String Lake Picnic Area

String Lake Picnic Area is a lakeside day-use spot in Grand Teton National Park, with tables under lodgepole pines and the water beside them. It’s a good place for an unrushed lunch, a swim or a paddle; clear water and views toward the Tetons make it more than a place to eat. String Lake is the warmest lake in the park, though the water can still feel cold in early summer.

Take Jenny Lake Scenic Drive into the String Lake area. Three lots serve the area; the picnic area is at the farthest lot, which also serves the Leigh Lake Trailhead. The middle lot is the separate carry-in canoe launch, so check which one you need before turning in. Summer use is heavy and parking can fill early; go earlier if this is a priority stop.

The picnic area has lakeside tables, bear-resistant food boxes and flush toilets. Bring your own meal; this is a picnic stop, not a place to buy lunch. Put food and scented items away in the bear boxes when you’re not using them.

Swimming, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding are popular here, and motorboats aren’t allowed on String Lake. Every boat, including paddleboards, needs a park permit. If you’re bringing a craft, use the designated launch in the middle lot; there’s no ramp, so plan to carry it to the water.

String Lake lies between Jenny Lake and Leigh Lake. In 1931 its name changed to Beaver Dick Lake for Richard “Beaver Dick” Leigh, a guide for the 1872 Hayden Survey. The name reverted to String Lake later in that decade.