A backpacker in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, WyomingPerfect lake reflection in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, WyomingTwo backpackers in the Jedediah Smith WildernessGorgeous view of the backcountry of the Tetons, Jedediah Smith WildernessBeautiful mountain stream in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, WyomingLooking out of a tent at a vast meadow in the Tetons, WyomingWild flowers and a pristine creek in the Tetons, WyomingSunrise with conifers and meadows in the Tetons

Bear Canyon Loop

Jackson, WY
5.0 (7 reviews)

Trip Highlights

  • Spectacular Mountain Scenery
  • Mountain Solitude
  • Peak Bagging
  • Adventurous Loop Hike
  • Remote Campsites
  • Pristine Creeks & Rivers
  • Views of Grand Teton National Park
  • Cross Historic Dead Horse Pass

Description

This trek takes us high into some of North America’s most famous and spectacular mountains – The Tetons. You will earn unique views of the iconic, jagged Teton Peaks, and the valley floors on both the east and west slope of the Tetons. We will be hiking and exploring the high country of the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, which is full of rich heritage and western culture that will come to life for you as we hike.

This trip features amazing, remote camps; mountain rivers and streams; rich wildlife habitat; and two spectacular day hikes to high peaks with stunning views. Additionally, we will trek up and over Dead Horse Pass and down into the locally famous Narrows Meadows. Lastly, with visits to two hidden lakes it’s clear it doesn’t get much better than this!

This trip is operated by Wildland Llamas, an authorized backpacking and llama outfitter in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

Read more …
From USD
$1730 Per Person
Trip Type: Guided Backpacking Trip
Difficulty Level:
Solitude Level:
Group Size: 2-12 Guests
Trip Length: 5 Days
Distance: 35MI / 56KM

DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4

Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult

SUMMARY OF DIFFICULTY
Generally this trip is moderate-strenuous. However, there is a very strenuous section at the bottom of Bear Canyon, which has significant loose rock and is very rugged. We also have a dry camp on the last night so must carry additional water, makes for heavy packs.

Hiking Distances:

4-9 mi

Backpack Weight:

45+ lbs

Terrain:

Significantly Rugged

Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:

1800 ft

Heights Exposure:

Moderate

Please Note: Terrain, Elevation Gain and Heights Exposure ratings reflect the section or day of the trip with the maximum difficulty of each. Much of the trip is at easier levels. See the trip itinerary for more detailed information. Backpack Weight ratings are estimates that account for Wildland-provided gear, guest clothing, personal items and a share of group food. By packing light it’s often possible to stay on the lower end of the weight range. Pack weights also decrease during the trip.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP

  • Hiking uphill or downhill with a 45+ lb backpack for 6-8 hours
  • Maintaining balance and footing on significantly rugged terrain
  • Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
  • Crossing rivers and creeks on slippery river rocks
* For an official and complete list of physical requirements, please see our Essential Eligibility Criteria.

SOLITUDE LEVEL 5

1 least solitude, 5 most solitude

We rate this Tetons backpacking trip a solitude 5. You can expect to see a couple other groups of hikers over the duration of the trip.

MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS

If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.

Private Trips

Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!

Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.

Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations. 

Private Rates FOr This Trip

  • 2 People: Rate x 2.5
  • 3 People: Rate x 1.75
  • 4 People: Rate x 1.25
  • 5+ People: Rate x 1.15

*all rates are per person

Receive Emails about Wildland Trekking Promotions, Updates, and Discounts:

We’re here to help. If you have any questions, call 800-715-HIKE or contact us online.
PDF Trip Itinerary Packet Book online
Or fill out a Reservation Request
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private Trips
Receive Emails about Wildland Trekking Promotions, Updates, and Discounts:

ITINERARY

ITINERARY

Day 1

  • Shuttle to Trailhead: 75 minutes
  • Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
  • Elevation Loss: 500 feet
  • Elevation Gain: 140 feet

This Tetons backpacking trip begins with pickup at your hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We’ll drive up and over famous Jackson Pass and down into the beautiful Driggs Valley before arriving at our trailhead. After doing a final pack fitting and adjusting trekking poles we’ll start on our adventure in the Tetons!

We will begin our hike with a short descent to North Leigh Creek, but make up our elevation as the day goes on. We will end at the beautifully serene Green Lakes Basin where we will make camp for the night.

Day 2

  • Hiking Mileage: 4-5 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 1600 feet
  • Elevation Loss: 1600 feet

We’ll start today with a delicious breakfast, and then set off for an amazing day of hiking! We will wake up early and make miles to our camp just below Dead Horse Pass. Today’s hike gains significant elevation in a short amount of mileage as we pick our way through the gorgeous Teton high county and offers magnificent views of the Tetons and surrounding mountain ranges.

We will have a good chance of seeing elk or deer below us in the lush meadows. After a full day of absorbing breath taking views, and creating wonderful memories we head into camp where we will enjoy another wonderful evening and feast of a dinner.

Day 3

  • Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 1800 feet
  • Elevation Loss: 1800 feet

Today’s hike is another hard day and we move camp to an adjacent valley. Our destination is Hidden Corral Basin. We will enjoy our lunch on top of the pass and plot our route to our second campsite. After lunch, we will head down the pass to another pristine mountain creek until we reach our camp nestled at the base of a high-country peak and settle in for a much needed night of rest and relaxation after our amazing backcountry dinner.

