Spending a day hiking is a wonderful activity on your Jackson Hole Summer Vacation and is highly recommended by Inn on the Creek. There are great day hikes available in Grand Teton National Park of varying degrees of difficulty that offer both beautiful scenery and plenty of opportunities for wildlife viewing. To start off any hike in the park we always recommend stopping in at Creekside Market and Deli to grab some delicious snacks for the trip. As you continue north towards the park you will find that shortly after leaving Jackson proper the valley opens up, and you will surely be amazed by the awe-inspiring views of the mountains you’ll be faced with. The Tetons are a unique mountain range, in that, they seem to spring right up out of the flat valley. Take your time, and be sure to stop at some of the pull-outs along the road to take pictures.
Once you reach Moose, take a quick stop at the Grand Teton National Park Visitor Center to enjoy some of the neat displays they offer as well as learn more about the history of the park. Grab yourself a map and start your journey into the park. While there are plenty of day hikes to please any interest, there are two in particular that we here at Inn on the Creek recommend. First, stop at Bradley-Taggart Lake trailhead for the first recommended hike (about 3 miles from park entrance). From here you can hike to either one, or both of the beautiful alpine lakes just at the base of the mountains. It is a relatively flat hike that offers a loop between the lakes. If you decide to see both lakes it is approximately 5.3 miles and will likely take you 2.5 to 3 hours. If you simply want to see Taggart Lake it is a short 3.2 mile round-trip hike. The forest along this hike isn’t terribly thick so you’re sure to experience impressive views of the Tetons along the way.
The next day hike we recommend takes you just a little further into the park to the String Lake and Leigh Lake trailhead. From here you once again will have a couple of options. You can either hike around String Lake (3.3 miles) and then stop for a quick picnic near the parking area or you can do an even shorter 2 mile hike around Leigh Lake. Perhaps you could even bring your swimsuit and take a refreshing dip in either lake—careful though, the water is generally fairly cold.
After your hike, if you still have a bit of time, one of our favorite ways to end a day in the park is to stop off at Dornan’s in Moose. Here you can grab a beer or some nachos and sit outside on their beautiful patio offering unobstructed views of the Tetons. You might even be lucky enough to catch some live music!
Regardless of what hikes you choose to go on in Grand Teton National Park, you will most certainly have the opportunity to experience the splendor of our unforgettable landscape here in Jackson Hole. All of us here at Inn on the Creek are more than happy to recommend additional hikes or simply help you to figure out how you’d like to spend your Jackson Hole Summer Vacation.