Chapel of the Sacred Heart

Chapel of the Sacred Heart is a small Roman Catholic log chapel on Catholic Bay, on the south shore of Jackson Lake. It sits just off Teton Park Road, between Signal Mountain Lodge and Jackson Lake Dam. This is a short stop to see the building, step inside if it is open, and take in the lake from the picnic area next door. I’d stop for the quiet and the architecture; there isn’t a long walk to build around.

Inside, look for the log pews and the round Sacred Heart rose window behind the altar. The chapel is still used for worship, with regular weekend Masses in summer, so give a service its space. The neighboring picnic area offers Jackson Lake views.

Casual visiting hours aren’t clear, and some visitors have found the building closed. A restroom is listed at the site, but public access is uncertain. Wheelchair accessibility is also listed, though the route and building details aren’t specified.

The detailed parish history and the National Park Service place the chapel’s dedication in 1937, although a parish overview gives 1935 as its construction year. The log building was funded by a $1,500 gift from the Catholic Church Extension Society, offered in the names of benefactors James and Mrs. Hudson. It was dedicated on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption.

The chapel served for years through priests traveling from St. Patrick’s Parish in Kemmerer. Jackson’s parish was established in 1955, and the chapel now serves as its summer mission. It seats about 115, a modest size that suits the small, wooded setting.

Winter damage led to major repairs and a south-side addition in 1969. A 2002 renovation replaced failing beams and rebuilt the entrance and sanctuary; it also added the round rose window behind the altar. The renovation was funded by a memorial gift honoring victims of the September 11 attacks. If the chapel is open, the view down the center aisle frames that window among the exposed log rafters.