A Hike Around Jenny Lake

Last week, we decided to go for a little hike around Jenny Lake. Afterall, we live in this paradise called Jackson Hole and might as well take advantage of it. Furthermore, Jenny Lake has everything you want in a Grand Teton National Park hike…water, views, and varied terrain.hike on jenny lake

As a local, we know that Jenny Lake is a popular tourist destination in Grand Teton National Park and decided to get up there before 9AM. As suspected, we beat the rush and found plenty of parking near the Visitor’s center. We were quickly able to navigate through the temporary construction and find our way to the relatively flat trail around the lake.

About a 1/2 mile in, the boat launch for non-motorized personal boats can be found. We quickly set a reminder to bring our paddleboard up there and carried on. Shortly after, we took a detour to Moose Ponds and were rewarded with a beautiful female moose casually munching on some underwater plants.

Since the trail around the lake is currently under renovation, we were directed up the horse trail that leads you to Hidden Falls. I must admit I broke a bit of a sweat. At the peak of the horse trail, there are hillsides of huckleberry plants which completely explains why we’ve seen bear in this area. Lucky (or unlucky) for us, no bear that day!

After a short break and photo-opp at Hidden Falls, we carried on past the boat dock, the unmarked trail towards Hanging Canyon and the remains of the Alder Fire of 1999. This portion of the hike is a bit exposed with very little tree coverage. Despite a quick flower photo shop, we quickly marched through this area to avoid the heat. At this point, the trail takes you towards String Lake and the String Lake Outlet. We found a great little pool where the stream pauses on its way to Jenny Lake and made a note to go swimming there next time.

As we crossed the bridge of the String Lake stream, we found a great spot to take off our shoes and cool down a bit. After that, you continue on for about 2 miles in the forest with breathtaking views of the Tetons.

hike around jenny lakeWe figured the hike to be about 8.4 miles overall and well worth the trip! A hike around Jenny Lake is absolutely perfect, especially if you go early enough. To round it off, we tagged on a Trapper sandwich and a Blackberry Margarita at Signal Mountain Lodge for a little icing on the cake!