If you are a last second traveler like me, you don’t want to deal with permits. Permits add extra costs and complications to your trip. Here’s how to backpack in the Grand Tetons while following all park regulations without a permit. Here is what we did so you can follow our route.
First, my elite friends and I started off our adventure with a quick stop at the Jenny Lake ranger station. I would highly recommend doing this before you start any multi-day hike. The rangers are always super friendly and will provide you with lots of information about weather and other possible dangers. We also picked up some bear cans and maps which I would also highly recommend.
In order to do the exact route that we did, you will need to shuttle a vehicle. We dropped my friends car off at the Death Canyon Trailhead. We ended up seeing our first bear (a grizzly cub) in the middle of the road on the way to the Death Canyon Trailhead . The rangers said you can also hitch hike back to Jenny Lake if you are feeling lucky. You can cut some milage off of this hike by taking the ferry across Jenny Lake, and that is exactly what we did. I will highly recommend taking the ferry because the boat ride is awesome and it is less than $20.
Once we got across to the other side we ended up at the entrance of Cascade Canyon, one of the most beautiful canyons in the Tetons. This is also one of the most crowded canyons in the Tetons. We hiked up through the canyon with ease as this is not a very steep route. After about 3 miles of hiking the crowds thinned out and we were immersed in the overwhelming beauty of the Tetons.
We hooked a left and decided to go up the South Fork of Cascade Canyon. This was my first time going up the South Fork of Cascade Canyon and it did not disappoint. A wonderful stream runs down the entrance of the canyon which makes a perfect spot to cool off and refill water.
Next, we started our climb to the top of Hurricane Pass! This was definitely one of the most challenging parts of our trip with lots of exposed switchbacks to the top of the pass. Once you get to the top of the pass there is an expansive view of the Tetons. This terrain is a lot different then what you would expect in the Tetons, very wide open. If there is going to be lots of wind forecasted for your trip, maybe reconsider this route.
After hurricane pass we dropped down into Alaska Basin that was a host to Sunrise Lake, our camp for the night. The reason you can camp here without a permit is because it is not technically part of the park. There is a large drop in altitude that we sprinted down, eager to get to our camping spot for the night. The camping spot did not disappoint. Wide open landscapes with an frigid high altitude lake. We were informed that there were lots of bears in this area but didn’t see any. You have to camp 200 feet from the lake but there are plenty of great spots. There was one other group at this spot but we had plenty of space.
After doing 13 miles the first day, we woke up tired but determined to complete our route. Early in the morning we set off to escape Alaska Basin. We headed towards Buckskin pass through the expansive landscape. The high to buckskin pass is slightly exposed but also stunning. We stopped for lunch at the top of buckskin pass and enjoyed the view.
Following the completion of our lunch, we started to descend into Death Canyon. Death Canyon is some of the most extreme terrain in the Tetons. The top of the decent into Death Canyon shows how vertical and condensed the canyon really is. The lush landscape will blow you away.
We started trekking down Death Canyon and quickly ran into fresh bear poop. About 15 minutes of hiking later, we ran into a black bear mother with her cub. The black bears here in my experience are very used to tourists. The bears didn’t seem to be bothered by us whatsoever so we cautiously walked by them with our bear spray at the ready. It was awesome to see the bears enjoying a nice afternoon snack of berries instead of hikers.
Wrapping up the route, we finished out Death Canyon with a stunning view of Phillips Lake. After Phillips lake we booked it to the car because there seemed to be a storm emerging in the distance.
We ended up doing about 25 miles in two days. This route was an awesome early fall hike with amazing views and challenging terrain. I would recommend this route to anyone who wants to see a stunning variety of scenery. Some other things I would recommend, bear spray, sturdy hiking boots, a good water filter, and multiple ways of navigation (ex. All Trails, paper map, OnX Hunt)
Step by Step, how to complete this route.
- Start at the Jenny Lake Ranger Station
- Take the ferry across Jenny Lake
- Head up Cascade Canyon
- Turn left into the South Fork of Cascade Canyon
- Make your way over Hurricane Pass
- Camp in Alaska Basin (Sunrise Lake)
- Exit through Death Canyon
