“The Grand (Mis)Adventure” is a blog series chronicling my fourteen-day-turned-seven-day adventure in July 2025 through the rugged, awe-inspiring northwestern corner of Wyoming. From hiking and backpacking along the Continental Divide to paddle boarding on alpine lakes and camping under the stars, I’ll be sharing the highs, challenges, and misadventures from my summer vacation that didn’t go quite as planned.
July 15, 2025
A win! I woke up feeling refreshed after going to sleep very wiped out and questioning if I could make the long, uphill hike I had planned… which was all a thing because of my “Greatest 100 Hikes of the National Parks” scratch off poster. Today’s big adventure was the 10.5 mile jaunt up to two of Grand Teton National Park’s alpine lakes, Surprise and Amphitheater. The original plan was to also include Delta Lake, but the thick crowds heading to this overly Instagrammed place had me sticking to the two higher lakes.
Jenny Lake Campground proved to be the perfect starting point, as it was a short ten-minute drive to the Lupine Meadows Trailhead. This is a very popular trailhead, and will easily fill during the summer as popular hikes, not limited to the lakes I was aiming for, leave from here – Bradley and Taggert Lakes, Garnet Canyon, and certainly not least, Grand Teton and Middle Teton (and numerous other alpine objectives). Luckily a pre-7am arrival on a Tuesday paid off, and I was able to get a spot in the main parking area (there are numerous overflow spots all down the road).
After a trailhead breakfast and coffee like the previous day, shoes hit the trail at 7:25am, both to beat the heat and afternoon thunderstorms of the Rocky Mountain’s monsoon season. The first half-mile of the hike is flat.. then bam! Time to climb all the way until Surprise Lake!
Two confessions before I get too far into this blog post:
- I did not take many photos during my hike. Normally I try to make sure to take a lot, including of trail junction signs. It simply did not happen.
- The original plan was to go to Delta Lake, and then if feeling okay, head up to Amphitheater Lake. I drank the Instagram juice. However, I miscounted the switchbacks to the Delta Lake trail junction on the map (which is unmarked… Delta Lake was never intended to be a popular destination), and ended up hiking up eight switchbacks, and realizing the junction was on the sixth switchback. Straight to Amphitheater Lake I headed! Delta Lake will have to wait for another time, with that time not being the middle of July as the crowds heading there were way too big for me.
The hike to Amphitheater Lake is no joke, though many switchbacks help lessen the grade. Most of the trail is also exposed to the sun, which makes everything seem that much worse. During a snack break, a climber coming off the Garnet Canyon Trail offered me $20 to carry his rope back to the trailhead… if I was heading back to the trailhead, I might’ve taken him up on his offer!
I suppose I have another confession: BEAR! I finally had my first bear encounter whilst hiking!!
At first I thought it was a trail runner above on the trail above, then I realized trail runners don’t typically grunt like a bear going to town on a ton of moths in a tree. I fully admit, I was pretty startled, and in my shocked state for some reason I fumbled around undoing my hip belt and trying to slide my bear spray holster off the hip belt… instead of just taking the bear spray out of the holster *facepalm* Luckily the little bear (I think it was a black bear, but it was, somewhat worrying, small and cub-like) was wayyyyyy too busy doing their bear business with the tree and moths, and paid no attention.
I put my bear spray holster back on my hip belt, and backed away, and continued up the trail, stopping to warn some descending hikers. I never did see a mama bear, so not sure if it was really cub or I’m just bad at knowing the size of black bears. Either way, I was not going to stick around.
The switchback above the bear was the eighth switchback, which I had been counting down to in a combination of German and Icelandic. Upon realizing we should have been looking for the sixth switchback, and I announced, “Dammit, the sex switchback got us!” which received of a reply of “Sex switchback… because we got screwed!” Comic relief for missing Delta Lake! (Sex = six in Icelandic.)
The trail continues switchbacking up the hillside for about one more mile before flattening out and arriving at Surprise Lake. At 9,540 feet, Surprise Lake is just as stunning as the main destination. Three backcountry campsites are located near Surprise Lake, which I would love to stay at one day (though hauling the gear up the climb not so much)!
A short quarter-mile later, I arrived at Amphitheater Lake at 9,698 feet. This beautiful alpine lake sits beneath Disappointment Peak and Grand Teton. Though the mosquitos descended, it was a great stop for the turkey and Swiss sandwich I had packed. A few other parties dotted the shore, but it was overall still peaceful and not crowded. I did not take many photos, as I was too busy just soaking it all in.
Since this was an out-and-back hike, all there was left to do was descend all the way back to the car. The heat increased, along with the crowds. I chatted up a few climbers heading up to the saddle that is a launching point of Grand Teton attempts (jealous!), but otherwise try to make quick work.
I arrived back to a completely full trailhead, with cars continuing down to the overflow spots. By now dark, ominous storm clouds had settled over the Tetons. I cleaned up quickly with some body wipes and quickly changed my shirt. I picked up my coffee mug from breakfast, and got a mouthful of coffee grounds instead of the desired semi-warm leftover coffee. Ugh.
Hike statistics:
- AllTrails link for Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes
- 10.65 miles (Garmin Enduro 3 smartwatch)
- 3,064 feet of elevation gain
- 5 hours 51 minutes total
Time to head north, with a quick stop at Colter Bay Visitor Center! Yellowstone, here I come!
After a smooth drive down the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (a National Park Service of its own!), I joined a short line at the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Ima drive into a volcano! The crowds at the entrance sign had me bracing for what was to come, which was July crowds (I’ve only visited in the fall months previously). But here I was, arriving at one of my favorite spots in the whole world! Sadly I would not be able to stop at some of my habitual spots, like Moose Falls (but I’d catch it on my way home!).
After hiding out in the Grant Village General Store from a monsoon season afternoon downpour (mid-July is the thick of monsoon season in the Rocky Mountains, and dramatic afternoon thunderstorms are the norm), I checked into the Grant Village Campground. I had stayed here previously in 2021 in a beautiful, quiet tent site. Unfortunately I was not as lucky this time, receiving a fairly bland campsite underneath power lines that was very close to the neighboring sites. Probably a harbinger of the misadventure to come, looking back…
The Adventuring Heidi 
We had some bear encounters in Grand Teton National Park too. But a bear encounter while hiking is a bit scary. The black bears are not as scary and possible to fight if needed. The Grizzly bear, well if you have a fight with one you are toast.
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Moose are the scariest animals to run into I think… especially a mom with calfs. Bears are actually down my list a little ways of “scary animals to see on the trail.” I think if I had to rank them it would be deranged humans, moose, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and then bears… ha!
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I can understand that a mountain lion and a deranged human can be scarier than a bear, but I am surprised about the moose. I’ve come across many moose and they typically run away. Once when I was a kid I walked right into two moose (or is it meese) that were standing behind some tall bushes. It was only, maybe 15-20 feet. I ran and they ran, but the opposite way.
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Bear encounters while hiking are always scary. I’m glad this one was uneventful. Absolutely gorgeous lakes! Adding these two to my list for next time.
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