Jenny Lake is one of the most popular spots in Grand Teton National Park. And rightfully so, it’s absolutely beautiful!
Hiking in Jenny Lake is an absolute must if you’re planning a trip to Grand Teton. The small lake is tucked away near the base of the Teton Range and is known for its brilliant blue water.
My husband and I spent 3 days here in the summer and we loved every second!
There are a lot of great options for hiking Jenny Lake, so it can be difficult narrowing down which trail(s) are best for you!
This post will cover everything you need to know about hiking Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, including the best hikes, when to take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle, and other things to do!
(And if you’re looking for an overall Grand Teton National Park itinerary, check out this post!)
Why is Jenny Lake So Popular?
Jenny Lake is the centerpoint of Grand Teton National Park. It sits at the base of Cascade Canyon and is a popular destination for hiking, boating, and kayaking.
The views here are absolutely stunning, as you’re right at the base of the Teton Mountain Range.
From the west shore, you can see across the lake into the Jackson Hole Valley.
Jenny Lake was formed by glaciers flowing down the Teton Mountain Range over 12,000 years ago. They carved out a depression at the base of the mountains and it later filled with water. It is estimated to be 265 feet deep!
Jenny Lake is named after mountaineer Richard “Beaver Dick” Leigh’s first wife, a Shoshone woman who he called Jenny. Beaver Dick was a guide on the Hayden Expedition in Wyoming, which led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park.
Related: 15 Best Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
The Best Time to Go Hiking at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park
The best time to go hiking at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park is in the summer between June and September. The weather is warm and pleasant, plus everything is open.
Hiking in Jenny Lake becomes almost impossible in the winter, due to the closure of Teton Park Road and snowfall. Lots of facilities and roads are closed in the winter, so you’ll have to snowshoe or cross-country ski around Jenny Lake instead of hiking.
Spring is “mud season” as snow begins to melt on the mountains. It will be cold, wet, and can still be snowy, but crowds will be much lower March through April.
If you’re big into skiing, snowshoeing, and winter recreation, visiting in the winter will probably be worth it to you. But for the average hiker like myself, summer and early fall can’t be beat!
Related: 13 Best Easy Hikes in Grand Teton National Park
How to Get to Jenny Lake
Jenny Lake is located off of Teton Park Road (sometimes called the “Inner Road”). There will be signs pointing out the right way to go.
There is a large parking lot, visitor’s center, restrooms, and the Jenny Lake East Boat Dock (where you can book the Jenny Lake shuttle to take you across the lake- more on that below!).
Here are drive times to Jenny Lake from common destinations:
- Jackson, WY: 20 miles / 30 minutes
- Teton Village: 16 miles / 40 minutes
- Colter Bay Village: 20 miles / 30 minutes
- Yellowstone National Park (south entrance): 36 miles / 50 minutes
In 2023, construction on Moose-Wilson Road temporarily closed in July between Granite Canyon and the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, meaning you would have to go through Jackson to get to Jenny Lake if you were staying in Teton Village. The road is now open, 7 days a week but might still have delays. Check the NPS website for the most up-to-date information!
Helpful Tips for Visiting Jenny Lake
Jenny Lake is the most popular destination in Grand Teton National Park, so the large parking lot at the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center will often be full by 9 am in the peak summer months.
Get an early start here so you can get a parking space and not wait in a huge line for the Jenny Lake boat shuttle!
If you plan to go hiking in Jenny Lake (especially if you plan to do some of the longer, less populated hikes), carry bear spray with you and know how to use it. You can buy and rent bear spray at the Jenny Lake Store.
Bring bug spray, especially if you plan to hike around all or part of Jenny Lake. The trail is mostly wooded and there are lots of mosquitoes!
Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle
The Jenny Lake boat shuttle provides a shuttle service every 10-15 minutes across Jenny Lake.
The East Boat Dock is located at the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center, and the West Boat Dock is located at the trailhead for Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Cascade Canyon.
Taking the shuttle across the lake saves you a 2-mile hike to the Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Cascade Canyon trailheads, so it’s very popular.
