Phelps Lake Loop

Starting from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve — one of the most thoughtfully designed trailheads in the entire park system — you'll wind through mixed conifer forest before the trees part and Phelps Lake appears below like a sapphire dropped into a granite bowl. The loop circles the entire lake, alternating between shaded forest stretches and open shoreline sections where Death Canyon's sheer walls loom above the south end. The trail surface is mostly packed dirt with some rocky sections on the western shore, and the elevation changes are rolling rather than punishing — think steady ups and downs rather than one brutal climb. The lake's eastern shore offers a jumping rock that's become legendary among Teton hikers, and the western side delivers the best views of the canyon mouth. This is the perfect trail for hikers who want a real outing without the suffer-fest of the high peaks.