Few mountain ranges announce themselves as boldly as the Tetons. With no foothills to ease the transition, the jagged peaks erupt straight from the flat floor of Jackson Hole, rising more than a mile above the valley in a wall of granite and snow.

That drama makes for extraordinary hiking. Trails climb from sagebrush flats into forests, past shimmering lakes, and up into alpine cirques where the high peaks loom close enough to touch. A hike to Delta or Amphitheater Lake rewards effort with scenery that ranks among the finest in the national park system.

The range demands respect. Weather changes fast at altitude, afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and the same terrain that thrills hikers can turn dangerous quickly. Rangers urge visitors to start early, carry layers, and know their limits.

Wildlife adds to the experience and the caution. Moose browse the willows, marmots whistle from the rocks, and both black and grizzly bears roam the backcountry, so hikers carry bear spray and make noise on the trail. For those willing to earn the views on foot, the Tetons offer a rare combination of accessibility and grandeur, world-class peaks reachable on a day's walk from the valley below.