Teton Crest Trail
The crown-jewel high-route across the spine of the Tetons — alpine basins, wildflower meadows, and continuous views of the Grand.
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Beyond the Roads
Backcountry & Wilderness Adventures
16 of the best multi-day backpacking trips, alpine traverses, and remote wilderness routes in Yellowstone and the Tetons — all within reach of Lodgepole Pines Retreat.
Step beyond the roadside boardwalks and you'll find the real Greater Yellowstone — alpine basins, geyser fields with no boardwalks, ridges where bison graze 1,000 feet below, and river canyons that haven't changed since John Colter walked through. Lodgepole Pines Retreat is one of the closest comfortable bases for the southern Yellowstone and northern Teton wilderness.
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Plan with the parks first
Distances, permit rules, bridge status, and bear closures change every season. Always confirm at a Yellowstone or Grand Teton backcountry office before your trip.
16 Curated Trips
The Best Backcountry Routes
Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude
Take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle and climb into the heart of the Tetons to a glacial cirque lake at 9,035 ft.
Holly Lake via Paintbrush Canyon
A steep climb through Paintbrush Canyon to a quiet shelf lake — a classic first night for the Crest Trail loop.
Death Canyon
A dramatic glacier-carved canyon with a historic patrol cabin and access to the Death Canyon Shelf high route.
Garnet Canyon
The climbers' approach to the Grand Teton — a rugged scramble into the Meadows beneath the Middle and Grand.
Granite Canyon Loop
Use the Jackson Hole tram to drop into Granite Canyon — a long, gentle descent through wildflowers and waterfalls.
Webb Canyon (Upper Berry Creek)
A rarely-traveled wilderness canyon in the far north of the park, requiring boat shuttle across Jackson Lake.
Alaska Basin
On the Idaho side of the Tetons in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness — alpine basin with crystal lakes.
Bechler River Trail (Cascade Corner)
Yellowstone's hidden Cascade Corner — dozens of waterfalls and natural hot-spring soaks. Closest major Yellowstone trip from Island Park.
Heart Lake & Mt. Sheridan
A classic 2–3 day trip past Heart Lake's geyser basin to lakeside camps, with an optional summit of Mt. Sheridan.
Shoshone Lake
The largest backcountry lake in the Lower 48 — paddle in or hike to the Shoshone Geyser Basin.
Black Canyon of the Yellowstone
A river-corridor traverse from Hellroaring to Gardiner with suspension bridges and dramatic basalt walls.
Specimen Ridge
A high, exposed ridge above the Lamar Valley with 50-million-year-old upright petrified forests.
Thorofare Trail
The most remote spot in the Lower 48 — a true wilderness expedition through the southeast corner of the park.
Pelican Valley
A vast meadow valley considered the densest grizzly habitat in the Lower 48. Day-use only until July.
Electric Peak
The 10,969-ft signature peak of the Gallatin Range — Class 3 scramble with sweeping views.
Permits, Bears & Planning
The basics every backpacker should know before stepping off-pavement.
🏕️ Backcountry Permits
Both parks require a permit for every overnight night. A portion of sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov; the rest are walk-up at backcountry offices the day before or day-of departure.
🐻 Bear Country Protocol
Carry bear spray on your hip — never in your pack. Hike in groups of 3+ in grizzly country (Pelican Valley, Heart Lake, Thorofare). Use food storage poles or canisters; cook 100 yards downwind from your tent.
⛰️ Season & Conditions
Mid-July through mid-September is prime. Snow lingers in Teton passes (Hurricane, Paintbrush) into late July. Afternoon thunderstorms are routine — get off ridges by 1 PM.
🧭 Maps & Navigation
Carry a paper Trails Illustrated map plus a downloaded GPX (Gaia GPS or CalTopo). Cell service is non-existent on every trip listed. Tell someone your itinerary.
From the Field
More from the Backcountry
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service.
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