One of the most popular spots in Grand Teton National Park, Jenny Lake is a must visit. The lake itself has a very accessible shoreline ideal for a picnic and some water activities. In addition, there are plenty of hiking trails in the area so if you’re looking for some outdoor hiking adventures, Jenny Lake area is the perfect place to spend a day.
Jenny Lake Trail
This trail is 7.7 miles with 728 ft elevation gain and it goes around the lake in a loop. A great hike with amazing views of the lake. You can also combine this trail with Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point Trails.
Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point
If you aren’t doing the Jenny Lake Trail, you can take a boat shuttle to cross the Jenny Lake and get to the trailhead for Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point trails. Both of these are relatively short and easy hikes (0.5 mile and 1.8 miles respectively) with pretty amazing views of Jenny Lake and totally worth the trip. Most people do the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point in a couple hours or so and head back on the shuttle.
Cascade Canyon Trail
Cascade Canyon trail runs 4.5 miles from Inspiration point with towering mountains on either side of the canyon. The trail is rated “moderate” although it does have a 1000ft+ elevation gain.
If you’re planning to spend the entire day at Jenny Lake area and are looking to do 9 mile Cascade Canyon hike, we recommend getting there early (before 9AM) as the parking lot can fill up rather quickly. Spend an hour or so at the lake shore, then head over to the boat shuttle to the other side of the lake. Spend the next couple hours or so exploring Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and then hit the Cascade Canyon hike. With a 9 mile round trip, you should be able to get back to the shuttle stop before the last shuttle leaves at 7pm.
Jenny Lake Trails in Pictures
For more information about the Jenny Lake Trails in Grand Teton, check out AllTrails and the NPS website. We found these two super helpful in our planning.
If you have already been to Grand Teton National Park, let us know in comments what was your experience like. We would love to hear from you! If you planning on visiting Grand Teton, check out our day by day itinerary of our trip to the Tetons.
