Teton Crest Trail

Teton Crest Trail (TCT) is a famous, one-way multi-day hiking route across the alpine spine of the Teton Range in Wyoming, running in Grand Teton National Park between Phillips Pass and String Lake. Typical completion time is about 3–5 days, and the route is used as a backpacking trip through high country rather than a single-day hike.

The trail climbs more than 9,000 ft over its length and is built around repeated high passes. The highest point is Paintbrush Divide (about 10,700 ft), with the route spending extended time above treeline.

Most people hike the standard direction from south to north, starting outside the park at Phillips Pass and finishing at String Lake. This direction matches the common thru-hike flow for the full TCT.

Granite Canyon is one way to access the trail from inside the park, connecting into the Teton Crest route after a gradual ascent into the Teton Range. There are also other approach options that reduce logistics by choosing different trailheads along the way.

Camping is the operational focus for planning: the NPS frames TCT as a point-to-point trip with camping zones along the route, and the trail’s popularity means those zones can be full late July through early September. Food storage requirements apply for backcountry overnighting in the park’s bear country.

If you’re optimizing elevation and start logistics, the NPS notes you can save about 4 miles and roughly 2,400 ft of gain by taking the aerial tram to reach the route via Granite Canyon / Marion Lake options rather than starting from the lower bench-style trailhead.

More information: Visitor information, Wikipedia, Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail - The Postcard Traveler