Grand Tetons National Park is, next to Yellowstone, probably one of the most iconic parks in the US. So naturally, we had to check it out while we were in the area. Two Ocean Lake Loop to Grand View Point was a hike that we did not initially plan to do. To be honest, we did not pre-plan anything for Grand Tetons National Park. This turned into our longest day of hiking, at 8.7 miles with 1200 ft of elevation gain per AllTrails. We tracked the full hike closer to 9.5 miles with my Garmin InReach.
Two Ocean Lake Loop
So a quick “how this hike got on the itinerary” story. While researching Grand Tetons National Park the night before this hike, we saw that one of the best views of the Tetons was from Grand View Point. Aptly named. There is a shorter trail straight to the point, however we wanted to do something a bit longer and less popular. Enter Two Oceans Lake Loop, which connects with a trail on the back side of Grand View Point. The best of both worlds.
The first thing we noticed right at the trail head was signage that a momma bear and her cubs were seen the week prior on the trail. Cool, but also not cool. Bear Spray accessible, we took off down the trail in a counterclockwise direction. The wildflower fields were spectacular on the the north side of the lake. This section of the hike is also incredibly exposed, which is why we opted to do the north side of the lake in the morning. There were plenty of signs of recent bear activity, and we were absolutely talking loudly the whole time. While some people dream of seeing a grizzly, it was not my dream to come across and momma bear and her cubs while hiking.
The trail split on the west side of the lake to continue the loop or detour up to Grand View Point. Obviously, we detoured and climbed the 1200 ft to the viewpoint. It was a grind to get up to the top, but the views were spectacular. On the way back down to the lake and grouse jumped out of the bushed and almost gave me a heart attack.
The south side of the loop around Two Ocean Lake was much more forested, perfect for the afternoon section of the hike. There were some smaller meadows with just as many flowers as on the north side of the lake. By the time we got back to the trail head and the truck we were pretty tired. But the hike was by far one of my favorites of the trip. We scarfed down lunch and headed back to the RV for a chill evening.
Before you go
Two Ocean Lake is not a hike to do unprepared. Having enough water, bear deterrent, snacks, and more is a must if you plan to complete the entire loop with the addition of Grand View Point. The trail head is down an unpaved road. While 4WD is not necessary, it is definitely a bumpy ride. The trail parking is minimal, and the bugs where aggressive. The trail head does have a vault toilet, a few picnic tables, and a boat launch. Be sure to check the NPS website for boating regulations in Grand Tetons National Park.
Unlike its neighbor to the north, Grand Tetons National Park is a bit smaller, but definitely still just as mighty. Its runs the length of the Teton mountain range and has much more rugged and steep hiking terrain. This also allowed us to find some more secluded hiking than we found in Yellowstone.
Like most national parks, Grand Tetons National Park is not very dog friendly. Rightfully so with all the wildlife. My pup Winter sat out on this adventure. The park fees are standard, and they do honor the national parks pass if you have one, which of course we did.
But wait – there is more
There is so much more to Grand Tetons National Park than what is featured in this blog post. Check out the National Parks Page on the website to see all the other adventures we had over our 10 days visit. These adventures include:
- Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
- Two Oceans Lake
- Grand View Point
- Hiking Taggert and Bradley Lake Loop
PLUS on this trip we spent time in Yellowstone National Park hiking and exploring.
- Geyser Basins of Yellowstone
- Artists Point – Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
- Hiking to Ribbon Lake
- Boating on Lake Yellowstone
- Hiking to Natural Bridge
- Driving All of Yellowstone in 1 Day + All the fun roadside viewpoints and stops
- Hiking Cascade Creek Falls
Yep, I agree, a super “grind to the top” of grand view point, but the awesome views for our snack break was icing on the trail mix 😉 That was a GREAT hike and happy to be pictured on the blog. The wildflower meadows were amazing too…. kept us busy talking away the bears!
Great post Emily!
100% agreed! This was one of my favorites and an easy one if you want to shorten or make less strenuous as well.