Kraig Adams

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming · 2 days · 50 miles · tent, a loop

Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide

In September 2020 I hiked a 50-mile loop through Grand Teton National Park alone in two days: from String Lake over Paintbrush Divide, past Lake Solitude and through Cascade Canyon, over Hurricane Pass to a night in Alaska Basin, then over Static Peak Divide, down Death Canyon and back along the Valley Trail past Jenny Lake. It follows the northern half of the Teton Crest Trail. It's the trip from my film Hiking Alone in the Grand Tetons. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for both days, a four or five day plan with a park permit, the 2026 permit, camping and Alaska Basin rules, the classic Teton Crest Trail from the park's figures, and what I ate and carried. In 2026 the old Death Canyon Trailhead on Day 2 is closed during construction, and the guide explains what to check.

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The cover of the Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide

What's inside

Look inside

At a glance page from the Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide
At a glance
A day page page from the Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide
A day page
A day map and elevation profile page from the Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide
A day map and elevation profile
The 2026 closures page from the Teton Crest Trail Hiking Guide
The 2026 closures

The details

Format
A 41-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition
2027 season edition, updated September 2026.
Delivery
Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment
Secure checkout through Stripe. The price is in US dollars, and sales tax or VAT is added where it applies.
Questions
Email kraig@kraigadams.com.
$19

Questions

Is this the whole Teton Crest Trail?
No, its northern half. My loop goes from String Lake over Paintbrush Divide and Hurricane Pass to Alaska Basin, then leaves the trail and comes back down Death Canyon and the Valley Trail. The full trail runs about 39 miles (the park's figure) from Phillips Pass to String Lake, and I haven't hiked the southern half.
How many days do you need for the Teton Crest loop?
I did the 50.3-mile loop in two days, and I pushed: it was a lot with that elevation gain. Four or five days with a park permit is the gentler plan. The park advises against crossing more than one pass in a day, and I crossed two each day.
Do you need a permit to camp on the Teton Crest Trail?
Every night you camp inside Grand Teton National Park needs a backcountry permit, $20 a permit plus $7 a person a night in 2026. About a third can be reserved on Recreation.gov from early January; the rest are walk-up, in person, the day before. My one night was in Alaska Basin on national forest land, where no permit is needed, but the park only allows overnight parking at String Lake with a backcountry permit, so ask at a permit office first.
When is the best time to hike the Teton Crest Trail?
The park says backpacking the Tetons is typically more enjoyable in August and September. Paintbrush Divide, Hurricane Pass and Static Peak Divide stay snowy into summer, and early in the season an ice axe and crampons are musts. I hiked September 3 and 4, 2020, and had clear skies both days.
Is the Death Canyon Trailhead closed in 2026?
Yes. The old Death Canyon Trailhead, which my Day 2 line passes at mile 12.8, is closed to all use, walkers included, during construction from May 2026 to June 2027. Day 1 isn't affected; ask at a permit office which way you can walk north from Death Canyon on the Valley Trail.

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