Parking
Start at Two Ocean Lake Trailhead. Parking is limited, and no facilities were found there.
Overview
About Two Ocean Lake - Emma Matilda Lake Loop
Why go
- One loop links both lakes with the panoramic view from Grand View Point.
- Summer wildflowers and lakeside waterfowl add interest beyond the viewpoint.
Heads up
- The 13.2-mile circuit takes most of a day.
- Marshy footing, dense brush and mosquitoes can slow the lakeshore sections.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Grand Teton map
Full mapElevation6,877–7,526 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Grand Teton alerts
- ClosureConstruction closures and delaysConstruction is causing current road and area closures and delays across Grand Teton; use the signed Taggart Trail detour. - Moose-Wilson Road is closed between Moose and Laurance S.Official details
- ClosureJackson Lake boat ramps closed; Signal launch riskColter Bay and Leeks boat ramps are closed; Signal Mountain Boat Ramp is open, but water is below the ramp edge and loose cobbles make launching risky.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Grand Teton Tour Guide
Your drive to Two Ocean Lake - Emma Matilda Lake Loop, narrated.
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 trailhead
Two Ocean Lake: A Picnic or a Half-Day Walk0:00 / 0:31
“You’re nearing Two Ocean Lake, where a few picnic tables sit under conifers beside the trailhead, with water visible through the branches. Bring your own lunch for a simple lakeside break.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Grand Teton Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Coyote’s Meadow Pounce
- Ash That Welded into Rock
- The Insect Inside the Gravel Tube
- The Trapper Behind Jackson Hole
- 118 audio storiesacross Grand Teton’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 70 trails, 121 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…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.”
Trail guide
Hiking Two Ocean Lake - Emma Matilda Lake Loop
The full two-lake circuitThis is the 13.
This is the 13.2-mile loop from Two Ocean Lake Trailhead that links Two Ocean Lake, Grand View Point and Emma Matilda Lake. It is a full-day hike: allow 7 to 9 hours. Choose it if you want both lakes and the high viewpoint in one outing; if you only want a lakeside walk, this is a much bigger commitment than either lake on its own.
From Two Ocean Lake to Grand ViewThe route follows Two Ocean Lake’s north shore before climbing to Grand View Point.
The route follows Two Ocean Lake’s north shore before climbing to Grand View Point. The park describes 1,960 feet of total climbing and rates the hike strenuous. Grand View is the main payoff: the panorama takes in both lakes and Jackson Hole. Give yourself time there; this is a long loop, not a quick overlook detour.
Around Emma Matilda LakeFrom Grand View, the path drops toward Emma Matilda Lake and circles back to the starting…
From Grand View, the path drops toward Emma Matilda Lake and circles back to the starting access. The route includes a narrow path through dense underbrush and other obstacles. Its listed average slope is about 5%, but that number hides the distance and repeated climbing. Expect a sustained day on foot.
Mud, flowers and wildlifeAfter spring snowmelt, the trail is often marshy and muddy, and mosquitoes are common.
After spring snowmelt, the trail is often marshy and muddy, and mosquitoes are common. Early to mid-summer brings wildflowers along the route. Around Two Ocean Lake, watch for ducks, trumpeter swans, grebes and loons; thimbleberries and huckleberries also grow along these lakeside trails and attract bears. Sightings are never guaranteed, so follow the park’s bear-safety guidance.
Start and accessBegin at Two Ocean Lake Trailhead.
Begin at Two Ocean Lake Trailhead. Parking is limited and there are no facilities at the trailhead. No reservation or separate activity fee is required, though the park entrance fee applies. Pets are not allowed. The route is a summer and fall hike once spring snow has melted; wet ground can make the early season slow.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Grand Teton
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.
