Grand Teton Hiking Weekend:
A 3-Day Itinerary
Three days of the best Teton hikes from Jackson: the Jenny Lake shuttle boat to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, Cascade Canyon, Delta Lake, the Taggart and Bradley loop, and a Snake River scenic float.
Free interactive planner · drag & reorder your days, add stops, map it in minutes
Build your own Grand Teton weekend, drag, reorder & map it.
Drag hikes between days, swap the boat-shuttle loop for a longer canyon push, and add your own lakes and overlooks with the place search. The live map and drive times recalculate as you go, and we will warn you before you build a day no weekend can survive.
Opens a side panel · reorder days, add custom stops, see your route live
One range, lakes, canyons & a river float, all in a weekend.
Grand Teton National Park packs some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country into a compact, hike-friendly footprint. The Teton Range rises abruptly more than 7,000 feet straight off the valley floor, with no foothills to soften it, and a string of glacial lakes sits right at its base. That means short approaches to big views, which is exactly what makes a weekend here work.
This 3-day route is built for a grand teton hiking weekend out of Jackson: the Jenny Lake shuttle boat across to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, the long valley walk up Cascade Canyon, the steep boulder scramble to Delta Lake, and the gentle Taggart and Bradley lake loop. You will mix the best hikes with a Snake River scenic float and a sunrise photo stop at Mormon Row or Schwabacher Landing.
June through September is the season. Snow lingers on the high trails well into July, so early-summer hikers should expect snowfields on Cascade Canyon and the Delta Lake scramble. This is serious bear country, both black and grizzly, so carry bear spray, know how to use it, and make noise on the trail.
Summer weekends in Jackson Hole sell out and run expensive, so book lodging well ahead or base at Colter Bay or in Moose to stay closer to the trailheads. Reserve the Jenny Lake shuttle boat and any Snake River float in advance for peak season. Fly into Jackson Hole (JAC), the only airport inside a U.S. national park, then carry bear spray on every hike.
Arrive in Jackson · Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point
Fly into Jackson Hole (JAC), the only commercial airport inside a U.S. national park, and you are already among the Tetons. Pick up bear spray in town, then head straight to Jenny Lake, the hiking hub of the park, where the trailheads cluster at the base of the range. This is the ideal first afternoon: short approaches, huge views, and a boat to do the legwork.
Take the Jenny Lake shuttle boat across the lake to cut several miles off the walk, then climb to Hidden Falls and up to Inspiration Point (about 2 miles round trip with the boat) for a sweeping overlook of the lake and valley. Carry bear spray, make noise on the trail, and reserve the boat ahead on summer weekends.
- Shuttle across the lake · cuts several miles off the walk · book ahead
- ~2 mi RT with the boat · moderate · waterfall + overlook
- Pick up bear spray in JacksonBlack and grizzly country · carry it on every hike · know how to use it
- Stay in Jackson HoleTown base with food and gear · or Colter Bay / Moose nearer the trailheads
- Jackson Hole (JAC) is the only airport inside a U.S. national park, so you are minutes from the trailheads the moment you land.
- The Jenny Lake shuttle boat saves about 4 miles of walking round trip. Buy tickets ahead on summer weekends and check the first and last boat times.
- This is serious bear country. Pick up bear spray in Jackson, carry it within reach, make noise on the trail, and never hike with food in an open pack.
The big hiking day · Cascade Canyon or the Delta Lake scramble
This is the marquee hiking day, and you have two great options off the Jenny Lake area. Take the shuttle boat again and continue past Inspiration Point up Cascade Canyon (about 9 to 10 miles round trip from the boat dock), a gentle, jaw-dropping valley walk between sheer canyon walls with the Grand Teton looming above and good odds of seeing moose along the creek.
If you want a tougher day, swap in Delta Lake (about 7.5 miles round trip), an unofficial, unmaintained route off the Amphitheater Lake trail from Lupine Meadows. It climbs hard and finishes with a steep boulder scramble, but the payoff is a glacier-fed turquoise lake right beneath the Grand. Only attempt it if you are sure-footed, comfortable on loose rock, and the snow has melted out, usually mid-July or later.
