Looking to experience Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) beyond the road pullouts? Without having to go too far or too high into the backcountry? And without out all the backcountry planning and gear?

Or maybe you are just passing through GTNP on your way to Yellowstone and only have time to do a short (and easy) hike.

Or maybe you have kids with you that can’t (or won’t) hike far?

Whatever your reason, here are 4 day hikes that are under 4 miles RT that should do the trick and provide Instagram worthy pictures.

1. Phelps Lake – Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop

Distance: 3.4 Miles RT
Elevation Gain: 260ft
Type of Trail: Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Directions

Officially, this hike is just outside the park on the south side, between Teton Village and the town of Moose, at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center.

This is a nice, easy hike that packs in a lot of great scenery. I know, I know, what isn’t great scenery around here? But really, this trail has footbridges (excellent for pictures), a creek, rushing water, forest, and an overview of Phelps lake with the Tetons in the background. That’s a lot of great stuff!

The trail is a good one for all ages and hiking abilities. We have taken kids as young as 3 and as old as 90.

It’s a loop trail, and I suggest doing the trail clockwise, which means taking the Lake Creek trail up to the lake, and the Woodland trail back.

(Maps available at beginning of trail) The Lake Creek trail follows the actual Lake Creek, with the trail weaving in and out of the forest up to Phelps Lake. Once you reach the lake, sit on one of the benches and enjoy the view for as long as you want. You can leave and go back the way you came, or do the full loop and take the Woodland trail back.

Bonus

There is a bathroom at the beginning of the hike and another when you reach the lake!

Know Before You Go

• It’s a great hike to do if you are starting your Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) visit from the town of Jackson. If you are coming from Jackson, I highly suggest taking the Moose-Wilson Road from Teton Village. It is a winding, slower road than HWY 191, but has better opportunities to see wildlife.
• Tricks and things to know when driving the Moose-Wilson Road
• You will need to park in the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center parking lot. This lot fills up fast, before 9:00 am in the high season. To avoid waiting in line for a parking spot (sometimes 45 minutes +), go early. You can even go before the visitor center opens (9:00 am), bypassing the building to get to the trail (you can stop at the visitor’s center on the way back).
• Both bathrooms have running water in the sinks, very cold water, but no hand soap.
• Both trails include a section that crosses the Moose-Wilson road. Watch for cars and cross carefully.
• This hike may be outside GTNP but you are still in bear country.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

2. Lakeshore Trail – Colter Bay

Distance: 2 Miles RT
Elevation Gain: 150ft
Trail Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Directions

This hike is at Colter Bay. It’s a picturesque hike that includes a marina, boats, forest, lake shore, and of course, nice views of Jackson Lake and the Tetons, especially Mt. Moran (12,605′ elevation).

This is a flat hike (with one short climb in elevation on the outer loop), that is a figure eight which gives you the option to do the entire 2-mile hike with the outer loop or a shortened 1-mile hike with only the inner loop.

To get to the trail head, you need to go to the marina by going through the village. Just keep heading towards the mountain until you hit the visitor’s center.

Once at the visitor’s center, you can go through the center by the bathrooms, or go to the left of the center and walk down to the marina. Both routes lead to the marina. Once at the marina, facing the mountains, head to the right, towards the teepee stand. The teepee cover is usually not up, just the stand is.

Just beyond the teepee is a map box with all the hiking trails around Colter Bay. Take one and deposit the small amount of money requested.

Follow the map and walk down the right side of the marina (do the trail clockwise). It is a nice wide gravelly road in the trees. Be sure to look to the left, along the lake, there are a few trees downed by a beaver that took residence in the bay in 2015.

About (¼ mile) down the road, you will come upon Lakeshore trail on your right. You can turn here and continue on the trail, or take a short detour to the left to go to the point. On the way to the point, there are benches for sitting and viewing the mountains. The benches face the mountains (not the bay) and you will find a lot of rocks by the water’s edge, good for skipping.

At the very end of the point, you will be close enough to wave to the people in the boats coming in and out of the bay. Please do not skip rocks in their direction. 🙂

After the point, turn back and go to the Lakeshore trail sign and enter into the trees. Within 1/2 mile you will come to a junction in the trail, turn left to do the outer loop (1 mile RT) or continue to the right to do the inner loop (0.9 mile RT).

If you do choose the outer loop, note, it is a loop and it will bring you back to the inner loop, so you won’t be missing any parts of the trail.

The north side of the trail will give you views of Swimming Beach – note how rocky it is!

