Hiking the Lake of the Crags Trail in Grand Teton National Park
Distance via String Lake: 8.8 miles / 14.2 km
Distance via Jenny Lake Visitor Center: 10.6 miles / 17.1 km
Distance via West Jenny Lake Boat Dock: 6.2 miles / 10.0 km
The Lake of the Crags Trail in Grand Teton National Park is one of my favorite Teton adventures because it’s what the National Park Service considers a 'social trail', meaning that the Lake of the Crags Trail is not a designated or maintained trail by the agency.
For this reason, and because the hike itself is one of the more challenging day hikes in the park, Lake of the Crags is typically one of the least-hiked trails in the Jenny Lake area.
On a different note, there are a variety of ways to get to the Lake of the Crags junction on the far side of Jenny Lake, but in this article, I talk about the route from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, being that Jenny Lake is easily the most popular trailhead in Grand Teton National Park.
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Jenny Lake Visitor Center Parking
While there are number of trailheads that one could begin the hike to the Lake of the Crags junction, the most popular, as previously mentioned, is the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, with the String Lake Trailhead being second.
That being said, be sure to arrive early, regardless of which trailhead you choose to begin.
I say this because the parking lot at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, along with other trailheads, will fill up completely between 9-10 a.m. during the busy summer season, which can require visitors to park up to a half-mile away from the trailhead.
Google Maps Directions: Lake of the Crags Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yellowstone-Tetons
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Yellowstone-Teton area.
Bear Spray & Holster - If you aren’t flying, don’t rent bear spray! It’s a waste of money. Prepare ahead of time by buying your own, as this may be one of the most important items on this list.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Lake of the Crags Trail
From the Jenny Lake Visitor Center, the Lake of the Crags Trail begins at the Jenny Lake Trailhead, located just past visitor center and the bathrooms.
Jenny Lake Loop
Once at the Jenny Lake Loop, turn left to continue toward the Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle, which is the fastest route to the Lake of the Crags junction.
Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle
Then, turn right to walk past the Jenny Lake Boat Dock.
While you could cut out about 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of the hike around Jenny Lake by taking the shuttle, I recommend hiking around Jenny Lake at least one way, as the Jenny Lake Loop Trail along the shoreline is the best way to truly enjoy the beautiful alpine-blue water and potentially see wildlife!
In my experience, bears can and will be found on any trail in Grand Teton National Park.
However, they tend to be less common on busy trails, like the Hidden Falls/ Inspiration Point side of Jenny Lake.
Valley Trail (Lower Moose Ponds) Junction
The next junction on the Jenny Lake Loop is the Valley Trail, which is also a part of the Moose Ponds Loop Trail that uses a short part of the Jenny Lake Trail to complete the loop around the ponds.
That being said, the Moose Ponds Loop Trail is one of the best trails in Grand Teton to see wildlife in the park. Therefore, to learn more about how to better your chances, I highly recommend checking out my separate article.
Read My Separate Post: Moose Ponds Loop Trail
Upper Moose Ponds Loop Junction
Shortly after the Valley Trail connection, the Jenny Lake Loop Trail will pass by the upper Moose Ponds Loop junction.
Again, I highly recommend treating the Moose Ponds Loop as an entirely separate hike, especially if you want the unique opportunity to see wildlife within the park.
Read My Separate Post: Moose Ponds Loop Trail
Jenny Lake Horse Trail Junction
At a few points around the Jenny Lake, the trail splits into both a foot traffic and horse trail.
In this case, go right to stay on the foot traffic trail around Jenny Lake.
Once on the back side of Jenny Lake, you’ll have the opportunity to see some of the deepest, clearest, and bluest water along the shoreline.
This can be a great place to fish if you have a valid Wyoming fishing license or go for a swim in the cold, alpine waters of Jenny Lake.
Hidden Falls-Jenny Lake Loop Junction
When you come to the split in the photo below, you’ve reached the junction for the most popular day hike in Grand Teton National Park; the Hidden Falls Trail.
Here, go right to continue around the Jenny Lake Loop to get to the Lake of the Crags junction, which is located just past the West Jenny Lake Boat Dock.
Cascade Canyon-West Boat Dock Junction
On the far side of Cascade Stream, you can either go right or straight to bypass the Boat Dock, which can be a very crowded section of the trail by midday.
I say this because the line to the boat dock can backup the trail with people waiting for their turn to ride the shuttle back across Jenny Lake.
That being said, I went right to show the what the boat dock trail looked like in the late afternoon.
