Sight · Grand Teton National Park
A hard hike to an alpine lake below Housetop Mountain.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Grand Teton Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Grand Teton National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Grand Teton audio tour“…We have been driving around with the audio tour and it has been informational and spot on. The whole family has been impressed. We used it for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.”
Guide
Marion Lake is a subalpine lake in a cirque below the 10,537-foot summit of Housetop Mountain. Its south shore is the destination, so this is a full-day backcountry hike rather than a quick stop.
The Rendezvous Mountain loop is 14.7 miles round trip with 3,990 feet of climbing. Starting at Granite Canyon makes an 18.8-mile out-and-back with 3,510 feet of gain. Both are very strenuous and take 9–13 hours. Taking the aerial tram to Rendezvous Mountain saves the climb to the summit; it doesn't get you close to the lake.
From Rendezvous Mountain, the trail drops through evergreen forest, then crosses open ridges and climbs and descends through upper Granite Canyon. After the Granite Canyon Trail junction, the lake is about 0.6 mile farther; hikers reach the southern shore. If you want another angle, the Teton Crest Trail continues to the lake's eastern end.
A broad meadow lies just east of the lake, and upper Granite Canyon is known for wildflower displays. Late July is often near peak bloom, though some flowers can last into early September. On a calm day, the surrounding cliffs reflect in the water; the nearby meadow brings the blooms into view from the eastern end.
Wildlife
172 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
195 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,816 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
614 sightingsBisonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
738 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Grand Teton. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingMarion Lake via Aerial Tram13 mi · 11 hr · 3.4 mi awayA tram cuts the climb; the lake still costs a full day.
ChallengingOpen Canyon via Aerial Tram19.4 mi · 10.5 hr · 3.4 mi awayStart high, cross Mount Hunt Divide, then drop into Open Canyon.
ChallengingTram/Death Canyon Loop via Valley Trail21.9 mi · 14 hr · 3.4 mi awayThe tram saves 2,400 feet before a long canyon traverse.
ChallengingGranite Canyon via Aerial Tram12.9 mi · 9 hr · 3.4 mi awayA 12.9-mile tram descent through Granite Canyon to Teton Village.Parkwolf’s Grand Teton ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