You can book your shuttle ticket for a one-way or round-trip ride at the East Boat Dock. If you hike around the lake and take the shuttle back (what we did), you can board the shuttle at the West Boat Dock and pay for a one-way ticket when you return to the East Boat Dock.
The line for the shuttle (especially at the East Boat Dock) will be hours long midday during peak season. I highly recommend getting an early start so you don’t have to wait in those super long lines!
Tickets are $20 per adult round-trip and $12 one-way. The shuttle runs from 7 am to 7 pm daily during the summer (check specific dates and hours on their website here).
If you plan an afternoon/evening hike and want to take the shuttle back, make sure you get to the West Boat Dock before 7 pm!
Hiking Trails in Jenny Lake
All of these hiking trails in Jenny Lake can be done separately or together. It’s really easy to combine Inspiration Point + Hidden Falls + part of Cascade Canyon.
You can take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle across the lake or hike around it. There are a lot of options for structuring a day hiking Jenny Lake!
Below are some details about each of the 5 trails in this area of Grand Teton National Park.
Jenny Lake Trail
The Jenny Lake Trail is a 7.2-mile loop trail around the entire lake (here is the link on AllTrails). It starts and ends at the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center.
You can hike this trail clockwise or counterclockwise all the way around, or hike to the West Boat Dock and take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle back across the lake.
The Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Cascade Canyon trailheads start at the West Boat Dock, so you can easily add on those trails along with your hike around Jenny Lake.
If you do plan to hike the entire Jenny Lake Trail, I recommend going clockwise since it’s just 2.2 miles to the West Boat Dock (going counterclockwise is 5 miles to the West Boat Dock).
This hike isn’t particularly scenic per say, (except for the Jenny Lake Overlook, but you can drive there instead of hike), but it gives you a great opportunity to see wildlife.
If you hike clockwise, make sure to look left over to Moose Pond when you get to the south shore- Moose often hang out here and we saw one in the water when we did this hike!
Since there are so many amazing options for hiking all or a part of the Jenny Lake Trail, I’ll list them out here:
- Hike the entire Jenny Lake Trail (not adding on Inspiration Point or Hidden Falls): 7.2 miles
- Hike the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, continue hiking the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise back to the visitor’s center: 9 miles
- Hike the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, hike back the way you came around the lake: 6.2 miles
- Hike the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, take the Jenny Lake shuttle back to the visitor’s center: 4 miles
You can also take the shuttle to the West Boat Dock and hike back if you’d like. We found that the boat ride was a nice way to cool down after hiking though!
Related: The Ultimate 1, 2, or 3 Day Grand Teton National Park Itinerary
Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls is a short and sweet hike beginning from the West Boat Dock. It’s a mile long round trip with 300 feet of elevation gain to a fantastic waterfall.
You can also hike around Jenny Lake to get to Hidden Falls as well. Here is the AllTrails link (it has this hike combined with the Jenny Lake Trail, FYI).
Inspiration Point
Inspiration Point is a short but steep hike up to an incredible overlook over Jenny Lake and the Jackson Hole Valley. It’s 1.8 miles from the West Boat Dock and has 419 feet of elevation gain (AllTrails link is here).
I highly recommend hiking shoes for this trail (I have these Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes and highly recommend them), as you’ll be walking up a cliff of loose rocks with a steep drop off.
It’s a steep climb, but the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking!
Cascade Canyon Trail
From Inspiration Point, keep following the signs up into the canyon for the Cascade Canyon Trail. This trail will bring you deep into Cascade Canyon in the Grand Tetons with amazing views of the rugged mountaintops.
This entire hike is 9.1 miles with 1100 feet of elevation gain, so it’s not for the faint of heart.
But don’t panic if you’re not up for a 9 mile hike, because you can hike as far into the canyon as you want and then turn around. You can still get amazing views just by walking 20-30 minutes past Inspiration Point.
Most of the elevation gain for this hike is done once you get to Inspiration Point, so the hike into Cascade Canyon is relatively easy.
It is pretty surreal getting to walk on the same path that glaciers carved out in the Tetons!
If you hike far into this trail, make sure you bring bear spray and don’t hike alone. This trail is a lot less trafficked than Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.