Cascade Canyon-Inspriation Point Junction
As if you had hiked from the String Lake Trailhead or the boat dock, then this junction is the fastest way to get to Inspiration Point, Hidden Falls, and Cascade Canyon.
However, for the Lake of the Crags Trail, go right to continue around the lake.
West Jenny Lake Boat Dock
As previously mentioned, this section of the trail can see a long line of people by midday, as visitors wait their turn to take the ferry back to the Jenny Lake Visitor Center.
Furthermore, the National Park Service has even gone as far as posting signs on the trail to show estimated wait times based on how far back people are standing.
Jenny Lake Loop-Lake of the Crags Junction
Once past the West Jenny Lake Boat Dock, look for this unmarked junction, which is the start of the start of Lake of the Crags Trail.
That said, this junction can be a very easy turn to miss because Lake of the Crags is not an established trail by the National Park Service.
Lake of the Crags Trail
Once on the trail to Lake of the Crags, the trail will begin climbing about 2,700 ft. (823 m) of elevation over the next 2.7 miles (4.3 km).
I hope this shows that there’s really no point on the way up to the Lake of the Crags that you get a break from the constant elevation gain.
At least the views on the Lake of the Crags Trail get better and better the higher you hike!
While the Lake of the Crags Trail may not be as popular as other 'social trails', such as Delta Lake, the route finding up the to the lake never proved too difficult.
The scramble in the photo below may look intimidating, but anyone with average hiking/ scrambling skills should be able get through this short section without an issue.
Ramshead Lake
Just before the Lake of the Crags is a little lesser-known lake called Ramshead Lake.
To get get to Lake of the Crags, simply walk around the right side of Ramshead Lake, and Lake of the Crags will be found shortly after the final hill.
Around the second week of July, we had to cross this larger snowfield just before making it up to Lake of the Crags.
For this reason, micro-spikes may be necessary, depending on how early in the season you are visiting—especially if the snow is melting during the day and freezing at night.
Lake of the Crags
Lake of the Crags is easily one of my favorite hikes in Grand Teton National Park because you’re pretty much guaranteed to see few or no people, as the trail is so difficult—meaning steep—to get there!
On top of this, more Grand Teton visitors are typically interested in hiking off-trail to Delta Lake over Lake of the Crags, which again is why this one is a personal favorite!
My Print - Lake of the Crags
Hiking Down
I hope the numbers show that roughly 2,700 ft. (823 m) of elevation gain in the last 2.7 miles (4.3 km) means that Lake of the Crags is a very steep hike! That’s a constant 100 ft. (30.5 m) of elevation change every 0.1 miles (0.2 km)!
For this reason, you may want to consider trekking poles because this section alone would be very hard for someone with bad knees.
Warning
Afternoon thunderstorms in high Mountain West areas, such as this, are a serious concern during the summer monsoon season.
Even if the weather forecast doesn’t predict any storms, I can tell you from personal experience that they may show up out of nowhere and can put you and your entire group in a very dangerous situation.
I say this to emphasize the importance of turning around at the first sign of lightning, thunder, or even heavy cloud buildup. However, if you ever get caught in a storm unsuspectingly, follow the steps linked below to reduce the risk of getting struck.
U.S. Forest Service: Lightning Safety Tips
How Bad are the Mosquitoes?
If this is your first trip to Wyoming, you’re likely unfamiliar with how bad the mosquitoes will be. Locals don’t joke when they call the mosquito the Wyoming state bird, which is why I recommend grabbing this cheap bug net before going. You never know where and when you may want it because even midday in the most unsuspecting places, the mosquitoes can be out in clouds!
More Grand Teton Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Grand Teton National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
From personal experience, I’ve seen that the Yellowstone-Teton area has one of the highest Grizzly Bear densities in the country. Even on the popular trails, you need to be hiking with bear spray and know how to react in the event of a Black or Grizzly Bear encounter.
Aside from wildlife, Wyoming, like any Mountain West state, is known for its violent afternoon thunderstorms, which are more typical in the warmer summer months than other times of the year.
That said, it’s important to check the local forecast before setting off on any adventure, as lightning strikes are not uncommon in and near mountain ranges across the West. I have personally been knocked to the ground by a strike that hit near me in the past, and I confidently say that it’s an experience you don’t want to live through. This is why I highly recommend checking Mountain Forecast for any high-elevation adventures you may be interested in—especially when climbing a summit.
Finally, know that when micro-spikes are necessary for an early-season adventure, micro-spikes are never supposed to be a substitute for conditions that require crampons.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park websites.
National Park Service: Grand Teton National Park / Yellowstone National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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