The Teton Crest Trail is a challenging 40-mile traversing Grand Teton National Park, plus Jedidiah Smith Wilderness and two national forests. It’s easily added as an alternate to the Continental Divide Trail with camping permits required only in the park itself.
Teton Crest Trail: Day 1, Leigh Lake to Upper Paintbrush, 7.2 miles
Feeling strong with a mostly “all-clear” from my cardiologist, I begin hiking the Teton Crest Trail.
Teton Crest Trail, Day 2: Upper Paintbrush to Upper Cascade, 4 miles
The Divide is short but steep to Lake Solitude where I nab the best site with its own resident moose.
Teton Crest Trail, Day 3: South Fork Cascade Canyon to Kit Lake, 7 miles
The trail traces Cascade Canyon to Avalanche Divide where an off-trail scramble takes me to a remote lake.
Teton Crest Trail, Day 4: Kit Lake to Alaska Basin, 7 miles
Switchbacks over Hurricane Pass take Blissful into the magical polished granite of Alaska Basin.
Teton Crest Trail, Day 5: Alaska Basin to Marion Lake, 6 miles
Sheep Steps leads to the “cobble stones” of Death Canyon Shelf and scrambling up Spearhead Peak.
Teton Trail Day 6: Lake Marion to random spot near Ski Lake, 10 miles
Thunder brings Blissful down from scrambling then tachycardia brings her down from a high alpine lake.
Teton Crest Trail Day 7: Ski Lake to Highway 22, 5 miles
A creature walking past my tent wakes me up before I head to Ski Lake and back to civilization.