Knowing When to Turn Back: Taggart Lake, Grand Teton National Park-2021

Taggart Trailhead

It was a beautiful day in Grant Teton, and I was itching for a good hike since my last hike was cut short, and someone recommended that I hike the Taggart/ Bradley Lake area because it provides some spectacular views of Grant Teton.

This hike is an easy-moderate trail with aspens lined up on each side of you as you get closer to the small bridge above Taggart Creek. After a while, you wind up in aspen-covered moraine. Soon, the trail opens up to views of the Tetons.

Taggart Lake Loop is 3.8 miles round trip. You can make this hike longer by adding Bradley Lake Loop, which is 6 miles.

Within the first ten minutes, I ran into a couple of Mule Deer. This was around eight o’clock, and it was the first time I had ever seen them. This should have been a sign I would see the deers again at Bryce National Park.

Hiking Goal that I No Longer Remember  

I wanted to hike Taggart Lake and Bradley, too, I believe. I just can’t remember why I stopped to ask for directions. Maybe I was looking for Bradley and didn’t realize I was already there, but for whatever reason, I saw these two girls on the trail and asked for advice on how to get to Bradley Lake. They showed me a map and sent me on my way….

Lost in the Woods

I continued on, and within 5 minutes, I knew I wasn’t going the right way, but I kept going anyway. The trail was stunning, the sun was shining, and it was a perfect day for an adventure, so why not go on? Part of this trail was covered in snow. The snow wasn’t that deep since it was packed down pretty well, but some spots seemed a little sketchy since the sun was out and it was starting to get slippery.

I saw Taggart and Bradley Lake at a higher elevation during this hiking adventure. I didn’t know it then, but I was on a new trail called Garnet Canyon. This is where I hiked some crazy switchbacks and started to feel the altitude.  

Tip #1

Go slow, especially on the switchbacks, take breaks, drink water, and pace myself.

Everyone is different when they feel altitude sickness. My head starts to feel pressure, and I enter a daze. It always happens to me when I first ski in Colorado, and then it goes away. The best thing to do for me is to go slow, especially on the switchbacks, take breaks, drink water, and pace myself.

iPhone Trick!

I just found this iPhone trick while writing about my adventures. When I was going through my pictures for each blog, I saw this “I” button and clicked on it.

Tip # 2

It gave excellent information about where that photo was taken and if I was on a trail or near a town, and it even showed me where I was on a map.

It gave excellent information about where that photo was taken and if I was on a trail or near a town, and it even showed me where I was on a map. Now, I’m sure some people may not like this hack. But I found it helpful, especially when trying to figure out when one trail ends and another one starts. Hence, this is how I found out I was on the Garnet Canyon Trail. I hope this helps you!

Tag on the switchbacks

I kept playing tag with three hiking groups while wandering the switchbacks. One group was on my way to Delta Lake, one was going to Surprise and Amphitheater Lake, and the other didn’t remember where they were going. But all three groups came from the Lupine Meadows Trail Head, the most direct trail to the three lakes mentioned above.

As I walked, I saw signs for Surprise and Amphitheater Lake, but not Delta Lake. The group informed me that this lake wasn’t an official park hike and was an unmaintained trail, which means that the National Park Service does not clear it. That means people are hiking through areas that aren’t supposed to be hiked. This lake became popular because of Instagram, and since then, it has become one of the most popular lakes to hike.

Afterward, I looked up Delta Lake. It was stunning, with the mountains surrounding the milky blue lake. I would totally hike up there, but as of now, I would not. That’s because I respect the National Park Service, and if they do not maintain a trail, then you are ruining that area.

Turn Back

While playing tag with one of the hiking groups, I became friends with a woman on the switchbacks. This section of the switchback differed from the other section I hiked because it was entirely covered with snow. I couldn’t walk around the snow patch since it filled the whole trail and a cliff to my right. I needed my snow spikes for this section, which I didn’t bring.

We debated if we should go on since we were about a mile away from Surprise Lake. At this moment, I thought, “I made it this far. I might as well go see a pretty lake!”

Tip # 3

It was getting too sketchy to hike, know when to turn back 

We resumed hiking again but then stopped. It was getting too sketchy to hike, at least for me. When I sat down again, I saw these teens wearing white Nike sneakers, crop tops, and no water trying to hike through the snow we had been hiking in.

Meanwhile, we both had good hiking boots, gear, and a day pack. I tried again to hike, and at one point, I looked over the edge and said to this lady,” Yeah, I don’t want a SAR to come and get me off this side of the mountain.” SAR stands for Search and Rescue. We both decided to turn back.

Wandering Back

We hiked together until she cut off and headed to Lupine Meadows Trail while I returned to Taggart. Returning down felt like a breeze since I lost the 2,000-plus foot elevation I had gained earlier. 

When I got closer to Bradley Lake, I ran into a group of guys looking at an animal and trying to figure out what it was. I approached them and chatted with them, telling them it was a Marmot. I thought this was a quick and innocent conversation, but a week and a half later, they came to my rescue in Zion National Park. You never know what life has in store for you when you come across people!

After chatting with them, I saw the couple trying to get to Delta Lake. They hiked back on Lupine Meadows Trail and came to the Taggart Trail Head. We talked for a few minutes, and they told me they didn’t make it to the lake because the snow made it too sketchy. They even had good hiking gear and poles and knew when to turn back. I wondered if those teens turned around or if they made it.

Hiking Lessons

That day I did closer to 10-12 miles than the 6 miles I planned.

When hiking this trail, really any trail, you ALWAYS want to start early. When I was almost back to my car, I noticed the parking lot was full, and many people were entering the trail. I would also suggest hiking Surprise Lake from Lupine Meadows Trail instead of doing what I did. Now, you can do it how I went, but I think if you really want to focus on seeing Surprise, then you don’t want to do Taggart and Bradley and do what the couple did above instead. Drive to this trailhead and enjoy the two lakes

I would also recommend the right hiking gear and NOT hike in Nikes, and they will not give you any support on the trail. I will do a Tips an Trick regarding more general hiking lessons later on.