Backcountry and Trail Conditions

Rangers update these trail conditions from May to October each year.

For information about backcountry trip planning or permits check out our Backcountry Camping page. For general trip planning information check out the Plan Your Visit section of our website.

 

 

Hiker on the Granite Canyon Trail.

NPS Photo/Lehle

 

The Grand Teton backcountry is a wild place with changing conditions. This website is not a substitute for good judgement. Stop by a visitor center and speak to a ranger for more information.

Hike Smart

Hiking in Grand Teton National Park can be a challenging experience due to the rugged nature of the landscape, including high elevation, steep trails, and extreme and sudden weather changes.

• High elevation may cause breathing difficulties. Pace yourself and carry extra water.

• Snow melts gradually, leaving valley trails snow-free by mid-June. Mountain trails and passes may not be snow-free until late July. Be careful crossing snowfields and streams. Do not attempt steep snow unless you have previous experience and the proper equipment.
• Be bear aware. Black and grizzly bears live throughout the park. While hiking in the park, make noise, hike in groups of three or more, carry bear spray and know how to use it.
• Carry drinking water. Dehydration is common and can be serious.
• Be prepared for rapid weather changes. Carry rain gear and extra layers.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
• Solo hiking, off-trail hiking, and trail running are not recommended. The use of headphones is strongly discouraged.
• Use a topographic map for backcountry hiking. Maps are sold at park bookstores.

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These conditions are updated as reported from visitors and staff and may not reflect the what you find in the field. Conditions can change quickly in this wilderness park.

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General Information

 

Backcountry Office Hours

• Backcountry permits (for overnight trips) are available Monday-Friday (8:00am-5:00pm) at any of the backcountry offices during the summer season.

General Updates

• Early season conditions exist on many trails. Prepare for wet or snowy conditions as a precaution.
• Many trails have downed trees that could make travel difficult. Trail crews are working to clear passage over the coming weeks.

 

Boating Season

The Jenny Lake Boat Launch will be closed for the 2025 season. Jenny Lake Boating, including shuttle boats and scenic cruises, will not be affected.

• Jenny Lake shuttle is open for the 2025. See Jenny Lake Boating for details.

Fire Restrictions

Fire danger is currently high, meaning wildfires can start easily and spread quickly. The safest option is to not build a fire at all. Dress warmly and use layers instead of relying on campfires for warmth. 

If you choose to have a fire in areas where it's allowed:

• Never leave a campfire unattended.
• Have a shovel and water bucket on hand.
• Use several gallons of water to fully extinguish your campfire.
• Drown, stir, feel and repeat until the ashes are cold to the touch.
• Break up charred logs and cover all remains with dirt.

Fishing Season

Lakes: Lakes within Grand Teton National Park are open to fishing year-round with the exception of Jackson Lake closed October 1 - October 31.

Rivers and Streams: All cutthroat trout caught in the Snake River must be released to the water immediately from November 1 - March 31.

Seasonal Closures:

• December 1-July 31: All streams and Blacktail Spring Ponds within Grand Teton National Park are closed to access; excluding Polecat Creek, Buffalo Fork River, Pacific Creek, Gros Ventre River, and Snake River in Teton County.

• December 15-March 31: A section of the Snake River is closed to access from the Buffalo Fork confluence at Moran to Menors Ferry at Moose. The Buffalo Fork is closed from the east park boundary to the Snake River Confluence in Moran.

Visit the fishing page for more information about legal tackle, creel and size limits, and more.

 

Pets

With exception of qualified service animals, pets are not allowed in the backcountry. This includes the Grand Teton Bike Pathway and the Snake River.

Snake River Conditions

• Visit the USGS website for current water levels, temperatures and currents. 
• Check the Advanced Snake River Map for hazards like snags, strainers, and narrow channels. This map is updated weekly from Spring to Fall.

Snow Pack

Some high elevation trails in the park are still snow covered. View current snow maps (right side of linked page) to see estimated snow depths.

Stock (Horses & Llamas)

Visit the Horseback Riding and Stock Use page for a comprehensive overview of rules and regulations withtin the park. 

Closed to Stock:

• All trails within the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve except the Kaufmann Creek Trail and the Wister Draw Trail.

• Phelps Lake Loop Trail except along the northeast and north portions of the lake.

• Grand Teton Pathways except for bridges over the Snake River, Cottonwood Creek, and Ditch Creek.

