arrive.
Because this is a low-elevation, early-season trail, it is one of the first to melt out in spring and one of the first lots to fill in summer. Plan to arrive before 9 a.m. in July and August or you may circle for parking.
The Route: Distance and Elevation
The out-and-back to Taggart Lake is about 3.2 miles round trip with roughly 400 feet of gain, an easy effort most fit hikers finish in under two hours. The trail crosses Taggart Creek on sturdy footbridges, climbs gently through a 1985 burn area now thick with wildflowers and young lodgepole pine, then drops to the lakeshore.
- Taggart Lake out-and-back: 3.2 miles, ~400 ft gain, easy
- Taggart and Bradley Lake loop: 5.9 miles, ~750 ft gain, moderate
- Best photo spot: the rocky northeast shore looking toward Avalanche Canyon
The Bradley Lake Loop Upgrade
If you have more time, do not turn around at Taggart. Continue over the forested moraine to Bradley Lake, a quieter cousin tucked a little deeper toward the peaks, then loop back. The full Taggart and Bradley loop runs about 5.9 miles and stays moderate the whole way. It is the single best half-day hike in the southern part of the park and pairs naturally with the bigger Jenny Lake objectives covered in our Grand Teton day hikes itinerary.
Wildlife and Safety
This is grizzly and black bear country. Carry bear spray, keep it accessible on your hip rather than buried in a pack, and make noise on the brushy burn-area switchbacks where sightlines are short. Moose are common along Taggart Creek and in the willows near both lakes, so give them a wide berth. Afternoon thunderstorms build fast over the Tetons in summer, so start early and be off exposed sections by early afternoon.
Best Time to Hike Taggart Lake
Late May through June brings roaring snowmelt creeks and balsamroot blooming gold across the burn. July and August offer warm, stable mornings and swimmable (if frigid) lake water. September is arguably the sweet spot: thinning crowds, cottonwoods turning yellow, and crisp light on the peaks. The trail is also a popular snowshoe and cross-country route once winter sets in.
What to Bring
Even on an easy hike, the alpine environment is unforgiving. Pack at least one liter of water per person, layers for a 20 degree temperature swing, sun protection at 6,800 feet, and sturdy shoes for the rocky creek crossings. Add bear spray and a small first-aid kit and you are set for a comfortable, safe outing.
Taggart Lake proves you do not need a backcountry permit or a sunrise alarm to feel the scale of the Tetons. Knock it out as a warm-up, then build the rest of your weekend around the park's classic lakes and canyons.
