Garnet Canyon

When seeking adventures in hiking and wanting a real challenge for the expert hiker, Grand Teton National Park has the famed Garnet Canyon Trail. This hike is not simple and offers challenges that include climbing and the need for expert experience. In fact, hiking this trail gives some of the most incredible views of the park.

The Garnet Canyon is about fourteen miles long (roundtrip). It begins in the Lupine Meadows, close to the local campground and heads towards a climber's base camp below the Teton peaks. The main draw of the hike is to see the canyon's cliffs and view the many local features. This involves hiking and climbing over twelve thousand feet up the South Teton and an ascent of over five thousand feet into the canyon below.

The best route in from the meadows is to follow varied campsites for the climb up Middle Teton peak to its black dike cliffs. From there hikers can join climbers into the southern end of the canyon, up the saddle that sits between the South and Middle Teton peaks, head through the couloir and down into a ridge to the canyon itself.