🥾 ActiveWeekend · from Jackson, WY

Teton Canyon, Death Canyon & Snake River Float

Two days that use Jackson's position as gateway to cover the full elevation range of Grand Teton National Park — from the canyon-floor Snake River at 6,200 feet to the Death Canyon ridgeline at over 10,000 feet. Death Canyon on the first day is the less-visited alternative to the crowded Cascade Canyon circuit: a steep 7.2-mile trail into a dramatic U-shaped glacier canyon on the Teton west face, with the Phelps Lake overlook as a spectacular intermediate stop at 7,200 feet. A Snake River float trip in the afternoon transitions the intensity downward — a 5-10 mile drift through the cottonwood corridor with consistent bald eagle, moose, and beaver sightings. Day two moves to Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake, two glacially carved lakes on the canyon floor, and the South Teton trailhead for a morning ascent before the return.

Day 1 — Death Canyon: Phelps Lake overlook, Death Canyon trail (glacier U-valley), Snake River float (eagles + moose), overnight Teton VillageDay 2 — Taggart & Bradley Lakes loop, South Teton approach, return to Jackson
Day 1Grand Teton NP — Death Canyon

Day 1Grand Teton NP — Death Canyon

🚗 25 min driving📍 4 stops
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Morning
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Drive
Jackson, WYDeath Canyon Trailhead — Grand Teton NP
25 min8:00 AM8:25 AM
Phelps Lake Overlook — Death Canyon Trailhead
Phelps Lake Overlook — Death Canyon Trailhead
4.9
A 1.8-mile trail from the Death Canyon trailhead to a 7,200-foot overlook above Phelps Lake — a glacially carved lake at the canyon mouth framed by the Teton peaks rising directly behind. The overlook view is among the finest in the park without requiring a major climb: the lake in the foreground, the canyon walls on both sides, and the Grand Teton summit visible up the canyon. Continue into Death Canyon from here or return via the lakeshore trail.
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Lunch
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Death Canyon Trail — Canyon Interior
The trail into Death Canyon from Phelps Lake — a steep 2.5-mile ascent into a classic U-shaped glacier valley on the west face of the Tetons, with the canyon walls rising to the Static Peak Divide (10,800 feet) at the upper end. The trail passes through old-growth Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir; moose are common in the canyon floor willows. Most day hikers turn at the canyon flats at about 4 miles from the trailhead. The round-trip Death Canyon loop totals 7.2 miles from the car.
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Afternoon
Snake River Float — Jackson Hole
Snake River Float — Jackson Hole
4.9
A guided float trip on the Snake River through the cottonwood river corridor below the Tetons — a calm 5-10 mile drift with consistent wildlife sightings: bald eagles in the cottonwood canopy, moose in the willow flats along the bank, and beaver dams at every meander. The mountain backdrop looking west toward the Tetons from the river level is the signature Jackson Hole landscape. Morning and afternoon trips available; afternoon light is best for wildlife.
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Evening
Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa — Teton Village
Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa — Teton Village
4.6
A full-service mountain lodge at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village — at the foot of the ski area tram and 15 minutes from the Grand Teton park boundary. The hotel's location at the base of the Tetons eliminates the park-entry drive time and positions for early morning trailhead starts. Teton Village's restaurants, including the Four Seasons' Westbank Grill and the rustic Mangy Moose, are a short walk.
Day 2Grand Teton NP — Taggart & Bradley Lakes

Day 2Grand Teton NP — Taggart & Bradley Lakes

🚗 35 min driving📍 2 stops
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Morning
🚗
Drive
Teton Village, WYTaggart Lake Trailhead — Grand Teton NP
10 min8:00 AM8:10 AM
Taggart & Bradley Lakes Loop — Grand Teton NP
Taggart & Bradley Lakes Loop — Grand Teton NP
4.8
A 6-mile loop connecting two glacially carved lakes at the base of the Cathedral Group — Taggart Lake (moraine-dammed, burned in 1985 and now a showcase of post-fire forest regeneration) and Bradley Lake (deeper and clearer, with views of Garnet Canyon and the Middle Teton summit). The loop trail stays below 7,000 feet and is well-graded throughout; wildflowers in the post-fire areas are extraordinary in July and August.
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Lunch
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Beaver Creek Trailhead — Teton Valley Views
The sagebrush apron above Teton Village with a view-framing bench for a midday rest — the Teton Range rising directly to the west, the valley floor spreading north toward the park, and the quiet of the mountain-front after the morning's lakes circuit. A good picnic spot before the return to Jackson.
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Evening
🚗
Drive
Grand Teton NPJackson, WY
25 min5:00 PM5:25 PM
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