#7 of 80 sights in Grand Teton
Sight · Grand Teton National Park
A rocky climb buys a wide-open look across Jenny Lake.
Overview
Inspiration Point is a rocky viewpoint above Jenny Lake, at the mouth of Cascade Canyon. It’s a worthwhile detour if you want the lake and Teton country from above without committing to a full-day hike. The shorter, boat-assisted walk is about 1.8 miles round trip with 550 feet of climbing; allow two to four hours with stops.
Parkwolf’s verdictWorth the climbMap
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 place
South Jenny Lake: Shore or Shuttle“You're nearing South Jenny Lake, where you can enjoy the mountain view from a paved lakeshore path or take the seasonal shuttle across the water.”
Plays as you drive up to Inspiration Point 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 privately operated shuttle boat from South Jenny Lake to the west shore to skip the walk around the lake. Tickets are bought at the dock, so check the return schedule before you start uphill. If you’d rather walk, the route via the South Jenny Lake Loop Trail is about 5.7 miles round trip with 870 feet of gain. Mid-summer parking fills early; arrive before 9 a.m. to get ahead of the rush.
From the west dock, the trail climbs gently toward Hidden Falls, a 100-foot cascade fed by snowmelt. Keep going another half-mile to the point. That upper section gets steep, with switchbacks, rock steps, exposed roots and bare rock underfoot. It’s a proper climb even if you take the boat.
The viewpoint sits about 420 feet above Jenny Lake. Look out over the lake and Jackson Hole, then turn toward Cascade Canyon and the Cathedral Group: Mount Owen, Teewinot and the Grand Teton. On a clear day, the view reaches the Yellowstone Plateau to the north, the Absaroka and Gros Ventre ranges to the east, and the Snake River Range to the south. The rocks at the point make a good foreground; keep some lake in the frame to show the height.
Snow can linger into spring and turn slick on the trail, so check conditions before setting out. Dogs aren’t allowed on this hike.
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
ChallengingLake Solitude Trail15.1 mi · 11 hr · 0.2 mi awayA full-day climb through Cascade Canyon to a high alpine lake.
ModerateInspiration Point Trail1.8 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.2 mi awayA short, steep climb above Jenny Lake to a full Teton panorama.
ChallengingHurricane Pass via South Fork Cascade Canyon20 mi · 13.5 hr · 0.2 mi awayA glacier and the Three Tetons reward a very long day.
ChallengingAvalanche Divide Trail20.8 mi · 13 hr · 0.2 mi awayA 20.8-mile alpine out-and-back to the divide below The Wall.
ModerateForks of Cascade Canyon9.4 mi · 7 hr · 0.2 mi awayA high canyon walk whose hardest steps come before the big views.
EasyHidden Falls Trail1 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.2 mi awayA short, rocky climb to a snowmelt-fed waterfall.
ChallengingCascade Canyon to Death Canyon via Static Peak Divide23.4 mi · 16 hr · 0.2 mi awayA high, rugged traverse links Cascade and Death canyons via Alaska Basin.
ChallengingLake of the Crags Trail4.6 mi · 7.5 hr · 0.4 mi awayA steep, unmaintained climb through Hanging Canyon to two alpine lakes.
Sight · 0.2 mi awayHidden FallsA one-mile waterfall walk that roars louder than the trail distance.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayMoose PondsA short Jenny Lake walk to moose country.
Sight · 1.5 mi awayJenny Lake OverlookA classic lake-and-canyon view with almost no walking.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayJenny Lake East Shore Boat DockA ten-minute crossing shortcuts the walk to the west-shore trails.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayTeewinot OverlookSee why Teewinot means “many pinnacles” from the easy lakeshore.
Lodging · 1.6 mi awayJenny Lake LodgeA seasonal cabin stay with five-course dinners and Dude Ranch roots.
Campground · 1.7 mi awayJenny Lake CampgroundTent-only camping near Jenny Lake; some sites face the Tetons.
Ranger station · 1.7 mi awayJenny Lake Ranger StationA 1925 homestead cabin still handles climbing questions.Parkwolf’s Grand Teton ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