Continue on and finish at the Colter Bay Amphitheater (next to the Visitor’s Center) or back to where you started from at Colter Bay Marina.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

3. String Lake to Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage

Distance: 2.0 Miles RT
Elevation Gain: 90ft
Trail Type: In and out
Difficulty: Easy
Directions

Map – Leigh Lake Trailhead Map

This is a kid favorite, or at least my favorite when I was a kid, and still is today.

This is a short, flat, easy hike for all ages.

Start at Leigh Lake Trailhead sign, just beyond the bathrooms, and walk the dirt trail.

This trail pops in and out of the forest along the lake shore for a mile. Look how shallow the lake is! There are some breaks in the trees that bring you right to the water’s edge. These give you a closer view of the lake.

At the end, the trail veers up a slight hill to get to the Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage. You’ll know you have reached the overlook when you see the long wooden stairs. Go down the stairs and touch the water to see how cold it is.

When you are done at the overlook, head back the way you came.

Take a small detour on the wooden bridge – great pictures on the bridge looking towards Leigh Lake (this can be done on the way up too).

If you are doing the Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage hike only, head back the way you came. If you want to do a longer hike, see String Lake Hiking Trails – Something Here for Everyone.

Know Before You Go

• This trail is used by horses too, so watch your step!
• While most of the lake is shallow, the south end has deep parts.
• It is a glacially fed lake, water may be cold, very cold.
• To make a day of it, walk around and explore, work up a sweat, and then swim/wade in the afternoon to cool off.
• String Lake is also an excellent lake for canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding.
• You can make the hike longer if you want to, see String Lake Hiking Trails – Something Here for Everyone for trail maps. You can walk along Leigh Lake, just retrace your steps back from the Leigh Lake Overlook to the Leigh Lake / Trapper Lake trail sign and head northeast on the trail. The trail weaves in out of trees on this one too, and provides some sandy beaches. Note, Leigh Lake is NOT shallow. Quite the opposite, it is very deep.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

4. Taggart Lake

Distance: 3.3 Miles RT
Elevation Gain: 300ft
Trail Type: In and Out
Difficulty: Easy
Directions

This hike includes aspen trees, creeks, a cascading waterfall, footbridges (always great pictures), Grand Teton views and a tree-lined lake all under 4 miles RT (3.3mi if you do the in and out option (in red on map), 3.9 if you do the Taggart Lake loop (in purple on map).

There are many ways to hike around Taggart and Bradley lakes, this description covers the option of to Taggart Lake and back (in red), as it provides the most views for the shortest amount of distance.

From the parking lot, within 1/10th of a mile you will hit a trail sign of Beaver Creek Trail and Taggart Lake Trail. Veer right (north) for Taggart Lake (this trail is marked in red). Keep following the trail signs. You’ll know you went the right way if you cross over a creek on a foot bridge. This is a great picture of a small cascading waterfall.

Continuing on, you will pass horse corrals. After the corrals, you will start to gain elevation.

Once you reach the lake, you will see some big rocks to sit on and take pictures.

When ready to leave, retrace your steps.

Or, if you want to do the loop, follow trail signs and check map (purple trail on the map). By doing the loop, it will add .6 mile to your round trip.

There are other trails in this area, such as to Bradley Lake. Bradley Lake wasn’t included here because that is more of a moderate hike, but if you are interested see map.

Know Before You Go

• This is a popular hike, due to the short distance and scenery. Popular means that it gets busy, fast. This is another hike to do as early in the day as possible. Not only to avoid the crowds on the trail but to get a parking spot.

Know Before You Go, For ALL Hikes

• Even though these are described as “short” and relatively “easy” hikes, do take plenty of water. You’ll be surprised how quickly you get thirsty at this high elevation and in the sun. Water backpacks are a good option if you want to keep your hands free of carrying water bottles.
• Use bugspray. Mosquitoes are everywhere, especially in forests and near water.
• Use sunscreen. Again, high elevation in sun will affect you sooner and more intensely than lower elevations.
• Bring hats and sunglasses. Hats are great protection from the sun, and if you wear a big hat like me, they provide shade and keep you cooler.
• Wear proper shoes. Again, I know these hikes are short, but many of the trails have rocks and tree roots in them. These make your foot land unevenly on the ground. The flatter and less padded the soles, the more you are going to feel everything. This will tire your feet out. A good pair of sneakers is good – hiking shoes are best. Save the flip-flops and sandals for the parking lots.
• Carry and know how to use Bear Spray

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

Keep Your Eye Peeled for a Moose!

Jenn Cunningham
Founder, Explore GTNP