Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole: Seeing the park
No road crosses the Tetons, but those that run along their eastern flank were designed with an eye to the mountains, affording stunning views at every turn. Two excellent side trips are the Jenny Lake Scenic Loop , leading to a face-to-face encounter with towering, partly hunchbacked Grand Teton Mountain , and the narrow track up Signal Mountain , which gives a fine view of the five main Teton pinnacles and Jackson Hole.Hiking trails, too, have been laid out so that no time is wasted in getting to the highlights. One easy and popular walk is along the sandy beaches of Leigh Lake , where the imposing 12,605ft Mount Moran bursts out dramatically from the lake shores. Also very accessible are the cascading Hidden Falls , reachable by a two-mile walk along the south shore of Jenny Lake; it's also fun to take the shuttle boat ($5 round-trip) across the lake, and walk the remaining 800 yards. For the more adventurous, the rocky nine-mile trail from Hidden Falls through U-shaped Cascade Canyon leads to aptly named Lake Solitude . Another strenuous hike, and an excellent way to reach the tree line in a short distance, is the five-mile trail from Lupine Meadows , just south of Jenny Lake, which skirts small glacial pools like Amphitheater and Surprise lakes.
On the flat roads of the Hole, cycling is a joy; rent a bike down in Jackson ($25-30). To admire the Tetons from water , take a float trip along the Snake River or rent a rowing boat from Colter Bay or Signal Mountain marinas ($25). In winter, all hiking trails are open to cross-country skiers , and snowmobiles can be rented from various outlets in Jackson. Excellent rock climbing opportunities exist within the park. Contact the Jenny Lake Visitors Center (tel 307/739-3343) for climbing details. Climber's Ranch , within the park on Teton Park Road , has basic dorm accommodation for climbers only (June-Sept only; tel 307/733-7271; $7).
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