Grand Teton National Park is an American national park in northwestern Wyoming. At approximately 310,000 acres (1,300 km2), the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long (64 km) Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Grand Teton National Park is only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, to which it is connected by the National Park Service–managed John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Along with surrounding national forests, these three protected areas constitute the almost 18-million-acre (73,000-square-kilometer) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the world's largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems.
Jackson Lake is in Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming. This natural lake was enlarged by the construction of the Jackson Lake Dam, which was originally built in 1911, enlarged in 1916 and rebuilt by 1989. As part of the Minidoka Project the top 33 ft (10 m) of the lake is used by farmers in Idaho for irrigation purposes under water rights legislation that was enacted prior to the establishment of Grand Teton National Park. The lake is the remnant of large glacial gouging from the neighboring Teton Range to the west and the Yellowstone Plateau to the north. The lake is primarily fed by the Snake River, which flows in from the north, and empties at Jackson Lake Dam. Jackson Lake is one of the largest high altitude lakes in the United States, at an elevation of 6,772 ft (2,064 m) above sea level. The lake is up to 15 mi (24 km) long, 7 mi (11 km) wide and 438 ft (134 m) deep. The water of the lake averages below 60 °F (16 °C), even during the summer.
Cascade Canyon is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The canyon was formed by glaciers which retreated at the end of the last glacial maximum approximately 15,000 years ago. Today, Cascade Canyon has numerous polished glacial erratics, hanging cirques and a U-shape as evidences that demonstrate that glaciers once filled the canyon to a depth of at least 2,000 feet (610 m). Rock debris that was transported out of the canyon by glacial motion formed moraines which now impound the waters of Jenny Lake which is located at the base of the canyon. Cascade Creek now flows where the glaciers once did and the numerous waterfalls, such as the 100-foot (30 m) tall Hidden Falls, found within the gorge are popular destinations with tourists.
Lake Solitude is a lake located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The 0.5-mile (0.80 km) in circumference natural lake is situated at the head of north Cascade Canyon and is a popular destination for hikers and backpackers. From the Cascade Canyon trailhead on the west shore of Jenny Lake, the lake is a distance of 7.2 miles (11.6 km) and there is an altitude gain of 2,252 feet (686 m) along the Cascade Canyon Trail and Lake Solitude Trail. An alternate route to the lake from the north begins at String Lake and steeply climbs through Paintbrush Canyon to Paintbrush Divide on the Paintbrush Canyon Trail and then descends to Lake Solitude after a 11.5-mile (18.5 km) hike with an altitude increase of over 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to the divide.
Granite Canyon is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The canyon was formed by glaciers which retreated at the end of the last glacial maximum approximately 15,000 years ago, leaving behind a U-shaped valley. The canyon lies between Rendezvous Mountain to the south and Mount Hunt to the north. The trailhead for the canyon is on the Moose–Wilson Road about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Teton Village. One of the most popular hikes from the trailhead is to Marion Lake by way of the Granite Canyon Trail which traverses the length of the canyon. Another popular hike involves riding the aerial tram located at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, and then descending back to Teton Village by way of Granite Canyon. The descent from the summit of Rendezvous Peak back to Teton Village is an often steep one with an altitude loss of 4,100 feet (1,200 m). The historic Upper Granite Canyon Patrol Cabin is situated near the entrance to the canyon and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Mount Saint John, height 11,435 feet (3,485 m), is located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, northwest of Jenny Lake. The mountain towers above the northwest shore of Jenny Lake, and along with Symmetry Spire and Rockchuck Peak, form a massif which looms to the north above Cascade Canyon. The scenic Lake of the Crags, a cirque lake or tarn, is located immediately south of the summit and is accessed by way of Hanging Canyon.
Symmetry Spire is located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain, first climbed via the east ridge route on August 20, 1929, by Fritiof Fryxell and Phil Smith, towers above the northwest shore of Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon. The scenic Lake of the Crags, a cirque lake or tarn, is located northwest of the summit and is accessed by way of Hanging Canyon. Popular with mountaineers, the spire has numerous challenging cliffs.
Garnet Canyon is located in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The canyon was formed by retreating glaciers which reached their last glacial maximum around 15,000 years ago. While Garnet Canyon is a less popular destination for recreational hikers than nearby Cascade Canyon or Death Canyon, it is an important approach to many significant and popular mountaineering climbs including routes found on Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton and Disappointment Peak.
Taggart Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. The natural lake is located at the terminus of Avalanche Canyon. A number of hiking trails can be found near the lake including a 3 miles (4.8 km) roundtrip hike commencing from the Taggart Lake Trailhead parking area. The lake is approximately one mile south of Bradley Lake reckoned by trail distance. A 2005 study of the water quality of the lakes in Grand Teton National Park indicated that the lakes in the park were still considered pristine and that they had not been impacted by air or water pollution.
