Hiking Devil’s Staircase in Teton Canyon, Wyoming

We were supposed to be taking it easy.

After five days on horseback in the Teton Wilderness and hiking Darby Canyon Wind Cave the day before, our legs were ready for something a little less ambitious. We still wanted to explore the west side of the Tetons, though, and another hiker had recommended the trail through Teton Canyon.

Our plan was simple. Hike three or four miles, enjoy the scenery, and turn around.

For the first few miles, that’s exactly what we found. The trail followed the canyon through open, rolling terrain filled with wildflowers and mountain views. Then we reached a split in the trail and saw the route climbing Devil’s Stairway.

So much for the easy day.

We headed up.

The climb was steep, rocky, and exposed to the afternoon sun, but at the top we found some of the best views of the day. We ate lunch overlooking the canyon before heading back down, finishing with 7.8 miles and 1,611 feet of elevation gain.

It wasn’t quite the easy hike we’d planned. It was better.

Should You Add Devil’s Staircase to Your Teton Canyon Hike?

If you have the energy for a steep climb, yes. The lower Teton Canyon trail is beautiful on its own, but climbing Devil’s Staircase completely changes the experience. The trail becomes much steeper and rockier, but the views from the top were the highlight of our hike.

If you’re looking for an easier day, there’s nothing wrong with skipping it. The first few miles through Teton Canyon offer wildflowers, mountain views, and a pleasant walk along the creek without the difficult climb.

Getting to the Teton Canyon Trailhead

Devil’s Staircase begins from the Teton Canyon Trailhead on the west side of the Teton Range near Alta, Wyoming. Although the trailhead is in Wyoming, you reach it from the Idaho side of the mountains.

From Driggs, Idaho, we headed east toward Alta and turned onto Teton Canyon Road. As we drove farther into the canyon, the road changed from pavement to gravel.

We were driving Alice, our Winnebago ERA camper van, and weren’t sure how rough the gravel road might become. Rather than find out late in the day, we stopped at Reunion Flat Campground, the first developed National Forest campground we came to.

Reunion Flat is primarily designed for group camping, but it also has four individual campsites. We grabbed one of those and spent the night along Teton Creek.

At about 8:00 the next morning, we decided to continue toward the trailhead. The gravel road had some potholes and washboard sections, but overall we found it well maintained. Alice handled it without any trouble, and we drove all the way to the Teton Canyon Trailhead.

There is another developed campground, Teton Canyon Campground, farther up the road and closer to the trailhead.

For anyone traveling in a camper van or similar RV, we wouldn’t hesitate to drive the road again under conditions like we experienced. Four-wheel drive or high clearance wasn’t necessary for us.

An Easy Walk Through Teton Canyon

The first few miles of the hike were exactly what we had been looking for that morning. The trail climbed gradually through Teton Canyon, but nothing felt particularly difficult.

Much of the trail was open, almost like walking through a rolling mountain meadow. Teton Creek followed the canyon beside us, while the surrounding mountains provided increasingly better views as we worked our way deeper into the Tetons.

Wildflowers were still plentiful in mid-August. After seeing so many during our Teton Wilderness trip, we were surprised by how much color remained here as well.

For nearly three miles, the hiking was relatively easy. We could enjoy the scenery without thinking much about the trail itself. If we had followed our original plan, we could have simply walked another half mile or so, turned around, and called it a very pleasant morning.

Then we reached the junction for Devil’s Staircase.

We had come here looking for an easy day. Standing at the junction, we changed our minds.

How bad could it be?

Climbing Devil’s Staircase

Pretty bad, as it turned out.

The easy walk through Teton Canyon ended quickly once we turned onto Devil’s Staircase. The trail began climbing almost immediately and became much steeper as we worked our way up the side of the canyon.

Most of the climb was exposed to the sun, with little shade along the way. The trail was a mixture of dirt, loose rock, and larger rocks that required us to watch our footing. Several switchbacks helped with the grade, but there was no getting around the fact that we were gaining elevation quickly.

Our hiking stats told the story later. Mile four alone included 886 feet of elevation gain. So much for the easy day we had planned.

