Lake of the Crags Trail

Put your stamina and navigational skills to the test along the Lake of the Crags Trail. This high-country hike is accessed via the Jenny Lake Boat Shuttle, which requires a purchased ticket—check out the Jenny Lake Boating website for updated pricing. Make sure you or someone you are hiking with has bear spray and knows how to use it! Note the route up to the lake is an intense climb lacking trail markers, so download the trail GPS prior to departure. Additionally, the route requires some scrambling, so make sure you are wearing a sturdy pair of footwear. Don’t forget the Grand Teton National Park charges an entrance fee; refer to the NPS website for additional information.

After your scenic boat ride across Jenny Lake, you will be delivered to the western lakeshore, where you will find the Jenny Lake Trailhead. Take the northbound Jenny Lake Loop Trail briefly along the shoreline before diverting left onto the Lake of the Crags Trail. Beyond this point, the path climbs steeply into the high country along the unofficial route. The initial segment of the route will weave between tree stands and montane meadows before graduating the timberline. Mind your footing on obstacles such as rocks and roots as you ascend the bluff. Eventually, you will pass Arrowhead Pool and Ramshead Lake.

Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Ramshead Lake Is the Lake of the Crags. Admire the breathtaking scenery of the dramatic crags that encompass the crystalline pool. Notice Mount Saint John in the north, The Jaw in the west, and Symmetry Spire in the south. When you are through reveling in the alpine views, carefully head back down the way you came.