Day 4

  • Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 1800 feet
  • Elevation Loss: 1800 feet

We will wake for another exciting day of exploration after our delicious breakfast. We will meander through the Bitch Creek Narrows and traverse back south towards Indian Meadows. We will dry camp at Indian Meadows, and likely pick up water where it’s available before we make camp for the night. We’ll celebrate our last evening in the wilderness with a backcountry feast and a roaring campfire (weather permitting).

Day 5

  • Hiking Mileage: 8.5 miles
  • Elevation Loss: 1000 feet
  • Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 85 minutes

On our last morning together we will enjoy a tasty breakfast. After our relaxing morning, we will pack up our gear and trek down to our ending trailhead.

The pickup on this trip is variable and your guide will make the decision that best fits your group’s fitness. One option is to continue South to our trailhead at Indian Meadows. Another other option is a longer hike south, past Indian Meadows, across Badger Creek, ending at our Day 1 drop-off of North Leigh Creek.

Once at the trailhead, we’ll say our good-byes to the peaks, creeks and meadows of the Tetons and drive back to Jackson Hole. With a fond farewell, we’ll drop you off at your hotel for much-deserved showers and relaxation.

Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.

Trip Dates & Booking

TRIP DATES & BOOKING

Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.

Available to Book

AVAILABLE TO BOOK

This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!

Going Fast

GOING FAST

This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.

Request a Reservation

REQUEST A RESERVATION

This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.

Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.

800-715-HIKE (4453)

Trip Details

Trip Details

What's Included

  • Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
  • Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
  • High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
  • Use of trekking poles
  • All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
  • Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson, Wyoming to the trailhead and back
  • Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
  • Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)

What's Not Included

  • Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
  • Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
  • Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
  • Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.

Meals: What To Expect

All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.

For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.

We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.

Gear We Provide

We provide all group gear which includes the following:

  • Deuter or Osprey backpacks
  • Sierra Designs or Mountain Hardware tents
  • Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
  • Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
  • Leki trekking poles
  • Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
  • Mountain Safety Research cookware
  • Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
  • Company-issued first-aid kit
  • Emergency communication device(s)

Guest Clothing List

When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.

Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!

Trip Logistics

Trip Logistics

Where Do We Meet?

Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact approximately 10 days before your trip start date.

Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.

Travel to Jackson, WY

This trip begins and ends in Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson has an airport served by United, Delta, and American Airlines. A Black Car Service (307-413-2572) provides private airport shuttles (advance reservations are recommended.)

You can also fly into:

  • Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; can meet your guide in Driggs, ID instead of Jackson; requires a car rental
  • Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (800-356-9796 or 208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.

Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging

We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.

Start/End Times

You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.

Safety Precautions

Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.

If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.

Essential Eligibility Criteria

Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.

Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.

The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.

Weather in Northern Wyoming

Being a Northern mountain environment, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Wyoming’s mountains. On trips in June, snow is a slight possibility, and the rest of the summer you’re likely to get rained on at least once during your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures around Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
MonthHighLow
June70°42°
July80°47°
August78°45°
September68°37°

Accommodations

Accommodations

BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING

Tent Camping

Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.

BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE

Fresh & Delicious

Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.

AMAZING CAMPSITES

In the Action

Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.

Trip Reviews

Trip Reviews

  • Average Customer Ratings:

  • 5.0 (7 reviews)
Juhee K
5.0

Exceeded Expectations

7 months ago

Our guided backpacking trip with Seth Ellis exceeded expectations in many ways. Our group was well equipped (with the help of our guide), and was set up for success every step of the way. Seth was able to navigate us through rain, thunderstorms, sun and even hail- all the while making sure we were having our best time. Aside from the beautiful trek, Seth’s cooking was amazing. There was so much care and creativity with all the meals and were all equally delicious. I’ve learned so much from this trip, all thanks to Seth and my fellow backpackers.

Ellen P
5.0

My next guide has big boots to fill

7 months ago

This was my first ever backpacking trip and it was awesome. Seth was a fantastic guide. Very well organized with all the food and bear safety, made excellent and filling meals, even refilled our water bottles when we weren't paying attention. His judgment call to reverse the route was spot on. The views got prettier as we went, and thankfully so did the weather. Seth's guidance on what to pack was also invaluable and helped me shed a pound or two from my pack before we started. We took a good number of breaks while still making it to camp with plenty of light. The trail was tough but our group came out of it with no injuries save a single blister on my foot (that Seth dressed immediately). I recommend this route and I recommend Seth. Just make sure you have good rain gear!

Luca S
5.0

Amazing Trip!

7 months ago

I’m sitting in my hotel a few hours removed from finishing this trip. It was an amazing experience and our guide, Seth Ellis, was amazing. The views, trails, campsites and food were top notch. Thanks to Seth for the amazing time!

See All Guest Reviews!

Go to our reviews page

Related Trips

You might also like...

Receive a PDF info packet via email which includes:
 
 
 
Receive Emails about Wildland Trekking Promotions, Updates, and Discounts:
 
Privacy Policy: Click Here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*