• Rendezvous Mountain Trail from the park boundary to the Middle Fork cutoff of Granite Canyon Trail.

• Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes Trail and Garnet Canyon Trail from the Valley Trail.

• Hidden Falls trails between the Jenny Lake West Shore Boat Dock and the junction of the designated horse trail west of Inspiration Point except for the section between the southwest shore horse trail, east to the Lower Cascade Creek Bridge (Chasm Bridge), and directly north to the Cascade Canyon horse trail bypass junction.

• The trail on the east shore of Jenny Lake between the outlet of Jenny Lake and the junction of the designated horse trail north of Jenny Lake Overlook.

• The trail on the west shore of Jenny Lake between the west shore boat dock and the horse trail junction near Moose Ponds Overlook.

• Holly Lake Trail from the Holly Lake hitch rail, past Holly Lake, to the Paintbrush Canyon Trail.

• The String Lake Trail and east lakeshore between the String Lake Trailhead and Leigh Lake Trailhead except adjacent to the String Lake footbridge to faciliate safe backcountry access.

Weather

Weather can change rapidly in Grand Teton and many experienced hikers are not prepared for snowy coniditions in spring and early summer. Check our page on weather for more detailed information.

 

Moose-Wilson Corridor

 

Death Canyon

• Death Canyon: 6/28/2025 Completely snow free, one small patch at the fox creek pass. Campers reported seeing porcupines around the group site.
• Death Canyon Shelf: 6/28/2025 Almost completely snow free, just a couple patches you can walk around. Be aware of habituated porcupines in the area if you decide to camp here. Snow patch rising to south end of shelf. Shelf is 90% snow free. All sites and cache are dry. Porcupine reported just north of cache. Marmots at cache.

Granite Canyon

• Granite Canyon - Lower (below fork): 6/26/2025 Trail clear of snow. Campsites including group are free of snow.
• Granite Canyon - North Fork/Upper/Marion Lake: 6/29/2025 Upper Granite Canyon clear of snow past Mt Hunt Divide Junction. Group site melted out. Granite Canyon trail clear up until about 0.5 from Marion Lake, then snow on trail. Lake starting to thaw, still surrounded by tons of snow. Some water on trail.
• Marion: Cache site dry. Public sites snow patches, half of tent pads dry. Mostly just snow patches to Fox Creek Pass. One small snow patch in switchbacks at top of Death Canyon to Fox Creek pass. Death Canyon dry below that area.
• Granite Canyon South/Middle Fork/Tram Trail: 7/8/2025 Few minor patches of snow in Targhee Woods and west side of Cardiac Ridge. Some folks with large overnight packs may want poles, but generally no issues.

LSR Preserve

• 5/30/2025 Trail is clear and open.

Open Canyon

• Open Canyon from Death Canyon Trailhead: 6/28/2025 Dry for the first 7 miles. Switchbacks are covered in patchy snow. South face of Mt. Hunt melted out and peak is accessible without crossing snow.

Phelps Lake

• 6/13/2025 Phelps Lake Loop is snow free and downed trees have been cleared.

Valley Trail

• Teton Village to Taggart Lake: 6/20/2025 Snow free - expect some down trees.
• Taggart Lake to Lupine Meadows Trailhead: 6/13/2025 Trails are clear.

 

Teton Park Road

 

Bearpaw & Trapper Lake

• Bearpaw & Trapper Lakes Via String Lake Trailhead: 6/13/2025 Dry and Clear

Cascade Canyon

• Cascade Canyon - Lower: 6/20/2025 Snow free to the forks.
• Cascade Canyon North: 6/29/2025 Patchy snow from mid-camp zone to Lake Solitude. Most sites are clear of snow. Lake Solitude is still covered with slushy ice.
• Cascade Canyon South: 6/21/2025 First set of campsites melted out, middle and end of camping zone still holding snow but some sites are usable.

Delta Lake (NOT MAINTAINED)

• Via Lupine Meadows Trailhead: 7/5/2025 Snow free. Lake is thawed.

Garnet Canyon

• Garnet Canyon (Lupine Trailhead to Meadows): 7/6/2025 Mostly snow free. Patchy snow from boulders to meadows. All bear boxes available in the meadows.

Hidden Falls/Inspiration Point

• 6/13/2025 Clear of snow. Shuttle boat is open and operating across the lake from 7a.m. to 7p.m.

