Tetons in August or September?

[Venchka]

Keep saying that it snows a lot.
All the time.
And moose gallop through your campsite at 3:26 am.
A fun place!
Wayne

[C4web88]

Planning a 3-5+- day hike in Teton National Park. Did 50 miles last summer and want to see more. Would prefer to start at Leigh Lake trail head to Death Canyon trail head, or loop it all the way back to Leigh Lake at the bottom, but anywhere in the Tetons works. I do not have any back country reservations. Planning on showing up at the ranger station a day before and hoping for luck. If no luck, then day hikes and camping in nearby national forests. Maybe a side trip up to Yellowstone? Hiked there last year too. Any time from Aug 1st through mid September works for me. I have a reliable vehicle and can haul myself and gear plus two more with gear if needed. I am in the mid-west, figure about 2 days driving from here.

Might see you there, my wife and I are doing the TCT starting from the aerial tram and are taking 4-5 days to complete it as we'll have to acclimate to the altitude being from sea level and all. We're doing walk up permits too, any input as to how competitive these permits are?

[Venchka]

I had a nice chat with the very nice Backcountry Ranger lady at the Moose Visitor Center Backcountry Desk in late May. Her post is slightly right from the entrance against the outer wall.
She said that the busiest time is last 2 weeks of July and the first week of August. So, the later you go the better.
Riding the tram up is very popular and consequently hard to do.
She pointed out the large camping zone in Death Canyon and the nearby National Forest area that doesn’t require a Grand Teton permit. If all else fails, she said that she can usually get folks in and out of those areas.
The Park still provides bear canisters for free.
Good luck and enjoy! I’ve been visiting the Tetons since 1965. The place is amazing!
Wayne

[Venchka]

Finding a place to stay in the park pre & post TCT hiking will be a challenge. I’m partial to Signal Mountain Campground on Lake Jackson. So is everyone else. Coin showers and laundry, well stocked general store, gas, great dining in the Signal Mountain Lodge pub & dining room. You might even find a vacancy in one of the log cabins.
If all else fails, try the Lizard Creek Campground early in the day.
The Albertsons on the south side of Jackson is the only real supermarket we saw in the area. About the only reason to go to Jackson.
Wayne

[C4web88]

I had a nice chat with the very nice Backcountry Ranger lady at the Moose Visitor Center Backcountry Desk in late May. Her post is slightly right from the entrance against the outer wall.
She said that the busiest time is last 2 weeks of July and the first week of August. So, the later you go the better.
Riding the tram up is very popular and consequently hard to do.
She pointed out the large camping zone in Death Canyon and the nearby National Forest area that doesn’t require a Grand Teton permit. If all else fails, she said that she can usually get folks in and out of those areas.
The Park still provides bear canisters for free.
Good luck and enjoy! I’ve been visiting the Tetons since 1965. The place is amazing!
Wayne

Thanks for the advice, we've allotted 2 days to apply for permits and have a plan A and a plan B for campsite requests. We also got an airbnb over on the idaho side for cheap so pre hike lodging is covered....hopefully the tram works out.

[OCDave]

Planning a 3-5+- day hike in Teton National Park. ...

Ask any National Park Ranger and they'll tell you Septamber in any National Park will provide a better experience than August. The summer crowds dissapate the first day kids start back to school.

[C4web88]

Ask any National Park Ranger and they'll tell you Septamber in any National Park will provide a better experience than August. The summer crowds dissapate the first day kids start back to school.

Yea we're going late August thru early Sept., hopefully done on labor day.

[Venchka]

Present your Plans A & B.
The Ranger’s Plan C will be fine if needed.
Wayne

[daveiniowa]

Now pushing out the hike to mid September, maybe. Still up in the air with another friend who may want to go or only day hike up to solitude lake. As far as camping around the area pre and post trip, we just drive out to national forest land, Bridger/Teton, Gross Venture, and find a place to pitch a tent. No need to deal and pay for all that lodging if you don't want to. Message me if you may be interested in planning a hike yet this year, the window is closing fast.

[willieskins]

Have you thought about starting from the Idaho side? You could drive to the Teton Canyon Campground east of Alta,Idaho. From there you could start your hike or move your car just a little bit to the Teton Canyon Trailhead and catch the Alaska Basin Trail up to the Alaska Basin. Set up camp in the Alaska Basin and do day hikes to Death Canyon Shelf or Hurricane Pass. Alaska Basin is not in the park so you wouldn't need permits and there is no bear canister requirement as you are not camping in the park. If you do your research this could work for you if getting permits from GTNP prove hard to obtain.

[Malto]

Have you thought about starting from the Idaho side? You could drive to the Teton Canyon Campground east of Alta,Idaho. From there you could start your hike or move your car just a little bit to the Teton Canyon Trailhead and catch the Alaska Basin Trail up to the Alaska Basin. Set up camp in the Alaska Basin and do day hikes to Death Canyon Shelf or Hurricane Pass. Alaska Basin is not in the park so you wouldn't need permits and there is no bear canister requirement as you are not camping in the park. If you do your research this could work for you if getting permits from GTNP prove hard to obtain.

Permits are not at all hard to get this time of year, late September. GTNP and Yellowstone both were very accommodating.

[Venchka]

Now pushing out the hike to mid September, maybe. Still up in the air with another friend who may want to go or only day hike up to solitude lake. As far as camping around the area pre and post trip, we just drive out to national forest land, Bridger/Teton, Gross Venture, and find a place to pitch a tent. No need to deal and pay for all that lodging if you don't want to. Message me if you may be interested in planning a hike yet this year, the window is closing fast.

Mid-September: Not a busy time. The opposite is true. Things begin to close. Check the Park web pages for closing dates in September.
It's possible to hike north from Hwy 22 at Teton Pass. Camp before the park boundary. Cross a corner of the park and camp. Cross Death Canyon Shelf to Alaska Basin and camp. Day hike from Alaska Basin. Reverse back to Hwy 22, hike to the tram to Teton Village.
Wayne