A Premier Lake Trail In Grand Teton National Park Boasts Canyons, Mountains, And Waterfalls

A picture is worth a thousand words. Or is the saying, a picture doesn't do it justice? Those seemingly polar opposite observations manage at once to describe the natural beauty of a Wyoming landscape. Don't believe us? Try this. Do a quick image search for Wyoming and it's a pretty sure bet the results will reveal a stunning array of too-gorgeous-to-be-true landscapes. Pastoral fields where elk graze against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Smooth-as-glass alpine lakes shimmering in the early-morning mist. A blazing blue, pink, and orange sky as the sun sets behind Les Trois Tetons. The images are breathtaking, but even the most talented photographer can only capture a fraction of what it feels like to be there in the moment. So, let's go.

Wyoming is a vast state. Encompassing a landmass about the size of the United Kingdom, it's home to two of the nation's most beloved national parks — Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. While both are stunning, they offer different experiences. Home to Old Faithful, Yellowstone is more about seeing the sights. Grand Teton, on the other hand, is better suited for interacting with the wonders of nature in an up-close-and-personal manner and the park's Jenny Lake Trail — encompassing waterfalls, ravines, and dramatic mountain vistas framing a pristine lake — is one of the best ways to appreciate the Cowboy State's diverse landscape. The catch is, there are so many ways to explore the trail that FOMO — hike or take the shuttle boat, do the full loop or double back, follow the crowd or take the road less traveled — can lay waste to even the most intentional plans.

Get your bearings with a curated tour of the park and its environs. Viator offers half- and full-day Grand Teton-centric itineraries led by an experienced guide. The highly rated Grand Teton National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Jackson Hole is an all-day adventure that incorporates local highlights including Mormon Row, Oxbow Bend, Jackson Lake, Antelope Flats, and Jenny Lake. The tour route reveals breathtaking views of the Tetons, a 40-mile-long stretch of 11,000- to 13,000-foot peaks that comprise a section of North America's 3,000-mile-long Rocky Mountain range. With no foothills to distract from the impact, the mountains rise dramatically from flatlands creating scenic vistas like the Antelope Flats. Other tour highlights include a visit to the Mormon Row Historic District, home to historic structures — including the iconic T.A. Moulton Barn — built by early 20th-century Mormon homesteaders. Also included, a photo op at Oxbow Bend along the Snake River and a quick stop at Jackson Lake, one of the region's premier destinations for recreational water sports.

The full-day tour winds up at Jenny Lake, named for Jenny Leigh, a mid-19th-century Shoshone woman who married an English fur trader and settled in the area. Frequented seasonally by Indigenous members of the Shoshone and Bannock tribes, Jenny Lake holds place of honor as the most popular site in Grand Teton National Park. It's also the centerpiece of the Jenny Lake Trail, a 7.1-mile scenic hiking trail that features several waterfalls, views of Cascade Canyon, and myriad wildlife. The Viator tour offers an abbreviated experience, shortcutting by water shuttle across the lake with an optional self-guided 1-mile round-trip hike to the much-heralded Hidden Falls. Or, kick back, enjoy the lake, and do the full hike the next day.

The well-marked trail is reasonably easy to navigate. If your group includes people with varying degrees of expertise, break the trail into sections. Anyone interested in a shorter outing can circle back at the half-loop mark. The most convenient trailhead is located at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center. Convenience comes with a price, though. During prime hiking season, on-site parking can be at capacity by 9 a.m. 

Ready to hike? You're faced with a choice right off the bat. Hike left and you're on the most well-traveled section of the trail. Hike right and you begin your day on a more tranquil note, but you'll end on the more crowded leg of the trail. Assuming you go left, you'll pass the water shuttle dock from the previous day before continuing along the shorefront. Stay the course and you'll eventually reach the turn-off for Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. 

Although embarking on the loop adds about an hour to your hike, the pay-off comes in the form of the stunning 100-foot Hidden Falls and an all-encompassing view of the Jackson Hole Valley from Inspiration Point. Return to the intersection with Jenny Lake Trail, you'll reach another milestone in your journey. This is where anyone who's done for the day can retrace their steps back to the visitor center while the rest of the group continues along the trail to explore the less-traveled shore of Jenny Lake. Bear in mind (pun intended), fewer people means the potential for more bear sightings. It's always a good idea to have a can of bear spray in your backpack. The trail continues past Jenny Lake Lodge, a historic on-site lodging establishment operated by the National Park Service, before ending back at the visitor center.