Immediate access to alpine lakes, canyon trails, and some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
Grand Teton National Park offers everything from short lakeshore walks to demanding alpine routes. Jenny Lake is the most popular first stop: visitors can hike around the lake or use the separately operated shuttle boat for shorter access to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. The National Park Service currently lists those destinations at roughly five and six miles round trip from the visitor center, or approximately one and two miles from the west boat dock. Parking fills early, weather changes quickly, and bears are active around developed areas and trails. Check current road, trail, boat, and bear information before departure.
What Stands Out
- Most dramatic hiking landscape in the lower 48 — 7,000-foot vertical rise directly from the valley floor
- Jenny Lake boat shuttle to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point: the essential half-day hike
- Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon: the finest full-day hike in the park — serious commitment, extraordinary reward
- String Lake: the best swimming hole in the national park system — calm, clear, and surrounded by peaks
- Sagebrush meadow valley trails: the most beautiful easy-walking terrain in the American West