Six Activities To Do at String Lake – and One You Can’t

Directions – Google Map
Map of String Lake

I love, love, love, String Lake because it has so many possibilities.

You can spend all day here (possible activities to follow), or, stop here in between activities to rest, or come take a peek at the beautiful lake with the Tetons in the background.

String Lake is the BEST because it is shallow (great for swimming), close to the Tetons, it’s easy to get to, and you can do so many things here, including:

Hike
Swim
Canoe*
Kayak*
Paddleboard*
Picnic

*Water equipment rentals are not located on-site at String Lake, but can be rented at Dornan’s Adventure Sports. (I am not an affiliate.)  Dornan’s is located right outside the south end of the park in Moose, WY. You’ll need a vehicle to transport any water rentals to String Lake.

String Lake Hiking Trails

Many hikes, from beginner to expert, start and end here at String Lake. Here we will discuss specifically the trails close to String Lake.

People on String Lake Trail

String Lake provides many trail options for hiking – short, long, medium, flat, varied elevation, in and out and loop trails.

Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage

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

One hike we do every year (especially with little kids and/or non-enthusiastic hikers) is the hike to Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage.

It is the trail marked in red on the map.

Map of Hiking Trail from String Lake to Leigh Lake in red

It’s a short hike, about 1 mile to Leigh Lake (Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage), and then 1 mile back. It’s a flat hike that follows along String Lake, giving you lake views with the Tetons in the background.

As you walk along String Lake, you get an idea of how shallow the lake is, good for swimming, wading and playing around.

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.

Leigh Lake Portage Steps – Photo by: Denis LeBlanc

Leigh Lake to Bear Paw Lake

Distance: 7.4 miles RT
Elevation Gain: 110 ft
Trail Type: In and out
Difficulty: Moderate

If you do the Leigh Lake Overlook/Portage hike and reach the overlook, and want to keep hiking, you can backtrack from the overlook to the fork in the trail (about 1/10 of a mile) and continue on walking along Leigh Lake for as long as you want to go.

It is the trail marked in purple on the map.

Map of Hiking Trail from Leigh Lake Trailhead to Trapper Lake in purple

It’s an in and out trail, so you can go all the way to Bearpaw and Trapper Lakes (7.4 miles RT) or follow the trail for as long as you want and turn around anytime.

NOTE: The 7.4 miles RT is from Leigh Lake to Bear Paw Lake, to get back to the parking lot, you still need to go back along String Lake which is another .9 miles. So, round trip from the parking lot is actually 9.2 miles

As you walk along Leigh Lake you’ll notice it is not as shallow as String Lake. It is shallow for a while, but drops off quickly and is very deep. Deep water is colder water and therefore String Lake is preferable for swimming. 🙂

String Lake Loop

Distance: 3.8 miles RT
Elevation Gain: 275 ft
Trail Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy

Another hiking option is to hike around String Lake.

It is the trail marked in blue on the map.

Map of String Lake Loop Trail from Leigh Lake Trailhead in blue

This hike has more variation in elevation, not as flat as Leigh Lake trail. This trail pulls away from String Lake on the north and west sides and brings you around to where String Lake feeds into Jenny Lake.

View of Grand Teton and the Southern Footbridge on String Lake

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

String Lake Swimming

In my humble opinion, String Lake is the best lake to swim in GTNP. It is easy to get to, and it is shallow.

String Lake does have a deep section. The farther southwest you go in the lake, the deeper it gets, towards Jenny Lake.

The rest of the lake, around the first bend to the north, is so shallow you can walk up and down the lake to Leigh Lake and not have the water rise above your chest, some places it doesn’t get above your waist.

Know Before You Go:

• You may want to wear water shoes. The lake bottom is both sandy and rocky in places.
• The lake can get busy in the afternoons. If you want to separate yourself from the crowds, go around the first bend to the north. There are fewer people because not everyone knows the lake is shallow all the way up to Leigh Lake.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

String Lake Canoeing/Kayaking/Paddleboarding

We have canoed this lake many times.

The earlier you go in the morning, the less crowded it is. And it is peaceful.

Canoe on String Lake

Very peaceful. There is a chill in the air, mist coming off the lake, while the sun comes up over the trees hitting the mountains – it makes for GREAT pictures.

The water is almost always calm in the morning, you’ll glide through the water easily.

Early morning also provides a better chance of seeing animals. We once saw a herd of elk grazing on the west side of String Lake. Beautiful!

In the past, we usually did a canoe so all four of us could be in one boat. This summer, with the girls being older, we are going to try two-person kayaks. If you are renting a canoe or a kayak, I highly suggest Dornan’s Adventure Sports. (I am not an affiliate) Dornan’s is located right outside the south end of the park in Moose, WY. They are fantastic! They will help you tie the canoe/kayak/paddleboard on your vehicle. When they do, pay attention as you will have to tie the watercraft on when returning it.

String Lake is an excellent lake for paddleboarding. We learned to paddleboard here. It was less intimidating here because of the shallowness of the water and that the water usually stayed smooth and calm. We ended up loving paddleboarding so much, we bought our own paddleboard and will be bringing it to String.

Know Before You Go:

• String Lake has shallow enough places to get high centered in a canoe.
• There are also some big rocks under the water to navigate around.
• If you are renting canoes/kayaks/paddleboards from Dornan’s Adventure Sports it is always best to call ahead and reserve the item. 307-733-2415 ext. 302 (At the time of publishing, online reservations were not available.)
• Since you might get wet, you might want to paddleboard in the warmer parts of the day, like afternoon. Canoeing and kayaking can be done anytime because there is less chance of getting wet.

Picnic

If relaxing with a great view is your plan, String Lake is good for this too. There are little sandy spots you can take fold-out chairs and go close to the water. Also there are picnic tables and bathrooms (yea!).

Please follow all signs and instructions for handling food in Grand Teton and be sure to throw away your trash. I’ve read that there have been volunteer groups formed to clean up trash in this area because it has gotten so bad. That’s not fair to people visiting or the animals.

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

…But the One Thing You Can’t Do at String Lake: Camp Overnight

There are no campsites on or around String Lake, but there are a few close by at Leigh Lake.

Leigh Lake has eight campsites, accessible by water and trail only, no roads for cars. The campsites on the west side of Leigh Lake are accessible by water only, the eastern ones by water or trail.

Leigh Lake is a short, one-mile hike/paddle from String Lake.

You will need to obtain a permit to camp at any of these spots.
Back country Permits

Be sure to know how to handle and store food properly in the back country.
Bears and Back Country Food Storage

Bear Safety
Using Bear Spray
How to Use Bear Spray Video

Have any questions or comments about String Lake? Feel free to put them in the comments section. We would love to hear from you!!

Keep Your Eye Peeled for a Moose!

Jenn Cunningham
Founder, Explore GTNP

Grand Teton 3 DAY Itinerary

If you are looking for ideas of what to do and see in Grand Teton National Park, and how to do it efficiently to make the most of your time, check out our Grand Teton 3 DAY Itinerary.

All the best places to see, hikes to do, places to dine, and the fun to have laid out in this 3 Day Itinerary.