Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls

Distance: 2.2 miles round-trip with boat shuttle; 5.8 miles round-trip by trail
Duration: 2-4 hours
Elevation: 6,800 feet
Effort: moderate
Trailhead: East Boat Dock on Jenny Lake

The fun trek to Inspiration Point is one of the most popular day hikes in Grand Teton National Park. The trail starts on the west side of Jenny Lake. It’s 2.4 miles by foot from the Jenny Lake Ranger Station on the east side, or you can ride one of the summertime Jenny Lake Boating shuttle boats (307/734-9227, www.jennylakeboating.com, daily mid-May-Sept., $10 adults or $5 kids round-trip) that cross the lake every 15 minutes or so. Hours vary, but in peak season (July to mid-Aug.) it’s 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Shuttle boat lines lengthen around 11 a.m., so get here early in the morning to avoid the crush and to better your odds at finding a parking spot. Boat tickets are not available in advance. Afternoon thunderstorms frequently build up over the Tetons, which is another good reason to start your hike early.

From the boat dock on the west side, the trail climbs 0.5 mile to picturesque Hidden Falls, and then continues steeply another 0.5 mile to Inspiration Point, which overlooks Jackson Hole from 400 feet above Jenny Lake. Avoid the crowds on the way down from Inspiration Point by following a second trail back to Jenny Lake. If you miss the last boat at 6 p.m., it’s a 2.4-mile hike around the lake to the parking area.

Cascade Canyon

Distance: 14-19 miles round-trip
Duration: 7-11 hours
Elevation: 6,800 feet
Effort: strenuous to very strenuous
Trailhead: East Boat Dock on Jenny Lake

Many day-hikers continue at least part of the way up Cascade Canyon beyond Inspiration Point. The trail climbs gradually, gaining 640 feet in the next 3.6 miles, and provides a good chance to fish for trout or watch for moose and other animals along Cascade Creek. Those with strong legs can make a very long day hike all the way up to Lake Solitude (14 miles round-trip with shuttle boat) or even Hurricane Pass (19 miles round-trip with shuttle boat, and gaining almost 3,600 feet on the way up). If you’re into hiking that far, it probably makes more sense to reserve a backcountry campsite and take things a bit more leisurely.

Taggart and Bradley Lakes

Distance: 6 miles round-trip to both lakes
Duration: 2-3 hours
Elevation: 6,900 feet
Effort: moderate
Trailhead: Taggart Lake Trailhead at Taggart Creek parking lot (2 miles north of Moose)

A very popular day hike follows Taggart Lake Trail to the lake and then back via the Beaver Creek Trail, a distance of 4.4 miles round-trip. A side loop to Bradley Lake adds about 2 miles to this journey. These trails provide a fine way to explore the damlike glacial moraines that created the lakes. You can also continue beyond Bradley Lake on a trail that climbs to beautiful Amphitheater Lake, the primary access point for climbs up Grand Teton. (Climbers generally begin from Jenny Lake, however.)

Amphitheater Lake

Distance: 10 miles round-trip
Duration: 7 hours
Elevation: 6,750 feet
Effort: very strenuous
Trailhead: Lupine Meadows Trailhead, accessible off Teton Park Road just south of Jenny Lake

Looking for a fast climb into the mountains? Amphitheater Lake is only 5 miles up the trail but is 3,000 feet higher, making this the quickest climb to the Teton tree line. Many folks day-hike the Amphitheater Lake Trail to savor the wonderful vistas across Jackson Hole along the way. Camping is available at Surprise Lake, 0.5 mile below Amphitheater Lake, but you’ll need a backcountry permit. The mountain behind this alpine cirque is 11,618-foot Disappointment Peak, directly in front of Grand Teton. It was named in 1925 by a group of climbers who mistakenly thought they were on the east face of the Grand.