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Delta Lake is a stunning blue-green lake located in Grand Teton National Park (in the state of Wyoming.) It offers immense beauty, but the journey to get there involves a strenuously-rated, near 8 mile (round trip) hike; so it’s important to keep reading to see if this hike is for you.
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
HOW TO GET TO THE DELTA LAKE TRAILHEAD
The shortest route to access Delta Lake is from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead. From the Lupine Meadows Trailhead, my apple watch measured it out as 7.8 miles round trip. (Note: I think the AllTrails app is wrong as it lists the hike at 7.4 miles. Others have reported the hike being longer as well.)
You can also access Delta lake from the Taggart Lake Loop Trail, but it adds 5 miles making it about 13 miles round trip. This guide will focus on starting at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead.
Lupine Meadows Trailhead is located off of Teton Park Road just south of Jenny Lake. It’s about 35 minutes from Jackson, WY and just over 2.5 hours from West Yellowstone, MT.
HIKING TO DELTA LAKE: TRAIL BREAKDOWN
The hike from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead to Delta Lake involves an unmaintained trail, scrambling across boulder fields, and a rather steep elevation gain of 2,300 ft across 3.9 miles (one-way.) While that may sound intimidating and this hike should be taken seriously, I’m going to break it down section-by-section below.
Start: Start at the Lupine Meadows Trailhead on Valley Trail. (GPS Coordinates: 43.735529243160336, -110.7412061654434)
0.0-0.5 miles: This is definitely the easiest part of the hike. It’s relatively flat with a few slight inclines and is mostly shaded as the trail is in the woods.
0.5-1.0 miles: While still relatively easy, this is where the hike starts to include a few more moderate inclines. This part is also still mainly shaded but is more open in some spots.
1.0-1.8 miles: Along this stretch, you hike across a more moderate-to-hard incline. In my opinion, it was the second hardest incline of the whole hike because it was a longer stretch of incline.
1.8 miles At around 1.8 miles, the trail splits. To continue towards Delta Lake, you want to follow the sign that points towards Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes.
1.8-3.2 miles: Here is where you begin the journey of switchbacks. There are six switchbacks total, with the first four being the longest and the last two being much shorter. The switchbacks have a moderate incline and are certainly tiring, but doable. We took one or two breaks every switchback. The hike also becomes less shaded and pretty open here, but it offers stunning views of Bradley Lake and Taggart Lake looking down. As you progress up the switchbacks, you gradually get better views of Bradley Lake and Taggart Lake.
At the end of the fifth switchback (3.0 mile marker), the trail splits again. At this point, you will follow the signs for Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes to complete your last switchback.
3.2 miles: At the end of the sixth switchback, the trail will split again. To continue towards Delta Lake, you will want to go the way that has the steep log steps down (see photo below.) This is where the trail becomes “unmanned” or in other words, “unmaintained” by the National Park Service. There is a warning sign on the trail mentioning that it’s unmaintained and it talks about the risks that lay ahead.
3.2-3.7 miles: This is where the “fun” begins! This half mile is spent scrambling across several boulders fields and hiking on trails with steeper inclines and more obstacles. The hike also becomes a bit scarier here because it’s easy to get off track. Thankfully, it’s a pretty well-travelled trail, so there are commonly others nearby to follow. However, this is where having an app like AllTrails may be helpful to stay on track.
I counted four boulder fields (one small field followed by three larger ones) that we crossed before the final stretch.
3.7-3.9 miles: The last stretch is definitely the hardest in my option. However, it’s delightful knowing that the lake it right at the top/end of it! You have to hike up a 50-55% grade and it’s just straight up tough. There’s a boulder field to the right and you hike the dirt path alongside it. We took many breaks to catch our breath here while “leaning into” the mountain because it was so steep. Heck, at some points I felt like I was literally crawling up the mountain.
My husband is afraid of heights and he handled the height fairly well… Just wanted to throw that out there for anyone else with fear of heights. It’s a little unsettling but was manageable for him at least.
