Sight · Grand Teton National Park
Waterfowl and mountain reflections reward the shore spur.
Overview
Heron Pond is a wetland stop on the Heron Pond–Swan Lake loop from Colter Bay. Make time for it if you want a slower walk with birds and a close look at the water; it’s not a roadside pullout. The full loop is 3.1 miles with 320 feet of gain and takes about one to three hours. It’s mostly level, but exposed roots and rocks make the footing uneven.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs it worth the walk?Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Grand Teton Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Grand Teton National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Grand Teton audio tourRecorded for this area
Colter Bay: Lake Views, Artists and Lunch“Colter Bay's waterfront is ahead, with an easy lake view from the visitor center's deck. Start there to look across Jackson Lake toward Mount Moran.”
Plays on the road 1.3 mi from Heron Pond in the Parkwolf Grand Teton Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“…We have been driving around with the audio tour and it has been informational and spot on. The whole family has been impressed. We used it for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.”
Guide
Take the spur that drops from the loop to the pond. The return route follows the pond’s eastern shore. Mount Moran and Bivouac Peak rise behind the water, with Half Moon Bay beyond. For a photo, include some pond in the foreground so the mountain backdrop still feels tied to this wetland stop.
Heron Pond and nearby Swan Lake are wetlands used by birds and other wildlife. Look for waterfowl; beaver and moose are sometimes seen, but no sighting is guaranteed. A heron would be a good bonus, not a promise in the name.
Wildlife
172 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
195 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,816 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
614 sightingsBisonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
738 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Grand Teton. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasySwan Lake Trail1.9 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA short lake walk through meadow and pines to lily-pad shallows.
EasyHeron Pond Trail2.9 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.1 mi awayLily pads frame a quiet pond beneath the Teton skyline.
ModerateHermitage Point Trail9.5 mi · 5.5 hr · 1.1 mi awayA boulder shore opens onto Jackson Lake and the Tetons.EasyHeron Pond-Swan Lake Loop Trail3.1 mi · 1.8 hr · 1.2 mi awayAn easy loop linking two ponds beneath the Tetons.
EasyColter Bay Lakeshore Trail2.2 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.3 mi awayTwo shoreline loops trade forest walking for big Teton views.
EasyLunch Tree Hill Trail0.5 mi · 30 min · 3 mi awayA quick climb for Willow Flats and a wide Teton view.
ModerateSignal Mountain Trail6.8 mi · 4 hr · 3.2 mi awayA steady forest climb earns Jackson Lake and Teton views.
EasyWillow Flats Trail4.4 mi · 2 hr · 3.2 mi awayEasy old-road walking through willows with the Tetons ahead.Sight · 0.5 mi awaySwan LakeAn easy wetlands loop with two ponds and Teton Range views.
Sight · 1.1 mi awayColter Bay CorralA guided ride brings the Tetons into view from horseback.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayColter Bay Marina & Boat LaunchRent a boat or launch yours beneath the Tetons
Restaurant · 1.3 mi awayRanch House at Colter BayA seasonal Colter Bay meal with a little ranching history.
Visitor center · 1.3 mi awayColter Bay Visitor CenterA compact ranger stop with Indigenous art and a lakefront deck.
Campground · 1.3 mi awayColter Bay Tent VillageBunks, canvas walls and a wood stove among the pines.
Lodging · 1.4 mi awayColter Bay CabinsA historic log-cabin base near Jackson Lake.
Store · 1.4 mi awayColter Bay General Store & LaunderetteA practical resupply stop with ready-to-eat food, showers and laundry.Parkwolf’s Grand Teton ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