- ~9 to 10 mi RT from the boat dock · moderate · classic valley walk
- ~7.5 mi RT · strenuous · steep boulder scramble · sure-footed only
- Take the boat again to start Cascade Canyon from the west shore
- Bear spray + make noiseMoose and bears use these canyons · keep your distance and stay alert
- Cascade Canyon is the gentler choice, a long but mostly flat valley walk. Take the shuttle boat both ways to keep it under 10 miles round trip.
- Delta Lake is unofficial and unmaintained, with a steep boulder field near the top. Only go if you are sure-footed on loose rock and the snow has melted out.
- High trails hold snow well into July. Check current conditions at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station and carry traction if you are hiking early in the season.
Easy lakes, a Snake River float & Mormon Row at sunrise
Wind down the weekend with the park's gentlest classics. The Taggart Lake loop (about 3.8 miles round trip) is an easy walk through meadow and forest to a lake that mirrors the range, and you can extend it to take in neighboring Bradley Lake. For more lakeshore, the flat String Lake to Leigh Lake walk (about 3.7 miles round trip) is one of the prettiest easy hikes in the park.
Trade boots for a boat and book a Snake River scenic float with Solitude Float Trips for a calm, guided drift below the Tetons with strong odds of wildlife. Cap it with sunrise photography at Mormon Row, where the Moulton barns frame the range, or at Schwabacher Landing for reflections. Getting home: Jackson Hole (JAC) is right in the valley, so the airport run is short and you can squeeze in one last hike or float.
- Calm guided drift below the Tetons · strong wildlife odds · book ahead
- Private boat option · same scenic stretch · book ahead
- ~3.8 mi RT · easy · meadow walk to a mirror lake · extend to Bradley
- ~3.7 mi RT · easy · flat lakeshore · one of the prettiest easy hikes
- Mormon Row or Schwabacher Landing at sunriseThe Moulton barns and reflections frame the range · best early light
- Taggart Lake is the easiest of the marquee lakes, a gentle 3.8-mile loop. Add Bradley Lake from the same trailhead if you want a little more.
- A Snake River scenic float is calm and family-friendly, with no whitewater. Solitude Float Trips runs guided drifts below the range, so reserve ahead in peak season.
- For photography, Mormon Row and Schwabacher Landing are best at sunrise. Get there early, respect the historic barns, and keep your distance from wildlife.
Now build your Grand Teton weekend.
You have seen all three days. Open the free drag-and-drop planner and tune it for your dates, your pace, and whether you base in Jackson Hole, Colter Bay, or Moose.
What we actually learned in the Tetons.
Carry bear spray, always
Grand Teton is home to both black and grizzly bears, and they use the same lake basins and canyons you hike. Buy or rent bear spray in Jackson, carry it within reach (not buried in your pack), make noise on the trail, and never leave food unattended.
Pay the entrance fee or bring your pass
Grand Teton charges about $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. The annual America the Beautiful pass ($80) also covers entry and pays off fast if you are also visiting Yellowstone just to the north. Pay at the entrance station or online ahead.
Reserve the boat and the float
The Jenny Lake shuttle boat and the Snake River scenic float both fill up on summer weekends. Book the boat through Jenny Lake Boating and the float through Solitude Float Trips ahead of time, and check the first and last boat times for your hiking plan.
Hike June through September
Summer and early fall are the season. Snow lingers on the high trails well into July, so the Cascade Canyon upper sections and the Delta Lake scramble can still hold snowfields in early summer. Check conditions at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station before a big day.
Know what Delta Lake really is
Delta Lake is one of the most photographed spots in the park, but it is an unofficial, unmaintained route with a steep boulder scramble near the top. It is not signed and not a beginner hike. Only attempt it if you are sure-footed on loose rock and the snow has melted.
Book lodging early or base smart
Jackson Hole books up and runs expensive on summer weekends. Reserve well ahead, or base at Colter Bay on Jackson Lake or in Moose by the south entrance to stay closer to the trailheads and shave drive time off your mornings.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
Ready to go? Get your
Grand Teton weekend route.
Trailheads and mileages, the Jenny Lake shuttle boat, the Delta Lake scramble called out honestly, a Snake River float, bear-country tips, and where to base from Jackson Hole to hike the Tetons in a weekend.
Instant book · Free cancellation · Secure payment via Stripe
Planning this trip?
Save it, share it with your crew, or find travelers heading the same way.
Liked this itinerary?
What other travelers are saying
Be the first to leave a tip or question for the next traveler.