Delta Lake: After a strenuous hike (especially the last part) you are rewarded with views of the gorgeous Delta Lake! You can walk around the east and northeast part of the lake and there are plenty of rocks to sit on and soak in the well deserved views.
The hike down: After the intense hike up, I was a little worried about going down all the steep inclines on the way back. And although you definitely have to be careful, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. After making it down the initial steep incline, the rest felt like a breeze.
Keep reading for additional tips for hiking to Delta Lake and times to go.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HIKE AT DELTA LAKE
First and foremost: Don’t forget bear spray!! We rented our bear spray from Explore Rentals and had one can per person. They had after hours pickup just a few miles away from the Bozeman airport, which was convenient for us. There are also bear spray rentals inside Yellowstone National Park, but I found hours and locations to be more limited than we desired. If you want to buy bear spray instead of rent, you can purchase it here. However, please note that you can’t bring bear spray in a carry on or checked bag when flying.
We did actually see a black bear at the lake and while we didn’t have to use our spray, some other people used theirs due to the bear coming too curiously close. Supposedly, there have been reports of this “friendly” black bear hanging around Delta Lake as of September 2024. This is a plug/friednly reminder to make sure that you aren’t leaving any food behind or feeding any wildlife. (If bears are fed human food, they can become more and more curious and even aggressive.)
So long story short, bring bear spray and leave no trace.
Speaking of bears, I also recommend bringing a bear bell to wear. Noise alerts bears of your presence and generally scares them away. A bear bell can be purchased here.
And last, make sure you have proper hiking attire according to the weather conditions. This includes:
- Hiking shoes – my classic favorite pair are linked here.
- Hiking pants – durable hiking pants are nice so you don’t scrape up your legs scrambling over rocks.
- Layers on top – it’s always a good idea to bring layers when hiking so you can adjust to your body climate and the outdoor climate.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HIKE TO DELTA LAKE?
On average, I would allow 4-6 hours to hike to Delta Lake and back from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead. My husband and I are relatively active people (but not avid hikers) and it took us 3 hours to hike up the trail and 2 hours to hike back down. On the way up, we took quite a few breaks, but we didn’t stop much the way back down. This time does not include the hour we spent at Delta Lake. So all-in-all, our Delta Lake adventure was 6 hours including our time spent relaxing and enjoying the lake.
WHEN TO HIKE DELTA LAKE
When planning a hike to Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park, it is essential to consider the optimal timing for your adventure, as conditions can vary significantly throughout the seasons adn time of day.
Typically, late spring through early fall offers the most favorable weather and trail accessibility; however, hikers should be aware that snow may linger into June at higher elevations. The best months are usually from July though September when wildflowers bloom and temperatures rise above freezing during the day, allowing for a more enjoyable experience without excessive mud or snowpack.
It’s also important to think about time of day for two reasons: parking and sunlight.
We went near the end of September and arrived to the parking lot around 9am and there were tons of available parking spots. However, I have read that in summertime the parking lot can fill up quickly, so the earlier you get there the better chance you have of getting a parking spot at the trailhead.
As for sunlight, this hike is better to do in the morning in my opinion. First off, this is not a hike I would want to be doing in the dark. Second, the sun starts to set over some the mountains in the early afternoon and casts shadows on parts of the lake. For optimal viewing opportunities, I recommend doing the hike in the morning.
Checking trail reports before embarking on this scenic trek is advisable since conditions can change rapidly due to altitude and localized weather patterns. Ensuring you remain prepared and informed will enhance your hiking experience amidst these stunning natural landscapes.
CAN YOU SWIM IN DELTA LAKE?
If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering if you can swim in Delta Lake. I mean it does look all blue and pretty and refreshing…
After quite a bit of research, I have found that while there’s nothing stopping you from swimming in the lake, it’s not really advised. The water is glacial runoff (that’s actually where it gets its blue color from) and because of that, it’s really cold! Swimming in extremely cold waters can result in hypothermia and that’s not a risk I would advise to take, especially in such a remote area.
And that’s a wrap on my guide to hiking Delta Lake – please share your questions, comments or feedback in the comment section below!
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