Jenny Lake

The most loved of all Grand Teton lakes is Jenny Lake, nestled at the foot of Cascade Canyon and surrounded by a luxuriant forest of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and lodgepole pine.

Jenny Lake is named for Jenny Leigh, the Shoshone wife of Beaver Dick Leigh.

A one-way loop road leads south past Jenny and String Lakes, providing excellent views of the Cathedral Group: Teewinot, Grand Teton, and Mt. Owen. This is the most popular part of the park, and day-hikers will find a plethora of trails to sample, along with crowds of fellow hikers.

Paths lead around both Jenny and String Lakes, while another nearly level trail follows the east shore of Leigh Lake to several pleasant sandy beaches. String Lake is narrow but very pretty and makes a fine place for canoeing or swimming. Get supplies from the small store at Jenny Lake and information or guidebooks from the Jenny Lake Visitor Center (307/739-3392, daily 8 a.m.-7 p.m. early June-early Sept.; daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. early May-early June and early-late Sept.).

Coin-operated storage lockers are next to the store. Jenny Lake Ranger Station (307/739-3343) is open daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. mid-May-mid-September.

Shuttle boats (307/734-9227, www.jennylakeboating.com [1], $10 adults, $5 kids round-trip, mid-May-Sept.) provide hiking trail access every 15 minutes to the Inspiration Point and Cascade Canyon [2] areas. This is one of the most popular day hikes in Grand Teton. One-hour scenic boat cruises ($15 adults, $7 kids) are offered nightly at 6:30 p.m. in the summer. You can also rent canoes and kayaks ($15 per hour).

Beautiful Jenny Lake Lodge (307/733-4647 or 800/628-9988, www.gtlc.com [3], late May-early Oct.) sits on the northeast end of the lake and provides the finest lodging in the park; the gourmet meals are legendary.