After 28 hours in a car, we knew we had to hike around the Grand Tetons before going to our Airbnb. So, we searched for an easy hike to start our Teton adventure and found the Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loop.
The Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Loop is a popular hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA. It offers a scenic and relatively moderate hike that showcases the stunning natural beauty of the Teton Range.
I went on this hike two times while at the Grand Tetons. Once with Brandon on our first day and another day with my family, including four kids under nine and my mom, this hike did not get old!!
To get to the trailhead, we entered through Moose Entrance at the park’s south end. The Taggart Lake Trailhead is about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from the entrance on the left side of the road. And wow, are those two-and-a-half miles gorgeous driving by the mountains!!
The trailhead has a small parking lot and will get filled up. There is some side parking along the road for overflow parking. When we arrived on Saturday afternoon (on Memorial Day weekend), we were still able to find parking in the lot, which is hard to believe! When our family went on Tuesday, we had to park on the side of the road.
After we packed our snack bags and changed into our hiking shoes, we hit the trail. The loop is about 5 miles (8 kilometers), and it is a journey that takes you through various picturesque landscapes.
The loop’s first part is very wide and well-maintained. Taggart Lake is a popular trail, so there is plenty of room for many hikers. Within the first half mile of the course, you cross over Targgart Creek on a wooden bridge with gushing water. After crossing the bridge, you know it will be a great hike.
After crossing the bridge, you follow the creek up and ascend to a Y in the trail about 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) from the trailhead. To the left is Targgart Lake, and to the right is Bradley Lake.
The trail to Taggart Lake is much more trafficked and less rustic than the Bradley Lake trail. Many people hike out and back to Targgart Lake since it is the bigger of the two lakes. Part of the trail is like a service road before entering a tall pine forest.
After approximately .5 miles (.8 kilometers) from the Y (if you go left), you will reach Taggart Lake, a stunning alpine lake nestled in a serene mountain setting. Majestic peaks surround the lake, and its crystal-clear waters reflect the landscape, creating a postcard-worthy scene.
When Brandon and I went on our first day, we got a beautiful misty-looking mountain since it had been raining most of the afternoon. The weather was a blessing and a curse. The blessing was that we had this trail entirely to ourselves; the curse was that we were soaked by the end of the loop and did not get the perfect reflection pictures. Even in the rain, though, the scene was incredible. To be surrounded by towering mountains next to a beautiful lake was awe-inspiring.
On my second adventure on the hike, the skies were blue, and the people were out. You could still easily find a spot to be alone on the lake’s edge but do not expect to be alone on your favorite picture rock on a sunny day.
Once you hit Taggart Lake, you will see the trial to the right for Bradley Lake. As you continue on this trail, you will continue to ascend, and the crowds will become smaller and smaller. This trail is more rugged than the start of the adventure. The path becomes skinnier, and the beauty continues to intensify.
From Taggart Lake, the trail to Bradley Lake is about 1.4 miles (2.3 kilometers) away. You will encounter a mix of open meadows, forests, and occasional rocky sections. Although smaller than Taggart Lake, Bradley Lake is equally scenic, offering tranquil waters and remarkable views of the surrounding mountains.
We noticed that if you stop where the intersection to the trailhead is, you will not get a great view of the lake. But if you continue on the Bradley Lake trail towards Amphitheater Lake for about .3 miles (.5 Kilometers), you will come across a beautiful lookout and bridge.
Brandon and I did not know about this bridge the first day we went, and boy, did we miss out!! Luckily I got to go round two.
On the second round of the hike, our family enjoyed our time soaking in the mountain views and taking way too many pictures of the mountains. This .3-mile detour is a must-stop!!
Once we had our fill, we returned to the trail intersection that led us back to our cars about 2.1 miles (3.4 Kilometers) away.
This trail was one of my favorites that we did in the Tetons. It was a great first hike to start our journey and a very manageable hike for people of all levels. We took four kids under nine and my mom of 60, and they all did great. The kids seemed slightly over it by the end, but they completed it!
If you are looking for a fun, beautiful, moderate hike, this is the one for you!!
