Sight · Grand Teton National Park
A forest hike opens onto a wide view of Phelps Lake.
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 tourRecorded for this place
Death Canyon Access: Phelps Lake from Above“You're nearing the access road for Death Canyon and Phelps Lake Overlook. The final road mile is rough, and a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.”
Plays as you drive up to Phelps Lake Overlook in the Parkwolf Grand Teton Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“…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
Phelps Lake Overlook is a named viewpoint high above the lake. The forested approach opens onto the water, its wooded shore and the valley beyond. This is the stop for seeing Phelps Lake from above; it isn't a roadside pullout.
The established Death Canyon approach is about 2 miles round trip with 470 feet of climbing, including exposed roots and rock near the viewpoint. The lakeshore is another mile downhill, so reaching the water adds a descent and a climb back out. Dogs aren't allowed on the park hike.
Go wide: include Phelps Lake, its wooded rim and the valley beyond so the photo shows how high the overlook sits. The lake is the foreground payoff, but the surrounding landscape is what gives the view its scale.
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
ChallengingDeath Canyon-Static Peak Divide Junction Trail7.7 mi · 6 hr · 0.9 mi awayA steep canyon walk to iron-stained cascades and an alpine patrol cabin.
ChallengingOpen Canyon to Mount Hunt Divide14.8 mi · 10 hr · 0.9 mi awayA full-day climb from a lake overlook into high alpine country.
ChallengingStatic Peak Divide Trail16 mi · 10 hr · 0.9 mi awayA full-day climb to a high pass above Alaska Basin.EasyPhelps Lake Overlook2 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA short climb to a high view over Phelps Lake
ModeratePhelps Lake Trail from Death Canyon Trailhead3.7 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA lake overlook and shore stop, with a steep climb back.
EasyLake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop3 mi · 2 hr · 2.5 mi awayWooded loop to Phelps Lake with Death Canyon views.ModerateAspen Ridge-Boulder Ridge Loop6.2 mi · 4 hr · 2.5 mi awayAspen groves, glacial boulders, and a south-shore look into Death Canyon.
ModeratePhelps Lake Loop Trail6.4 mi · 4 hr · 2.5 mi awayA lake circuit with rocky shores, mountain views and a beach break.Sight · 1 mi awayPhelps LakeA mountain lake with a sandy beach and a distinctive boulder.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayWhite Grass Dude RanchA 1919 dude ranch became a center for preserving western park buildings.
Sight · 2.4 mi awayLake Creek OverlookA quick, accessible stop beside Lake Creek's small cascade.
Visitor center · 2.4 mi awayLaurance S. Rockefeller Preserve CenterA sensory introduction to the preserve before the Phelps Lake walk.
Sight · 3.1 mi awaySawmill Ponds OverlookA spring-fed beaver pond with a 1920s sawmill story.
Sight · 3.6 mi awayMurie RanchA ranch home where the Muries helped shape modern conservation.
Sight · 3.9 mi awayTaggart LakeA three-mile hike ends at a glacial lake under the Tetons.
Scenic pullout · 4 mi awayWindy Point TurnoutA quick view of the central Tetons, with pathway access.Parkwolf’s Grand Teton ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
