The Teton Crest Trail takes you through the high country of Grand Teton National Park/Patrick Cone

Though not a long long-distance trail (only about 40 miles), this route through the high country of Grand Teton National Park draws top ratings for its natural beauty.

“The holy grail for hard-core backpackers,” writes Andrew Dean Nostrum in Top Trails: Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks.

Plan your trip well, though, to get the most out of this trek, as this route typically is passable only from the post-snowmelt of mid-July through mid-September, when the snows begin to fall again. You can crash through end-to-end in four days, or savor the scenery over six relaxed days.

In July you’ll ramble through meadows brimming with yellow Glacier lilies, red riots of Indian paintbrush, and nodding yellow balsalmroot. All the while, granite crags rise overhead and claw the sky. Pocket lakes perfectly reflect the Tetons on calm days and bear, moose, and elk might just appear around any bend in the trail.

“It’s step for step one of the most gorgeous mountain walks in America, a true classic offering all the elements of an unforgettable adventure: views of the incomparable skyline of the Tetons and deep, wide, glacier-scoured canyons flanked by enormous cliffs; wonderful campsites, wildflowers, mountain lakes and creeks; and a good chance of seeing moose, elk, marmots, pika, mule deer, and black bears,” writes Michael Lanza on The Big Outside blog.

Helpful books: Top Trails, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, by Andrew Nystrom