Near the top, the trail changed again. For the final hundred yards or so, natural rock ledges formed what looked almost like a staircase. They didn’t appear to have been placed there. The rocks simply created a surprisingly convenient series of steps toward the top.

Maybe the Devil did it.

Whatever the explanation, those final rock steps led us to the top and the reason we were glad we’d made the climb: the views.

Agreed. We have enough trail description. I’d make this the final experience section, then move quickly into the decision section, a short FAQ, and conclusion.

The Views From the Top

Reaching the top made the climb worthwhile.

The views opened across Teton Canyon, with the mountains rising around us and the trail we had followed stretching through the valley below. After spending most of the climb watching our footing, it felt good to finally stop and take everything in.

We found a spot with a view and pulled out our lunch. There was no reason to keep pushing farther. Hurricane Pass had never been our goal, and we had already turned our easy morning hike into something much more challenging than planned.

So we sat there for a while, ate lunch, and enjoyed the payoff.

Eventually, we headed back down Devil’s Staircase and retraced our route through Teton Canyon. By the time we returned to the trailhead, we had hiked 7.79 miles with 1,611 feet of elevation gain.

Not exactly the easy day we had planned.

But we wouldn’t have changed it.

Should You Add Devil’s Staircase to Your Teton Canyon Hike?

If you have the energy for a steep climb, we think so.

The first few miles through Teton Canyon are beautiful on their own. The trail is relatively easy, with wildflowers, Teton Creek, and mountain views along the way. You could hike several miles into the canyon, turn around, and still have a very enjoyable day.

Devil’s Staircase changes the hike. The climb is steep, rocky, and exposed, with nearly 900 feet of elevation gain during our fourth mile. It takes considerably more effort than the trail through the lower canyon.

For us, the views from the top made that extra effort worthwhile. We had started the morning looking for an easy hike and had no intention of going to Hurricane Pass. Adding Devil’s Staircase gave us just enough challenge, along with a beautiful place to eat lunch before heading back down.

If we hiked Teton Canyon again, we’d make the same choice.

Devil’s Staircase FAQ

How hard is the Devil’s Staircase hike?

The first 2.5 to 3 miles through Teton Canyon are relatively easy, with gradual elevation gain. Devil’s Staircase changes that quickly. The climb is steep, rocky, and mostly exposed to the sun. Our fourth mile included about 886 feet of elevation gain.

Can you hike Teton Canyon without climbing Devil’s Staircase?

Absolutely. In fact, that was our original plan. The lower trail through Teton Canyon is scenic on its own, with wildflowers, Teton Creek, and mountain views. Simply choose a turnaround point that works for you and retrace your route to the trailhead.

Where is Devil’s Staircase?

Devil’s Staircase is reached from Teton Canyon on the west side of the Teton Range near Alta, Wyoming. Although the trail is in Wyoming, vehicle access is from the Idaho side through Driggs and Alta.

Do you need four-wheel drive to reach the Teton Canyon Trailhead?

We didn’t. Teton Canyon Road had some potholes and washboard sections when we drove it, but we found the gravel road well maintained. We had no trouble taking our Winnebago ERA camper van, Alice, all the way to the trailhead. Road conditions can change, especially after storms, so conditions may be different when you visit.

A Hike We Hadn’t Planned to Do

Sometimes changing the plan turns out to be the best part of the day.

We came to Teton Canyon looking for an easy hike after five days on horseback in the Teton Wilderness and our hike into Darby Canyon Wind Cave the previous day. We certainly weren’t looking for another steep climb.

Then we saw the sign for Devil’s Staircase.

A few hours later, we were eating lunch above Teton Canyon with a view that made us glad we’d ignored our tired legs for a little while longer.

Devil’s Staircase wasn’t the hike we planned that morning. It was simply a decision we made at a trail junction.

Sometimes those are the hikes we remember most.

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Where Would You Turn Around?

If you were standing at that trail junction after nearly three easy miles, would you keep the easy day going or turn uphill toward Devil’s Staircase?

Tell us which way you’d go in the comments. And if you’re planning a trip to the west side of the Tetons, save this hike along with our Darby Canyon Wind Cave hike. Together, they made two very different days of exploring this quieter side of the Teton Range.