Moose Ponds Trail
The Moose Ponds Trail is a relatively flat hike around some ponds where moose like to hang out. It’s about a 1-mile detour off of the Jenny Lake Trail, or 3.2 miles from the East Boat Dock (AllTrails link here).
The Jenny Lake Trail and this trail actually share about 0.5 miles. This hike gets mixed reviews, but would definitely be worth the detour if you see a moose!
We actually saw a moose down in the pond while we were still on the Jenny Lake Trail, so make sure to look down into the pond if you go hiking around Jenny Lake!
We skipped the official Moose Ponds Trail since we saw the moose from the Jenny Lake Trail.
Hiking in Jenny Lake: My Recommendations
There are a ton of different ways to go hiking in Jenny Lake, so which hikes are worth it and which aren’t?
Should you take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle or not?
What is the best way to string together hikes for the ultimate Jenny Lake hiking experience?
If you do nothing else, at least take the shuttle across the lake and back and hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. I would also recommend walking at least 30 minutes into Cascade Canyon since the trail is relatively flat after Inspiration Point.
I personally don’t think hiking the entire Jenny Lake Trail is worth it, but we did really enjoy the hike clockwise around the lake to the West Boat Dock.
We got started early so it was peaceful, we saw a moose and a young male deer eating leaves off a bush, and it was an easy flat walk.
For the ultimate Jenny Lake hiking experience, I recommend hiking the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise, hiking to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, and then hiking 30 minutes or more into Cascade Canyon. Take the Jenny Lake boat shuttle back to the East Boat Dock.
Other Things to Do at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park
Hiking isn’t the only thing to enjoy at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park!
Jenny Lake Boat Rides
Jenny Lake Boating also offers 1-hour scenic cruises around the lake. You can book your cruise ahead of time on their website here.
Make sure to bring a jacket and allow plenty of time for parking, especially in the summer!
Kayaking or Canoeing
Similar to the boat rides, Jenny Lake Boating also has kayak and canoe rentals on a first come, first serve basis. They’re located at the East Boat Dock.
It costs $25/hour or $100/day to rent a kayak or canoe. Morning is typically best for this, since the water is calmest and wind typically picks up in the afternoon.
You can find more information on kayaking or canoeing at Jenny Lake on their website here.
Jenny Lake Scenic Drive
Another fantastic way to experience Jenny Lake other than hiking is to do the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive.
This one-way road is a short loop detour off of Teton Park Road starting at the North Jenny Lake Junction. There is a scenic overlook with an absolutely breathtaking view of the Tetons.
This is a great place for sunrise or sunset, as the overlook parking gets really crowded midday.
The Jenny Lake Scenic Drive will only take you about 15 minutes, so it’s really easy to fit into your itinerary before or after hiking!
Jenny Lake FAQs
Are You Allowed to Swim in Jenny Lake?
Yes, you can swim in Jenny Lake near the East Boat Dock. There are buoys marking off the swimming area.
Keep in mind that the water is really cold, even in the summer! It rarely gets above 60 degrees.
What is the Best Hike at Jenny Lake?
The best hike at Jenny Lake is hiking the Jenny Lake Trail clockwise to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls, and then adding on 30 minutes of hiking into Cascade Canyon. Take the Jenny Lake shuttle back across the lake!
This hike allows you to see the best views at Jenny Lake without a super strenuous hike!
How Long Does it Take to Hike Jenny Lake?
Hiking the entire Jenny Lake Trail Loop will take you 3-5 hours. Taking the Jenny Lake boat shuttle to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls will make your trip a lot quicker!
What is the Best Time of Day to See Jenny Lake?
The best time of day to see Jenny Lake is in the morning to avoid the crowds, get a parking space, and avoid long lines for the Jenny Lake boat shuttle.
The water is also calmer in the morning if you plan to go kayaking or canoeing.
Evening would also be a good time to visit Jenny Lake, but the Jenny Lake shuttle stops operating at 7 pm, so keep that in mind!
Do you plan to go hiking in Jenny Lake on your trip to Grand Teton National Park? Let me know in the comments below!
-Megan
