Grand Teton National Park · Wyoming

Garnet Canyon Trail

2.4 mi of trail, end to end · about 1,500 ft of climbing · 7,423 ft–8,928 ft · earth surface · trail class Minimally Developed · hiking, horse

7,423 ft 8,410 ft · 1.3 mi high 8,410 ft

Garnet Canyon the Park Service's write-up

4-6 Hours · no dogs · Summer, Fall · season Garnet Canyon is best accessed in summer after the snow melts and in fall before the first snow arrives. Hikers should use caution when traveling over snow and not attempt Garnet Canyon unless they have previous snow experience and the proper equipment.

Start Lupine Meadows Trailhead

A creek runs through an alpine meadow blooming with wildflowers in front of two mountain peaks.
Garnet Canyon takes you into the heart of the Teton Range. Photo: NPS Photo/A. Falgoust

Travel into the heart of the Teton range on this strenuous hike. Leaving from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead, the trail switchbacks up to Three-Mile Junction where it splits. The trail to the left leads to Garnet Canyon. About a mile into the canyon the trail reaches a boulder field. Scrambling is required to cross the boulder field. Visitors should be physically fit and comfortable with route finding before attempting to cross it. Once in the canyon, hikers will find themselves surrounded by some of the more prominent peaks in the range: Nez Perce, South and Middle Teton, the Grand Teton, and Disappointment Peak. Hikers should exercise caution when taking the Garnet Canyon Trail, as boulder field crossings and significant elevation gain can be hazardous. If planning to travel into Garnet Canyon, stop by the Jenny Lake Ranger Station to speak with a backcountry ranger about conditions.

Accessibility Garnet Canyon is a strenuous, 8.2 mi (13.2 km) RT out and back hike with 2,430 ft (740m) of elevation gain and an average slope of 13%. The trail crosses multiple boulder fields that require boulder hopping and wayfinding skills. Steep switchbacks and narrow hiking surfaces exist.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 122 trails in Grand Teton National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.