The Delta Lake Trail Project
Join us in safeguarding the natural beauty and accessibility of Delta Lake through sustainable trail management and community engagement.
The Delta LakeTrail: A Two-Phase Solution
Delta Lake, a turquoise alpine lake tucked beneath the east face of the Grand Teton, has become one of Grand Teton National Park’s most photographed destinations. A decade ago, it was a remote, trail-free backcountry objective visited by only a handful of experienced hikers. Today, fueled by social media and GPS apps, hundreds of hikers visit daily—causing severe erosion, vegetation loss, litter, and overcrowding.
To address the damage, The Teton Climbers’ Coalition, in partnership with the national climbing advocacy organization Access Fund, has proposed a two-phase rehabilitation of the unofficial “social trail” to Delta Lake.
The Proposal
Phase 1: Immediate Action
Phase 1, led by the The Teton Climbers’ Coalition (TCC) and Access Fund (AF) in conjunction with Grand Teton National Park-designated personnel, will create a rapid intervention to stabilize the existing social trail, reduce erosion, and consolidate traffic onto a single route.
Phase 2: Long-Term Strategy
Phase 2, led by GTNP, will leverage the groundwork of Phase 1 to assess next steps, including the complex considerations surrounding a fully designed, official trail to Delta Lake. All design, environmental compliance, and long-term management decisions will be determined by GTNP.
Community and Conservation
We will collaborate with local and national partners to engage our community in the project, fostering a culture of stewardship and responsibility among climbers, Park visitors and Teton County residents alike.
"Park to explore access options for Delta Lake"—excerpts from the Aug. 20, 2025 JHN&G article
Social trail that sometimes sees as many as 500 visitors per day needs TLC.
By Christina MacIntosh
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER
Grand Teton National Park will be working with the Teton Climbers’ Coalition and the Access Fund, a national climbing advocacy organization, to find strategies to prevent erosion on the (very) social trail to Delta Lake.
The partnership comes after the coalition raised concerns about the state of the trail and offered its services in finding a solution.
A site visit with the organizations is in the works, with potential solutions including clarifying the route to prevent a proliferation of social trails and mobilizing community volunteers to disseminate information about responsible recreation, said Chip Jenkins, superintendent of Grand Teton park.
The partnership with the climbers is an example of “active shared stewardship,” Jenkins said.
“The Climbers’ Coalition and no doubt other people in the community are raising their hands, raising their voices and saying, ‘Hey, we have questions and we have concerns about what’s happening here,’” Jenkins said….
The Delta Lake trail counter clocked 500 visitors per day this past Fourth of July weekend, Jenkins said. Data collected in 2024 indicates that 52% of the cars parked at the chronically busy Lupine Meadows Trailhead are hikers in search of Delta….
Christian Beckwith, founder and executive director of Teton Climbers’ Coalition, understands that the park is not pursuing a “full-blown rehabilitation of the trail,” but the Access Fund’s conservation team can help with “stopping the bleeding,” he said.
The aim of the project is to initiate a rapid intervention that consolidates the grading and erosion in place on the social trail, Beckwith said.
Jenkins previously worked with the Access Fund in the early 2010s, while superintendent at North Cascades National Park in Washington. The organization was “terrific” in helping the park rein in social trails from a parking lot to the Newhalem Crag, including mobilizing volunteers and disseminating information to climbers about responsible recreation.
“We’re all in on getting that help,” Jenkins said, adding that it aligns with the park’s interest in shared and community-based stewardship….
Delta Lake "Trail" Timeline
~2016–2017
Social Trail Emerges
- July 14, 2016: blogger Sonja Saxe publishes one of the earliest known blog posts detailing the “well-worn” social trail.
- September 9, 2017: Mountain Journal publishes Susan Cedarholm’s article, “Spying The Grand Teton From Delta Lake.” Locals still consider it off the beaten path.
2018
AllTrails Puts It On The Map
- 2018: the “trail” to Delta Lake first appears on the GPS app AllTrails.
- September 26, 2018: Jackson Hole News & Guide publishes article, “Emerald Teton Gem Is No Longer Hidden.”
2019–2020
The Delta Lake Boom
- Official Park trail counters begin showing dramatic spikes.
- August 13, 2020: Mountain Journal publishes article, “How Social Media And Bad Behavior Are Leaving Wild Places Trashed.”
- Article notes 43% of hikers entering the Garnet Canyon system have begun diverting to Delta Lake.
- In July 2020, roughly 245 people per day made the trek—an 88% increase over 2019 and a 220% increase from 2017.
Today
Ongoing Surge
- Since 2020, the route has been widely promoted across AllTrails, Instagram (e.g., this reel), blogs like Tiff’s Journey and Seeking Our Someday, and Reddit, where one user noted that “Every year since the AllTrails publication it has been increasingly loved to death.”
- Summer 2025: The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports visitation is reaching as much as 500 people per day, and that “Data collected in 2024 in- dicates that 52% of the cars parked at the chronically busy Lupine Meadows Trailhead are hikers in search of Delta.”
Proposal Details
The Teton Climbers' Coalition
The Teton Climbers’ Coalition is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that stewards, advocates and engages on behalf of Teton climbers. For the past three years, the TCC has worked with GTNP to replace suspect hardware at Blacktail Butte.
Access Fund
Access Fund is a national climbing advocacy and conservation organization, and a leader in sustainable trail building. Their Conservation Teams work with local climbing communities across the country to rehabilitate popular climbing areas and equip them with smart recreation infrastructure that minimizes impacts and protects natural and cultural resources. This technical trail building and conservation work is designed to set climbing areas up for long-term sustainable access that protects the environment.
Phase 1 Proposed Deliverables
Social Trail Consolidation:
- Identify and mark the single best alignment of the existing social trail using minimal-impact methods.
- Provide short-term stabilization of the social trail to prevent further erosion and damage to surrounding alpine vegetation and soils.
- Close and naturalize braided segments using deadfall, brush, and native soil/rock to encourage vegetation regrowth.
Estimated Budget: $15,000–$25,000
Includes AFCT crew costs, volunteer logistics, signage, and minimal tools.
Phase 2, led by Grand Teton National Park, would address the complex considerations surrounding a fully designed, official trail to Delta Lake, including defining the desired visitor experience.
What should people encounter when going to, visiting, and returning from Delta Lake? How could that experience be provided in a sustainable way? Framing the discussion correctly would guide decisions about trail design, management, and long-term stewardship—and our community’s input could help shape the conversation.
Let's Leave Future Generations A Park They Can Be Proud Of
Join us in preserving the natural beauty of Delta Lake.