The canyons of the Teton Range lie almost entirely within Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Ranging from 9 miles (14 km) to less than 1 mile (1.6 km) in length and up to 6,000 feet (1,800 m) deep, the canyons were carved primarily by glaciers over the past 250,000 years. The canyons in the Teton Range descend in altitude generally west to east and many have lakes at their outlets. The lakes were created by terminal moraines left behind by the now retreated glaciers. A few of the canyons have small glaciers that were created mostly during the Little Ice Age (1550-1850). Fast retreating Schoolroom Glacier is a tiny glacier located at the head of the South Cascade Canyon. Most of the canyons have streams from which rain and snowmelt flow towards Jackson Hole valley, and due to the sometimes rapid altitude descent, waterfalls are common. The canyons offer the easiest hiking access into the Teton Range.
Holly Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park, in the U. S. state of Wyoming. Holly Lake is situated in Paintbrush Canyon and is .70 miles (1.13 km) SSW of Mount Woodring. According to the National Park Service, the hike to Holly Lake is 12.8 miles (20.6 km) round-trip from the String Lake parking lot and involves an altitude gain of 2,840 feet (870 m). Holly Lake is along a side trail of the Paintbrush Canyon-Cascade Canyon loop. There are backcountry camping zones nearby and three specifically designated within a quarter mile of the lake.
Hurricane Pass is a pedestrian mountain pass located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated at approximately 10,338 ft (3,151 m) above sea level, the pass can be accessed from the south by way of the Teton Crest Trail or from the north via the South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail. From Jenny Lake the roundtrip hike is 24.8 mi (39.9 km) with a 4,500 ft (1,400 m) elevation gain. Schoolroom Glacier is 100 yd (91 m) from the pass. Views of the west slopes of several of the highest Teton Range peaks as well as Alaska Basin and Battleship Mountain in Caribou-Targhee National Forest are available at the pass.
The Jenny Lake Trail is a 7.1-mile (11.4 km) long hiking trail which circles Jenny Lake located in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the Jenny Lake campground or can be accessed at several other trailheads. One of the most popular and easiest hikes in the park, the trail provides pedestrian access to the Cascade Canyon Trail and is overlapped by the Valley Trail along the west side of Jenny Lake.
The Paintbrush Canyon Trail is a 9.1-mile (14.6 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Access to the Paintbrush Canyon Trail is from the String Lake trailhead. From there the trail follows the west shore of String Lake and is also known as the String Lake Trail. The Paintbrush Canyon Trail then enters Paintbrush Canyon and becomes steeper and then splits with one trail heading to Holly Lake and the other heading south then west. The trails merge west of Holly Lake and it is a steady altitude gain the last 3.9 miles (6.3 km) to Paintbrush Divide. The east approach to Paintbrush Divide is steep and may require the use of an ice axe through July. There are two camping zones within Paintbrush Canyon and one designated campsite at Holly Lake which are available with a permit. There is a popular loop trail which includes the Paintbrush Canyon Trail, Lake Solitude Trail and Cascade Canyon Trail which spans a distance of 19 mi (31 km) and has a total elevation gain of 4,900 ft (1,500 m).
Hidden Falls is located on Cascade Creek, Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The falls drop approximately 100 feet (30 m) near the eastern end of Cascade Canyon, and west of Jenny Lake. The easiest way to access the falls is by way of the Jenny Lake boat shuttle which goes from South Jenny Lake to the entrance of Cascade Canyon. From there it is a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) roundtrip hike along the Cascade Canyon Trail to viewing points for the falls. Another option is to hike 5.2 miles (8.4 km) roundtrip from South Jenny Lake on the Jenny Lake Trail. During the summer vacation period, Hidden Falls is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Grand Teton National Park.
The Cascade Canyon Trail is a 13.6-mile (21.9 km) round-trip long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming.
The Lake Solitude Trail is a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the Forks of Cascade Canyon and follows Cascade Creek up through North Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. Beyond Lake Solitude, the trail becomes steep and climbs to Paintbrush Divide where it ends at the Paintbrush Canyon Trail. The only way to access the trail is by way of either the Paintbrush Canyon or Cascade Canyon Trails. Except at and above Lake Solitude, backcountry camping is allowed with a permit along the trail. At South Jenny Lake, a boat shuttle operates during the summer which shortens the hike by 4 miles (6.4 km). The Lake Solitude Trail is part of a popular 19-mile (31 km) long loop hike which runs through both Cascade and Paintbrush Canyons.
There are 44 named and countless unnamed lakes in Grand Teton National Park. The largest of these is Jackson Lake, a natural glacial lake that has been enlarged with the construction of the Jackson Lake Dam. The lakes range in size as well as ease of access. In addition to mountain tarns, there are several large peidmont lakes. Nearly all the lakes are glacial in origin, formed by glacial action that carved out the valleys and left moraine behind that acted as dams to lock in water.
Jenny Lake at the foot of Cascade Canyon
Boat ride across Jenny Lake to Cascade Canyon
Jenny Lake in December
