Summit Table Mountain

To climb Table Mountain you begin at the Teton Canyon Trailhead near Driggs, Idaho. The trailhead sits at about 6,800 feet elevation and from there you have two options to reach the 11,106 ft. peak -neither of which are technical, and both of which are dog-friendly.

The first option, named Huckleberry, is about 7 miles long and is considered easier as you build elevation slowly. You will see this trail almost immediately after pulling into the parking lot. The second option, named The Face, is only 4 miles long, but considered exceptionally difficult as it extremely steep and trail itself is mostly loose rock, making it easy to slide. This trail is at the far east side of the parking lot and is not immediately seen.

Keep in mind, that the signs at the trailhead will not name these different trails as such, and the main way to know the difference is the distances.

Many people will elect to climb up The Face and then make their way back along Huckleberry, effectively making it an 11 mile loop. However, the hike can be as short as 8 miles and as long as 14 depending on which route(s) you take. I can't speak from experience, but every person I have talked to has warned me to not take The Face coming down as all of the loose rock makes it extremely dangerous to hike downhill on. Also, between the two, Huckleberry is the considered the more scenic route. Some things to keep in mind while planning your route. We opted to take the Huckleberry route both ways because we wanted a hike with more mileage, and the little over 4000 ft. elevation gain was easier when spread out over 7 miles.

Almost immediately after you make your way above tree line, the trails will intersect for the last mile and half before the summit. As you make your way along the ridgeline leading up the summit you have amazing views, but the Grand Teton stays mostly out of sight. The last quarter mile is absolutely the most difficult with the most elevation gain, but when you finally scramble over the rocks on to the peak you are greeted with a spectacular view of the Grand immediately in front of you, Cascade Canyon to your left and Alaska Basin to your right.

Please keep in mind that during the summers, thunderstorms frequently occur here with lightning touching down all along the ridgeline leading up to the summit. As the final mile and half are above treeline and lack shelter, it is a wise decision to leave for this hike early in the morning so that you are off the mountain by the time the storms roll in.