Lakeshore Trail Hike at Colter Bay

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

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.

Lakeshore Trail is a good hike for:

• Beginners
• Families
• Kids
• Viewing Jackson Lake
• Unobstructed view of Mt. Moran (outer loop)
• If you are short on time – you can usually do the hike in an hour and a half (the full two miles) or even less with the inner loop only, walking at a leisurely pace.
• Seeing wildlife

Getting To the Trailhead

To get to the trailhead, 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, so look for the stand.

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. 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 Colter 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.

If you choose to go 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. 🙂

Cairn found at the end of Colter Bay Point

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. 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.

If you choose to do the outer loop, you will cross a land bridge.

Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail Map

We almost always see a deer or two on the outer loop. Keep your eyes peeled for one, and for all animals. Yes, that means bears too.

Do carry bear spray on this trail and for all the trails you go on, no matter how short.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

You will cross the same land bridge to come back to the inner loop.

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

Continue on past the amphitheater to come back to where you started at Colter Bay Marina.

Know Before You Go

• While it is called “Lakeshore Trail” the trail isn’t entirely along the lake’s shore. A good part of the trail is in the trees and in the forest.
• No bikes or dogs allowed on the trail
• If you have a hammock, there are some nice trees to set it up in when heading to the point, I recently saw a group making a day of it, laying in their hammocks, reading books and looking out at the Tetons
• Bring plenty of water
• Wear bug spray
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it

Have any questions or comments about the Lakeshore Trail at Colter Bay? Post them in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!!

Keep Your Eye Peeled for a Moose!

Jenn Cunningham
Founder, Explore GTNP