Delta Lake via Lupine Meadows Hiking Guide
Delta Lake is the turquoise lake in so many Grand Teton photos, sitting under the mountain's east face. Be clear about what it is: the park calls the way there an unofficial but popular route, and its trail-conditions page labels it not maintained. There is no official trail sign. It's rough and steep, crosses boulder fields, and has a long record of rescues.
Permit: Grand Teton National Park charges an entrance fee: $35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle or $20 per person on foot or bike (16 and older), each valid 7 days; the park annual pass is $70 and the America the Beautiful pass ($80) also covers entry. Non-US residents 16 and older pay an extra $100 per person unless entering on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. The park is cashless. No permit is needed for a day hike.
What 'Unofficial' Means Here
Grand Teton does not list Delta Lake among its official trails, and the route is not on its things-to-do hike pages. Its June 2026 news release calls it "the unofficial but popular route to Delta Lake" and describes braided social trails, erosion and damage to alpine plants from rising use. That summer, Access Fund crews worked with the park's trail crew to define a single path through the worst sections, including the boulder field below the lake, with better wayfinding and erosion control. Stay on the clearest line and off side paths. A 2025 Jackson Hole News&Guide report quoted the superintendent saying the park doesn't necessarily want an official trail there.
Distance and Terrain
The park publishes no mileage for an unofficial route. AllTrails maps it at 7.6 miles round trip with 2,299 feet of gain from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead, sharing the first part of the trail system toward Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes. AllTrails describes boulder fields, fallen trees and steep loose dirt, and tags it as a scramble. Expect to use your hands, and expect the descent over loose ground to be harder than the climb.
Who Should Go
The News&Guide reported that by 2018 medical rescues had become common on this route, mostly among visitors with little mountain experience. If your group isn't comfortable on steep, unmarked rocky ground, choose Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes instead, which reaches higher alpine lakes on a maintained trail. The park's general advice still applies: no solo hiking, no headphones, tell someone your plan.
Fee, Season and Bears
Delta Lake is inside the park, so the entrance pass applies: $35 per private vehicle or $20 per person on foot or bike, valid seven days, paid by card. The Lupine Meadows Trailhead can be reached by car only while the Teton Park Road is open, May through October. Fall can bring ice and early snow to the boulder fields. Bears use these slopes too; carry spray and hike in a group of at least three.
Hiking tips for Delta Lake via Lupine Meadows
- Treat this as a scramble, not a trail hike; wear shoes with real grip.
- Follow the most defined path through the boulder field and avoid side trails.
- Turn around if the rock is icy or wet; descending loose ground is where people get hurt.
- Pick Amphitheater Lake instead if anyone in the group is new to steep terrain.
- Get off the upper route before afternoon storms build over the peaks.
Nearby trails to explore
- Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes Trail
- Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loop
- Jenny Lake Loop
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Delta Lake is no place to be alone on loose rock. Use TrailMates to find Jackson Hole hikers heading to Delta Lake. Download the TrailMates app to connect.