The Teton Crest Trail is way overhyped for what you get

I finally hiked the Teton Crest Trail last August after hearing rave reviews for years, and honestly the crowds made it feel like a parade through the mountains. You can't go 15 minutes without running into another group, and half the campsites were completely packed by 3 PM. Am I the only one who thinks this route is more about the Instagram likes than the actual backpacking experience?

2 comments

2 Comments

seth_nguyen2d ago

Packed by 3 PM? That sounds more like a Walmart on Black Friday than a wilderness trail.

gavin9282d ago

Yeah, @seth_nguyen you're not wrong, that's basically what it felt like. I've learned the hard way that if you wanna actually find some peace on popular trails, you gotta start way earlier than 3 PM. Like, aim for 6 or 7 AM at the latest, or just pick a less crowded spot altogether. A lot of people don't realize that even the "wilderness" gets slammed on weekends once the afternoon hits. It's annoying but you just have to plan around it or you're gonna be sharing every switchback with a dozen other folks.