Granite Creek Backpack
Jackson, WY
5.0 (5 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Pristine River Valleys
- Amazing BIG Mountain Views
- Abundant Wildlife Habitat
- Refreshing Granite Hot Springs
- Day Hike to Alpine Ridge
- Mountain Solitude
- Pristine Campsites
Description
If you’re looking to pack a lot of fun into a short backpacking trip outside Jackson Hole, this one is a great choice! This 3-day trek features an amazing amount of hiking, scenery, and diversity. It is a fantastic early summer trip (July) and a fantastic one for wildflowers and wildlife. There is an abundance of deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, fox, wolves, bears, birds of prey and other wildlife in these mountains!
Originating a short 1-hour drive from Jackson, this trip takes us up pristine Granite Creek, where we’ll enjoy constant views of the high country towering above us. We’ll camp in the same camp both nights, where Granite Creek is just a stone’s throw away. On day 2, conditions permitting, we’ll hike to the crest of an alpine ridge for incredible views of Pyramid Peak (11,170 feet) and hike along one of the most beautiful ridges in the Gros Ventre mountain range. Our final day takes us back down Granite Creek, where we’ll cap off the trip with a soak in rustic Granite Hot Springs (a developed hot springs facility).
$1150 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
The hike up to our campsite is a moderate 6 miles and 1400ft of elevation gain. The scramble up to Pyramid Ridge can be steep and difficult, but very adventurous and with just light day packs.
Hiking Distances:
6-10 mi
Backpack Weight:
25-35 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1950 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 25-35 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Hiking uphill off trail with a 8-12 lb backpack for 6-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
- Hiking with moderate heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 5
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Jackson Hole backpacking trip a solitude 5. You can expect to see one or two other groups of hikers per day.
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson has an airport served by United, Delta, and American Airlines. A Black Car Service (307-413-2572) provides private airport shuttles (advance reservations are recommended.)
You can also fly into:
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; can meet your guide in Driggs, ID instead of Jackson; requires a car rental
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (800-356-9796 or 208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 60 minutes
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 950 feet
This Jackson Hole backpacking trip begins with a pick-up at your hotel (in Jackson Hole) and transport to the trailhead. Our hike takes us along Granite Creek, a fantastically majestic river flowing out of the Gros Ventre Mountain Range. We’ll hike upstream along Granite Creek, which takes us in and out of forests and through wildflower-laden meadows. This valley has a large moose population so we’ll keep our eyes peeled, and we’ll also watch out for deer, elk, mountain goats, bears, bighorn sheep, a variety of raptors and wolves.
We’ll set up camp at the edge of a meadow overlooking Granite Creek, and this will become our home for two nights. Once camp is arranged you’ll have time to enjoy the immediate area by strolling through the meadows, snapping pictures of wildflowers, fishing, spotting for wildlife, or just relaxing. This evening we’ll get a roaring campfire going and wolf down a hearty backcountry dinner as the fading light of the late, northern sunset dies out over the western horizon. What a place to be alive!
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 3000 feet
Today is one for the photo albums! We’ll get up early, have a quick breakfast and set out to take advantage of the daylight. Today’s hike takes us off-trail to a high ridge for amazing views of Pyramid Peak (11,170 feet). The hike is steep and rugged but only requires carrying a day pack. Once at the top of the ridge, we’ll soak up the views before hiking northwest along an alpine ridge. We’ll be able to see all the way to the Tetons and beyond as we traverse this high ridge. Eventually we’ll head back to camp, completing a grand day of hiking. We’ll commemorate our hike with another big dinner and roaring campfire, before retiring for some much-deserved sleep.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Loss: 950 feet
- Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 60 minutes
We’ll enjoy a big breakfast and leisurely morning before breaking camp. Our hike takes us back down Granite Creek to our starting point. Once back at the trailhead, you’ll have the choice to enjoy soak in Granite Hot Springs, which is a developed hot spring pool in one of the most beautiful settings you can imagine, while the guide gets the gear loaded. After your soak, we’ll shuttle back to Jackson Hole for the conclusion of our journey.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson, Wyoming to the trailhead and back
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
- A Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and dependents to a discount of 10% off any Wildland hiking trip after your first one (must book directly with us to receive the discount)!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and that of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather Around Yellowstone
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
In the Action
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Jim B
Highly recommend this trip.
Granite Creek trip was excellent. Beautiful scenery, and we got to see Moose, Pikas, Prairie Dogs, Bald Eagle, and dozens of birds. Highly recommend this trip, and also Wildland Trekking!
Lauren L.
Terrific Guide
Wow Grace is just terrific, a great sport who clearly lives the life. I'm thrilled to have met her.
Tracy S.
Excellent Trip
Excellent trip and our guide Grace was amazing. Loved the food and beautiful scenery.
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