Teton Crest itinerary
Every published mile marker on the Teton Crest route, in order, with the distance and elevation change between each one — and which permit each stretch needs. To watch dates and set alerts, go to the Teton Crest Trail permit page.
Which permit covers this route
The Teton Crest. One reservation is an ordered sequence of nights in zones, issued by reservation.
The permit is issued for a named entry point. Jackson Hole Aerial Tram (Rendezvous Mountain) and String Lake Trailhead are the ones on this list.
- Stops mapped
- 8
- Across the markers
- 35.4 mi
- Published route length
- 39 mi
- Published ascent
- 9,000 ft
How long it takes: 4 nights on the NPS Granite Canyon to String Lake variant. That is the figure the permit publishes — this page does not divide the route into days, because no source records which stop you sleep at.
The stops below are the route's published mile markers, in order, with the elevations recorded against each one.
Distance and elevation change on each leg are the difference between the two published figures either side of it, so the legs are arithmetic on the markers and nothing more.
Adding up only the climbs between markers gives 2,775 ft, which is a floor rather than the total: anything that rises and falls between two markers is invisible to it.
The Teton Crest route, stop by stop
Mile 0.0
10,450 ft
Jackson Hole Aerial Tram (Rendezvous Mountain)
Entry point — the permit is issued for this trailhead
6.3 miles · 1,196 ft down to Marion Lake
Mile 6.3
9,254 ft
Marion Lake
Clear alpine lake tucked in a rocky basin—first major water source and camping option
4.0 miles · 195 ft up to Death Canyon Shelf
Mile 10.3
9,449 ft
Death Canyon Shelf
A high shelf traverse above Death Canyon, and the stretch most hikers plan the trip around
4.0 miles · 56 ft up to Alaska Basin
Mile 14.3
9,505 ft
Alaska Basin
Wildflower-filled basin in Jedediah Smith Wilderness—no permit required for camping
2.7 miles · 862 ft up to Hurricane Pass
Mile 17.1
10,367 ft
Hurricane Pass
A pass with views into the Schoolroom Glacier cirque. NPS advises an ice axe here as late as August
8.0 miles · 1,329 ft down to Lake Solitude
Mile 25.0
9,038 ft
Lake Solitude
Remote alpine lake beneath the Grand Teton's west face
2.3 miles · 1,662 ft up to Paintbrush Divide
Mile 27.3
10,700 ft
Paintbrush Divide
The trail's high point, with views across the range. NPS reports snow patches and advises an ice axe and crampons into late July
8.1 miles · 3,822 ft down to String Lake Trailhead
Mile 35.4
6,878 ft
String Lake Trailhead
Entry point — the permit is issued for this trailhead
Getting a Teton Crest for the dates you want
Planning the route is the easy half. Teton Crest dates go fast, and the ones that come back are cancellations — they return to the booking system without warning and are gone again quickly. PermitSnag watches Teton Crest around the clock and alerts you the moment a date opens.