Jenny Lake

• 6/13/2025 Clear of snow. Shuttle boat is open and operating across the lake from 7a.m. to 7p.m.

Leigh/String Lakes

• 6/13/2025 Clear of snow, trail is dry.

Moose Ponds

• 5/30/2025 Clear of snow. Bear sightings are frequent in this area.

Paintbrush Canyon

• Paintbrush Canyon - Lower to Holly Lake:  7/13/2025 Outlier site is clear and dry. Holly Lake sites clear.
• Paintbrush Canyon - Upper: 6/29/2025 Half under snow. Dry camp sites can be found. Paintbrush Divide is impassible without ice axe and crampons. Very dangerous pass to attempt to go over.

Surprise & Ampitheater Lakes

• Via Lupine Meadows Trailhead: 6/28/2025 No snow until the lakes. Patchy snow around Surprise and Amphitheater. Lakes clear of ice. Campsite and bear box are clear of snow. Snow past Amphitheater up to disappointment peak and inspiration peak. Little to no snow beyond the scramble section.

Taggart & Bradley Lakes

• 6/20/2025 Snow free

 

Signal Mountain & Moran

 

Signal Mountain Trail

• 5/28/2025 Trail clear of snow. Some small downed trees.

Two Ocean/Emma Matilda Lakes

• 6/7/2025 Clear Trail. Lots of wild flowers.

 

Colter Bay

 

Hermitage Point

• 6/27/2025 Clear trail from Colter Bay to Hermitage Point. The trail at the crossing of Third Creek, just north of the intersection with Swan Lake Cutoff trail has been dammed by beavers and is completely underwater. The trail between the Swan Lake Cutoff and Wagon Road is unmaintained and disappears intermittently through grassy fields and willow thickets requiring navigation skills and following of sporadic, unlabeled, brown-plastic trail markers.

Lakeshore Trail

• 5/16/2025 Clear trail

Swan Lake & Heron Pond

• 6/9/2025 Swan lake trail is OPEN - wildlife closure lifted. Check the status of other wildlife closures here.

 

Grand Teton Pathway

 

Grand Teton Pathway

• 5/30/2025 Snow free

 

Teton Crest Trail

 

Alaska Basin Trails

• 7/5/2025 Hikers reported plenty of snow but trail was easily followed through Alaska Basin.

Cascade Canyon

• Cascade Canyon North: 6/29/2025 Patchy snow from mid-camp zone to Lake Solitude. Most sites are clear of snow. Lake Solitude is still covered with slushy ice.
• Cascade Canyon South: 6/21/2025 First set of campsites melted out, middle and end of camping zone still holding snow but some sites are usable.

Death Canyon

• Death Canyon: 6/28/2025 Completely snow free, one small patch at the fox creek pass. Campers reported seeing porcupines around the group site.
• Death Canyon Shelf: 6/28/2025 Almost completely snow free, just a couple patches you can walk around. Be aware of habituated porcupines in the area if you decide to camp here. Snow patch rising to south end of shelf. Shelf is 90% snow free. All sites and cache are dry. Porcupine reported just north of cache. Marmots at cache.

Granite Canyon

• Granite Canyon South/Middle Fork/Tram Trail: 7/8/2025 Few minor patches of snow in Targhee Woods and west side of Cardiac Ridge. Some folks with large overnight packs may want poles, but generally no issues.

Paintbrush Canyon

• Paintbrush Canyon - Lower to Holly Lake:  7/13/2025 Outlier site is clear and dry. Holly Lake sites clear.
• Paintbrush Canyon - Upper: 6/29/2025 Half under snow. Dry camp sites can be found. Paintbrush Divide is impassible without ice axe and crampons. Very dangerous pass to attempt to go over.

 

Passes

 

Hurricane Pass

• 7/5/2025 Small amount of snow that can be avoided easily.

Paintbrush Divide

• 6/29/2025 Steep Snow - an ice axe and/or crampons, and experience are needed to safely traverse.

Sheep Steps - Alaska Basin

• 6/20/2025 Steep Snow - an ice axe and/or crampons, and experience are needed to safely traverse.

Static Peak Divide

• 6/28/2025 Steep Snow - Steep snowfields are present intermittently starting at the Albright-Static Saddle going up towards Static Peak Divide. Ice axe required and traction devices are reccomended. The trail from Static Peak Divide to the Static Peak Summit is snow free. The trail up to Albright is snow free except for the saddle which is covered with a large, flat snowfield.