Hiking the Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes Trail via Lupine Meadows in Grand Teton National Park
Distance: 10.1 miles / 16.3 km
Elevation Gain: ~3,000 ft. / 914 m.
The Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes Trail in Grand Teton National Park is a beautiful but challenging day hike that few beginning from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead venture up to see.
By this, I mean that the Lupine Meadows Trail gains roughly 3,000 ft. (914 m) of elevation in just 5.0 miles (8.0 km), meaning there is essentially no break from the constant uphill climbing. On top of this, the vast majority of day hikers beginning from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead are there to either climb the Grand Teton or hike to Delta Lake.
This is why I believe that the Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes Trail is truly a Grand Teton hidden gem, as just a fraction of hikers choose to visit these beautiful neighboring alpine lakes compared to the other, more popular destinations.
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes Trailhead Parking
On account of the Delta Lake Trail beginning from the same Lupine Meadows Trailhead, Delta Lake’s popularity has inevitably made the Lupine Meadows Trailhead one of the most popular trailheads within Grand Teton.
Therefore, I recommend arriving early or parking near the trailhead can be extremely difficult during the busy summer season.
Google Maps Directions: Lupine Meadows Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yellowstone-Tetons
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Yellowstone-Teton area.
Bear Spray & Holster - If you aren’t flying, don’t rent bear spray! It’s a waste of money. Prepare ahead of time by buying your own, as this may be one of the most important items on this list.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes Trail
The Lupine Meadows Trail starts off on a relatively flat path for the first 0.5 miles (0.8 km) before it starts gaining elevation thereafter.
Remember to always hike with bear spray.
Our group and others saw multiple bears on just this one short day hike, which at one point separated us as a group when a bear on the switchbacks came between us.
I say this to say: take the hiking checklist above seriously!
Then, after the first 0.5 miles (0.8 km), the Lupine Meadows Trail will noticeably start gaining elevation, which will continue for the entire distance up to Amphitheater Lake.
At about 1.2 miles (1.9 km), the Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes Trail will start following a ridge before reaching the switchbacks on the Lupine Meadows Trail to come.
Valley Trail Junction
The Valley Trail is first junction that the Lupine Meadows Trail will come to, but to get to Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes, go right to start the switchbacks up the trail.
In my experience, I have never seen another hiker on the Lupine Meadows Trail that was there for the purpose of hiking the Valley Trail.
After the Valley Trail Junction, the Lupine Meadows Trail will climb a series of nineteen switchbacks before reaching a flatter portion of the trail just prior to Surprise Lake.
It was around this area of the switchbacks that we came across a brown bear roaming through the bushes.
This is not to say that you are likely to see them here, as I have seen them elsewhere on the Lupine Meadows Trail before.
Garnet Canyon Junction
Unlike the Valley Trail, Garnet Canyon is one of the more popular junctions on the Lupine Meadows Trail because of the climbs that you can get to, like the Middle and Grand Teton.
Continue straight on the Lupine Meadows Trail, and don’t treat the Garnet Canyon Junction like a switchback.
Delta Lake Junction
After six switchbacks up the trail from the Valley Junction, the Lupine Meadows Trail will pass by the Delta Lake Junction.
If you want to see more about what the rest of the hike looks like up to Delta Lake, I encourage you to check out my separate post below.
Read My Separate Post: Delta Lake Trail
In my experience, the traffic on the Lupine Meadows Trail dropped off significantly after the Delta Lake turnoff.
It’s fairly obvious that most hikers are on the trail for Delta Lake and not any other trail, like Garnet Canyon or Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes.
From what I noticed, the switchbacks up Lupine Meadows start off long but get shorter and shorter toward the top, which helps make all 19 switchbacks go by faster.
Eventually, the switchbacks stop, and the trail levels off for the remainder of the hike up to Surprise Lake.
I think it’s worth noting that the biting flies and mosquitoes were worse on this section than any other section of the hike, which is why I encourage you to hike with this cheap bug net.
You never know how bad they’ll be during your visit!
Surprise Lake
In my opinion, Surprise Lake was pretty, but it wasn’t nearly as nice as Amphitheater Lake just above.
This may have had something to do with the biting insects, which seemed to go away entirely by the time I hiked up to Amphitheater Lake.
From Surprise Lake, Amphitheater Lake is only 0.2 miles (0.3 km) up and around Surprise Lake on the right side.
Amphitheater Lake
I’ve swam in both Amphitheater and Delta Lake, and Amphitheater Lake was noticeably warmer compared to Delta, which sits right beneath the Teton Glacier.
That’s not to say that Amphitheater Lake is warm, but I encourage getting in for a quick swim because it makes you feel much cleaner and refreshed for the hike back down the switchbacks.
Additionally, Amphitheater Lake is not where the trail ends for the most adventurous type of person, as you can climb a bit further from the lake to get up to Disappointment Peak.
If you look up the left side of Amphitheater Lake, you will see the trail that continues up and around to get to Disappointment Peak.
Warning
Afternoon thunderstorms in high Mountain West areas, such as this, are a serious concern during the summer monsoon season.
Even if the weather forecast doesn’t predict any storms, I can tell you from personal experience that they may show up out of nowhere and can put you and your entire group in a very dangerous situation.
I say this to emphasize the importance of turning around at the first sign of lightning, thunder, or even heavy cloud buildup. However, if you ever get caught in a storm unsuspectingly, follow the steps linked below to reduce the risk of getting struck.
U.S. Forest Service: Lightning Safety Tips
How Bad are the Mosquitoes?
If this is your first trip to Wyoming, you’re likely unfamiliar with how bad the mosquitoes will be. Locals don’t joke when they call the mosquito the Wyoming state bird, which is why I recommend grabbing this cheap bug net before going. You never know where and when you may want it because even midday in the most unsuspecting places, the mosquitoes can be out in clouds!
More Grand Teton Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Grand Teton National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
From personal experience, I’ve seen that the Yellowstone-Teton area has one of the highest Grizzly Bear densities in the country. Even on the popular trails, you need to be hiking with bear spray and know how to react in the event of a Black or Grizzly Bear encounter.
Aside from wildlife, Wyoming, like any Mountain West state, is known for its violent afternoon thunderstorms, which are more typical in the warmer summer months than other times of the year.
That said, it’s important to check the local forecast before setting off on any adventure, as lightning strikes are not uncommon in and near mountain ranges across the West. I have personally been knocked to the ground by a strike that hit near me in the past, and I confidently say that it’s an experience you don’t want to live through. This is why I highly recommend checking Mountain Forecast for any high-elevation adventures you may be interested in—especially when climbing a summit.
Finally, know that when micro-spikes are necessary for an early-season adventure, micro-spikes are never supposed to be a substitute for conditions that require crampons.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park websites.
National Park Service: Grand Teton National Park / Yellowstone National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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