• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 3329 0

3 miles to the trip. In May and June, this is a great wildflower walk, but it's also prime habitat for bears, so check with rangers first. The south end of the pond is covered with little grassy knolls upon which the birds build their nests and roost, and beavers have constructed a lodge here, too. It's a restful sanctuary but often infested with gnats and mosquitoes.

Signal Mountain Summit Trail

8 miles RT. Moderate. Access: Near Signal Mountain Lodge entrance, or 1 mile (by car) up Signal Mountain Rd. to a pond on the right.

This up-and-down trail gives you a few fine hours of solitude with views of the mountains, wildflowers, and, at the end, a grand panorama of the glacially carved valley. After negotiating a steep climb at the beginning of the trail, you'll come upon a broad plateau covered with lodgepole pines, grassy areas, and seasonal wildflowers. Cross a paved road to a lily-covered pond, and just beyond you'll choose one of two trails— take the right one up (ponds, wildlife, maybe moose and bear) or the left one down (open ridges with views).

TWO OCEAN & EMMA MATILDA LAKE TRAILS

You can come to these lakes from the east or west: From the west you'd begin at the Grand View Point trailhead, 1 mile north of Jackson Lake Lodge, or at the Christian Pond trailhead, just east of Jackson Lake Lodge. From the east, you'd go up Pacific Creek Road, 4 miles east of Jackson Lake Junction on the road to the Moran entrance. There is a pullout for Emma Matilda Lake 2 miles up this road, or you can go a half-mile farther, take a left on Two Ocean Lake Road, and go to the Two Ocean Lake trailhead parking lot, with trails leading to both lakes.

Emma Matilda Lake Trail

12 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Access: Emma Matilda Lake trailhead on Pacific Creek Rd. or trailhead off Two Ocean Lake Rd. north of Jackson Lake–Moran Rd.

Circumnavigating this lake is a pleasant, up-and-down journey with great views of the mountains and a good chance of seeing wildlife. The hike winds uphill for .5 mile from the parking area to a large meadow favored by mule deer. The trail follows the north side of the lake through a pine forest 400 feet above the lake, then descends to an overlook where you'll have panoramic views of the Tetons, Christian Pond, and Jackson Lake. The trail on the south side of the lake goes through a densely forested area populated by Englemann spruce and subalpine fir. Be watchful and noisy, because this is grizzly bear country. It's possible to branch off onto the Two Ocean Lake Trail along the north shore of the lake.

Two Ocean Lake Trail

5.7 miles RT. Easy. Access: Two Ocean Lake trailhead on Two Ocean Lake Rd., or Grand View Point trailhead.

Take your time and take a picnic on this delightful, underused trail around Two Ocean Lake. You can start at either end, but I recommend a side trip up Grand View Point, which will add about 2.5 miles. You'll be rested for this climb because the walk around the lake is fairly level. The variety of habitat— marshes, lakes, woodlands, and meadows—means you'll see birds, wildflowers, butterflies, and possibly beaver, elk, deer, and moose. There are great views of the Tetons, too, but for the best vistas you need to take the trip up to Grand View Point, a climb that will take you from lodgepole to fir to a hilltop of arrowleaf balsamroot, with its large, yellow flowers. You'll look down on lakes, meadows, and volcanic outcrops, and in the distance you'll gaze at the Tetons, the Mount Leidy Highlands, and Jackson Lake. It's possible to branch off onto the Emma Matilda Lake Trail at the east end of Two Ocean Lake.

JENNY LAKE AREA

Amphitheater Lake Trail

9.6 miles RT. Strenuous. Access: Lupine Meadows trailhead. From Moose Entrance Station on Teton Park Rd., drive miles to Lupine Meadows Junction and follow signs to trailhead; from Jenny Lake, trailhead is at the end of a road less than 1 mile south of South Jenny Lake.

Here's a trail that can get you up into the high mountains and out in a day, if you're in good shape