Backpacking in Grizzly Country …and Tales of Close Encounters

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3 Days of Backpacking, Hiking and Camping in Idaho’s Teton Valley.

For this late spring adventure, I decided to do my first backpacking trip in Grizzly Bear Country.  My chosen area was a corner of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest with the goal of solo camping on the banks of Upper Palisades lake, a remote alpine lake in southern Idaho situated at an elevation of 6,700 feet.

Located just 25 miles southwest of Wyoming’s famed Grand Teton National Park, this corner of Idaho offers some extra solitude, less red-tape, spectacular mountain views and plenty of wildlife, including a variety of waterfowl, moose, and yes – Grizzly Bears. With this in mind, I picked up a fresh can of bear spray, packed my ultralight backpack, and hit the trail for 3 days of adventure.

For sleep and shelter I packed in my trusty trekking pole tent, a three-season inflatable sleeping pad, and a 30 degree sleeping bag for the expected lows going down to just above freezing or so. While there was still plenty of snow pack at the elevations just above the lake, I decided to take my chances with some lightweight trail runners instead of boots.

Along the way I’ll tell you some tales of various grizzly bear encounters I’ve had in Tetons, the recent Teton bear attack that another gentleman was thankfully able to survive relatively unscathed, and some fun facts about moose and beavers too.  So grab your pack, let’s go!

Trailhead Used
Palisades Creek Trailhead
Irwin, Idaho 83428
43°23’53.5″N 111°12’44.8″W

Season / Time of Year
Late Spring – Last week of May

Trails Used Day 1

  • Lower Palisades Creek Trail
  • Upper Lake Trail
  • Setup Camp along Upper Palisades Lake

Day 1 Total Mileage: 8 miles
Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,682′
Day 1 Gross Descent 594′

Trails Used Day 2

  • Upper Lake Trail
  • Vacation Canyon Trail (out and back)
  • Upper Lake Bench Trail (horse trail)
  • Return to Camp along Upper Palisades Lake

Day 2 Total Mileage: 5 miles
Day 2 Gross Elevation Gain: 949′
Day 2 Gross Descent 949′

Trails Used Day 3

  • Upper Lake Trail
  • Lower Palisades Lake Trail
  • Return to the Upper Palisades Trailhead

Day 3 Total Mileage: 7 miles
Day 3 Gross Elevation Gain: 534′
Day 3 Gross Descent 1,617′

Trip Grand Total Mileage: 20 Miles
Trip Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 3,165′

Notable Backpacking Gear Used on this Trip