Grand Teton National Park · Hard · Out and back

Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes from Lupine Meadows

A long switchback climb from Lupine Meadows to two alpine lakes beneath Disappointment Peak and the Grand Teton.

Distance
10.1 mi (16.2 km)
Ascent
2,976 ft (907 m)
Time
About 7 h
High point
9,734 ft (2,967 m)
Grade
Hard

Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.

0 mi2 mi4 mi6 mi8 mi10 mi9,734 ft6,742 ft
Move along the height chart to see each point on the map.
Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes from Lupine Meadows
Gideon Tsang · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The hike

The walk starts at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead, at the end of a gravel road about a mile and a half long that leaves the Teton Park Road a mile south of South Jenny Lake Junction. The trail crosses the flats, then climbs the mountainside in long switchbacks, passing the turn to Garnet Canyon, to Surprise Lake. Amphitheater Lake lies a short way beyond, in a basin under Disappointment Peak. Return the same way.

It is 10.1 miles (16.2 km) round trip with 2,980 feet (907 m) of climbing; allow about 7 hours. The grade is Hard: a long, steady climb to over 9,600 feet.

Bears may be about at any time: carry bear spray, make noise and hike in a group. There is no water at the trailhead, so bring your own. Snow can lie in the lake basins into July. From November 1 to April 30, the Teton Park Road is closed to cars beyond the Taggart Lake Trailhead, which shuts off the road to Lupine Meadows.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • Long switchbacks up to two lakes tucked under Disappointment Peak and the Grand Teton
  • One of the park's biggest day climbs; snow can cover the upper switchbacks into July
  • The car park at the end of the short gravel road fills early with climbers

Getting there

Start: Lupine Meadows Trailhead. 43.73538, -110.74126

Directions to the start

Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Grand Teton National Park: Booking.com → Expedia →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.