The "Shortcut" at Jenny Lake: A Grand Teton Adventure

Our family day trip to Grand Teton National Park was defined by one distinct moment: a misreading of the map that we will probably laugh about for many years. We arrived at Jenny Lake, the centerpiece of the park, sitting at the foot of the jagged Teton Range. The plan was simple, take a short, easy hike.

The 3-Mile "Mile"

We started at the visitor center, filled water bottles and used the restroom. I was confident that the trail to the other side of the lake was just a quick 1-mile jaunt. I still can't figure out how I read the map wrong. Instead, we found ourselves on the Jenny Lake Loop Trail (South Shore), which winds around the perimeter of the water. While the path was relatively flat and offered stunning views of Teewinot Mountain and Mount St. John reflecting in the glacial water, it just kept going. The "short walk" turned into a roughly 2.5 to 3-mile trek to reach the west shore boat dock. There were definitely some tired legs by the time we realized my error! My wife kept saying, "Are you sure this is only a mile?". 

The Ferry Rescue

By the time we reached the west side, we made the executive decision to skip the hike back. We bought tickets for the Jenny Lake Boating shuttle, a ferry that runs back and forth across the lake every 10-15 minutes. It was a relief to sit down and feel the breeze as the boat cut across the deep blue water, which is over 400 feet deep in some spots.

The Moose in the Water

That decision to take the ferry turned out to be the best mistake we could have made. We were lucky to see Moose in 2 different areas during our hike. The first was during a rest stop, we looked down from our trail, and in the pond was a Moose, just playing around. Turns out the name of the pond is very appropriate, it is named Moose Pond. As we were crossing, the captain slowed the boat. There, right in the water, was a moose swimming across the lake. It’s a rare sight, while moose are common in the park (especially near the aptly named "Moose Ponds" or the Snake River), seeing one fully submerged and swimming is something few visitors get to witness. The boat captain slowed the boat down and came to a stop, so the Moose can swim safely past our boat. Moose are surprisingly strong swimmers and can dive up to 20 feet to eat aquatic plants, but seeing that massive head navigating the open lake was incredible.

A Perfect Ending

If I hadn't misread the map, we never would have been on that specific ferry at that specific time. What started as a navigational blunder gave us our best story of the trip: a close encounter with the park's most iconic wildlife and a beautiful boat ride to cap off the day.