Early Summer Hikes and Wildflowers

After a long winter in the Tetons, it’s time to dust off the old boots and venture into Grand Teton for some early season hiking. With the fabulous weather in past weeks, several of the low elevation trails in the park are now free of snow and offer views of the mountains and of the first wildflowers of the season.

Kick off your summer with some classic GTNP hikes as you build your hiking legs for more strenuous hikes later in the summer. Two great options for hiking this month are Taggart Lake and Phelps Lake Overlook.

Taggart Lake is 4 miles round trip. The trail follows a mountain stream and loops up and over a glacial moraine that helps form the lake. Along the trail you will see evidence of the Beaver Creek fire of 1985 and the Lodgepole Pine that have flourished since the burn. To access the trail, park at the Taggart Lake trailhead just north of Moose park entrance.

Phelps Lake Overlook is 1.8 miles round trip and offers scenic vistas of the lake and Death Canyon. The trail steadily climbs to the overlook along a massive lateral moraine filled with aspen stands and conifer forests. Along the way the trail crosses a few small creeks and meadows that offer opportunity for great wildlife and bird watching. To get to the trail use the Death Canyon/White Grass Meadow road. A car with four-wheel drive can be helpful when accessing the trailhead.

Both of these trails are fantastic spots to view your first wildflowers of the season. These early bloomers are common not only in the park but also throughout the valley. Keep your eyes peeled as some of them are small and easy to miss!

Ballhead Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum): Commonly found in moist mountain slopes and woodlands, bluish to white in color.

  

Round-leaved Violet (Viola rotundifolia): Five petaled, small yellow blossom found in moist forests.

Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscosissimum): Pink lavender to purplish flowers, found in grassy lowlands to highland meadows.